King Ahab was one of the worst kings Israel had. 1 Kings 16:33 says that Ahab “did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him.”
Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, also did not follow God, but followed a false god and goddess called Baal and Asherah.
Ahab built a house and an altar for Baal and worshiped him, even though God had commanded the people of Israel not to worship or serve any other gods. He also put up a pole called an Asherah pole to honor and worship Asherah. Ahab led the people of Israel to disobey God and serve the false gods other nations worshiped.
Back then, people didn’t have the Bible yet, so God spoke to them by giving messages to special people called prophets. They followed God and loved Him with all their hearts. Elijah was a prophet who gave messages to King Ahab.
Elijah told Ahab there would be no rain for a long time. His prediction came true, because it was a message from God. There was no rain for three years! Ahab, Jezebel, and the people prayed to Baal, but it still didn’t rain. The drought was a punishment for Ahab’s sin, but it was also a way for God to show He had power and Baal didn’t.
God told Elijah to go to a little stream in the wilderness. During the drought, God provided for Elijah by having ravens bring him food.
When the stream dried up, God sent Elijah to a widow’s house. She only had one jar of oil and a handful of flour, but God made sure they never ran out so she could always make bread for Elijah, herself, and her son.
Ahab and Jezebel were very angry with Elijah and God because of the drought. Jezebel even tried to have all the prophets of God killed.
God told Elijah to go talk to Ahab and he obeyed, even though it meant he could have been killed. Elijah challenged Ahab and the people who worshiped Baal to a contest. Watch what happened:
The people responded to this by realizing that God was the one true God, and they worshiped Him instead of Baal. When they did, Elijah prayed for rain, and God sent rain!
What’s the point of this story? What does it mean for us, in the United States, 3,000 years later?
God listens and answers when we pray. God heard and answered the prayers of one man, when Baal couldn’t even hear the prayers of 450 people!
The same is true for us today. God will always hear and answer our prayers in the way He knows is best. He is the only one who can save us!
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