1 Kings – GaryCombs.org

HAVE YOU BUTCHERED THE OXEN AND BURNED THE PLOW?

June 18, 2023

“So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant” (1 Kings 19:21 NLT). God directed Elijah to anoint a prophet

ELIJAH FORSHADOWS CHRIST

June 16, 2023

“Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.”” (1 Kings 17:8-9 NLT). After Elijah warned King Ahab about the coming drought in Israel, he fled to the wilderness. Eventually, the Lord sent Elijah out of

“Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. …Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die” (1 Kings 19:3-4 NLT).

June 18, 2022

BEWARE THE VALLEY THAT FOLLOWS THE MOUNTAIN TOP Elijah, in the power of the Spirit, called fire down from heaven and defeated the 450 prophets of Baal. He called on God to break a 3-year drought and the rains came pouring down. He pulled up his robe and outran King Ahab’s chariot in sandaled feet.

“Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel” (1 Kings 18:46 NLT).

June 17, 2022

RUNNING LIFE’S RACE WITH GOD’S STRENGTH After using Elijah to defeat the prophets of Baal in a fire from heaven contest, and sending rain in response to the prophet’s prayer, the Lord strengthened Elijah to outrun Ahab’s chariot. Some have suggested that he ran the 16 miles from Mount Carmel to Jezreel before the king’s

“In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been” (1 Kings 11:4 NLT).

June 13, 2022

HOW WILL GROWING OLD AFFECT YOUR FAITHFULNESS TO GOD? Solomon began his reign as king of Israel well. He was devoted to the Lord and his father David’s faithful example. Yet, as he grew older, prosperity and his love of foreign women began to turn his head. He not only allowed them to worship foreign

‘Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome.’ (1 Kings 1:6 NLT).

June 6, 2022

FINISHING WELL IS BETTER When King David was old, his son Adonijah decided to make himself king. He followed the tactic of his rebellious older brother, Absalom, and started riding around Jerusalem in a chariot with fifty men running before him. As before, David was passive and did nothing to stop his son’s behavior.

“So he turned back from following him, took the team of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen’s wooden yoke and plow, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he left, followed Elijah, and served him. (1 Kings 19:21 HCSB).

June 18, 2021

HAVE YOU BUTCHERED THE OXEN AND BURNED THE PLOW? God directed Elijah to anoint a prophet from behind a plow. He didn’t send him to a finishing school for prophets, but to a farm where Elisha was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him. His father must’ve been wealthy to have so many servants

“Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there” (1 Kings 17:9 HCSB).

June 16, 2021

GOD’S PROMISE TO BLESS THE NATIONS After Elijah warned King Ahab about the coming drought in Israel, he fled to the wilderness. Eventually, the Lord sent Elijah out of Israel to the land of Sidon, where God had commanded a widow to provide for his needs. In this way, God both protected Elijah from Ahab

“As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, with a heart of integrity and in what is right, doing everything I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and ordinances, I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised your father David” (1 Kings 9:4-5 HCSB).

June 12, 2021

THE CONDITIONAL PROMISE FORESHADOWS THE UNCONDITIONAL ONE After Solomon had completed the building of the Temple, the Lord appeared to him a second time. In this appearance, the Lord repeated the conditional promise that He had made to his father, David. Notice the “if” and the “then” words that mark such a conditional statement. The

“So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant” (1 Kings 19:21 NKJV).

June 18, 2020

HAVE YOU BUTCHERED THE OXEN AND BURNED THE PLOW OF YOUR FORMER LIFE? God directed Elijah to anoint a prophet from behind a plow. He didn’t send him to a finishing school for prophets, but to a farm where Elisha was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him. His father must’ve been wealthy to