Much confusing fighting between long-named kings of Israel and Judah settles to reveal the infamous king Ahab and his nasty wife Jezebel, massacring God’s priests in order to establish their own religion of Baal.

And along comes Elijah. Into this atmosphere of evil, he is called to go to Ahab and declare a drought, then God hides him in the desert, in scenes highly prophetic of Jesus’ time in the desert. The ravens feed him.

After a while he is commanded to go to a town and look for a widow and ask her for food. She is not happy to see him.

“As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour and see I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may ggo in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die>”

Elijah tells her to make the bread – and give him some. She does – and it turns out to be the smartest thing she has done because her flour bin never empties and her oil flask never dries out until the day the drought is broken.

Also her son gets ill and dies – and she takes Elijah to task: “What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?” So Elijah asks God to bring back her son – and God does.

Eventually Ahab sends out his army chief Obadiah looking for water so they don’t have to slaughter their animals – and he finds Elijah instead. Obadiah is loyal to God, he hid 150 priests from the blood-hungry Jezebel, and he takes Elijah to Ahab – on Elijah’s request.

There is a battle between 450 prophets of Baal and Elijah, where both try to bring flames upon the holy altar.

Elijah mocks the Baal priests, and then has his turn:

“Hear me Oh Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.”

God sets the altar alight in front of a stunned Ahab, and then provides him with a lovely meal in his hunger and thirst.

The chapters end with rain….

Dear God, Thank you for water. Thank you for the fertility it brings, and thank you that we in this country have so much of it. Please bring sufficient rain water to the countries that need it, and help those who endeavour to bring clean water where drinking water has been polluted.Thank you for all your gifts, please help us tend them better. Thank you for my faith, please help me water it every day with your living water, and your word and living bread, In Jesus’ name, Amen.