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Fire Came Down From Heaven – 1 Kings 18:2-39 – Bible study

Fire Came Down From Heaven – 1 Kings 18:2-39 – Bible study

    FIRE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN

    I Kings 18:20-39

    Cooper P. Abrams III


      Introduction:  What Elijah did in God’s name will stand forever as a testimony of God’s faithfulness to a man who will take a stand and do His will. True service to God only comes from a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Note the adjective true. God can do wonderful things with a man/woman who truly by faith know Him and seeks to be a instrument of God grace to others. I am not talking about charitable deeds done in human power, but works done through the Holy Spirit as guided by the Lord.

      I.God gives us the account of Elijah as an example of a man whom God can use.

        A. No one had ever shut up the rain for three years. Yet Elijah did as God directed him.

          1. From nowhere he appears on the scene of God’s unfolding working to bring men to himself.

          2. He proclaims drought in the name of God – then goes into hiding.(1 Kings 17:1)

          3. Three years later he appears again. This time Elijah challenges the sinful King Ahab and the evil prophets who worshipped the idol Baal.

          4. An altar is prepared, the first bullock was slain first by the priest of Baal. They pray/chant/cut themselves. Elijah mocked them, Maybe Baal on a journey, talking, pursing, asleep and must be awakened. There was not answer, and no fire.

        B. Now the question is this: Will the real God answer with fire from heaven, and consume the sacrifice.

          1. You might ask what right did Elijah have to put God on the spot? To test God this way.

          2. The answer is in v36 “I have done all these things at thy word.”

          3. Elijah had not concocted this event, Oh no. It was not his idea.

          4. Look at the Scrpture:17:2 The word of the Lord came unto him, saying:

          V8 The word of the Lord came unto him saying. Get thee to Zarephath. God sent him to a Syro-Phoenician woman, a Gentile.V10-12 Elijah ask her to give him a drink and bread.
          She only had a handful of meal in a barrel and a little oil. She said it was the last she had so she was gathering sticks for a fire to cook the bread and then she and her son would die.
          Elijah told her in V13 to first give the cake to him and them to her and her son. Elijah made her a promise in Gods name that the meal and oil would not continue to be found in the barrel.
          V14 ..thus saith the Lord God of Israel.
          V16 ..neither did to cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord.
          V17 He son falls sick and dies. Elijah prayed to God and the boy came back to life.
          V24…What was the result? And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth. (1 Kings 17:24)
          V18:1…..the word of the Lord came to Elijah.

        C. Elijah did not act own his own.

          1. He did as God directed him by the Word of God.
          2. He went where God directed.
          He spoke what God said speak. He did what God said do.
          3. “let it be known this day, that ….”

        D. Elijah obeyed God, He let God lead him. (2)

          1. 17:1 he proclaimed God’s truth…He believed what God had said and acted upon it.
          2. God said hide…..he hid…..where God said.
          3. He was in great danger, but you see he placed himself and his fate in Gods hands.
          4. Further, he accepted God’s provision for him; food from ravens, water from the brook.

        E. But then trouble! The brook dried up! But the problem was no problem…why? Elijah was acting on God’s word.

          1. Why did God allow the brook to dry up? God sent him to a widow lady in Zarephath to show of His mercy.

          God wanted to bless this woman who when she hear Gods word she believed and was blessed. God wanted to us her as a witness even to us almost 3000 years later. Her faith has been a witness and influence on untold numbers of people over these many years. She didnt know it at the time and neither did Elijah, but they obeyed God and God used them.

          2. So many times we get upset then there is a bump in the road. If we are living for him, He is well aware to the bump. If it comes, He lets it…but if we are living trusting HIm, it will not deter us from his will for us if we go on trusting him and being used

          a. God did two miracles after Elijah did as God said.
          b. Jesus mentioned them in Luke 4:25-26.
          3. Then for 3 years Elijah lived as an outlaw under the penalty of death, by Jezebel.

        F. Elijah was no coward trembling in fear of death.

          Surely he experienced fear, he was no fool…but he stood his ground…he believed what God had said…so he did what God said do…he stayed at the widows house.

      II. ELIJAH ACTED ON GOD’S WORD.

        A. He was not reckless, but a man of sound mind.

          1. A wise man will rely on that which is reliable.
          2. He will believe and trust in that which is trustworthy and cannot be false.
          3. He trusted in God, not an idol, or manmade god…but the only real and true God.
          4. He trusted his creator and naturally expected (3) his creator to do what he said he would do!

        B. He did not trust in man, or mans wisdom on in chance!

          1. It is the same today…The Bible which is the very words of God, as real and valid as what Elijah heard…says believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved.

          2. Anyone placing their trust in the God that made them will be saved!

          3. But, just as true is that if a person puts there trust in mans wisdom, worships, and trusts a manmade idea of God, or trusts that even the real God maybe doesn’t really mean what he has said will suffer the consequences.

            a. Some believe in God, but do not savingly trust him as their Savior. It is one thing to believe that God is and another to trust Him as ones Savior.
            b. Wishfully, Some grasp to the idea, that maybe, when they die and face the Lord, he will be loving and weight their good with their bad, and they hope somehow there will be enough good to get them into heaven.

            c. But this is not according to God revealed word! “For by Grace are ye saved, thru FAITH, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, NOT of Works, lest any man should boast.” Eph. 2:8-9
            d. SO….IF a man who hopes he has been good enough to get to heaven get, the question is what has God said? You are saved by trusting Jesus as your personal Savior.
            e. The prophets of Baal, stand in testimony of what comes of those who “do it my way”.
            -they sincerely trusted their manmade god.
            -they even worked hard, for him.
            -But the failed because they misplaced their trust.
            -Gods that do not exist cannot save not matter how sincere a person may be.

        C. Two truths are clear.

          1. ONE: Trust in anything but God’s Holy Word you will ultimately fail.

            a. The prophets of Baal, did not die never having the opportunity to turn to God.
            b. They had heard the Word of God! They also had seen the 3 years of drought, “As the lord God of Israel liveth it shall not rain or there be even any dew.”
            c. Yet, like so many folks today, they were unwilling to trust God, in spite of all they saw and heard. It was very profitable for them to serve Baal. Jezebel fed and clothed them.

          2. Second: Follow God’s Word and live victoriously!