The circumstances that led to these men becoming heroes began in 2 Kings 6.  It involves the prophet Elisha and the king of Aram (Syria). The king of Aram knew God was informing Elisha of the king's plans against Israel, so he set out to capture Elisha. The Aramean army came to Dothan, where Elisha was staying, but God sent a heavenly army to protect His prophet (2 Kings 6:13-17). God delivered Elisha, and the Arameans did not come again to Israel (2 Kings 6:18-23).

But later, Ben-hadad, king of Aram, besieged Samaria. The Aramean siege of Samaria had brought dreadful hardship to the city, and Israel’s king blamed Elisha. Israel’s king sent soldiers to bring Elisha before the king (2 Kings 6:24-33) to address the situation. The response to this crisis described in 2 Kings 7 leads to some unlikely heroes. 

You should listen to God when facing a crisis – 2 Kings 7:1-2

God’s prophet challenged God’s people to hear the word of the Lord! God led Elisha to prophesy that the siege would end, and Samaria’s economic woes would be removed.  Not only would this happen, but the timing would be quick – about this time tomorrow at Samaria’s gate. They would not have to wait long to see God’s deliverance. 

Elisha’s words indicated that the cost of food prices in Samaria would greatly improve by the next day, and the economy that spun out of control due to the siege would stabilize. Elisha mentioned this would be especially evident at Samaria’s city gate, where many business transactions occurred.

The captain responded, "Look, even if the Lord were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?" He struggled to believe that, within twenty-four hours, life in Samaria could return to normal. He could not fathom that even God was capable of changing this situation. The captain had doubted God’s message through Elisha, so he would not enjoy the blessing when it came.

Would people’s response be any different if Elisha were prophesying this today? Why or why not? 

Doubting God can lead to missed opportunities. When we face difficult times, we may struggle to believe the truth of God’s promises, His authority, or His power, but they remain true nonetheless (2 Corinthians 1:20). Doubting that God is in control undermines the stability that comes from a relationship with Him, and we may miss seeing God work in a great way.

What are some situations or circumstances today that might tempt you to doubt that, even if God would intervene, He couldn’t fix what was happening? What should you do with your doubts?

God sometimes uses your difficulties to place you in a position to experience His work – 2 Kings 7:3-8

These four skin diseased men will now become the unlikely heroes of this biblical event. They not only experienced the siege of their city, were starving and afraid, but they had a serious skin condition, possibly leprosy. Yet, this very skin disease is what placed them at the entrance to the city gate. But, because they were sitting at the entrance, they could see where the Aramean army was stationed for the siege.

These men asked themselves a question: Why just sit here until we die?  We can go into the city and starve to death, keep sitting where we are and die, or we could go for option number 3 which was to surrender to the Arameans. Their options weren’t so great, so they assumed, “If we are going to die anyway, why not try surrendering? We have nothing to lose!” 

What happens next is amazing. These men went to the Aramean camp only to find it completely deserted! Verse 6 tells us why: 

the Lord had caused the Aramean camp to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a large army leading them to assume that the king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to attack. Fear and panic spread throughout the Aramean camp leading them to flee in the early morning hours and leaving everything behind.

God often provides in unexpected ways. When the four men went out to the Aramean camp, they did not know whether they would live or die. What they found must have staggered their comprehension. Likewise, when you place your faith in the Lord, you can be confident that He has provided beyond what anyone could possibly provide.

How has God worked in your life during desperate times?

When God works, we must tell others – 2 Kings 7:9-11

God provided deliverance to the people of Samaria and Israel from the Aramean threat, and they had seen it firsthand.  They had to share this good news with others. Additionally, they recognized that remaining silent would count toward them as sin.

These were diseased men and were considered unclean and unfit to enter the city and interact with the people. This led to some difficulty in communicating the news. They had to call to the city’s gatekeepers who, in return, sent messengers to the king. Then, the news would be shared with everyone in the city. This was no small task, yet they were determined.

If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you have some good news you should be sharing with others regarding salvation through Jesus Christ. Everyone deserves to know that deliverance has come. Not only is it something you should desire to share, but you also have a responsibility to share what you have received. People may have other needs as well that we are able to meet because of God’s blessings upon us. In such times, we must remember all we have comes from God (1 Corinthians 4:7). As someone has said, “God wants us to be channels of His grace, not reservoirs of His grace.”

There are always skeptics who don’t want to accept the truth – 2 Kings 7:12-15

Mountains surround the city of Samaria on every side, and such terrain provided opportunity for the Arameans to hide beyond the ridge or between the mountains and not be visible to Samaria’s watchmen. The king thought the Arameans were trying to lure his citizens into coming out to plunder the Aramean camp. 

Now another unlikely hero steps up—one of the king’s servants! He acknowledged that the king might be right, and caution was in order, but if what was reported was truth, then this was certainly good news for Samaria! He bravely suggested a solution to the king. This leads to even more unlikely heroes stepping up—five messengers would take five of the horses that were left in the city. Remember, the horses were most likely the last source of food for the besieged city, and now the messengers would be riding into the enemy camp on five of the horses to see if the abandoned camp was a trap. If in fact it was a trap, all would die anyway. 

These brave messengers examined the camp and tracked the Aramean soldiers as far as the Jordan—approximately twenty-five miles east of Samaria. The messengers saw no signs of human life; rather, they saw that the whole way was littered with clothes and equipment. No Aramean threat remained, and the messengers returned and told the king. 

Living in the Truth

The skin-diseased men who had nothing to lose, the servant to the king who boldly spoke to his king, and the messengers who rode into what could have been a trap, became the heroes that God used to demonstrate how He works to rescue people from their enemies. Second Kings 7:16-20 describes how the Israelites plundered the Aramean camp. Life returned to normal quickly in Samaria as God intervened on their behalf. 

Who were the heroes that invested in telling you the good news about salvation through Jesus Christ? Who are some spiritual heroes that have demonstrated to you the power of trusting God?

By the way, remember the captain? He was the king’s right-hand man, and early on, in verses 1-2, he doubted that even God could do anything to overcome their situation. Elisha told him, “You will in fact see it with your own eyes, but you won’t eat any of it.” Imagine what it would have been like to be that captain. You would observe all that God had done, but you would not be allowed to participate in His blessings.

We all have choices to make:

• When it comes to trusting in Christ, we must be willing to go and examine how God has provided. God isn’t trying to trap us, but He has freely provided for our salvation through Jesus Christ. 
• As believers, we can choose to be heroes for the faith by not hiding how God has provided, but by overcoming barriers so that we can tell the good news.

The captain's name was Naaman. He had contracted a serious skin disease, and his wife’s Israelite slave girl said she was confident that the prophet Elisha, Elijah’s successor, could heal him. Elisha’s name means "God is salvation.” He was called to follow Elijah in 1 Kings 19:19, and he spent the next several years as the prophet’s protégé, until Elijah was taken into heaven. At that time, Elisha began his ministry, which lasted about 60 years.

Elisha’s reputation as God’s prophet is what prompted the slave girl to recommend that Naaman visit him to see if he could be healed. As you examine the events and the advice given to Naaman, you will discover the importance of helping others with the biblical advice they need and the importance of listening and obeying the advice when it is given.

We should be ready to help those who are hurting—2 Kings 5:1-6

While we don’t know exactly what skin disease Naaman had, we know his condition was so severe that he obviously was afraid.  Also, it’s obvious that Naaman was well-respected because of his victories and leadership. The pagan king cared for him so much that he was willing to help Naaman, even if it meant sending him to one of God’s prophets in the nation of Israel. 

Do you think Naaman would have ever sought out a prophet of God if he weren't desperate? 

What does the slave girl’s response communicate regarding what you should do when you observe someone who is hurting and desperate?

While the young Jewish captive couldn’t offer the help Naaman needed, she knew enough about Elisha to know God was with him. She knew where Naaman could go to get help. The fact that this great army commander placed confidence in a young female slave in his household indicates how desperate he viewed his situation. At this point he was willing to try anything.

We can’t help everyone who comes to us, but we can direct them to other godly leaders who can help. There is nothing wrong with telling someone, “I know someone who can help you.” First and foremost, we can direct people to Jesus Christ for help.

In Naaman’s case, things were set in motion for him to visit Elisha. But first, he would need to go before the king of Israel with some significant gifts and a letter. The gifts included 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing, indicating the great value Aram’s king placed on his commander. The letter notified Israel’s king,"I have sent you my servant Naaman for you to cure him of his skin disease." Next let’s notice the response of the king of Israel to Naaman’s needs.

We should trust God when someone comes to us for help—2 Kings 5:7-10

Israel’s king was in such distress that he tore his clothes. His response to Naaman almost sounds like he is mocking him or even wondering if the king of Aram was going to use this situation to pick a fight with Israel. Sadly, the king’s response reveals his lack of faith in God. Additionally, he totally missed the point of what God was doing. Fortunately, Elisha heard about the king’s distress.

Have you ever felt the pressure to help someone when you know you aren’t able? How did you respond? When someone who doesn’t know Christ comes to you for help, do you ever question their motives?

Elisha steps up when the king realizes he can’t! Israel’s king could not cure Naaman, but God’s prophet Elisha could. Elisha directed the king: Have him come to me, and he will know there is a prophet in Israel. 

Elisha wanted both Naaman and Jehoram (the king of Israel) to know God still reigned. 

Notice Elisha’s instruction to Naaman. It’s simple, yet does offer a challenge for Naaman because he would have to walk about twenty-five miles to the east to get to the Jordan River. Let’s see how Naaman initially responds.

People don’t always like the solutions to their problems—2 Kings 5:11-12

It’s apparent that Naaman had already rehearsed in his mind how his healing would occur. 

• Elisha would surely come out personally. Instead, Elisha sent a messenger. Elisha had some nerve to do this!
• Naaman was confident Elisha would stand and call on the name of the Lord his God in some public, visible ceremony. He expected some amazing demonstration of God’s power rather than simply being told to go twenty-five miles to the Jordan River to dip himself seven times. 
• Naaman assumed Elisha might wave his hand over the place and cure the skin disease. Such an extraordinary gift as curing his skin disease certainly would feature much pomp and grandeur. 

Notice Naaman’s arrogance as well. He saw no reason to wash in the dirty Jordan river when there was much better water in the rivers of Damascus! All this caused Naaman to turn and leave in a rage!

Is this how lost people expect God to work today? Why are they disappointed when God doesn’t work in that manner? Do believers expect this as well?

Pride and arrogance often get in the way of people receiving God’s advice and acting on it. Fortunately, Naaman had some people who didn’t give up on him.

You can’t give up when advice is ignored—2 Kings 5:13-14

Naaman’s servants approached and intervened in the situation. They knew how profoundly his skin disease impacted his life, and they knew he had come a long way to seek healing. They saw the blow to Naaman’s spirit and ego when Elisha did not come out to meet him personally. They also witnessed Naaman’s disappointment at Elisha’s simple directive to go wash in the Jordan River.

Nevertheless, the servants recognized Elisha had indeed given Naaman the solution to his problem. Based on what they knew, Elisha was a man of God, so Naaman should at least try Elisha’s prescription for healing. 

The results!

As soon as Naaman obeyed Elisha’s directive, his skin was restored and became like the skin of a small boy. Not only was Naaman healed, but his scars were gone and his skin was completely restored! The solution was so simple, Wash and be healed.  We know what this represents. It points to the soul cleansing power of Jesus Christ as we are reminded in the Hymn, “Are You Washed in the Blood?”

Why do lost people ignore this simple yet powerful invitation from Jesus Christ? What can you learn from this study that would encourage you to continue pointing people to Jesus?

Being washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, will sound as crazy to a lost person as washing in the Jordan River sounded to Naaman, yet it is the only solution for being restored into a right relationship with God. 

May we be like the Jewish slave girl who sent Naaman to someone that could help when she didn’t have the ability to help; may we be ready to offer God’s instruction as Elisha did, or may we be the persistent friends who don’t give up when someone thinks receiving Christ is just  not the answer they need for their sin-sick life.

The downloadable teaching helps provide more details for this study, along with some tools you can use in guiding a group Bible study. Be sure to use this as a supplement to your study of the Explore the Bible Study resources provided by LifeWay.

Many of us have at least thought about walking away from a job at some point. The stress, conflict with a coworker, customers who are never pleased, or a lack of appreciation can cause us to daydream about walking away. Add to that the situations we personally face or that we observe in our culture, and we might be tempted to pack our things and escape to a place where life is simpler. The prophet Elijah had one of those moments; then God spoke to Him. The Explore the Bible Study: Hope, will focus on how Elijah’s experience might help you continue to remain faithful to Christ, with hope, even though the pressures of life might tempt us to quit.

After Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal, God displayed His amazing power. One would think that Elijah would have walked away from this with a new confidence in God but, as many do, he struggled because he faced ongoing pressures, threats, and challenges to his faith.

1 Kings 19:1-3 tells us what happens to Elijah next: Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!” 3 Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. (CSB)

Elijah, the one who boldly and faithfully challenged the prophets of Baal, the one who God used to call down fire to consume the sacrifice, the one who God used to purge Israel of the Baal prophets, was now so afraid that he fled. As he was fleeing, God continued to comfort and encourage him; yet he continued to run. Finally, he quit running, and hid in a cave located on Mount Horeb. This is where we can learn how God works when we are tempted to give up and quit.

Elijah was honest with God when he felt alone and afraid – 1 Kings 19:9-10

When Elijah decided to quit because he was afraid, he ran.  His running took him on a journey from Jezreel to Mount Horeb--about 340 miles--to escape Israel’s evil queen, Jezebel. While he found a cave in which to hide, he couldn’t hide from God. Notice that God came to him with questions instead of accusations. Most interpreters believe the question challenged Elijah’s faith.

Elijah naturally had hoped the contest on Mount Carmel would bring spiritual renewal, but clearly it had not. Instead of seeing Israel turn back to God, they rejected God further. Instead of turning the hearts of King Ahab and his queen, Queen Jezebel pursued Elijah with the intent to kill him.

What did Elijah leave out of his response to the questions from the word of the Lord? Did he include any of the things God had done? Would you describe Elijah’s response as self-centered? What did Elijah want from God?

What was wrong with Elijah’s perspective and expectations? (He expected a different outcome. Is this wrong?)

How can we avoid feeling and responding to God as Elijah did?

When we are fearful and discouraged and God speaks to us, how easy is it to still not “get it”? Would you “get it” after God demonstrated His power to Elijah or would you still be afraid?

If you had been Elijah, how difficult would it have been to go back into the environment you just left? How difficult would it be to continue to obey God even though the tasks would be difficult?

How could God’s assurance to Elijah help him to remain strong?

What promises from God give you hope and can help you remain faithful and strong even though you might be discouraged, afraid, or tempted to quit?

According to a Christianity Today article in January of 2022, a lot of churches lost their long-term, reliable, go-to people and were left with no one. That’s been the challenge. According to Gallup, 35 percent of Americans reported volunteering for a religious organization last year, down from 38 percent in 2020 and 44 percent in 2017. 

Have you ever thought about quitting your job? Quitting your family? Quitting your church? Quitting your relationship with Christ? Have you ever thought about running, hiding, or moving somewhere to escape whatever circumstances you are facing? Has God ever spoken to you when you had those feelings?

The apostle Paul faced hardship and rejection on numerous occasions including when he ministered in Corinth (Acts 18:1-6). Nevertheless, after he had been there some time, the Lord encouraged Paul with the words, “No one will lay a hand on you to hurt you, because I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:10). Encouraged by this, Paul continued to share the gospel. 

When Jesus sent out His disciples to preach, He sent them out in pairs (Luke 10:1). He knew one could support the other and help his fellow disciple to stand strong. In the same way, having others partner with us can encourage us in our own faith journeys. Knowing others are also remaining faithful to God can encourage us when we face discouragement. 

Perhaps in your daily walk with the Lord or in the ministry God has given you, you are seeing little spiritual fruit. Perhaps you are discouraged or even afraid of what you are facing in this world because of your faith. God’s assurance to Elijah reminds us His work is not finished. It was not finished in Elijah’s day, and it is not finished in our day.

The downloadable teaching helps provide more details for this study, along with some tools you can use in guiding a group Bible study. Be sure to use this as a supplement to your study of the Explore the Bible Study resources provided by LifeWay.

Saturday, August 27 is called “Week Zero” in college football. That’s when the first college football games are played for the 2022 college football season. Everyone loves a great showdown between two college football rivals. Some of the greatest and most memorable games are between two rival teams. While many fans take their football rival showdowns seriously, this is nothing compared to the showdown that is about to take place in 1 Kings 18. The Explore the Bible Study: Proven, is going to focus on that famous showdown.

Up until now, the focus of 1 Kings has been on the Southern Kingdom of Judah. But now, attention is turned to what was taking place in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. 1 Kings 16 tells us that Ahab became king of Israel when his father Omri died. He was an evil king and married Jezebel, a devout Baal worshiper. He even built an altar for Baal in Samaria for his wife. 

First, observe the futility in man’s attempts to replace God – 1 Kings 18:26-29

Notice the actions of the prophets of Baal:

• They took the bull that he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon. 
• They called, "Baal, answer us!" Perhaps they thought their numbers and zeal would provoke Baal’s response.
• But they only heard “crickets”! – there was no sound; no one answered. 
• Then they danced around the altar in a heightened effort to get Baal’s attention. 

These prophets of Baal were doing all they could to implore Baal’s response, but nothing was working.

What are some of the futile attempts people make today that reveal they are trusting in anyone and everything other than the One True God? Who do they call upon to fix things?

After several hours, Elijah stepped up and began to mock them.

• Elijah encouraged the prophets, "shout loudly, for he’s a god!" Perhaps such a great god as Baal had poor hearing!
• Elijah suggested "maybe he’s thinking it over." Elijah was raising the idea that perhaps Baal could not make up his mind as to what to do.
• He suggested "maybe he has wandered away." The Hebrew word means step away and many interpreters believe the expression is a euphemism that suggests Baal might have needed to use the restroom!
• Elijah suggested "maybe he’s on the road." Maybe he had left the region, and they needed to wait for his return!
• Finally, Elijah suggested "perhaps he’s sleeping and will wake up!" Such a great god might sleep soundly, so if the Baal prophets called louder, perhaps they could awaken him and spur him to action.

When we think about mocking, we sometimes consider this to be rude behavior. Why did Elijah use such questions with them? How can believers use Elijah’s actions to create questions today for those who continually turn to false philosophies, false beliefs, or false gods to fix things?

While mocking sounds cold and callous, it had its purpose. Elijah probably intended his mocking to help the people who were watching to appreciate the futility of the Baal prophets’ actions. 

Notice the prophets of Baal's response:  They shouted loudly, and cut themselves with knives and spears in a futile effort to get their god to respond. This went on all afternoon until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, which would have been at twilight (Exodus 29:39,41). 

All false gods will lead to disappointment and emptiness. The Baal prophets worshiped a god that did not exist. Today, many peoples of the world worship false gods; one day, they will discover these gods are powerless. There are also many people who don’t worship a god but worship a philosophy, a set of ungodly beliefs, or a set of assumptions that are designed to replace God as the center of the universe. Still others worship other “gods” such as money, fame, and power. These also ultimately will not provide lasting satisfaction. Only a relationship with God that involves worship of Him will provide lasting fulfillment.

When you observe the futility of what the lost are depending upon to fix things, how do you respond? Should it come as a surprise that, when we proclaim Christ, the lost become more entrenched in their systems of beliefs?

Elijah faithfully waited until all the Baal prophets' efforts had been exposed as futile. Then he stepped up to demonstrate the power of God.

We learn from Elijah that the messenger must point people to God – 1 Kings 18:30-37

Notice the steps Elijah took to help the people understand who God is:

• He repaired the Lord’s altar that had been torn down.“This altar likely came from an earlier time, before King Solomon completed the temple in Jerusalem. God was using His prophet to establish His presence in the Northern Kingdom—a kingdom that had turned away from Him.” – ETB Leader Commentary
• Elijah took twelve stones—according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob. Why not ten stones since these were the Northern tribes?  “Elijah was anchoring his altar to Israel’s history. Perhaps Elijah’s using twelve stones anticipated a day when God would unite the kingdoms of Israel and Judah again into one country under God alone.” –ETB Leader Commentary
• He declared: Israel will be your name. The people needed to be reminded of God’s covenant.
• He built an altar with the stones in the name of the Lord. This altar was not built for a false god or to bring attention to Elijah. It was built in the name of the Lord.
• After drenching the entire altar area with water, he approached the altar he had re-built and prayed.
• Elijah began his prayer with, "Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel." By using the name Israel here, Elijah was again stressing the Northern Kingdom’s historic connection and God’s thousand plus years relationship with His people. 
• The prophet had performed a public act of faith but did not claim any power himself. Elijah wanted God to show the people that "at your word I have done all these things." God had commanded, Elijah had obeyed, and now God would do the work.
• Elijah called on God to act. Elijah knew that if God did, then, this people would know that the Lord was God and that He could turn their hearts back. The prophet wanted the people to see God’s power as the one true God, but he also wanted them to see in this act God’s care for them and His desire to see their repentance.

Do we expect God to demonstrate His power today, or do we feel that God doesn’t work to reveal Himself today? How does the transforming power of the gospel demonstrate that there is one true God?How do we prepare so that God can be revealed in a mighty way through our lives? In our church?

 Finally, notice that God leaves no doubt! – 1 Kings 18:38-39

God responded quickly and decisively to Elijah’s request. God’s power vastly exceeded the power of Baal, leaving no doubt as to who God was. Notice how the people responded: When all the people saw it, they fell facedown. They had witnessed an amazing, powerful demonstration from God Almighty, and they knew to humble themselves at once.

What do you think it will take for people today to respond to God in this manner? How should you be involved?

What About Today?

God had called Elijah to a prophetic ministry, and God had provided for him every step of the journey. God gave him the words to say and the actions to take, and Elijah faithfully obeyed. God had protected him from King Ahab, and God soon would protect him from Jezebel, Ahab’s evil wife (1 Kings 19:1-18). Elijah’s goal was not to exalt himself, but to exalt God, and that all Israel might know Him. Elijah wasn’t doing what he did to get attention and fame. Rather, he wanted the glory to go to God.

People need to see the power of God demonstrated through those who claim to be followers of Christ. That power today can be demonstrated in so many ways—by the way we live, the way we treat others, the trust we demonstrate in Christ, and the message of the gospel we share with others.

How does your expectation for God to work powerfully amid a sin-broken world measure up when compared to Elijah’s faith? What can you learn about your role in God’s work from how God used Elijah? What hope does God’s demonstration of power give you regarding the current state of our world?

The downloadable teaching helps provide more details for this study, along with some tools you can use in guiding a group Bible study. Be sure to use this as a supplement to your study of the Explore the Bible Study resources provided by LifeWay.