ahab dies in battle 1 kings 22:1-40 -...

AHAB DIES IN BATTLE

1 KINGS 22:1-40

King Jehoshaphat of Judah was visiting King Ahab

of Israel. The two had become friends and wanted to

help each other. "The Arameans captured our city of

Ramoth-gilead and still have it," Ahab said to his

officers. "We are doing nothing to get it back." Then

he asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you help us get the city

back?"

"Certainly," Jehoshaphat answered. "We are

brothers. My army will help your army. But we should

ask the Lord about this first."

King Ahab was a very wicked person. He wasn't obeying the Lord.

So his way of talking to the Lord was to call his 400 false prophets to see

him. "Shall I attack Ramoth-gilead?" he asked.

"Yes, the Lord will give you a great victory," they all said. Of course

they were saying what they thought Ahab wanted to hear. They didn't

know the Lord, so they couldn't give Ahab a message from the Lord.

Jehoshaphat saw the difference. "Don't you have a prophet of the

Lord here?" he asked.

"Yes, we have one named Micaiah,"

Ahab answered. "But he always has some bad

news to give me." Ahab was right about that.

But the reason for the bad news was that

Ahab lived such a wicked life.

Jehoshaphat wanted to hear from

Micaiah anyway, so Ahab sent for him. "Shall

we attack Ramoth-gilead?" Ahab asked.

Micaiah answered, "Certainly. Go ahead,

and the Lord will give you a great victory."

Ahab knew that Micaiah was making fun

of the false prophets. "Tell me what the Lord

really says," Ahab insisted.

"I see the soldiers of Israel scattered

like sheep without a shepherd," Micaiah said.

"Their king is dead, and they are going home." Ahab was angry and had

Micaiah arrested. He was to have no food except a little bread and water

until Ahab came home.

So Ahab and Jehoshaphat went to war against Ramoth-gilead. Ahab

was dressed like a soldier so that no one would know who he was.

But a stray arrow wounded Ahab, and he died in his chariot about

sunset. He died in battle, just as Micaiah had said he would.

DISCUSSION:

What did King Ahab ask King Jehoshaphat to do? What did Jehoshaphat

want to do first? What did Micaiah, God's prophet, tell Ahab? What

happened to King Ahab? Was Micaiah right?

LISTEN TO GOD'S ADVICE. God has lots of good advice for us in the Bible.

Read it. Then ask yourself, "What should I do about this?"

Some content taken from the One Year Bible for Children, New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. and V. Gilbert

Beers; Some images obtained from the world wide web; other images by Lindy King, Co-Director for Adventurer Ministries, Texas

Conference of Seventh day Adventists, created for the Adventurer Read-Through-The Bible Project, 2011-2012.

a whirlwind takes elijah away

2 kings 2:1-14

It was time for Elijah to finish his work. God was going to

take him away in a whirlwind to heaven. Elijah knew that God

was ready to take him. So did Elisha.

The two prophets were ready to leave Gilgal to go to Bethel. But

Elijah asked Elisha to stay behind. "No, I promise that I will never leave

you," Elisha said.

When they came to Bethel, some young men studying to be prophets

came to meet them. "Do you know that God will take Elijah from you

today?" they asked Elisha.

"Yes," said Elisha. "But let's not talk about it."

Then Elijah said to Elisha. "The Lord wants me to go to Jericho.

Please stay here in Bethel."

"No, I promise that I will never leave you," Elisha said.

When they came to Jericho, some more young men studying to be

prophets came to meet them. "Do you know that God will take Elijah from

you today?" they asked Elisha.

"Yes, but please be quiet and don't talk about it," Elisha said.

Then Elijah said to Elisha, "The Lord wants me to go to the Jordan

River. Please stay here in Jericho."

"No, I promise that I will never leave you," Elisha said again. So they

walked together to the Jordan River. Fifty young prophets watched Elijah

fold his cloak and hit the water with it. The water split apart to make a dry

path, and they walked across the river on dry ground.

"What can I do for you before I leave?" Elijah asked.

"I want to know I have the right to take your place," Elisha answered.

"If you see me leave, you will

know God has given you what you

asked," Elijah answered.

Suddenly, a chariot of fire

appeared, pulled by horses of fire.

It went between Elijah and Elisha.

Then Elijah was taken into heaven

by a whirlwind. Elisha saw him go.

When Elisha could no longer

see Elijah or the whirlwind, he tore

up his robe. Then he picked up

Elijah's cloak and went back to the

Jordan River. When he hit the water, it left a dry path. Then Elisha knew

for sure that God was with him and would help him take Elijah's place.

DISCUSSION:

Three times Elijah told Elisha to stay behind while he went on. What did

Elisha answer each time? What did Elisha ask Elijah to do for him?

Did he get what he asked for? Who gave it to him?

What were the miracles in this story? Each day we see miracles: a

newborn baby, a sunrise, food on your table. Can you name some more?

Thank God each day for the miracles he provides for you!




ELISHA HELPS A POOR WIDOW

2 KINGS 2:15; 4:1-7

After God took Elijah to heaven, Elisha became

the leader of God's prophets. The young prophets

followed Elisha just as they had followed Elijah before,

and they learned from him. It was like going to school

and learning to serve God.

One day a prophet died. His widow came to see Elisha. She cried as

she told him about her husband and how he had died.

"My husband followed you and helped you. You know how much he

loved God and wanted to please Him. But now he is dead."

The woman went on to tell Elisha that before her husband died he had

borrowed some money from another man. At the time he died he still had

not been able to pay the money back to the other man. So the man came

to the prophet's widow and told her she had to pay him the money.

"He said that I had to pay him back," the woman told Elisha. "If I

can't pay him, he will take my two sons to be his slaves."

"What shall I do to help you?" Elisha asked. "Tell me, what food do

you have in your house?"

"All I have is a jar of olive oil," the widow answered.

"Gather all the empty jars you can find," Elisha said. "Borrow as

many as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go with your two

sons into your house. Close the door so people can't see what you are

doing. Pour olive oil from your jar into all the empty jars you have

gathered. As you fill them, put them to one side."

The woman did exactly what Elisha told her. She and her sons

gathered a lot of empty jars. Then they closed

the door and began to fill the empty jars.

The woman's sons brought the empty jars

to her one at a time. They brought many, many

jars. At last every jar was full of olive oil.

"I need another jar," the woman called to

her sons.

"There aren't any more," one of the boys

said.

The woman had filled every jar with oil! As

soon as the last jar was full, no more olive oil

would come out of her own jar.

The widow went back to Elisha and told

him what had happened.

"Sell the olive oil and pay the man the money that you owe him," he

told her. "There will be plenty of money left over to take care of you and

your sons."

The woman was very glad she had asked Elisha to help her.

DISCUSSION:

How did the poor woman get into debt?

What was going to happen if she could not pay back the money that her

husband had borrowed?

What did Elisha tell her to do? How did this help her get the money she

needed?

Do you think the widow was thankful? Do you think she thanked God for

helping her?

God showed Elisha how to help the woman. The woman obeyed God by

doing what Elisha said. God can do wonderful things if we follow HIs

commands!




A ROOM FOR ELISHA

2 KINGS 4:8-17

Elisha visited the town of Shunem one day.

While he was there, an important woman asked him

to eat with her and her husband. The three of them

had a good time together. So after that, each time

Elisha went through Shunem he stopped to eat with

these two people.

"I think Elisha is a holy prophet of God," the woman told her husband.

"Let's make a room for him on the roof. We will put

a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp in the room.

Whenever Elisha comes this way, he will have a

place to stay."

The husband agreed with his wife, so that's

what they did.

One day Elisha came back to Shunem. He was

resting in his room when he had an idea. He said to

his servant Gehazi, "Tell the woman I would like to talk with her."

So the woman came to see Elisha. For some reason, Elisha

had his servant do the talking.

"Tell her that we are thankful for everything she has done

for us. Then ask what we can do for her," Elisha said. "Does she

want me to tell the king something nice about her? Shall I ask

the general of the army to do something special for her?"

But the woman didn't really need anything. "My family takes good

care of me," she said.

After the woman left, Elisha asked Gehazi, "What do you think we can

do for her?"

"Well, she doesn't have a son, and her husband is very old," Gehazi

said.

"Ask her to come back," Elisha said.

When the woman came back, Elisha gave her a promise

from God. "About this time next year you will have a son," he

said.

"Please don't lie to me," the woman said.

Elisha was telling the truth. It happened just

as he said it would. The next year the woman had a

baby boy!

DISCUSSION:

What did the woman and her husband do for Elisha?

What did God do for the woman and her husband?

God loves to give gifts to giving people.

We should love to give because we love God, who loves to give to us.

We should never give because we hope to get something for it.

Do you love to give to God and to others?

Do you think God loves to give to you?

Don't ever give to God because you expect Him to give to you.

Give to God because you love Him!




ELISHA RAISES A BOY FROM THE

DEAD

2 kings 4:18-37

The woman from the town

of Shunem was happy that God had

helped her and her husband to have

a baby boy. This little miracle baby

was very special to them.

When the baby grew and became a little boy who could walk, he

went to the field where his father was harvesting grain. While he was

there, the boy began to cry. He said his head hurt a lot.

The father told a servant, "Carry the boy home to his mother."

The boy's mother held him on her lap, but about noon he died. So

the woman carried him up to Elisha's room, laid him on the prophet's bed,

and closed the door. She sent a message to her husband. "Have one of

the servants bring a donkey to me," she said. "I need it so I can ride out to

see Elisha."

When the servant came with the donkey, the woman rode out

with the servant to find Elisha. "Don't slow down to make me more

comfortable," she said.

Elisha saw her coming. "Hurry to meet the woman," Elisha told

his servant, Gehazi.

But the woman wouldn't tell Gehazi the problem. She went right

to Elisha and bowed down in front of him. "You were the one who told me I

could have a son," she said. "I told you not to lie to me."

Then Elisha knew what had happened. "Hurry to her house with

my walking stick," Elisha told Gehazi. "Don't stop for anything. Lay my

walking stick on the boy's face."

"You must come home with me too," the boy's mother said to

Elisha. "I won't go home without you." So Elisha went with her.

Gehazi got to the house first. He put Elisha's stick on the boy's

face, but nothing happened. So Gehazi went out to meet Elisha. "The boy

is still dead," he said.

Elisha went into the room where the boy lay. He shut the door

and prayed. Then he lay down and put his mouth to the boy's mouth. His

eyes were close to the boy's eyes. And his hands were on the boy's hands.

So the boy's body began to get warm. Elisha walked around a little, and

then he did the same thing again. This time the boy sneezed seven times

and opened his eyes!

Elijah asked Gehazi to call the woman into the room. "Your son

is alive!" Elisha said. The woman got down on her hands and knees and

thanked Elisha. Then she carried her boy out of the room.

DISCUSSION:

Where did the boy get sick? What did the boy's mother do about this?

What did Elisha do to bring the boy back to life? Did Elisha bring the boy

back to life by himself? No, only God can bring a dead person back to life

again! NOTHING is too big or too hard for God!




NAAMAN IS HEALED

2 KINGS 5:1-14

Naaman was an Aramean general. He had led the Aramean army to

many victories. But Naaman had a terrible problem with his skin. He had

leprosy.

A little girl from Israel lived at Naaman's

house. She had been captured by his soldiers

and was now a maid for his wife. One day the

girl said to Naaman's wife, "If my master would

go to see the prophet in Israel, he could be

healed."

Naaman told the king of Aram what the girl

had said. "I will send a letter with you to the

king of Israel," Naaman's king said.

Naaman set out with 750 pounds of silver

and 150 pounds of gold, as well as 10 sets of

clothes. He took the letter to the king of Israel. It

said, "My servant Naaman has leprosy. I want you to

heal him."

When the king of Israel read that, he was upset.

"Does he think I am God?" he asked.

Elisha sent a message to the king of Israel. "Send

Naaman to me," he said. "He will learn that there is a

true prophet of God here in Israel."

So Naaman went to Elisha's house and stood at the door. Elisha did

not go out to see him but sent this message: "Go to the Jordan River and

wash seven times. Then you will be healed."

Naaman was angry. "At least Elisha could have come out to talk with

me," he said. "We have better rivers in Aram." So he left the house angry.

But Naaman's officers talked

with him. "If the prophet had told you

to do something great, you would

have done it," they said. "So why

don't you do what he tells you?" So

Naaman went to the Jordan River.

He went into the river seven times.

When he came out the last time, he

was healed, just as Elisha said he

would be!

DISCUSSION: What did the little servant girl tell Naaman's wife? What did

Elisha say Naaman had to do to get well? What did Naaman think of that?

Who told him to do what Elisha said?

If we want God to help us, we must obey Him, no matter what he says.

Think of something you know God wants you to do, but you don't want to

do. Maybe it's obeying your parents at bedtime, or being nice to a little

brother or sister. Ask God to help you do what He wants.




ELISHA'S GREEDY SERVANT

2 KINGS 5:15-27

After Naaman went into the Jordan River seven times, his leprosy

was gone. Then he knew that God had healed him. So he went back to

find Elisha. "I know now that the God of Israel is the true God," he said.

"Please accept the gifts I have brought for you."

But Elisha said, "No, I will not accept any gifts."

Then Naaman asked for two loads of dirt that he could take back

home. "From now on I'll give no more offerings to false gods. I will give

offerings only to the Lord," he said. Then he left for home.

Gehazi, Elisha's servant, was not happy that Elisha turned down the

gifts. He decided to go after Naaman and get some of the gifts.

Naaman saw him coming and went out to meet him. "Two young

prophets just came," Gehazi said. It was a lie, of course. "My master

would like 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothes for them."

Naaman gave him the clothes and 150 pounds of silver. He even sent

two servants back with Gehazi to carry the money. But when they came

near the house where Elisha lived, Gehazi sent the servants away. Then he

carried the money and clothes into the house and hid

them.

"Where did you go, Gehazi?" Elisha asked.

"I didn't go anywhere," Gehazi answered.

"Don't you know that I was there in spirit when

you followed Naaman?" he asked. "This is not the

time to get money and other gifts. Because you did

this wicked thing, you will get Naaman's leprosy.

Your family will suffer from it too." When

Elisha said that, Gehazi left the room.

He looked at his skin and saw that he already had leprosy.

DISCUSSION:

After Naaman was healed, what did he say to Elisha? What did Naaman want to

do for Elisha? Why do you suppose Elisha did not accept Naaman's gifts? Why

did Gehazi chase after Naaman? What two lies did he tell? How was Gehazi

punished?

Gehazi lied to get the money and clothes, then lied to Elisha to cover up his first

lie. Lies are like that. Often you must tell a second lie to cover the first lie.

Remember Gehazi the next time you are tempted to lie. It's better to love God

and obey Him, isn't it?




ahab dies in battle 1 kings 22:1-40 -...

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