Great Gospel Events In the Lives of Elijah and Elisha. Mark G. Zarling. Leader s Guide SAMPLE

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1 Great Gospel Events In the Lives of Elijah and Elisha by Mark G. Zarling Leader s Guide Lesson One God Steps In to Rescue... 2 Lesson Two God Steps In to Do the Impossible... 8 Lesson Three God Steps In to Heal Lesson Four God Steps In to Speak Lesson Five God Steps In to Call Lesson Six God Steps In to Protect Lesson Seven God Steps In to Discipline All rights reserved. Second printing, 2008 Northwestern Publishing House 1250 N. 113th St., Milwaukee, WI by Northwestern Publishing House Published 2003 Printed in the United States of America ISBN Scripture is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

2 Great Gospel Events Leader s Guide Page 2 Great Gospel Events Lesson One God Steps In to Rescue 1 Kings chapter 20 Worship Help me! The urgent shout may come from a person trapped in a burning house. Or it might come from a critically injured accident victim. To rescue someone from danger and harm requires commitment of compassion and caring. It also demands that the rescuer have the ability and power to carry out the rescue. Scripture is God s marvelous record of his commitment of love and his gracious power to rescue. Read responsively select verses from Exodus chapter 15. A: The LORD is my strength and my song; B: He has become my salvation. A: The LORD is a warrior; B: The LORD is his name. A: Your right hand, O LORD, was majestic in power. B: Your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy. A: Who is like you B: Majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? A: In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. B: In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. A: The LORD will reign for ever and ever. B: Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. Prayer: When in the hour of utmost need We know not where to look for aid, When days and nights of anxious thought Nor help nor counsel yet have brought, Then is our comfort this alone That we may meet before your throne; To you, O faithful God, we cry For rescue in our misery. For you have promised, Lord, to heed Your children s cries in time of need Through him whose name alone is great, Our Savior and our advocate. Amen. (Christian Worship 413:1-3) Introduction After a fierce dogfight, a fighter pilot went down over open water. A furious squall was blowing in, yet the search and rescue team immediately went into action. At great risk to the crew, the helicopter skimmed the towering waves looking for the downed airman. As commander of the ship, you launched the search and rescue team to rescue a fellow countryman. But if that downed airman was the pilot of an enemy fighter, would you still

3 Great Gospel Events Leader s Guide Page 3 have ordered the search and rescue team to go out? Why or why not? Answers will vary. On the one hand, all human life is precious. As the commander, you might view the downed airman as an intelligence source. On the other hand, the weather conditions would threaten the lives of the crew. The enemy airman might still try to resist if brought on board. The purpose of the introduction is to have the class expose the deep-seated troubles our old Adam has whenever we talk about helping someone who has meant us harm. God s grace, however, does not struggle to decide. We don t deserve to have God rescue us, for we were born his enemies, and our sinful minds were hostile to God. God still sent his Son on a rescue mission that would cost him his life. The lesson before us shows God s grace and power in action in the history of his people, rescuing them and their unfaithful leader. Set the context What do you remember about Ahab? Recall the account of Naboth s vineyard. Ahab married Jezebel and worshiped Baal. Ahab and his wife took idolatry to deeper depths. It is stated in 1 Kings 16:33, Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him. What do you know about Ahab s wife, Jezebel? Jezebel was a thoroughly impenitent idolater. We are told in 1 Kings 18:4 that she actively murdered God s prophets. Verse 19 of that same chapter shows us that she used state tax dollars to support and encourage the false prophets of Baal. Jezebel did all she could to introduce and incorporate Baal worship as the state religion of the Northern Kingdom. See 1 Kings 16: What can you conclude about Ahab s and Jezebel s spiritual leadership of Israel? The king and queen were purposefully trying to wipe out worship of the true Lord God. They were hardened enemies of the Lord. Yet for the sake of his promise and the faithful in Israel, God came to Ahab s aid. Where were Israel and Aram (Syria) located? Aram is a country to the northeast of Israel, a land that stood between Israel and Assyria. Assyria was a superpower on the rise. Perhaps Ben-Hadad was worried about the Assyrian threat and decided to neutralize any possible problems to his south. Note: Although we cannot be certain, ben-hadad appears to be a royal title passed down from king to successor, much like the term pharaoh was used in Egypt. What is a prophet? In 1 Kings chapter 20 we are introduced to a nameless prophet. God showed his grace and mercy by continually providing prophets to preach the Word to the people, even though the people did not always want to hear it. A prophet had to proclaim the message the Lord gave him. That message contained knowledge

4 Great Gospel Events Leader s Guide Page 4 about future events or was simply a sermon of law and gospel. Study God s Word Read 1 Kings 20: Describe the desperate situation in which Ahab and the people of Israel found themselves. Ben-Hadad had 32 minor kings on his side, and Ahab stood alone. The Arameans were camped around Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom. If the enemy was able to march straight into the center of the country and surround the capital, you know that things were not good. 2. Why is it amazing that God would send a prophet at this time to Israel and its king? In 1 Kings chapter 18, God displayed awesome power at the pray-off on Mount Carmel. Then the Lord ended the three-year drought. Despite these miracles, Ahab and Jezebel did not repent and turn from Baal worship. Jezebel was even scheming to kill Elijah. Israel was in a state of persistent spiritual rebellion. God had every right to withdraw his grace and favor and no longer communicate his Word and will to this apostate royal couple and the nation of Israel. 3. A casual reader of verses might conclude that the Israelites were lucky. A skeptic who denies the supernatural might say that the Israelite warriors were evidently fierce fighters. Yet a Bible-believing Christian can defend this statement: There can be no other explanation for the victory except for God s miraculous intervention. Explain. A vast army, a coalition of 32 kings, opposed Israel. Opposite were seven thousand Israelites not much of a standing army for a nation at war. Furthermore, the enemy army was better equipped, having horses and chariots. God said the young officers would start the battle, the soldiers with less experience. A weaker army attacked the stronger army, again flying in the face of conventional military wisdom. But the battle quickly became a rout. 4. God stepped in to rescue Ahab and the Israelites even though they didn t deserve it. What message did he want them to learn? (verse 13) Then you will know that I am the LORD. Note the name for God that is used in this phrase. The name is the Hebrew word Jehovah, or Yahweh. This special Old Testament name emphasizes the Lord s free and constant grace. God is a Lord who keeps his covenant with his people. He cannot go back on his promises. Read 1 Kings 20: Explain the rationale of the Aramean generals as they prepared for a new invasion. Verse 23 shows us the typical pagan view of that time. Different gods controlled different areas. Verse 24 shows another common practice fire the losers. The Arameans thought they needed new blood and new officers, people who knew how to win. Verse 25 shows a reliance on the best equipment and technology of that time. 2. What is significant about the new battle site as compared with the previous one? The Arameans were no longer in the mountains but on the plains. The war

5 Great Gospel Events Leader s Guide Page 5 would be waged on Aram s territory. The Aramean soldiers would fight with more determination since they were defending their fatherland. 3. List reasons why the outcome of this battle is clearly a miracle performed by our gracious God. Verse 27 uses a vivid picture to show the tremendous numerical advantage the Arameans had over the Israelites. Two small flocks of goats aren t very threatening. Verse 29 gives a casualty report. God provided a tremendous victory once again. If the armies fought all day, and if we use ten hours for the time of daylight, that means 166 enemy soldiers were being killed each minute. Verse 30 shows how God intervened. The walls of Jericho are not the only walls to come tumbling down in Scripture. God s judgement fell upon 27,000 soldiers who could not escape the Lord s vengeance. 4. Consider an Israelite observing this battle and an Aramean observing it. What message does each take away? To Israel, the Lord displayed himself as Jehovah, the Lord, who is a saving God faithful to his promises. The Israelites, despite their idolatry and immorality and despite their tolerance toward Baal worship, were still recipients of the Lord s amazing grace. To the Arameans, God gave witness that he is not some local deity limited to the hill country. He is Lord of all, the only true God, who does indeed take action and intervene for the benefit of his people. Read 1 Kings 20: Why did Ahab let Ben-Hadad live? In verse 32 Ahab calls Ben-Hadad my brother. Ahab publicly elevates the vanquished to the position of equal. Why? Perhaps verse 34 provides the rationale. Ahab is interested in the economic opportunities of increased international trade. Greed is a powerful motivator. 2. Why did Ahab sin in letting Ben-Hadad live? The nations around Israel were not just national enemies but spiritual enemies, intent on spreading their idolatry in Israel. God did not give Ahab victory only to have him squander it. He should have destroyed this king and his army, who had dared to wage war against God s people. Life focus 1. Agree or disagree. It should have been easier for Ahab to believe than for us, after all, he had a prophet to tell him about future events. The statement is best answered by disagree. Unbelief rejects even the obvious. God graciously sent a prophet to proclaim a divine message to this unworthy king. One would imagine that the king would be eager to hear such good news about victory over enemies. Yet Ahab persisted in rebellion. God has given us even more than he gave Ahab. We have the entire written