1.  God raised up the prophet Elijah in a time of great spiritual darkness in the Northern Kingdom.

2.  Israel’s falling away had reached a new low under Ahab, son of Omri.  Through his marriage to Jezebel, Baal worship was brought into the Northern Kingdom on a major scale.  Ahab turned to Baal and tried to make it the official religion of Israel, erecting a temple to Baal and setting up an Asherah pole.  He led Israel into greater sin than any king before him.  Baal was considered to be a rain/storm god, appealing to a people who depended upon agriculture.  Add to that the base nature of Baal/Asherah worship and the people of God embraced this false worship.

3.  Into this setting God sends one man to confront the sin of His people, the prophet Elijah.  Elijah was an ordinary person, not unlike us (James 5:17), upon whom God knew He could rely.  Because Elijah knew the Word of God and the God of the Word he announced a drought upon the land.

4.  Prayer challenge for 2007:  “What do you want me to do Lord?  And how am I to accomplish it?”