TEACHER BIBLE STUDY The prophet Elijah had just witnessed God s great display of power over the false god Baal. God had sent fire from heaven and then ended a long drought with a great rain. Elijah must have felt a sense of victory; the evil King Ahab could not deny the one true God. But trouble awaited Elijah in the form of Ahab s wife Jezebel. When Jezebel heard what Elijah had done at Mount Carmel, she threatened to kill him. Elijah ran away and hid in the wilderness. What a change Elijah experienced! He went from a man faithfully and confidently praying for God s glory to be displayed at Mount Carmel to a man begging the Lord to take away his life. (See 1 Kings 19:4.) God was merciful to Elijah. An angel of the Lord brought Elijah food and drink while he rested. Then Elijah traveled to Horeb for a personal encounter with God. Horeb another name for Mount Sinai was a familiar place in the history of Israel. It was the place where God gave the Ten Commandments to the Israelites and where Moses met with God. After the events in 1 Kings 18, Elijah might have expected a grand display of God s presence, but what he experienced was just the opposite. The Lord was not in the wind. The Lord was not in the earthquake. The Lord was not in the fire. God revealed Himself to Elijah in a voice, a soft whisper. Elijah s circumstances were difficult, but God didn t leave him. God gave him Elisha, a friend and successor. God assured Elijah that he was not alone; there were 7,000 people in Israel who had not turned to worship Baal. God s prophets suffered, but their lives and messages pointed forward to the ultimate prophet, priest, and king Jesus Christ who suffered for the sins of the world. Jesus was hated and killed, but His death and resurrection brought victory for God s people. LESSON OVERVIEW/SCHEDULE Session Title: Elijah Ran from Jezebel Bible Passage: 1 Kings 19 Big Picture Question: How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. Key Passage: 2 Kings 17:13-14 Unit Christ Connection: The prophets called God s people to repentance as Christ calls people to repentance. Sin continued to divide and ultimately destroy the Northern Kingdom, but Christ s perfect kingdom is forever. 1
Transition Time Welcome time Activity sheet/table Centers Session starter (10 minutes) Lesson Countdown Introduce the session (1 minute) Timeline Map (1 minute) Big picture question (1 minute) Sing (5 minutes) Key passage (4 minutes) Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Discussion starter video (3 minutes) The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Prayer (5 minutes) Table Time Timeline map (1 minute) Bible story review (10 minutes) Large Group Review / Activities Key passage activity (5 minutes) Activity choice (10 minutes) Prayer (5 minutes) THE BIBLE STORY/OVERVIEW Elijah Ran from Jezebel 1 Kings 19 The prophet Elijah knew God s power. When God sent fire from heaven, He displayed His power to King Ahab, the Israelites, and the worshipers of the false god Baal. Elijah must have felt very glad that God showed that He is the one true God. But more trouble was coming for Elijah. King Ahab told his wife, Jezebel, about what happened at Mount Carmel and that Elijah had defeated the prophets of Baal. Jezebel was angry. She sent a messenger to Elijah. The messenger told Elijah that Jezebel planned to kill him like she killed the other prophets of God. Elijah was afraid! He ran far away into the wilderness where Jezebel couldn t find him. Elijah prayed to God, I can t handle this. Lord, take my life. Then Elijah lay down and slept under a broom tree. 2
God did not take Elijah s life. Instead, He sent an angel to help Elijah. The angel touched Elijah and said, Get up and eat. A loaf of baked bread and a jar of water was nearby, and Elijah ate and drank and lay down again. A second time, the angel came and touched Elijah. Get up and eat, the angel said. This journey is too hard for you. Elijah ate and drank. The food gave him strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Horeb (HOH reb), the mountain of God. When Elijah got to the mountain, he went into a cave and spent the night there. The word of the Lord came to Elijah. God said, What are you doing here, Elijah? Lord, I ve done my best to obey You, Elijah replied. But Your people have not obeyed You! They have killed Your prophets, and now they are trying to kill me! Go out and stand on the mountain, God said. Then the Lord passed by. A strong wind rushed by the mountain, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, there was a voice a soft whisper. When Elijah heard the whisper, he hid his face and stood at the opening of the cave. What are you doing here, Elijah? a voice asked. Lord, I ve done my best to obey You, Elijah replied. But your people have not obeyed you! They have killed Your prophets, and now they are trying to kill me! Then the Lord said to Elijah, Go back to the Wilderness of Damascus. God gave Elijah instructions to anoint certain men as leaders: Hazael (HAZ ay el) as king of Aram (A ruhm), Jehu (JEE hyoo) as king of Israel, and Elisha as prophet in his place. Elijah obeyed God. When he found Elisha, Elisha was plowing a field. Elisha left his work to follow Elijah and serve him. Christ Connection: Elijah was God s prophet, but Jezebel wanted to kill him. God was in control, and He protected Elijah. Jesus is the true and final Prophet. People hated Jesus and wanted to kill Him. God was in control. He used Jesus enemies to fulfill His plan to save people from sin. TRANSITION TIME Session Title: Elijah Ran from Jezebel Bible Passage: 1 Kings 19 Big Picture Question: How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. Key Passage: 2 Kings 17:13-14 Unit Christ Connection: The prophets called God s people to repentance as Christ calls people to repentance. Sin continued to divide and ultimately destroy the Northern Kingdom, but Christ s perfect kingdom is forever. Welcome time Tip: As kids arrive this is a great time to collect the offering, fill out attendance sheets, and help new kids connect to 3
your group. Arriving Activity: Bread and Water bread, assorted varieties water cups small plates Allergy Alert Provide water and divide different types of bread into small pieces for the kids to taste. Encourage them to each pick their favorite type. Say How many of you liked eating bread and drinking water? In today s Bible story, God took care of one of His prophets with bread and water. Activities/Table Centers (5 minutes) Table centers (Miscellaneous Activities) Hidden Items activity sheet / Bible Story Coloring Sheet, 1 per kid markers, colored pencils, crayons Guide boys and girls to complete the activity page. Say All the items you just found are part of the way God showed Elijah God s messenger that He was in control of all things. If time remains allow kids to complete the coloring page provided with this session. Session Starter (10 minutes) Option 1: Wind-Earthquake-Fire This game is similar to Rock-Paper-Scissors. Invite the kids to pair up. Each pair should stand back to back. On the count of three, each will jump around and signal either wind, earthquake, or fire. For wind, kids should wave both hands left to right. For earthquake, kids can place hands straight out and shake them. For fire, kids should put their hands in front of their face, palms in, and wiggle their fingers like flames. Explain that wind beats fire, fire beats earthquake, and earthquake beats wind. Continue playing as time allows. Say God used all these things to show Elijah His power, but He used a very different way to talk to Elijah. We will find out how in today s Bible story. Option 2: Who s missing? blanket (optional) Invite the kids to freely move around the room until you say freeze. Explain that the kids must immediately freeze and close their eyes. While they are frozen, choose one kid to sneak away. Hide the kid you choose under a blanket or ask him to stand just outside the door. When you give the command to unfreeze, the kids must try to be the first one to figure out who is missing. Say In today s Bible story, one of God s prophets snuck away because he was scared. We ll see what God said to him. Transition to large group 4
LESSON Session Title: Elijah Ran from Jezebel Bible Passage: 1 Kings 19 Big Picture Question: How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. Key Passage: 2 Kings 17:13-14 Unit Christ Connection: The prophets called God s people to repentance as Christ calls people to repentance. Sin continued to divide and ultimately destroy the Northern Kingdom, but Christ s perfect kingdom is forever. Countdown countdown video (on provided DVD with lesson videos and worship) Show the countdown video as you clean-up table centers, set up classroom chairs for lesson and set it to end as large group time begins. Introduce the session (1 minute) oar [Large group leader enters with an oar.] Leader There are certain things you must have to go rafting. One is an oar, which is a long paddle. In a raft, several people will paddle the raft down the river while one person in the back uses his oar to help steer the boat. If everyone is paddling away and no one is steering the boat, it will be a very scary ride. Timeline Map (1 minute) Timeline Map (small group visual pack copies provided for Table Time Review) Leader Last week, we learned about a prophet named Elijah. After many bad kings, the Northern Kingdom of Israel needed someone to steer the country in the right direction. What kind of king did God s people need? God s people needed a faithful king. God sent Elijah to show the people that God was the only God they should worship. God proved to Elijah and those in Israel that He is the one true God. Does anyone remember how He proved that? That s right. God sent fire down from heaven to burn an offering Elijah made. The false god most of the Israelites worshiped did nothing because he wasn t real. Do you think Elijah always trusted God after that? We will find out in today s Bible story. Big picture question (1 minute) Big Picture Question: How does God help in times of trouble? - 11x17 poster provided Leader It s time for our big picture question for today. That means it s also time to see if you brought your Bible today. Hold it up if you have it. Here s the big picture question: How does God help in times of trouble? 5
Sing (5 minutes) Worship Song: Running (on provided DVD) Leader We all have times of trouble. We all have times when we are sick, sad, or scared. The good news is that God doesn t struggle with any of these things. When trouble comes, God wants us to run to Him. That reminds me of our theme song. Let s praise God! Sing together Running. Key passage (4 minutes) Key Passage Poster: 2 Kings 17:13-14 (provided) Worship Song: Keep My Commands (on provided DVD) Leader God sent prophets like Elijah to His people to warn them that He punishes sin. The prophets commanded the people to stop sinning and to obey God. Our key passage reminds us of that. Show the slide or poster of the unit s key passage, 2 Kings 17:13-14. Lead the boys and girls to read the verses together. Leader Even though God sent prophets and performed miracles, the people of Israel refused to believe the warning. Sing together Keep My Commands. Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) Elijah Ran From Jezebel video (on provided DVD) Bibles, 1 per kid Bible Story Picture Slide or Poster Leader God had just used Elijah to prove to the people that He is the one true God, but even Elijah didn t always see God for who He really is. Let s take a look at our Bible story for today. Remember the big picture question, How does God help in times of trouble? Show the Elijah Ran from Jezebel video, or choose to tell the Bible story in your own words using the script provided. For a shorter version of the story, read only the bold text. Leader Evil Ahab s wife, Jezebel, didn t like the way Elijah had proved the false god she worshiped wasn t real. Instead of turning to God, she turned against God and threatened Elijah. Elijah ran because he was scared. Have you ever run from something because you were scared? Elijah decided to give up, so he just laid down under a tree. God took care of Elijah. He fed Elijah and sent an angel to encourage him to go to Mt. Horeb, which is sometimes called Mt. Sinai. That s the same mountain where God spoke to Moses. Elijah spent the night in a cave after his 40-day trip, and God told him to go stand on the mountain. God sent a strong wind, a mighty earthquake, and even a fire. God didn t use those things to speak to Elijah. He used a soft whisper. Why do you think God did that? Maybe He was telling Elijah that God isn t just in the big miracles, but God is in the small ones too. God 6
cares about His people in their times of trouble, even Elijah. How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. Forsake means abandon. Elijah may have felt like he was all alone, but God had never left him. He never would. God told Elijah to anoint two men to be kings, and another prophet to take his place one day. Ask the following review questions: 1. Who tried to kill Elijah? (Jezebel, 1 Kings 19:2) 2. What did Elijah do? (He ran, 1 Kings 19:3) 3. Where did God send Elijah? (Mount Horeb or the mountain of God, 1 Kings 19:8) 4. How did God speak to Elijah on the mountain? (in a small voice or soft whisper, 1 Kings 19:12) 5. How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. Discussion starter video (3 minutes) Unit 13, Session 3 - Discussion Starter Video (on provided DVD) Big Picture Question: How does God help in times of trouble? - 11x17 poster provided Leader God proved that He cares about His people as a whole and as individual people. God did not abandon Elijah. Have you ever been scared and felt all alone? Show the Unit 13 Session 3 video. Leader OK, it was probably nothing like that. However, we have all been scared and felt alone at times. What do you do when you feel alone and scared? Jesus understood how Elijah felt. Jesus came as the final Prophet, and people wanted to kill Him. God used their plan for good. Jesus death saves all who trust in Him. Jesus death is the reason we know God won t abandon us. How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. The Gospel: God s Plan for Me (optional) Use Scripture and the guide provided with this session to explain to boys and girls how to become a Christian. Assign individuals to meet with kids who have more questions. If this is not possible, encourage boys and girls to ask their parents, small group leaders, or other Christian adults any questions they may have about becoming a Christian. Prayer (5 minutes) Big Picture Question: How does God help in times of trouble? - 11x17 poster provided Show the big picture question slide or poster. Leader Who knows the answer to the big picture question? How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. Invite a leader to say the big picture question and call out a color. The kids wearing that color will say the answer. Repeat using different colors as time allows. 7
Before transitioning to small group, make any necessary announcements. Lead the kids in prayer. Pray that God will remind us during difficult times that He is always with us. Dismiss to small groups for Table Time The Gospel: God s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means good news. It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids. God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean. We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23) God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9. Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18. We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus. Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. TABLE TIME LEADER Session Title: Elijah Ran from Jezebel Bible Passage: 1 Kings 19 Big Picture Question: How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. Key Passage: 2 Kings 17:13-14 Unit Christ Connection: The prophets called God s people to repentance as Christ calls people to repentance. Sin continued to divide and ultimately destroy the Northern Kingdom, but Christ s perfect kingdom is forever. 8
Bible story review (10 minutes) Tip: Divide children into small groups for table time. Each group should include an adult leader at the table. Bibles, 1 per kid Timeline (small group visual pack extra copies provided for Table Time Review) Big Picture Question: How does God help in times of trouble? (11x17 poster provided in classroom) beanbag, ball, or paper wad Encourage the kids to find 1 Kings 19 in their Bibles. Help them as needed. Say Is 1 Kings in the Old Testament or New Testament? (Old Testament) First Kings is part of which division of the Bible? (History) Name three other Books of History. (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther) What does 1 Kings tell us? (the history of Solomon and what happened after the nation was divided into Israel and Judah) Use the small group visual pack to show kids where today s Bible story is on the timeline. Review the Bible story provided using the bold text or summarize the story in your own words. Form two or three teams, each with the same number of kids, and line them up at opposite walls, or on tape lines equal distance from each other. Lay a beanbag, ball, or paper wad in the center of the game area. Assign each kid in each group a number. Each group should have one kid with the number one, and one kid with the number two, and so forth. Continue until all the kids have a number. Explain that you will say one of the numbers. The kids with that number will then race to grab the beanbag. The winner will receive a question from the Bible story. Her team may help, but she gives the final answer. A correct answer earns a point for the team. Here are some sample questions: 1. Which queen threatened Elijah s life? (Jezebel, 1 Kings 19:2) 2. What did Elijah do? (ran, 1 Kings 19:3) 3. What did the angel give Elijah to eat? (bread and water, 1 Kings 19:5-6) 4. On what mountain did God speak to Elijah? (Mount Horeb, 1 Kings 19:8) 5. How did God speak to Elijah? (a soft whisper, 1 Kings 19:12-13) 6. Whom did God pick to take Elijah s place one day? (Elisha, 1 Kings 19:16) 7. How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. Say Elijah seemed to forget how powerful God is. Even after seeing God bring fire from heaven and destroy 450 prophets of Baal, Elijah was scared of one person. God showed Elijah that He could be trusted in times of trouble. Show the big picture question slide or poster. Say That brings us to the big picture question and answer. How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. 9
LARGE GROUP REVIEW AND ACTIVITIES Key passage activity (5 minutes) In a Whisper Instructions Key Passage Poster: 2 Kings 17:13-14 (provided) dry erase board and markers Make sure the key passage, 2 Kings 17:13-14, is visible for each child, either as the printed poster or written on a dry erase board. Read the verses together. Say Have you ever ignored something someone told you? That s exactly what God s people did. They ignored God s warnings that their sin would be punished. As God s prophet, Elijah knew of God s power, but he was overwhelmed by the enemy he faced. God reminded Elijah that He is always bigger than any enemy. How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. Invite the kids to whisper the key passage together. Remind them that God spoke to Elijah through a whisper. After a few times, ask the kids to cover their faces and try to whisper the key passage without looking at the words. Activity Choice (10 minutes) Option 1: Chased by the Queen tape Tape two long lines several feet away from each other. Tape or designate a boundary outside of the lines. Choose a volunteer to be the queen or king. Invite the queen to stand between the lines. Secretly choose an Elijah. All the kids will walk quickly past the queen, who is trying to capture Elijah. Anyone the queen touches will be captured. If the queen tags Elijah, the game ends. If not, the tagged kids must freeze as the kids hurry past the queen again. The game continues until the queen captures Elijah. Choose another queen and play again. Say In today s Bible story, Elijah ran from Queen Jezebel because he was afraid of her; however, she never caught him. God showed Elijah that God helps His people in times of trouble. How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. Option 2: Paper Chain construction paper scissors glue Provide several strips of construction paper with a 2-inch width. The length should be 6 inches or more. Encourage the kids to write on the paper strips things that scare them. Encourage them to write God will never leave me on one of the strips. Invite them to take that strip and glue the ends 10
together, forming a circle with the writing on the outside. Then, the kids will take one of the fear strips and put it through the first circle, gluing the ends together with the writing on the outside. Continue until each kid has a paper chain. Say Chains are used to bind two things together. God is always with us. Bad or scary times don t break us apart. How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. Prayer and Clean-Up (5 minutes) Say Let s see how well you know the answer to the big picture question. How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. If time remains, take prayer requests. Pray, thanking God for never leaving us alone. Pray for each child by name, asking God to help each kid learn to trust God s promises. Clean-up room. 11
Hidden Items Instructions: Find the hidden items pictured to the right. Unit 13 Session 3 Younger Kids Activity Pages Israel, the Northern Kingdom 2013 LifeWay
Elijah Ran from Jezebel 1 Kings 19 2013 LifeWay
Family Journal Page Israel, the Northern Kingdom Guide everyone to take turns playing out a time they are afraid or something they are afraid of. Discuss how remembering the answer to today s big picture question could help each family member. Write a specific prayer below for each family member. Share with your kids a time that you were afraid or in trouble and how God helped you during that time. Elijah Ran from Jezebel 1 Kings 19 Preschool Key Passage: 2 Kings 17:13-14 Big Picture Question: How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to be with us. Christ Connection: Elijah was a special messenger for God. Jezebel did not like Elijah, but God was in charge. God kept Elijah safe. Jesus is God s messenger too. People did not like Jesus, but God was in charge. God used Jesus enemies to carry out His plan to rescue people from sin. Kids Key Passage: 2 Kings 17:13-14 Big Picture Question: How does God help in times of trouble? God promises to never leave or forsake us. Christ Connection: Elijah was God s prophet, but Jezebel wanted to kill him. God was in control, and He protected Elijah. Jesus is the true and final Prophet. People hated Jesus and wanted to kill Him. God was in control. He used Jesus enemies to fulfill His plan to save people from sin. UNIT 13 Session 3 OK TO PRINT 2013 Lifeway
The LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets. But they would not listen. 2 Kings 17:13-14 OK TO PRINT Israel, the Northern Kingdom 2013 Lifeway