1Kings16:29- 33;18:1-19: 

  • King Ahab married a Sidonian princess, Jezebel, and brought her to Israel,
  • She introduced the worship of Baal in Israel contrary to Israel’s tradition,
  • Elijah, the prophet, prophesied drought in Israel for three and half years as a result of Jezebel’s apostasy,
  • The drought caused severe famine in Israel.
  • As a result, Jezebel sought to destroy all the prophets of God.
  • At this time, Obadiah, (the man in-charge of Ahab’s household,) hid and fed one hundred prophets of
    the Lord,
  • Obadiah was sent by Ahab to search for water and grass in order to save the King’s horses and mules,
  • While Obadiah was searching for water, he met Elijah and prostrated before him.
  • Elijah asked Obadiah to report his (Elijah) presence to Ahab.
  • Obadiah said he could not risk his life since Elijah could vanish from the scene at any time,
  • Obadiah further told Elijah of how he had hidden and fed some prophets of God in a cave when Jezebel killed some of them,
  • Elijah assured Obadiah that he was ready to meet Ahab and that he should be informed,
  • The king met Elijah and accused him of being the troubler of Israel,
  • Elijah counter-accused Ahab of being the real cause of all the woes of Israel.
  • Elijah proposed a meeting at Mount Carmel to settle who was the true God.

See also: Why Elijah pronounce drought on Israel and how Ahab reacted to this

Lessons learnt from the encounter

  1. Unfaithfulness to God attracts punishment,
  2. Punishment for sin brings untold hardship to both the innocent and the culprits.,
  3. God has a way of solving human problems, See God’s intervention on behalf of Elijah
  4. People should be bold to confront
    those who cause human suffering,
  5. God protects his people from harm,
  6. Believers should take care of God’s people.
  7. It is good to
    discharge any assignment given by a true man of God.