Key Lesson: Like Elijah, we speak the words of the living God.

The days in which Elijah lived were much like our world today. A majority of people did not worship
the LORD. The worshipped and served false gods. Immorality and godlessness prevailed. As it was with Elijah,
God has called us to minister and serve Him in this godless world.

Elijah’s Name

Elijah lived in Israel more than 2,900 years ago. He was a real person just like you. He was one of the
great prophets of the Old Testament. His name means, “My God is Jehovah”. That is important because he
lived in a day when many people in Israel had stopped worshipping Jehovah and were now worshipping a
false god called Baal. Elijah loved and obeyed God even when most people had turned against God. During
the three years that King Ahab searched for Elijah, every time they mentioned his name, it reminded people
that his God was Jehovah and theirs was not.

If we call ourselves Christians, we are saying that we are “Christ-like ones”. Are we living up to that
name? Do we act like Christ? Do we talk like Christ? Does our way of life remind others of Christ? Do we
worship Him only or does He compete with materialism and pleasures?

Elijah’s Home Area

Elijah was a Tishbite because he grew up in a small town called Tishbe that was located on the east
side of the Jordan River in the section of Israel called Gilead. The word “Gilead” means, “rocky region”. It was
a mountainous area that was not heavily populated. “The people of the rocky hill country of Gilead were
rough, tough, rugged, and perhaps somewhat solemn and stern. They dwelt close to God’s creation in crude
villages as shepherds rather than in the lavish surroundings of the palace. Such surroundings tend to spoil
people’s character and make them soft rather than tough and rugged. The people of Gilead were hardened
and disciplined by the weather and walking over the mountainous terrain.”1 God did not tell us anything else
about Elijah. We do not even know how old he was when God called him to be a prophet.

We do not need to be well known or popular in order for God to use us. We simply need to be
walking close to the Lord. Paul reminded us in First Corinthians that God delights in using ordinary people.
(1 Corinthians 1:27-29) “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

Please see attached pdf for more notes