The story of Elijah is found in the Jewish Bible (Tanakh or Old Testament) and is significant in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The script for our show comes directly from account of Elijah from the books of 1 and 2 Kings (click here to see the script). Elijah is normally counted as one of the greatest figures in the Bible because of the strength of his courage and determinism and because of the incredible accounts of the miracles clustered around his life. The story of Elijah is one of the most powerful, funny and entertaining in the Bible and we hope that you enjoy experiencing it through our production.

Background

Like a father his child, God led his people out of slavery in Egypt and brought them to Horeb, the mountain of God.
He made a covenant with them:
He would be their God, they would be His people.
They could even call Him by His name, Yahweh.

The people of Israel came to the land that God had promised them. But after the golden age of Kings David and Solomon, the nation divided into two:
The southern nation: JUDAH
The northern nation: ISRAEL

The first northern King, Jeroboam, made two golden cows to be Israel's gods. Further generations of the northern Kings continued this abomination. However, Israel's betrayal of Yahweh would still be greater still in the days of King Ahab who introduced the worship of foreign gods to Israel. Yahweh then sent a man to turn Israel's hearts back to him. That man's name was Elijah.

Synopsis

Click here to read the script. but a brief synopsis of each of the stories can be found below.

Elijah declares a drought

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The story begins introducing us to King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. Ahab rules over the northern Kingdom of Israel and he married Jezebel from the pagan nation of Sidon to the north of Israel. Ahab then leads the whole country to forget about Yahweh, the true God who had made a covenant with his people, and Ahab and the people being to worship Baal one of the pagan gods from Jezebel's home country. Elijah the prophet appears and declares to Ahab that there will be a drought until he declares that there will be rain. Elijah then hides at a ravine where God feeds him by bringing him food via ravens until the brook in the ravine dries up because of the drought. God then sends Elijah to a town in Jezebel's home country and Elijah lives with a widow there, whilst God miraculously provides food for them and miraculously raises the widow's son to life.

Showdown between Yahweh and Baal

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God sends Elijah back to Ahab and on the way he meets Obadiah (see left) who is the sort of Prime Minister of the land and is a secret follower of Yahweh. Obadiah tells Ahab of Elijah's return and the Ahab and Elijah meet face-to-face once again (see right). Elijah orders King Ahab assemble the prophets of Baal on Mt Carmel. At the mountain with the people of Israel in the audience, Elijah laid down the challenge to the prophets of Baal to ask their god to call down fire from the sky on a sacrifice of a bull they'd prepared. After a whole day passed with the prophets asking Baal frantically and ecstatically and without anything happening, Elijah simply prays to Yahweh and Yahweh sends fire from heaven - proving to everyone which god was the true God.

Elijah flees for his life

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King Ahab tells Queen Jezebel about what had happened and she orders that Elijah be executed. Elijah runs for his life. God miraculously provides food for Elijah in the desert and Elijah arrives at Horeb, the mountain where God had made the covenant with his people. Elijah tells God his complaint about the people of Israel and how he considers himself to be the only faithful one left. God assures him that His plans will be fulfilled, He is still in control and names Elijah's successor: Elisha.

The "incident" concerning Naboth's Vineyard

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King Ahab requests to buy a vineyard from a local peasant named Naboth. Ahab whimpers and complains to his Queen Jezebel after Naboth refuses to sell him the vineyard. Jezebel takes charge of the situation and devises a plan to take Naboth's vineyard. She orders that they declare a day of fasting, sit Naboth at a prominent place among the people get two scoundrels to say that he has cursed both God and the King and then to take him out and stone him to death. Everything goes according to plan and King Ahab takes possession of the vineyard.

All of this didn't go unnoticed in the sight of Yahweh who then sends Elijah back to again confront King Ahab and declare judgement on him and his dynasty. Surprisingly Ahab is remorseful and God patiently postpones this judgement.

Ahab meets his doom

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King Ahab chooses to go to war against Syria and asks King Jehosaphat of the southern Kingdom of Judah to be his ally. King Jehosaphat agrees on the condition they ask for guidance from Yahweh. King Ahab's 400 prophets declare that God will give them victory but King Jehosaphat isn't convinced and requests to hear a prophet of Yahweh. King Ahab summons Micaiah - a prophet King Ahab hates because he only prophesies bad things for the King. Micaiah declares that the King will be killed and therefore Micaiah is sent to prison. King Ahab goes to war against Syria in disguise and asks King Jehosaphat to be disguised as him. King Ahab dies anyway when a stray arrow hits him at random and he dies in the manner prophesied by both Elijah and Micaiah.

Elijah confronts Ahab's Successor

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King Ahab's son Ahaziah becomes King over the northern Kingdom of Israel. After suffering a severe injury King Ahaziah sends messengers to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron instead of enquiring of Yahweh the God of Israel. The messengers run into Elijah who tells them to report back to King Ahaziah that he won't recover but he will die. King Ahaziah arrogantly sends his military to take hold of Elijah who soon find out that they are no match to Yahweh's might as fireballs come from the sky. Yahweh then sends Elijah to the King to deliver the judgement personally and King Ahaziah dies in keeping with what God had spoken.

Elijah is taken up in a whirlwind

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As Elijah and his assistant Elisha are travelling, groups of prophets come to tell Elisha that Yahweh is about to take Elijah from him. Elijah urges Elisha to stay behind but Elisha refuses and insists that he won't leave his master's side. When they reach the Jordan River, Elijah strikes the water with his coat and the waters part and Elijah and Elisha walk across on dry ground (reminiscent of both Moses and Moses' successor Joshua). On the other side Elijah and Elisha are separated by a chariot of fire and horses of fire and Elijah is taken up to heaven. Devastated, Elisha picks up Elijah's coat that had fallen from him and returns to the Jordan River. This time Elisha strikes the water and, just like it did for Elijah, the waters part and he walks over. A group of prophets witnessing this recognise that God's Spirit is on Elisha in the same powerful way that He was on Elijah.

Character Posters

Ahab   Jezebel   Elijah

Articles

Pray for rain   YHWH - The Name of God   ELI...JAH
Is Elijah History?