Elijah & The Prophets of Baal: A Lesson for Families

This week’s lesson is over 1 Kings 18:20-46 — the account of Elijah and the Prophets of Baal. In this account, God shows that He is powerful and mighty — and that He answers prayer. Use this lesson with your kids to help them see the power of the God they serve!

Hope you enjoy this lesson! Have a great week!

Cheri

Opening Activities:

In today’s lesson, Elijah fixes the altar of the Lord and then pours water all over it before God answers with fire from heaven. Construct an altar as a family. Gather some rocks and sticks and arrange them. Then pour water over the whole thing. Talk about how difficult it would be to start a fire with the wood so wet. Then say: In today’s lesson, Elijah poured so much water over the altar that there was water flowing in the trenches around it – yet the altar still caught on fire. Let’s find out how that happened now!

The Lesson:

We interrupt your regularly scheduled program for this special news report — Elijah has been spotted and has issued a challenge to the prophets of Baal. What will the outcome be? Could this mean the end of the 3 1/2 year drought? Watch this video to find out.

Discussion Questions/Application:

Read 1 Kings 18:20-46.

Use the following questions to aid in this discussion:

Why was it a big deal that Elijah showed up?

What was the condition of the land at this time?

What was the challenge Elijah issued to the prophets of Baal?

How did God respond to Elijah’s prayer?

Have you ever experienced a time when God answered one of your prayers in an amazing way?

So much happens in this passage of Scripture! There’s the amazing response of God to Elijah’s prayer, the judgment of the prophets of Baal, and the ending of the 3 ½ year drought – again, in response to Elijah’s prayer (as we see in James 5:17-18). Elijah had a relationship with God where Elijah knew he could trust God to answer him and take care of him – although that did not mean things were always great for Elijah. (The next chapter of 1 Kings shows Elijah in the mist of discouragement and doubt – your older kids especially might enjoy reading that). But, through everything, Elijah trusted God – and we can have that same trust because we serve the SAME God! The same God who made fire fall from heaven loves us and is with us always.

Additional Activities:

Make a campfire (or a fire on a grill) and roast hot dogs, hamburgers, or marshmallows to make s’mores. Talk about times when you have seen God answer prayer as you enjoy your roasted food!

At the end of this passage, God lets it rain again after 3 ½ years. Imagine how excited that must have made the people! Perhaps they even ran out in the rain and let it soak through them! Play in the “rain” today! Set up a sprinkler and have lots of fun together soaking up the “rain”!