Page 49 - Divinity_F5

Divinity for Advanced Secondary Schools

during the evil time of King Ahab, the went away from Yahweh. Therefore,
son of Omri of the northern kingdom Elijah condemned them courageously
(Israel). for the fertility rites at the right time
that what they were doing was against
The king married Jezebel, the daughter God. He announced the drought for
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of Ethbaal, the king of Phoenicia, with a three years and six months as he said
Pagan faith in her land. In living together, to Ahab, “As the Lord the God of Israel
she enticed the king into worshipping live, before whom I stand, there shall
the gods Baal and Asherah and caused be no dew nor rain this year, except by
the people of Israel to adore the gods my word.” This was evidence that Baal
of the pagans and compare their power was not the god of fertility and rain but
to Yahweh’s mighty; so, he caused Yahweh (1 Kings 17:1).
syncretism. King Ahab saw himself as
a semi-god; no one above him. Jezebel When the famine grew heavy, God sent
used her power to tear down the altars Elijah again to face King Ahab. He went
of Yahweh, bring blood persecution to to the King, faced him courageously, and
God’s prophets, and cause some of them exchanged words with the king, where
to escape. At this time, God called Elijah the king called Elijah the disturber of
to send a message to king Ahab of Israel. Israel, and Elijah called Ahab a sinner
Due to his zeal in true adoration of for allowing syncretism in Israel (1
Yahweh, he courageously began to Kings 18:1-3; 17-18). Figure 3.2 shows
confront King Ahab, Jezebel, his wife, them exchanging words.
and later on king Ahaziah of Israel as
he continued the harlotry of his family.
The root causes of the confrontation
between Elijah and the Kings were the
introduction of the worship of false
gods (Baals), corruption in socio-
economic areas, confiscation and killing
of innocents. Baals were believed to be
gods of life, seasons and sexual fertility
in Israel.

King Ahab, Jezebel and their followers
stood against Yahweh in battle with
Prophet Elijah, who worked when the
Israelites were tempted to search for the Figure 3.2: Prophet Elijah exchanging words
fruitfulness of their fields from Baal and with King Ahab

40 Form Five Student’s Book