December 15, Elijah

Day 16, December 15
Persons: Elijah
Theme/Event: The Threat of False Gods
Symbol: Stone Altar
1 Kings 17:1-16, 18:17-46

David was a king who followed God, but sadly there were many kings after David that did not worship God. The kings and people forgot the God who had fulfilled His promises and delivered them and the Israelites worshipped false gods. Elijah was an ancestor of Jesus and a prophet of God who wanted to show the people how wrong they were to worship anyone but the true God. God gave Elijah a plan to show God’s power and glory.

I Kings 18: 21- 26, 30-39
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. 24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” 
So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.” 
25 Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” 
26 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made. …30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” 32 Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.” 34 Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time; and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. 35 So the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water. 
36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “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. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” 
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”

Even when God’s people forgot God and worshipped other gods, God stayed the same. He is always ready and able to show His power and that He is the only One worthy of our worship. We may not build an altar to another god, but we need to always be careful that we don’t forget about God or put other things first in our lives. Those other things have no power to save or help us. God’s plan is for us to serve Him and love Him with our heart, soul, mind and strength. As we spend this time waiting and preparing for Christmas, let’s make sure nothing gets in the way of loving and obeying God.

Questions:
Who was Elijah?
What did Elijah do?
Can anything or anyone other than God save us?
Prayer: Dear God, help us to love you with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength. Thank you for this time to focus on putting you first.