1 Kings 19:1-3

In the eyes of Elijah, a prophet of God, Ahab was not a good king. God withheld the rain for three years to punish him for worshiping Baal with Queen Jezebel. When God was ready to let it rain again, he called Elijah to set up a contest between God’s prophet and Baal’s 450 priests. God, of course, won, and Elijah had all the priests of Baal killed.

Elijah sent Ahab back to the palace because the rain was going to fall.

Ahab, soaking wet, ran into the palace. Jezebel stood looking out the window, enjoying the rain. She turned to him as he shouted, “It’s raining, Jezebel, just like Elijah said it would! After three years, when he said, …”

“Of course, it is, Ahab. I told you this morning. I said I was going to make a special offering, and Baal accepted my sacrifice. I should have done this long ago, but you were so sure that your Jehovah had stopped the rain.”

“No, let me tell you what happened. Elijah came back and …”

“Elijah? That phony? He finally came back? Where is he? It’s time we did something about him.”

“No, listen. He challenged Baal’s prophets to a duel.”

Her eyes narrowed. “A duel? What kind of duel? There’s only one of him, and Baal has 450 priests. He wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“Not that kind of duel. It was between Jehovah and Baal, which one could light the sacrifice.”

 Like a patient mother listening to her child’s story, Jezebel sat down on the couch. She patted the place for him to sit next to her. “So tell me about it.”

Too excited to sit, Ahab paced the floor as he explained.

“The challenge was to see …”

“That’s what you said already.”

His shoulders slumped. How could he tell her if she kept interrupting?

“So Baal’s prophets went first. They put the wood on the altar and the pieces of the bull for the sacrifice. Then they called on Baal to send down fire to consume it.”

“Wait a minute. That’s not right. Why would Baal be the one to send down fire? The sacrifice is supposed to be burned by the priests. Otherwise, it’s not a sacrifice. It’s what the priests do, not what Baal does.”

“No, you’re missing the point. The challenge was which had the power to …”

“Why are you questioning Baal’s power? He made it rain today. That’s proof of his power.”

“No, that wasn’t Baal. Elijah said …”

“Elijah? What he says doesn’t matter. Who cares what he says?”

Ahab sighed. She didn’t see what happened. How could he make her understand?

“Will you let me tell you?”

A smirk crossed her face, and she nodded. “Of course, my dear.”

“All morning long, Baal’s priests prayed and called for Baal to send fire for the altar, but nothing happened.”

She let him finish his sentence. “Of course not. I already told you. Baal doesn’t have to respond to stupid requests like that. He decides what to do, not the priests. He doesn’t answer their every whim. He has more important things to do, like creating this rain.”

“But …” Ahab put his hands on his hips.

She shook her head. “Oh, go on. Finish your story.”

“So then Elijah rebuilt the altar to Jehovah. He laid the wood on it …”

“Do you have to give me all the little details? Of course, he laid the wood on the altar. How else would he burn the sacrifice?”

Ahab closed his eyes and sighed. “Fine. … Then after the sacrifice was ready, he had the people dig a trench around the altar.”

This unexpected detail caught Jezebel’s attention. “Why’d he do that? That’s not part of the process.”

Ahab thought for a moment she might actually listen to him. “Because he then had the people pour water over the sacrifice, over the altar, enough water to drench everything and even fill the trench.”

She shook her head. “How’s he going to light the fire when everything is all wet like that?”

“That’s the point. Elijah was not intending to light the fire. Jehovah did that.”

“No,” she whined. “I already told you, that’s the priests’ job, not the god’s.”

“Well, this time …”

“Oh, yes, you said this was a challenge. So?”

“So when Elijah prayed, a bolt of lightning fell out of the sky and consumed everything. Everything! Nothing was left. Not the offering of the bull. Not the wood. Not even the altar. It was all incinerated! Burned up! Turned to ash!”

For a moment, Jezebel did not respond. Ahab thought he had finally made her understand. This was proof of the power of Jehovah. Baal had not been able to accept the challenge. Baal had failed, but Jehovah had won the day. Jehovah was Lord.

Jezebel raised her head. “And that proves what?”

“What?” No, she completely missed the point. “It proves that Jehovah …”

“No, it proves nothing. Lightning strikes. Sometimes lightning hits during a storm. This time it struck before.”

“But Elijah called for the lightning and …”

“Did Elijah call for the lightning that burned up the barn last winter? Nothing was left but ashes. Lightning is a natural phenomenon. It happens, usually in connection with a rainstorm like we’re having now. Did you see that flash a moment ago? Listen, and you’ll hear the thunder that follows.”

As she predicted, thunder followed. “Did Elijah call for that?”

Ahab dropped to his knees and held his head in his hands. How could he argue with her logic?

“Now,” she said, “I’d like to make an offering of thanksgiving to Baal tomorrow, after the rain.” 

She clapped her hands, summoning one of the servants. When he arrived, she began, “Send for the priests so we can …”

This time it was Ahab who interrupted. “He can’t do that.”

She turned from the servant to her husband. “Why not?”

“Because they’re all dead.”

“They’re all what?” Her eyes widened and her face reddened.

“Dead. Elijah killed them.”

Flinging her arms upward, she shouted, “He killed them?”

Ahab murmured, “All of them.”

She crossed the floor between them and shouted into his face. “All 450 of them?”

He backed away and nodded.

For what seemed to Ahab to be a long time, she stood where she was, her mouth open, her eyes wide, her arms raised.

Finally, a whimper came out of her mouth. “No.”

He didn’t respond.

Slowly her arms dropped to her side. She turned to the servant. She spoke in that whisper that both Ahab and the servant recognized as deadly, “Get word to Elijah that he will be the same as they are by this time tomorrow.”

As the servant nodded and turned to leave, she added, “And call the captain of the guard. I will see him here.”

The servant nodded without turning and fled the room.

Jezebel turned back to Ahab. “We shall see who wins this duel.” 

Ahab’s response was to leave the room. He had no desire to be near her when she gave him that kind of look. Not smart to warn him, he thought. He’ll be gone before the captain even has his orders.

Ahab was right. When the captain returned later that evening, he could only report that Elijah had left the city before he could give the order to the guards at the gate.

For consideration:
General questions
1) How does this story follow its Scripture?
2) How does this story expand its Scripture for you?
3) What is the message of this story?
4) How does the message apply to us today?
Specific questions
5) Why would Elijah want all the priests of Baal killed?
6) What was the conflict between Elijah and Baal's priests?
7) What was the conflict between Ahab and Jezebel?
8) Between the king and the queen, who won?