“Doubt in the Valley”
Click below to download the Cornerstone Connections leader’s guide and student lesson. This week’s resources also include two lesson plans and a discussion starter video which offer different ways of looking at the topic. Each lesson plan includes opening activities, scripture passages, discussion questions, and real-life applications.
God’s followers will face times of discouragement and despair; however, His Word is full of helpful guidance for these down times.
SCRIPTURE PASSAGES
OVERVIEW
My favorite thing about the Bible might be that its heroes are fallible. The Bible isn’t scared to show that being human is hard, and that no one is perfect. In the midst of humanity’s lows, the God of the Bible doesn’t revel in their failure or give up on them. Our God supports, and encourages. It is a very unique look. In Greek culture gods like Zeus don’t do that, their interactions are not about love and care.
The other thing that is very real about this story that we will highlight this week is the real possibility that your deepest lows come after your most impactful spiritual moments. Sometimes the Saturday night after a great sermon or youth group is when I’m the most down or most likely to be tempted or even fall to temptation. I’m sure teenagers feel the same way. Be ready to be honest with them about your challenges. But also be ready to share how God has found you at your lowest moments and whispered healing love and restored your soul.
OPENING ACTIVITY: STILL SMALL VOICE GAME
In this game your students will try to pass a message along with out making any sound, and have their team lip read the information.
DISCUSSION
FINAL QUESTIONS
TRANSITION
This week we are looking at a story of someone in the Bible who had a really rough day. Back in the early 2000’s there was a show called “24” that went through one day in each season and it usually had to do with a hero trying to protect the country from a terrorist act of some sort. This Bible story is just that. A wild 24 hours in Israel’s history when God asks Elijah to protect Israel from the influence of an infiltrating queen who is pushing a false god—Baal.
Last week the lesson started with that mountain top story. Elijah risked his life to show the country that God (Yahweh) is the true God, and it turned into one of the biggest “God showing up” moments in the Old Testament! Fire comes down from heaven and proves that God is the true God, and Baal and the evil prophets are defeated. Elijah is the hero of the story so far! But his day isn’t over. He’s still got a lot to do. So as we continue the story I want you to remember Elijah has just spent an entire day’s worth of energy battling against the false prophets and dark spiritual forces of evil. It had to have been a draining day. But the rain wasn’t falling yet and that is where we pick up the story.
BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
The longest day of Elijah’s life continues as he forges a brief truce with Ahab and in true leader/hero fashion tells the king to go and eat while he does the hard work. Let’s jump into the story here and then launch into some discussion questions!
Read 1 Kings 18:40-46.
40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.
43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.
“There is nothing there,” he said.
Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
44 The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”
So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”
45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46 The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
DISCUSSION
Before we jump into the next question. Do you like to run? Have you heard of the story of the Greek runner Pheidippides? It could only be a legend. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheidippides)
However, if you believe it is a historical event, then 2 other important “facts” should be included from the story. First is that the distance was closer to 25 miles and not 26.2. In addition, he had supposedly run 150 miles in the 2 days prior (an impressive Ultra marathon) to running from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon (490 BC). This is how we got the name for our modern marathons!
But the story of Elijah happens about 75 years before this, and depending on where you look, the distance from Mt. Carmel to Jezreel is anywhere from 17 to 30 miles! That is a long run in the rain alongside horses.
Elijah has spent a full day digging holes, and in prayer, doing spiritual battle. Then he runs a marathon in the rain.
The story doesn’t stop here. Elijah safely escorts the king back to his wife and the palace in Jezreel. Now, we don’t know if Ahab is a villain at this point or not, but he doesn’t do Elijah any favors when he tells his wife, the evil queen, the lead prophetess of Baal, that Elijah just defeated and executed all of her minions.
Elijah’s day gets longer.
Read 1 Kings 19:1-8.
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
DISCUSSION
Sidebar: Check out this map: https://www.biblecartoons.co.uk/maps/map-of-sinai-showing-a-possible-route-of-elijah-from-jezreel-to-mount-horeb
It shows that the distance from Jezreel to Beersheeba is about 150 miles! Elijah really got his money’s worth from his shoes.
We talk often about mountain top experiences like a Church Retreat weekend, Summer Camp or Mission Trip. These are mile marker moments in our lives where we feel close to God. But I know in my life it is usually right after these really exciting moments that I’m the most susceptible to significant doubt, and even sometimes depression.
Whether it is the lack of dopamine in my body or the pressures of our old enemy Satan, it can really shake our faith. Perhaps part of the reason this story is in the Bible is to remind us that it is a part of the human experience. Just like these verses tell us God sends his Angels to care for Elijah at his lowest moments. He is just as close to us in our lows as he is during our highs. While our faith might be shaken, God is always faithful to His promise to be our God!
The story concludes with a 40 day trek into the wilderness to Mt. Horeb (also known as Mt. Sinai) where God illustrates one of the most beautiful moments in the Bible.
Read 1 Kings 19:11-13.
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Today we finished a journey with Elijah. Being a spokesperson for God isn’t easy. Sometimes it takes us to very rewarding spiritual places. Sometimes it is overwhelming and seems like we are the only ones fighting for “right.” The story of Elijah is important because it shows us very real emotions of being a human. Life is hard. But also it shows us that God cares and God intercedes both for a nation and for individuals. God will always have your back.
APPLICATION
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE
LEADER’S NOTE
For a Relational Bible Study (RBS) you’ll want to get into the Scripture passage and encourage the youth to imagine participating in the story while it’s happening. Then you will be able to better apply it to your own situation today.
You will need to ask God for the Holy Spirit to be present as your small group discusses the questions (no more than 3-6 people in a group is recommended). Start with the opening question. It is a personal question and the answer is unique for each individual. There is no right answer and nobody is an expert here, so don’t be surprised when you hear different responses. You are depending on the Holy Spirit to be present and to speak through your group. Say what God prompts you to say, and listen to what others share.
Take turns reading the chapter out loud. Follow that with giving the students some time to individually mark their responses to the questions (a PDF version of the handout is available as a download). This gives each person a starting point for responding when you start to share as a group. Next, begin the discussion by asking the students to share what they marked and why on each question as you work your way through. Feel free to take more time on some questions than others as discussion warrants.
Encourage each person in the group to apply what is discussed to their personal lives and to share with the group what they believe God wants them to do. Then ask them to pray that God will help each of them to follow through in doing so. Remind them to expect that God will show them ways to live out the message of this passage in the coming week, and that they are free to ask others in the group to help hold them accountable.
OVERVIEW
For several weeks we have been tracking the life of Elijah, God’s prophet to the king, leaders, and people of Israel as recorded in 1 Kings. In addition to the miraculous drought Elijah announced—a direct challenge to Baal, the god of rain—precipitation began again once all Israel had re-committed to Yahweh being their God. But that happened after the fire came from heaven and consumed the sacrifice on the altar to Yahweh, with nothing happening for the altar to Baal.
If only the story ended there, right?
While King Ahab had been on the top of Mount Carmel to witness the showdown between Elijah and Yahweh versus the prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth, for some reason Queen Jezebel was a “no show.” When Ahab returned with the story, including the downpour of new rain and the report of all of Jezebel’s prophets of Baal being slain, she reacted viciously. She vowed Elijah would be killed within 24 hours.
If you were Elijah, how would you have responded? That’s what this week’s Scripture passage records. It’s not very flattering for Elijah, especially in comparison to what had just happened. Sometimes people experience major spiritual highs, but then find themselves crashing lower than they had been previously. Maybe it’s the contrast after a short-term mission trip and then going back to selfish, mundane living. It could be a spiritual retreat followed by personal difficulties at home or at school shortly thereafter.
Some people avoid spiritual highs simply because they fear what will happen afterward. They expect a never-ending high, like a surfer whose wave continues for hours rather than riding the wave and then returning for another after a ride, a crash, or even missing the wave and having to paddle back to catch one later.
Let’s let Elijah’s experience help us as we seek to live for God no matter what highs or lows may come.
A Life or Death Message
Have you ever felt like you were about to die?
Read 1 Kings 19:1-21.
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.”
“Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?”
21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.
1. Why did Jezebel vow to kill Elijah?
2. Why did Elijah run for his life?
3. Why didn’t Elijah die?
4. Which event Elijah experienced do you think was a message from God?
5. What was God’s message to Elijah at this time?
6. How do you respond to this story about Elijah?
7. Shortly before his crucifixion, Jesus was “transfigured” (see Mark 9:2-13) and Moses and Elijah met with him. What do you think Elijah might have said to Jesus at that time?
8. If God asked you, “What are you doing here?” what would be your answer? What would be your attitude?
SUMMARY
Elijah ran for his life. He even gave up and asked God to just let him die. Evidently neither Jezebel nor God were going to end Elijah’s life. Elijah ended up at Mount Sinai—the mount of God. It’s probably a good thing to return to where God has been obviously active in the past. And yet God showed up in a brand new way—quite different than what He had done previously at Mount Sinai with His revelations. This is the first mention of “the still small voice” in Scripture. And Elijah had more messages to deliver and a mentoring project for his replacement in ministry. This might be something you should be considering in your Youth Sabbath School as well.
APPLICATION
The stories in Elijah’s life seem bigger than real life, at least for most of us. But in one sentence we read that Elijah traveled 40 days to the mountain of God. What did he do during those 40 days? Apply this week’s Bible story of Elijah’s spiritual crash and God’s follow-up as you put Scripture into practice. Take one of these ideas, or listen to God’s still small voice to discover if he has a different application for you.
Reading Scripture and listening to inspiring music are good ways to get messages from God. And we have so much available to us!
God’s question came to Elijah several times while he was on the run: What are you doing here? (vs 9, 13).
We have earlier examples of mentoring in the Bible. Parents always serve as mentors to their child(ren). Moses mentored Joshua. We don’t have a specific example of Elijah mentoring anyone until our story this week. God specifically told Elijah (“Yahweh is my God”) to anoint Elisha (“God is salvation”) to replace Elijah as God’s prophet (1 Kings 19:16).
