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Sunday, September 7, 2014

Lesson 34: Elijah and the False Prophets of Baal

Lesson 34: Elijah and the False Prophets of Baal

Primary 6: Old Testament, (1996), 149–53

Purpose

To encourage the children to worship Heavenly Father diligently.

Preparation

  1. 1. 
    Prayerfully study:
    • • 1 Kings 18:17–18—Elijah tells Ahab that his wickedness has brought trouble to Israel.
    • • 1 Kings 18:19–29—Elijah challenges the false prophets to have Baal send fire down from heaven. The false prophets fail.
    • • 1 Kings 18:30–38—Elijah prays and the Lord sends fire to consume the sacrifice and the altar.
    • • 1 Kings 18:39—All the people recognize the true God.
    • • 1 Kings 19:11–13—The Lord speaks to Elijah through the still, small voice.
  2. 2. Study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account (see “Preparing Your Lessons,” p. vi, and “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii). Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will best help the children achieve the purpose of the lesson.
  3. 3. Materials needed:
    1. a. A Bible for each child.
    2. b. A rock or some other inanimate object.
    3. c. Pictures 6-40, The First Vision (Gospel Art Picture Kit 403; 62470), and 6-41, Elijah and the Prophets of Baal.

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Display the picture of the First Vision and the rock or other object.


Ask the children whom they pray to when they need help with a problem. Ask the children why they would not pray to a rock (or other object). Explain that when Joseph Smith needed help, he prayed to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, and his prayer was answered. Like Joseph Smith, we should pray to Heavenly Father in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father has the power to hear our prayers and answer them. Point out that a rock (or other object) cannot hear or answer prayers. It has no power, no life, no personality, and no feelings, and it cannot give or show love. Tell the children that they are going to learn how Elijah tried to teach the Israelites to worship and pray to Heavenly Father instead of nonliving objects or graven images.

Scripture Account

Using the picture of Elijah and the prophets of Baal at an appropriate time, teach the children the account of Elijah from the scriptures listed in the “Preparation” section. (For suggested ways to teach the scripture account, see “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.)

Discussion and Application Questions

Study the following questions and the scripture references as you prepare your lesson. Use the questions you feel will best help the children understand the scriptures and apply the principles in their lives. Reading and discussing the scriptures with the children in class will help them gain personal insights.











  • • The prophet Elijah had sealed the heavens so it would not rain. Whom did Ahab blame for the drought? (1 Kings 18:17.) 
  •  17 ¶And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
  • What did Elijah say was the cause of the drought? (1 Kings 18:18.) 
  •  18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye haveforsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.
  • Explain that Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, had led the Israelites away from Heavenly Father and were worshiping a false god, an idol named Baal (see “Baal” in the LDS Bible Dictionary [p. 617]). The drought had caused a great famine in the land, and Ahab and his people were having a hard time finding water for their crops and animals. Why does the Lord sometimes allow drought and other natural disasters to happen? Point out that sometimes bad things are a normal part of life, but they may also warn us to repent and worship Heavenly Father. They may also be signs that warn us to prepare for the Second Coming.

  • •After Elijah had gathered together the people of Israel and the false prophets, what question did he ask the people? (1 Kings 18:21.) What did Elijah want the people to do? Explain that he knew they could not serve both Baal and the Lord and that he wanted the Israelites to decide whom they were going to worship. Why is it important for us to decide now to worship Heavenly Father? How do we worship Heavenly Father? (See enrichment activity 2.)
  • •
    What do people worship today, perhaps without even realizing they are doing so? (See enrichment activity 5.) Help the children understand that we worship what is most important to us. This is why the Savior said, “Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33, footnote a). Explain that we should place Heavenly Father first in our lives so we will worship him. If anything else is more important to us, it is an idol or false god.
  • • What contest did Elijah suggest to prove to the people whom they should worship? (1 Kings 18:23–24.) How many prophets of the Lord were there that day? How many prophets of Baal? (1 Kings 18:22.) Why did Elijah have more power than the prophets of Baal, even though he was outnumbered?
1 Kings 18:  21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if theLord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.

  • • What happened when the false prophets called upon Baal? (1 Kings 18:29.) Why didn’t Baal answer the false prophets’ prayers and send down fire?
  • • When it was Elijah’s turn, why do you think he made it more difficult for the sacrifice to burn? (1 Kings 18:32–35; explain that he wanted to prove without question the power of God.) What happened when Elijah prayed to Heavenly Father? (1 Kings 18:36–38.) What happens when we pray to Heavenly Father? Explain that he hears our prayers and answers them according to our faith and his will but that our answers do not usually come as dramatically as Elijah’s.

  • • What did the people do when the contest was over? (1 Kings 18:39.)
  •  39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; theLord, he is the God.
  • • Although it began to rain and the drought was over, Jezebel was angry with Elijah and vowed to kill him (see 1 Kings 19:2). Elijah fled into the wilderness, and while he was there the Lord spoke to him. How did the Lord talk to Elijah? (1 Kings 19:11–13.) 
  •  11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord;but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:
     12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
     13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?



  • How do we receive messages from the Lord? Explain that we pray to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, and our answers come through the Holy Ghost, usually as a peaceful thought in our minds or a warm feeling in our hearts (see enrichment activity 3). Point out that by praying to Heavenly Father and listening for and obeying the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost, we are worshiping our Heavenly Father.

Enrichment Activities

You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.
  1. 1.  After teaching the account of Elijah and the priests of Baal, you may want to have one or two of the children role-play or pantomime the story.
  2. 2.  Divide the class into groups with two or three children in each group. Give each group a piece of paper and a pencil, and have them take two or three minutes to write down as many things as they can to answer the following question: “What are some things we do to worship Heavenly Father?” Let a child from each group read their answers. The lists might include the following ideas:

    • Pray daily and express our gratitude to Heavenly Father
    • Attend Primary and sacrament meetings
    • Be reverent and listen in our meetings
    • Sing hymns of praise
    • Participate in family home evenings, prayer, and scripture study
    • Treat others with love
    • Make right choices
    • Read the scriptures by ourselves
    Discuss the importance of worshiping Heavenly Father every day and making him an important part of our lives. You may want to have the children write down some of these ideas on a piece of paper to take home and share with their families.
  4. 3.  Have the class repeat the first article of faith. Review with the children the role of each member of the Godhead, reminding them that they are three separate personages but that they work together as one to help us. Include the following in your discussion:
    Heavenly Father is the Father of our spirits. Before we were born on earth, Heavenly Father presented to us the plan of salvation so we could live on earth and become like him. He directed the creation of the earth. We pray to Heavenly Father.
    Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son of Heavenly Father. He created the earth under the direction of Heavenly Father. He directs the work of Heavenly Father on the earth through living prophets. Jesus is the head of our Church. In the Old Testament, Jesus is known as Jehovah or the Lord. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we will be resurrected and have the opportunity to repent and return to Heavenly Father. We pray to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
    The Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit. He does not have a physical body. When we are baptized, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is the right to have his constant help and comfort in our lives. If we are worthy, Heavenly Father answers our prayers and speaks to us through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost speaks in a still, small voice to our hearts and minds.

  6. 4.  To review the roles and titles of the three members of the Godhead, prepare the following wordstrips. Make three columns on the chalkboard with the title of a member of the Godhead at the top of each one. Have each child choose a wordstrip and place it under the appropriate heading. Continue until all the wordstrips have been placed and discussed.   Document prepared to print:  Godhead Who’s Who Word Strips lesson 34.docx 
    Heavenly Father
    Father of our spirits
    Presented the plan of salvation
    Directed the creation of the earth
    God to whom we pray
    Jesus Christ
    Savior
    Jehovah
    Created the earth
    Atoned for our sins
    Head of the Church
    Perfect example
    Holy Ghost
    Still, small voice
    Comforter
    Testifier
    Spirit of truth
  7. 5. 
    Write on pieces of paper worldly things we sometimes worship, such as money; power; popularity; celebrities; recreation; sports; physical appearance; clothing; and so on. Display the object used in the attention activity. Have the children take turns choosing one of the papers and attaching it to the object. Have the children discuss how some people place too much value on such things and ask the children what we can do to avoid worshiping worldly things or making them too important in our lives. Help the children realize the importance of putting Heavenly Father and what he wants us to do first in our lives.
    Have the children memorize part of 1 Kings 18:21: “How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him.” Stress the importance of deciding now to always worship Heavenly Father and to not allow other things to pull us away from him.
  8. 6.  
    (Last week Leah shared that she had memorized what each of the Ten Commandments is about.)
    Tell the children that the first three of the Ten Commandments given by the Lord to Moses tell us how we should worship the only true God (see Exodus 20:3–7). Read the following commandments with the children. Ask them how following each commandment can help them worship Heavenly Father.
    “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).
    “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them” (Exodus 20:4–5).
    “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Exodus 20:7).
    Explain that during his life on earth Jesus Christ summarized the Ten Commandments into two great commandments, to love God and to love others. Read and discuss the first great commandment:
    “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37–38).
    Ask the children what all these commandments tell us about the importance of worshiping Heavenly Father.
  9. 7. 
    Sing or read the words to “I Know My Father Lives” (Children’s Songbook, p. 5), “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, p. 2; or Hymns, no. 301), or “I Lived in Heaven”(Children’s Songbook, p. 4).
  10. [You can find these on lds.com to play either the music or the music and words.]

Conclusion

Testimony and Challenge

Express your gratitude for the privilege of worshiping Heavenly Father and of praying to him. Encourage the children to decide now to worship Heavenly Father. Challenge them to beware of worshiping false gods and to not let anything become more important than worshiping and obeying Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Suggested Family Sharing

Encourage the children to share with their families a specific part of the lesson, such as a story, question, or activity, or to read with their families the “Suggested Home Reading.”

Suggested Home Reading

Suggest that the children study 1 Kings 18:19–39 at home as a review of this lesson.
Invite a child to give the closing prayer.
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Lesson 33: Elijah Uses the Priesthood

Lesson 33: Elijah Uses the Priesthood

Primary 6: Old Testament, (1996), 145–48

Purpose

To help the children have a greater understanding of how the priesthood blesses their lives.

Preparation

  1. 1.  Prayerfully study:
  2. 2.  Study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account (see “Preparing Your Lessons,” p. vi, and “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii). Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will best help the children achieve the purpose of the lesson.
  3. 3.  Materials needed:
  4. a.  A Bible for each child.
    1. b.  A magnet and some pieces of metal or an inflated balloon or a comb and some tiny pieces of paper (see the attention activity).
    2. c.  Picture 6-39, Elijah Being Fed by the Ravens.

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Have the children use the magnet to attract pieces of metal (or rub an inflated balloon on clothing to make it cling to the wall or a child’s shirt; or have a child run a comb through his or her hair several times, and then show how it can pick up small pieces of paper). Ask the children what caused the magnet to attract the metal (or the balloon to cling to the wall or the comb to pick up the paper). Explain that the magnet has a kind of power called magnetism that causes the metal to be attracted to it. A power called electricity held the balloon to the wall and enabled the comb to pick up the paper. These powers cannot be seen, but we can see the effects of these powers.
Tell the children that the power of God also cannot be seen but that we often see its effects. Explain that this lesson is about a prophet of God and his use of the greatest power on earth, the priesthood of God.

Scripture Account:  Teach the children the account of Elijah performing miracles by the power of the priesthood from the scriptures listed in the “Preparation” section. (For suggested ways to teach the scripture account, see “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.) Show the picture at an appropriate time.

Discussion and Application Questions: Study the following questions and scripture references as you prepare your lesson. Use the questions you feel will best help the children understand the scriptures and apply the principles in their lives. Reading and discussing the scriptures with the children in class will help them gain personal insights.





  • • Who was Ahab? (1 Kings 16:29–30; one of the most wicked and powerful of the kings of northern Israel.) Who was Jezebel? (1 Kings 16:31; Ahab’s wife. They introduced idol worship to Israel in the form of the false god Baal and tried to do away with the worship of God.) (See the entries “Ahab” [p. 605] and “Jezebel” [p. 713] in the LDS Bible Dictionary.) Elijah was a prophet of God during the time that Ahab and Jezebel ruled over the northern kingdom of Israel. (See “Elijah” in the LDS Bible Dictionary [p. 664].)

  • •  What did Elijah do to try to get Ahab to repent of his wickedness? (1 Kings 17:1.) By what power did Elijah seal the heavens so it would not rain? Explain that the drought declared by Elijah through the power of the priesthood lasted for three and a half years. What would happen if there were no rain or moisture for three and a half years?
  • • When the drought began, how did the Lord take care of Elijah? (1 Kings 17:2–6.) Whom had the Lord prepared to help Elijah after the brook dried up? (1 Kings 17:8–9.) How does the Lord often help those in need? Explain that he often helps us through the services of other people. How might the Lord use us to help others? Explain to the children that if we are in tune with the Spirit, the Lord can direct us in what he would like us to do.
  • •
    How do you think the widow felt when she had only a little meal (flour) and oil left to feed her family and Elijah asked her to first make a “cake” for him and then for her and her son? (1 Kings 17:12–13.) What promise did Elijah give the widow? (1 Kings 17:14.) How did the widow show her faith in the Lord and her trust in Elijah? (1 Kings 17:15.) How can we develop the faith in Jesus Christ to follow the words of our prophet and what we feel prompted by the Spirit to do?




  • •What happened to the widow’s barrel of meal and cruse of oil during the remainder of the drought? (1 Kings 17:16.) Whom did the widow feed with this food that was miraculously supplied? (1 Kings 17:15.)



  • • What did Elijah do when the widow’s son got sick and died? (1 Kings 17:19–22.) By what power was Elijah able to bring the widow’s son back to life? How do you think the widow felt when Elijah brought her son back to her? How did this miracle strengthen the widow’s testimony? (1 Kings 17:24.) How are our testimonies strengthened through priesthood blessings? Explain that we do not gain our testimonies by witnessing miracles, but the testimonies we already have can become stronger.




  • •How has your life been blessed through the power of the priesthood? (See enrichment activity 1.)








Enrichment Activities

You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.

  1. 1. On slips of paper write several different ways, such as the following, that we can be blessed through the power of the priesthood:
    • Blessing of babies
    • Baptism
    • Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost
    • Sacrament
    • Administration to the sick
    • Father’s blessing
    • Ordination to the priesthood
    • Being set apart for missions or other callings
    • Temple ordinances
    Place the papers face down on the table or the floor. Using either the magnet (place a paper clip on each piece of paper or put a straight pin through each one so the magnet will work) or the comb from the attention activity, have the children take turns picking up a paper and reading it aloud. Discuss with the children how they are blessed by each of these priesthood ordinances. Invite the children to share experiences they have had or know about as you discuss each ordinance. You may want to share experiences you have had.
  2. 2. 
    Ask the children to name some brethren they know who hold the priesthood. Copy the following puzzle onto the chalkboard or a large sheet of paper, or make a copy for each child. Have the children search for and circle the following titles in the puzzle:
    word puzzle(click to view larger)
    Discuss with the children how each of these people could or does use the priesthood to bless their lives.
  3. 3. Tell the following story:




  2. Before Elder Hugh B. Brown became a member of the First Presidency of the Church, he served in England as an officer of the Canadian army. Because he was an officer of the king, he had great power. Men stood at attention before him and called him “sir.” They often asked favors of him.
    One day Brother Brown received a message that he was wanted in the hospital. He first thought that a soldier wanted help from him as an army officer. When he got to the hospital, he felt proud that the doctors and nurses treated him with such respect. Then someone directed him to a little room where a sick young man lay. Brother Brown remembered that he had once been that young man’s Sunday School teacher.
    “Brother Brown,” said the young man, “Would you use your authority in my behalf? The doctors say I cannot live. Will you give me a blessing?”
    Brother Brown said that his uniform seemed to melt away. And all the pride that he felt in wearing the uniform of the king disappeared. He laid his hands upon the boy’s head and gave him a blessing. The help that the boy needed was not from any authority of an officer in the king’s army but from the authority of the priesthood. Brother Brown said, “I went into that hospital a proud British officer, and I came out a humble Mormon elder. Ever since then I have earnestly tried to remember that there is a power and authority given to man, not from the king or the president, but from the King of Kings.” (Adapted from Hugh B. Brown, Be What You Will to Be, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [14 Feb. 1967], pp. 8–9.)
  3. 4. Review the fifth article of faith with the children. Discuss how we are blessed by having leaders and family members who hold or are called by the priesthood.


  1. 5. Sing or read the words to “The Priesthood Is Restored” (Children’s Songbook, p. 89) or“A Young Man Prepared” (Children’s Songbook, p. 166).
  2. Conclusion
  3. Testimony: You may want to testify to the children that the priesthood of God is the greatest power on earth and that it can bless their lives in many ways. You may want to share an experience when the priesthood has blessed your life. Encourage the boys in your class to prepare to receive the Aaronic Priesthood.

Suggested Family Sharing: Encourage the children to share with their families a specific part of the lesson, such as a story, question, or activity, or to read with their families the “Suggested Home Reading.”

Suggested Home Reading: Suggest that the children study 1 Kings 17 at home as a review of the lesson.

Invite a child to give the closing prayer.Additional Helpful Resources
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