The encounter between Elijah and Obadiah

THE ENCOUNTER BETWEEN ELIJAH AND OBADIAH
When Ahab became the king, he married a woman from Phoenicia and brought her to Israel. She was called Jezebel. She introduced the religion of her country (Baal worship) to Israel. In fact, she was trying to make Baalism the religion of Israel against Israel’s tradition.

The Prophet Elijah pronounced a drought on Israel as punishment for the things Jezebel was doing so there was no rain for three and a half years. There was famine on the land. In reaction, Jezebel tried to kill all the prophets of God. 

Obadiah was the man in charge of King Ahab’s household. While Jezebel sought God’s prophets to destroy them, Obadiah also determined to save them. He hid one hundred prophets of God in caves, fifty per cave and fed them with bread and water every day.

 Ahab sent Obadiah to go through the land and help locate any pasture so that they might save the king’s animals from perishing. It was on this mission that Obadiah encountered Prophet Elijah. The prophet told Obadiah to go back and tell the king that he had come back. Obadiah did not want to do this. He told Elijah how the king had looked for him everywhere but did not find him. Every nation that said Elijah was not with them had to swear an oath. Obadiah feared that if he went to tell the king that Elijah was around and later the spirit of God takes Elijah away, Ahab could put him to death. Elijah assured Obadiah to go tell Ahab of his presence and that he was ready to meet the king.

When Ahab finally met Elijah, he described him as “You troubler of Israel” but Elijah denied he was the one troubling Israel. He told Ahab that he was rather the one troubling Israel. Elijah told Ahab to gather all Israel on Mount Carmel including the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, to determine who is the real God, Yahweh or Baal.

WHAT TWO LESSONS CAN BE LEARNED FROM THE ENCOUNTER?

1. We attract punishment from God when we are unfaithful.

2. When God punishes people, it brings hardship upon both the sinner and the innocent.

3. God has his own way of solving human problems.

4. We should be bold to challenge those who cause suffering to human beings.

5. God finds ways to protect his own people.

6. It is good for believers to take care of God’s people.

7. If any true man of God gives an assignment, it is good for the people of God or Christians to carry out that assignment.

SAMPLE QUESTION(S)

1. a. Describe the encounter between Elijah and Obadiah.

    b. Which three lessons can be learned from the encounter?

2. a. What led to the meeting between Elijah and Obadiah?

    b. What three lessons can Christians of today learn from the episode?

3. a. How did Prophet Elijah and Obadiah meet during the drought pronounced by the Prophet?

   b. Which three effects of the drought were visible in the story?

   c. In which three ways does the weather negatively affect your country?

4. a. Narrate the story of the meeting between Prophet Elijah and Obadiah.

    b. In which three ways do Christian leaders of today help their fellow Christian leaders?

    c. What three things must Christians of today do to help their leaders?

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