Assignment 1
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Liberty University *
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Date
Dec 6, 2023
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I
NSTRUCTIONS
For this assignment in three parts, you will be studying the Old Testament story of “Elijah and the Prophets of Baal” found in 1 Kings 17:1; 18:1–46. You will use the template below in order to complete a study of this passage. In your study, you will use the skills of Observation, Interpretation, Correlation, and Application that you have learned through your reading in Everyday Bible Study (
EBS
). You will complete this template in three parts and submit the same document each time, incorporating feedback from the instructor for each submission.
I. Observation
A. I have read 1 Kings 17:1; 18:1–46 in both a formal translation (KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV, or CSB) and a functional translation (NIV, NLT, or NCV). Highlight the correct answer. You can find various Bible translations by searching for them online (
EBS
ch. 16).
o
Yes
o
No
B. Identify the basic elements of the story you are studying (
EBS
chs. 15 & 33).
1.
Main characters: (List them)
1
Elijah
2
King Ahab
3
Obadiah
4
Prophets of Baal
5
People of Israel
2.
Plot: (50–100 words)
The chapter begins with God sending Elijah to meet with Ahab during the three-year famine, telling him that rain would be coming if he repented. During their meeting, the king accuses Elijah of being the one to have brought trouble upon Israel. In turn, Elijah proposes a challenge of the prophets of Baal against the Lord, the purpose being to determine who the true God is.
3. Story structure: (50–100 words)
Introduction: God instructs Elijah to present himself to Ahab and that after He will send rain to Israel.
Inciting Incident: King Ahab calls out Elijah for being the source of trouble for Israel.
.
Rising Action: Elijah declares a contest between himself and the prophets of Baal to determine whose God is the true God in Israel.
Climax: Both parties build their altars. The prophets of Baal pray to receive fire from their god and receive nothing upon their sacrifice.
Resolution: Elijah prays to the Lord to show the nation that He is the only living God, the
Lord then sends fire down to engulf his sacrifice. C. List basic observations about this passage using the Key Questions from EBS
ch. 17.
1.
Who: a.
Elijah
b.
King Ahab
c.
Obadiah
d.
Prophets of Baal and Asherah
e.
The Lord (speaking to Elijah).
f.
The people of Israel
2.
What: There was a severe famine in Israel when God instructed Elijah to go to King Ahab, that when he
went, God would send rain. Elijah then encountered Obadiah, who was a servant to Ahab, and instructed him to inform the king that he was there to meet with him. When the news was delivered to the king, he went to speak with Elijah. Ahab falsely accused the prophet of being the source of the famine and drought in Israel, even though it was his own wickedness that had caused the punishment. Elijah then declares a challenge between the God of Israel and priests of Baal and Asherah to demonstrate to the people who the true God is.
The prophets of Baal begin first, building an altar and praying to their deities to send fire on their
sacrifices. When they receive no answer, Elijah begins to mock them, “Perhaps he is on a journey, or maybe he is asleep and needs to be woken up”.
Then Elijah constructs his altar and places his sacrifice atop it before dousing it in water. He then
prays that God will show the people that He is the only true God.
Elijah’s sacrifice is then consumed in fire, as well as the wood and stones around it.
God then instructs Elijah to tell the king to leave the mountain before the rain comes.
3.
Where:
Northern Kingdom of Israel
Samaria
Mount Carmel
4.
When:
During the reign of King Ahab
During the ministry of Elijah, the prophet
During the third year of famine
5.
Why: Why was Israel experiencing a famine?
Because of the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel.
Why did God tell Elijah to return to Ahab?
So the famine and drought would end.
Why did Elijah devise a contest against the false prophets?
In order for the nation to see who the true God was.
6.
How: How did God demonstrate His power to Israel?
He sent fire to consume Elijah’s offering, altar, and its stones.
II. Interpretation
A. Determine the author’s main point. In 1–2 paragraphs (100–400 words) explain what you think the author is trying to communicate in this passage. Remember, the Old Testament narratives frequently communicate truth by showing it to us in story form instead of telling it to us by way of teaching or sermon. See EBS
ch. 28.
The story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal shows the seriousness of idolatry and the disobedience of Israel to God by following after the false gods of Ahab and Jezebel. The listed number of 450 prophets of Baal gives testament to how consumed the country was with idolatry. They were spiritually compromised by wanting to give devotion to both God and Baal. However,
God will not stand for such divided worship and will not share His glory. Their continual refusal to listen to Elijah shows the callousness of the nation. God demonstrated His power by sending fire on Elijah’s sacrifice. B. Based on your answer above, write out one principle from this passage. You should be able to express this principle in 1–3 sentences. See EBS
ch. 33.
That God is a jealous God and will not share His glory. “
You shall not have other gods instead of me.”
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III. Correlation
A. How does this Old Testament narrative fit within the metanarrative of the Bible? State what type of story you believe this to be (creation, fall, redemption, or new creation) and explain why you believe this to be so. Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100–200 words) in length. See EBS
chs. 1–2.
This story falls in both the “fall” and “redemption” categories. It fits into the “fall” because of the people's constant refusal to heed God’s teachings and Elijah’s warnings. The wickedness and idolatry of King Ahab and the people brought about a severe drought and famine in the country. Yet they still were adamant about worshipping and praying to Baal for rain. It also fills the “redemption” category in that by Elijah’s prayers, God showed the nation His supremacy over all
the other idols. He sent them rain, the famine and drought ended, and He instructed Elijah to execute Ahab’s false prophets of Baal.
B. How does your principle fit with the rest of the Scripture? This principle is the one you have written out in 1-3 sentences in the Interpretation section. If your principle is a true Biblical principle it will be reflected throughout the Scriptures. Where is the principle discovered in this Old Testament narrative found elsewhere in the Scriptures? Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200 words) in length. See EBS
ch. 29.
The Bible states in several places that worship of Idols is forbidden, such as in Isaiah, “
I am the
L
ORD
and there is no other; there is no god besides me,” (Isaiah 45:5). And again in Exodus: “You shall not have other gods instead of me,
” (Exodus 20:3). The Bible even states that those who follow after them “become nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit,” (Isaiah 44:9). And again in Habakuk, “What use is an idol after its maker has shaped it? It is only a presentation, a source of lies. And why should its sculptor place his faith in it, a dumb idol he has
made?” (Habakuk 2:18). It is even stated in the New Testament to “Flee from Idolatry at all costs,” (1 Corinthians 10:14).
C. How does this Old Testament narrative reflect the person and work of Jesus Christ? State and explain at least one way that the principle of this narrative can be identified in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100–200 words) in length. See EBS
30.
Often, simple requests from God can pave the way to the greatest blessings in life. Elijah demonstrated obedience to the Lord despite the opposition of the ruling authorities in Israel. Likewise, Jesus was obedient to God despite the persecution of the religious leaders. When Elijah faced off with the false prophets of Baal, it demonstrated his faith in God’s power. Elijah chose to obey God and left the results of his decision to Him. Jesus demonstrated His faith
in God’s power to raise Him from the dead. “‘The Son of Man must be
delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again,’” (Luke 24:7 NKJV).
IV. Application
What points of application can be made using the Four Questions for Application (
EBS ch. 31)? State and explain 1 point of application for each of these four questions. Your explanation for each of these points should be 1 paragraph (100–200 words) in length.
A. The question of duty
Obedience is something that we are commanded to do, despite any discomfort. Sometimes it is easy to forget who we are supposed to be obeying. “
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to
obey
God
rather than men.” (Acts 5:29). We are commanded by God to worship him and him alone, (Exodus 20:3). As the story of 1 Kings 18 highlights, not obeying his commandments can have serious, and sometimes dangerous, repercussions. Not only should we follow his commands because he told us, but also because we can trust that he always has our
best interests in mind. In the New Testament, Jesus even spoke on the importance of obedience when He stated, “
Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”.
Sometimes you have to choose between obedience and convenience.
B. The question of character
As shown by example through Ahab
, we see a type of character that we should not emulate. In contrast, we ought to strive towards that of Elijah. He demonstrated, more often than not, what it looks like to live our lives the way God intended us to live. He showed the importance of putting God first in your life and not letting anything else take His place. As children of God, we should live to please and bring glory to Him; emulating the character and holiness of Jesus Christ in everything we do and say. “
Rather, seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33).
C. The question of goals
Our job as children of God is to strive to live our lives in a way that is honorable and pleasing in the sight of the Lord. If Ahab had done this, the nation would not have been consumed by a drought. His disregard toward the Lord and His word time after time led Israel into a deep pit of sin and wickedness. Not only was the king hardened against God, but it led the nation to follow after him in his beliefs and thus believe in a like-wise low manner of God. As shown in this chapter, God would oftentimes send Elijah to the king to deliver His message to him in order for him to listen. Ahab had the goal of being prosperous and enjoying life the way he wanted. Elijah’s goal was to please God. This contrast shows how different goals lead down different paths.
D. The question of discernment
The story shows how little discernment the people of Israel had when it came to idol worship and
their belief in God. It was so bad that Elijah had to prove to them who their true God was, and that Baal was just an imagined deity. We as Christians ought to be discerning in the type of doctrine we hear, and the people we are around and compare what we hear with what the Bible says. “
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” If the nation of Israel were to have been more discerning of its rulers, many disastrous situations would have been avoided
altogether. “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
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