Chapter 5

the
kingdom

95
 The people inhabiting Palestine, the
land into which the children of Israel
had come, were evil. They were called
Canaanites and were of a different
language than the Israelites.
They offered human sacrifices
and bowed before gods made of
gold, silver, brass, and wood.

We offer
this innocent
child to you,
O Baal. May his
blood appease
your wrath.

I will
give my baby
to pay for
the sin of
my soul.

Someday, we
may get to be high
priests, and be the It is
ones offering the distasteful
sacrifices. but it must be
done. Do good,
receive good;
do evil, receive
evil.

God sent prophets and priests

to tell them to repent, but they
continued in their sins. Just
as God destroyed the people in
Noah’s day and the cities of Sodom
and Gomorrah, so he would now
destroy the people of Canaan.

96 Genesis 14:18, 20:7; Numbers 22:4-8; Deuteronomy 18:9-11

 The idolatrous people who lived
in the promised land resisted
the presence of the children of
Israel and fought to keep their
land, but God gave the children
of Israel power to defeat them.

When the bloody war

How dare
finally ended, the
you come in
Hebrews had conquered
this sacred
their enemies, and the
temple!
land lay before them
for the taking. Joshua
addressed the people.

Our most
ancient ancestor,
Abraham, came from
an idolatrous people.
You have God spoke to him and
killed your promised to make
last baby. of him a great
Nation.

God also said

that his people would go
down into Egypt and there
remain for 400 years, after
which he would lead them out
and bring them back to this
very land on which you now
stand. Here we are, over 500
years later, and God has
kept his promises
To Abraham.

Now go in and
settle the rest of the
land. Do not follow the
example of the sinners
who lived in this land
before you, for God
will judge you just As
he judged them.

Joshua 24:2-14 97
 In the new land they were
at peace. Everyone owned
his own farm and there was
plenty to eat. God blessed
them above all people.

Your
dinner is
ready.

Just as
soon as we
get this
rock out.

Just as God promised, the

Hebrews multiplied until they
filled the land. Their cities
were alive with goodwill
and justice. The new
nation was called Israel.

Peace to
you, my sister.
How is the fish
today?

It is
fresh from
the sea as
always.

98
 Jehovah has defeated
your enemies, but there is still
idolatry in this land. Choose you this
day whom ye will serve; whether the
false gods of these people, in whose
God forbid that we
land ye dwell, or the God of Abraham.
should forsake the LORD to
As for me and my house, We will
serve other gods; for with great
serve the LORD.
power Jehovah delivered us from
our slavery in Egypt and took
And the LORD drove care of us in the
out from before us all the wilderness.
people, even the Amorites which
dwelt in this land. Therefore will
we also serve the LORD; God is a holy God;
for he is our God. he is a jealous God;
if you forsake him and
follow idols, he will turn
and do you hurt and
consume you.

We promise
to serve the
LORD.

Ye are witnesses against

yourselves that ye have chosen
you the LORD, to serve him.

We are
witnesses.

I will write in the

book the covenant you
have made with God
this day.

As we obeyed Moses in all

things, so will we obey you; only the
LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with
Moses. Whosoever rebels against God’s
commandments shall be put to death.

The people were

ruled by judges
who talked with
God and read the
words of Moses.
They explained the
law of God to the
people and led
them to obey God.
What does the
law of God say
concerning an ox
that has gored
someone?

Moses said
the owner is
responsible for
damages and the
ox should be
killed.

Exodus 21:28-29; Joshua 24:15-24 99

 For a while, the people remembered
the miracles God did under Moses Father, why are
and Joshua. They were thankful to be the priests going
free of the Egyptian bondage. They to kill our lamb? Is
served Jehovah God and offered the the destroyer going
sacrifices as they were commanded. to pass over like he
did when our fathers
were in Egypt?

No son, the
destroyer is not
coming, but the blood
of this lamb will cover
our sins and make us
acceptable in God’s
sight.

The people promised Joshua

that they would worship God
and keep his commandments,
but not everyone continued
to worship Jehovah.

When the miracles ceased,

the next generation
forgot the living God and
worshiped in front of
lifeless images. They also
worshiped their ancestors.

Just as Joshua warned,

God sent the heathen
to destroy Israel.

No! Save
me Baal!

Yahhhh!

100 Judges 3:7-8, 12-13, 4:1-2, 10:6-7

 When judgment fell
on God’s people, they
remembered his law and
confessed their sins.

O Jehovah,
forgive us our
sins and restore
our peace.

When they confessed

their sins, he
forgave them and
restored their land.

The people grew tired of

following the Judges who
sought God and directed
the people out of the
book of God, so they
decided they would make
a king to rule over them.

A prophet and Judge named Samuel

warned them that in making a king
they were rejecting God as their
ruler, but they did not want to
walk by faith. King Saul abused
them, took their money, their
property, made servants of their
sons and abused their daughters.

Your lands
will be confiscated
for the good of the
kingdom. You can
leave your daughter
here. We will take
good care
of her.

1 Samuel 8 101
 When King Saul was
older, evil spirits came
on him and he had an
uncontrollable temper.

One day, he tried to spear a

young boy named David who
was playing the harp for him.

Saul sinned yet more and more.

He was jealous of everyone and
fearful. The evil spirits promised
to give him power and wealth,
but they only brought misery
and suffering of the soul.

Saul forsook the

living God and
consulted witches.
I see darkness.
It is not good. You
will die in battle and
another will take
your place.

Saul died in battle

and his soul was
cast into hell.

God chose a young man

to replace Saul as king.
He was a shepherd boy
that loved God and kept
his commandments;
the same one that
Saul had tried to kill.

The Lord is
my shepherd, I
shall not want.
He maketh me to
lie down in green
pastures. He
restoreth
my soul.
David was righteous and
beloved of God. Could he be
the one to deliver mankind
from sin and death? Would
David be the promised one?

102 1 Samuel 18:10-11, 31:4, 16:1-13; Psalm 23:1-3

 David wrote:
Blessed is the man that
walketh not in the counsel of
the ungodly, nor standeth in
the way of sinners, nor sitteth
in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of
the LORD; and in his law doth
he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in
his season; his leaf also shall
not wither; and whatsoever
he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so:
but are like the chaff which
the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly
shall not stand in the
judgment, nor sinners in the
congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way
of the righteous: but the way
of the ungodly shall perish.

When Saul died, David

became king of Israel
and led the people to
worship God and keep
his commandments.

Restore this
woman’s land to
her and see that
she is not taxed
further.

Under David’s reign

the nation prospered
and lived uprightly.

2 Samuel 2:4; Psalm 1; Acts 13:22-23 103

 God spoke to David and revealed He shall judge thy people with
many things about the future. righteousness, and thy poor with
David wrote those prophecies judgment. He shall save the
in the book of Psalms. Many of children of the needy, and shall
them have already been fulfilled. break in pieces the oppressor.
In his days shall the righteous
flourish; and abundance of peace
David was a so long as the moon endureth.
righteous man, but He shall have dominion also from
he did sin, so he sea to sea, and from the river
could not be the unto the ends of the earth.
promised Redeemer.
He wrote this of the
Yea, all kings shall fall down
coming Redeemer: before him: all nations shall serve
him. He shall redeem their soul from
deceit and violence: and he shall live.
Prayer also shall be made for him
continually; and daily shall he be
praised. His name shall endure for
ever: his name shall be continued
as long as the sun:
Men shall be blessed in him: all
nations shall call him blessed.
(Psalm 72)

God said to David: After you

have died, I will establish
your kingdom under your
son. He will build a temple
in which I will be worshiped, After David died, Solomon his son
and I will establish his became king (971 B.C.). According to
kingdom forever. instructions God gave David, Solomon
built a temple (966 B.C.) to replace
the aging tabernacle they had used in
the wilderness. The people of Israel
prospered as never before. Truly God
fulfilled his promise to bring them
into the land and bless them there.

But there was one promise

God had not yet fulfilled -
the coming of a Savior who
would destroy the works
of the Devil. The people still
sinned, and animal blood was
still offered to atone for
sin. But they were thankful
that God gave them a way to
cover their sins until the time
appointed when the deliverer
would remove sins forever.

104 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 72:1-20

 People came to the temple to hear
teaching from the Holy Scriptures.
They especially enjoyed the David wrote many things
prophecies of a coming Savior. about the coming deliverer:

The LORD said unto my Lord,

Sit thou at my right hand,
until I make thine enemies
thy footstool.
(Psalm 110:1)
The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David;
he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of Thy throne, O God, is for
thy body will I set upon thy throne. ever and ever: Thou lovest
Thou art my Son; this day
righteousness, and hatest
have I begotten thee. Kiss the wickedness: therefore God,
Son, lest he be angry, and ye thy God, hath anointed thee
perish from the way, when his with the oil of gladness
wrath is kindled but a little. above thy fellows.
(Psalm 45:6-7)

More prophecies of David wrote a strange thing

the coming Savior: about the coming Messiah:

I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of
Also I will make him my firstborn, joint: my heart is like wax;
higher than the kings of the earth. it is melted in the midst
(Psalm 89:27) of my bowels. My strength
is dried up like a potsherd;
I delight to do thy will, O my God: and my tongue cleaveth
yea, thy law is within my heart. to my jaws; and thou hast
(Psalm 40:8) brought me into the dust
of death. The assembly of
I will open my mouth in a the wicked have inclosed me:
parable: I will utter dark they pierced my hands
sayings of old: and my feet. They part my
(Psalm 78:2, Matthew 13:34-35) garments among them, and
cast lots upon my vesture.
(Psalm 22:14-18)

Solomon had a long and prosperous reign, but after he died the
northern half of the kingdom broke away and made a wicked man
named Jeroboam their king (975 B.C.). The Northern Kingdom was
far from the temple in Jerusalem, so they built their own places of
worship, complete with idols in the image of golden calves.

This is the
God that brought you
out of Egypt, and here
are his priests.

But what
about the law of
Moses and the temple
that God set up in
Jerusalem?
There are many
ways to God. Some
people call him Jehovah,
some call him Allah, some
call him Chemosh, but
we call him Baal.

But what about the

Holy Scripture God gave to his
prophets? It commands us not
to have any other God. It says
there is only one God and
one way to him.

1 Kings 12:20, 28-29; Psalm 2:7,12, 22:6, 14-18, 40:8, 45:6-7, 78:2, 105
89:27, 110:1, 4, 132:11; Matthew 13:34-35
 Do
you think God
is so narrow-
minded?

I will hear
no more of this!
Baal worship is now the
official religion of the
land. Infidels will be
Put to death!

When the priests selected the bull as the image to worship they
unknowingly selected the very image of Lucifer, the sinful cherub. They
were worshiping the Devil, and he was delighted; for he was turning the
people away from the promise of God concerning a coming redeemer.

O Baal,
receive this
sacrifice from
our humble
hands.

Blessed art
thou, Queen of
heaven, mother
of God. Hear
our prayers and
forgive us our
sins.

What are
you doing on
this sacred
ground?

In the name of Jehovah,

from whom you have departed, hear
the word of the Lord. A child shall be born
of the seed of David. From his lineage will
come the deliverer. His name will be
Josiah, and upon this altar he will
burn the priests of Baal.

106 1 Kings 12:28, 13:1-2; Jeremiah 44:17-25; Ezekiel 1:10, 10:14, 28:14
 How can you say
such a thing? No one
can tell the future
but the gods.

By the word of God will give you a

the Lord I say unto sign that I speak for him. This
you that the bones of very day that fine altar that you
these very priests shall have built to worship dumb idols
Josiah burn upon will split and the ashes
this altar. will spill out.

Ha, Ha, Ha! Listen to the

pious ass bray. He thinks My arm has
he is right and everyone withered! Jehovah
else is wrong! has punished me.
Pray that he will
heal me.

Seize him!
Kill him. How dare
he speak against
another man’s
religion!

It’s a
miracle! God
healed my
arm!

Lord God,
make yourself
known this day.
Heal the king’s
arm.

1 Kings 13:2-6 107

 Crash!
O O M !
BOO
EIIIII!
Noooo!

Jehovah,
so soon?

He destroyed my
religion. There is
nothing left. Truly you are a man of
God! No prophet of Baal has ever
done such a thing. Come with me. We
will refresh ourselves with food and
drink and then I will give you riches
and honor for your great service
to God this day.

No, I cannot
go with you. God
told me to eat no
food and drink no
water while I was
in Israel, and not
to return by the
But you said the
same way
Priests’ bones would
I came.
be burnt on the altar.
The altar is gone and
no one died.
they were
God’s words,
not mine.

108 1 Kings 13:5, 7-9

 Father,
I would not
have believed
it if I hadn’t
seen it. It
was just
like the old
prophets
of Israel!

Father, do you
think what he said is
true? Is Jehovah the
only living God? Are
our idols nothing but
wood and gold?

So as God commanded, the prophet of God

returned by a different route. He had been Quick!
without food or water for two days and he was Saddle the
terribly thirsty and hungry. Two young men, ass! I must
who were worshiping the golden calf that day,
followed him to see which way he would go. find him!

You must be the man of God

from Judah. You look tired. Come
home with me and I will serve you
food and drink.

I cannot,
God told me
not to eat or But you see, I
drink in this am a prophet just
place. like you, and this very
morning an angel of
He found the prophet of Jehovah Jehovah spoke to me
sitting under a tree. He wanted and told me to bring
to be close to this man with such you to my house to
power. He was once a prophet of eat and drink.
Jehovah, but when the kingdoms
divided he followed the idolatry of Thank God, I
his countrymen. He had reasoned, am so thirsty.
“Weren’t all religions the same?”

It has been a fine meal, Jehovah has spoken:

but I must be on my way “Because you have not obeyed the
back to Judah. commandment of Jehovah God, but have eaten
and drunken in this place, your dead body
will not return to Judah to be buried in
your family cemetery.”

Papa, you’re
prophesying.
Did God speak to
you too?

Yes my
son, the
first time
in years.

You mean I’m afraid so,

he is going and it is my fault.
to die?

1 Kings 13:10-22 109

 The prophet left with a heavy heart, knowing That is the
that God was always faithful to his word. prophet from
He knew he would die. He just didn’t expect Judah!
it to be so soon, or in this manner.

I have
never seen
anything like it.
It is even The lion killed
stranger that him but just sits
the lion and the there and won’t
donkey sit there eat him.
together like they
were guarding

EIIIII!
the body.

Three hundred years later, a king named

Josiah took the throne in Judah (640 b.c.).
He went up to the temple and found a
copy of the Bible. It disturbed him when
The false prophet took the man of God he realized that the nation had forgotten
and buried him in his own grave among the living God and gone after idols, so he
the prophets of Baal, close to the commanded all the elders, prophets, priests,
place where God destroyed the altar. and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem to
come together to hear the book read.

God slew
him for his
disobedience.
Surely all that he
prophesied will
come to pass.

The man of God was buried and soon

forgotten by all but a few. The altar was The people were
repaired and nearly three Hundred years ashamed of their sin
later it was still used by worshipers of and agreed to obey all
Baal, but no one ever burnt their bones the words of the book.
on the altar as the man of God predicted.

110 1 Kings 13:23-31; 2 Kings 21:24, 22:8-11, 23:1-3

 The people obeyed the law
of God and destroyed all
Holy Mother, the idols in the land. They
killed all the priests that
save us! burned incense to the
sun, moon, planets, and
to the Queen of heaven.

The law of God, as given by

Moses, forbids homosexual
activity, so all Sodomites
were driven out of the land.

Intolerant
jerks.

They also cleansed the land

of all those who consulted
familiar spirits, the
mediums, and the witches.

Break her
crystal ball
and burn the
house.

2 Kings 23:5, 7, 10, 24 111

 Josiah went up to
the same high place
where the prophet
had faced Jeroboam,
the first king of the
northern kingdom,
300 years earlier. They broke
down the altar,
destroyed all the
idols, and cut down
the trees, grinding
it all into powder.

There is but
one God and he is
not worshiped through
images. These false
priests have led the
people away from
Jehovah!

You
must die.

Once again the altar

was rent and the
ashes spilled out.

All the false priests

were killed and their
bodies burnt on the
ruins of the altar.

Nearby was a graveyard

for the false priests.
To keep the people from
worshiping at their
tombs, Josiah dug up
their bones and burnt
them on the altar.

112 2 Kings 23:15-16

 Burn
all the
bones.

But your
graciousness, this is
the tomb of the man of
God that came from Judah
nearly three hundred years He said that a man
ago and predicted named Josiah, that is
this very day. yourself, would come and
do the very things you
have done this day.

Then leave
his bones alone.
Burn the others.
This idolatry must
end if God is to
bless us.
And so the 300-year-old
prophecy was finally fulfilled,
just as the man of God had said.

Now that idolatry was gone, King

Josiah commanded all the people to
keep the Passover in remembrance of
Jehovah, who brought their fathers
out of Egypt and gave them this land.

Blessed art
thou, O Lord
our God, king of
the universe,
who brings forth
bread from
the earth. Father,
how is this day
different from
all others?

so Father told them the old story of how God

delivered them from Egyptian bondage and
gave them the law and the tabernacle. He told
them how the blood on the doorposts saved
the firstborn males from the destroying
angel. It was the greatest Passover ever.

2 Kings 23:17-18, 21-22 113

 Chapter 6

elijah

114
 Jezebel was known
for her religious
zeal. She despised
the God of Israel
and promoted Baal
worship throughout
the land.

There was a weak man named Ahab who

came to the throne of Israel, the
northern half of the kingdom (918
B.C.). He lived up in Samaria close to
the Zidonians. The Zidonians were Baal
worshipers. Ahab married Jezebel, the
daughter of one of priests of Baal.

Find all
the prophets of
Jehovah and kill
them. Baal will
be our god.

The king had a servant

named Obadiah who
worshiped Jehovah. I must find
the prophets
of God and warn
them.

Obadiah hid 100 prophets

in a cave and brought
them food and water.

1 Kings 16:28, 31, 18:4 115

 O King Ahab,
because you have
forsaken the God of your
fathers and followed your
wife Jezebel in working
wickedness, Jehovah says
there will not be rain or
dew upon the land of
Israel Again until I
Command it.
Ha, Ha! So you think you
But there was one are a prophet, do you? Well I
prophet of the have a thousand prophets and they
living God that say nothing of a drought. We have had
wouldn’t stay plenty of rain these last years. You
hidden: Elijah. pious fraud. Get out of my way.

As the famine got worse, people began to starve. The false

prophets called on Baal, but Baal could not answer. The
drought continued with not a drop of rain or dew. God sent
Elijah down to the home of a widow woman, telling him that she
would give him a room and feed him until the drought was over.

Could you
bring me a drink
of water please,
and a little I tell you the truth,
bread to eat? I have enough flour and
oil left to bake two little
pieces of bread. I was just
about to cook it for my
son and I. We were going There is
to eat it and then lie no hope. God is
down to die. punishing us for
our sins.

Do not fear.
God will take
care of you. It’s true!
There is
still flour
in my barrel,
and oil in
the jar!

Bake the bread

you spoke of and
bring it to me first.
Afterward you and your
son can eat. For this, says
Jehovah, God of Israel,
“Your barrel of meal and
your jar of oil will not
be empty until the
day God sends rain
upon Israel.”

116 1 Kings 17:1, 10-16

 We can’t
pour it all out! It’s a One day Elijah came
It just keeps miracle! home to his room
coming! God is in the widow’s
good. house to find that
her son had died.

For the next two He came

years, the three down with
of them ate bread
from that one a fever and
barrel of meal. died!

What have I done

to hurt you? Did you O Jehovah,
come here just to remind let the soul of
me of my sin and for God this child come
to kill my son? back into his
body.

There is
still a God
in Israel.

Thank you, Lord

God heard God of Abraham,
the prayer of Isaac, and Jacob.
Elijah and sent You alone
the boy’s soul are God.
back to reenter
the dead body.

I told
you there
was a God
in Israel.

My
son!

1 Kings 17:17-24 117

 The famine continued for three years.
The people were starving, but they
continued to worship the false god Baal.

Why
doesn’t Baal
hear us and
send rain?

Maybe Baal is
just a dumb idol.
He doesn’t have
any ears.

Jezebel and Ahab blamed Elijah for the famine. Ahab. Are you
They sent soldiers throughout all the land looking for
and even into neighboring countries to find me? Are you
Elijah. Their orders were to kill him on sight. the one that
is troubling
Israel with this
famine?

You are
the one that is
troubling Israel
with your idols. Let
us have a contest
between Jehovah
and Baal. Bring your
Send us 850 prophets and
Elijah. If you meet me at Mount
are hiding him Carmel.
you will be
A contest
killed.
you say? Sounds
interesting. We’ll
see you there.

Several days later How long are you

on Mount Carmel. going to stand between two
opinions? There is only one God.
If Jehovah is God, then worship him
only. If Baal is god, then worship
him. Make up your minds.

I challenge you
prophets of Baal
to a contest. We will
find out who is the
true God.

Yes, a
contest between
the gods. What
shall we do?

118 1 Kings 18:1, 17-21

 You build an altar to
Baal and I will build one to
Jehovah. We will put wood on
our altars and we will lay the
sacrifice on the wood, but we
will put no fire under it.

O Baal,
hear us this day.
We dedicate this
sacrifice to your
great name.

You will
pray to your
Baal and I
will pray to
Jehovah.

The God that answers by

sending fire on the sacrifice will
be the true God and we will all
worship him only. Since you have me
outnumbered, you can go first.

O Baal, the
great and
mighty.

O Queen of
heaven, come
and help Baal
this day.

If Baal is a god, he is not paying

attention to you. Maybe he is talking
and just can’t hear you, or perhaps he is
on a journey, or sleeping.

That’s it!
He is asleep, and
you need to shout
louder so you can
wake him.

You dirty,
%!?&!$!, you
can’t do any
better.

Let’s not give up,

men. Perhaps if we
cut ourselves, Baal
will be pleased.

1 Kings 18:22-27 119

 The prophets of Baal
became desperate and
began to throw themselves
on the ground, cutting
their flesh and screaming
so Baal would hear them.

AAAAAaahh!

Yaaiiieeee!

EIIIII!
I offer
you my blood, o
Baal. Hear us! Send
fire! Vindicate
yourself!

Ha, Ha! Look at you! For

nine hours you have been calling
On a god that does not answer. If
he was a god, surely he would take
this opportunity to prove it.

Now it is my
turn. Come near and
watch very closely
what I do.

O Baal, why
do you not
answer?

120 1 Kings 18:28-30

 Why is he
digging such
a deep pit?

He is
just stalling,
hoping it gets
dark.

When are you

going to start
praying? This is
not a digging
contest.

Go and get
four barrels of
water and pour it
on the sacrifice
and the wood.

Water?
It won’t burn
if you wet it
down.

This prophet is
crazy. He
will never live
to see the sun
go down.

It is not
wet enough.
Pour four more
barrels of
water on it.

Has he
lost his mind?
Why does the
king put up
with it?

1 Kings 18:32-34 121

 Ha, Ha! Is anything too hard for the living
God? Pour four more barrels of water. You
will know that there is a God in Israel
And his name is not Baal.

Ahab will
have his head
for this.

Stand
back.

Farther.

Move
on back.

Jehovah, God of Abraham,

Isaac, and Israel, let it be known
this day that you are the only true
God, that I am your servant, and
that you have turned their hearts
back to yourself.

VAROOOOOM!
AHHHHHH!

CRRRACK!
IEEEE!

122 1 Kings 18:35-38

 God of
Abraham!

It is
scorching
hot!

Fire from
heaven!

Help!

The God of
Abraham and Isaac
has answered
by fire.

It even
burnt up the
rocks and
dirt!

What kind of
god is this that
has no image and
yet does this?

Moses commanded
that we should worship
Jehovah God and him only.
He commanded the death
sentence on any sons of
Israel that worshiped
any other god.

No! Have
mercy!

Deuteronomy 17:2-5; 1 Kings 18:38-40 123

 O King, you will
Kill need to eat and drink
them! All and then make haste for
850. But we
home. I hear the sound
of an abundance
didn’t of rain.
know.

Put them to
the sword.
Now! The prophets of Baal
were all killed.

Three and a half years earlier, Elijah

had told Ahab that it would not rain in
Israel again until Elijah so commanded.
With the prophets of Baal dead and
the people once again worshiping the
true God, Elijah commanded it to rain.

A big rain would swell the

rivers and prevent them from
returning home, so they had
to make haste or risk being
cut off by the floods.

Elijah, empowered by
God, ran in front of
the horses for the
twenty-mile trip back
to the king’s palace.

Well, I suppose
you killed that
Elijah. I see that
Baal is sending
us rain.

No, dear. Elijah

is just outside. He
ran ahead of my chariot
all the way from
Mt. Carmel.

That is ridiculous. No
one could run that
far ahead of a chariot. Where
are the priests of Baal? We
must celebrate the
coming of rain.

124 1 Kings 18:40-41, 44-46, 19:1

 But his God
answered by fire.
It was a miracle.
Our priests were
powerless. The
people all turned
to Jehovah.

I had them
all killed. They
were liars and You what? You
deceivers.
idiot! You should
have killed Elijah!

But, honey,
what else could
I do? I feared
the people!

You
killed my
priests.

You
fool!

No miracle
will protect Elijah
from the wrath
of Baal.

If I do not
kill Elijah for
this, let the gods
do the same to
me and more.

Elijah forgot
I must to trust God
get away. and fled for
his life.

1 Kings 19:1-4 125

 O God, I have
had all I can stand.
Let me die now before
Jezebel finds me.

I am ashamed of
Myself. I have failed to trust Elijah, what
you. I am no better than my are you doing
sinful fathers. Just let me here?
die.
Everyone
has forsaken
your law
except me.
All of your
prophets have
been killed. I
am the only
one left that
worships you,
and they seek
my life.

Elijah fled for forty days, deep into

the wilderness, to hide in a cave. He
came to Mt. Sinai, the same mountain
on which Moses received the ten Go and stand
commandments. There God spoke to him. on the mountain
before the Lord.

As Elijah stood
before the Lord,
there came a
strong wind,
but God was not
in the wind.

Then there came

an earthquake,
but God was not
in the earthquake.

Finally there was a fire

from heaven, but God
was not in the fire.

God was trying to show

Elijah that he was far
more terrible than Jezebel.

126 1 Kings 19:4, 8-12

Then when the wind, earthquake,
and fire ceased, elijah heard
God speaking in a still, small
voice. He asked Elijah the same
question that he asked before:

Elijah, what
are you doing
here?

Elijah hadn’t learned

anything. He was still
feeling sorry for
himself, so he answered
just as before.
Everyone has
forsaken your law
except me. All of your
prophets have been killed.
I am the only one left
that worships you, and
they seek my life.

All right, if you

would have it this way,
go and anoint Elisha And though you
to take your place as don’t know it, there are
my prophet. 7,000 in Israel who have not
bowed down to the statues of
Baal and have not kissed his feet.
Now go your way; all the family
of Ahab shall die.

Elijah found Elisha

plowing with his
oxen and anointed
him to be a prophet.

The Lord has

said you are to
be his prophet.

I will
sacrifice my
oxen to the Lord
and follow you
immediately.

1 Kings 19:12-21 127

 Right next to Ahab’s
palace was a vineyard
owned by Naboth.
Ahab often looked
out the window
and admired its
beauty, wishing it
was his. The more he
thought about it the
more he wanted his
neighbor’s property.
The commandment
says, “Thou shalt not
covet,” but Ahab did
not regard Jehovah.

This property has

Ahab had plenty been in my family for
of money, so he over 500 years. The law
decided that he commands us not to
would just buy sell our land outside
the vineyard. the family.

Sell this
vineyard to me.
It is right next
to my house, and
I will give you a
better vineyard
somewhere
else.
God would not
permit such a thing.

Tell me, my
dear, why do
you not eat?
Why are you
so sad?

You are the

king. You have the
power to do anything
you please. Don’t
Because let one lowly peasant
Naboth will stand in the way of your
not sell his happiness. I will get
vineyard the vineyard
to me. for you.

128 Exodus 20:17; 1 Kings 21:1-7

 Moses’ law says: “Thou shalt
not bear false witness
against thy neighbor.”

i n k
I will pay you
more when the job is
done. Now keep your
mouths shut or you
Cl
may get the same.

There.
That’s the
one.

Yeah, he
Said the king
should die.

And he said
God sends
devils to
possess the Then he
king. deserves
To die.

They carried Naboth

off and killed him.

There, dear. Now you

have your vineyard. You
can’t get ahead in this world
unless you are ruthless.
The strong survive.

It is
lovely, isn’t
it? I deserve
it, don’t I?

Jezebel knew that her god,

Baal, did not have eyes to
see, but there is a God in
heaven that sees every
act and never forgets.

Exodus 20:16; 1 Kings 21:10-16 129

 Ahab, God told me
Elijah, Ahab to tell you that you
has gone down have killed an innocent
to the vineyard of man and taken his property.
Naboth to possess it. For this and your other
Go and meet him sins, in the very place
there. Deliver my where the dogs licked the
word unto him. blood of Naboth, they
shall lick your Has my
own blood. enemy found
me here?

You cannot hide

from God. Because you
traded your soul for You have provoked God
possessions, God will to anger. The dogs shall eat
bring evil upon all your Jezebel by the wall of your
family. All your children house. When a member of your
and relatives will die, family dies in the city the dogs
even the little ones. will eat his flesh. If they die in
the field, the buzzards will eat
them. None will be buried
with honor.

This is
the word of
the Lord. It
shall come
to pass.

Please,
I’ll start
sacrificing to
Jehovah.

130 1 Kings 21:17-26

 Much later the false
prophets advised king
All that Ahab on a military issue.
Elijah has said
has come to
pass.

Go up and
fight at Ramoth-
Gilead and God will
Ahab now give you a great
sacrificed victory.
to Jehovah,
but he did
not follow
And all the
him with a
prophets agree
pure heart.
on this?

King Ahab, Jehovah has

spoken to me. You will go up to King Ahab, you have
Ramoth-Gilead and there you will worked evil in the sight
be killed in battle. of God. You consult false
prophets who take money
for their services. They
preach lies.

Don’t pay any

attention to Micaiah.
He is not the only prophet
of Jehovah. There are 400
of us prophets who say
that there will be great
riches and success at
Ramoth-Gilead.

I hate Micaiah.
He is so negative in
everything he says.

I saw God sitting on the

throne, and all the angels of
heaven were standing before him. He
asked, “Since Elijah told Ahab he was
going to die, he has been very careful
not to get in harm’s way. He must be
persuaded to go into battle. Who can
persuade Ahab to go to battle
at Ramoth-Gilead where he
will be killed?”

And one said one thing

and another offered another
suggestion. After discussing
it, one of the angels stepped
forward and said:
I have an idea
that will work. I will
go down and be a lying
spirit in the mouth of
all his false prophets.
I will tell them that
Ahab should go
into battle.

That is a great
idea. They will prophesy
that he is going to be
victorious, but when he
gets in battle, I will have
him killed. Go, then!

1 Kings 21:27, 22:6-22 131

 You will know who
You think the has the spirit of Jehovah
spirit of Jehovah in the day when you go
left me and spoke into an inner room to
hide for fear of
to you? your life.

SMACK!
What is
this, another
prophecy?
Ha!

Put this fellow in

prison and feed him just
enough to keep him alive
until I come back from the
battle. Then we will
kill him.

If you return
from the battle alive
then I am a false prophet
and would deserve
to die.

That was
a good idea,
disguising yourself as
an ordinary soldier. They
will never know you are
the king, and our men are
doing well. I can’t wait to
see that prophet’s face
when you come back
alive.

Yeah, and
this armor
will protect me
against any
arrows.

132 1 Kings 22:24-30

 A soldier shot an arrow high in
the air, not aiming at anyone
in particular, just hoping
to hit one of his enemies.

Hurry, it
is bleeding
badly.

THUD!

Uggghh!
Hang
on!

What?

1 Kings 22:34 133

 I am The arrow found
afraid he the one spot that was Put his body in
is dead. not protected by armor. Naboth’s vineyard
I guess it was just his until we have time
time to die. to deal with it
properly.

Oh god,
no!

Just as Elijah had said, the dogs were

licking the blood of Ahab right under
Jezebel’s window. He was the first of
his household; others were to follow.

After washing the blood from

Ahab’s chariot the soldier
returned to the palace.

Where is
King Ahab? Is he
celebrating his
victory?

134 1 Kings 22:37-38; 2 Kings 9:8-10

 You fool! You are You are
not a prophet of God. You free to go.
are a liar! Ahab is dead just Ahab is
as Micaiah the prophet of dead.
Jehovah declared.

But it can’t
be. All the devout
men agreed.
Ahab would be
victorious. Yes I know,
and no doubt the dogs
have licked his blood as
God said. Jezebel will
Not all. Not Micaiah be next and all that are
whom you slapped and put in related to Ahab. God
prison. When the people hear of has spoken.
this, they will have your head.

Oh no! Micaiah said I

would know who had the
Spirit of God on the day I
hid in a small room inside
of a room.

I must
hide.

Ahab’s sons would reign in his place, and twelve

years would pass with Jezebel still living as 12 years later.
queen. Israel would continue to worship false
gods and break the commandments of God.

I must paint
my face, so I will be
attractive to General
Jehu when he returns
from battle.

God spoke against the house of Ahab,

saying, “The time has come. All of
Ahab’s family will perish, even the little
children. None will be left alive. Jezebel
will be eaten by the dogs, and there will
be no one to mourn her or bury her.”

2 Kings 9:30 135

 I will stand Who is
here where they
can see that I am on my
in charge. side?

We are
with you,
General.

Then
throw Jezebel

EIIIII!
down.

You can’t
do that. I am
the queen.

136 2 Kings 9:32-33

 Dogs ate Jezebel and licked
up her blood on the very
spot where they licked her
husband’s blood, just as
the prophet of God had said.

G R R R R R!
Leave
the body
lying.

But the dogs would

not eat the dirty
hands that had done
so much wickedness.

Just as the prophets said,

the rest of Ahab’s children
were all killed by the people
of the city, until there were
none left of his family.

Those who died in the fields

were eaten by the buzzards
and those that died in the
city were eaten by the dogs.
Nothing was left to bury.
Truly the wages of sin is death.

2 Kings 9:33-37 137

 As Elijah prayed, young prophets Elisha, you stay
came to Elisha to deliver a message. here. I am going to
take a trip down to
Jericho.

God has spoken

to some of the young
prophets. Did you know that
today your master Elijah is As God lives,
Yes, God I will not let you
going to be taken told me also,
to heaven? out of my sight. I
but be quiet; will go where
do not say any you go.
more.

Did you know

You stay
that your master
here in Jericho. I
Elijah is going to be
must take a short
taken up to heaven
trip down to the
today?
Jordan River.

Yes, I know
it. Now don’t
bother us. Keep this
to yourself. I must
not let him out of
my sight.
As surely as God
lives and you live, I
will not leave you.

There are
those young
prophets,
following
us again.

How are we
going to cross
the river? It is
running high
today.

On dry
ground.

138 2 Kings 2:3-7

SLAP!

Did you see

that? The water
stood up so they
can pass.

Ahh! Yeah, just

like with
Moses.

I wouldn’t have
missed this for
anything. I wish
the prophets of
Baal could have
seen this!

What is it you
would have me do
for you before I
depart?

Give me a
double portion
of the Spirit of
God that rests
upon you.
The
You have asked
a hard thing, but
chariot
it shall be done if of God!
you see me when I
am taken up into
heaven.

And a
whirlwind!

2 Kings 2:8-11 139

 OA R R R R
WR

The chariot of fire

separated Elijah
from Elisha.

Elijah was taken

up to heaven in
the whirlwind.

Then all was quiet.

Elijah was now in
God’s presence.

All that
is left is his
mantle. It is
what he used
to part the
waters.

140 2 Kings 2:11-13

 Where is
the God of
Elijah?

The spirit of
Elijah is upon
Elisha!

WHOP!
Man, this
is some kind
of day!

Elisha went on to perform twice

as many miracles as did Elijah.
He was faithful to God, but the
people would not completely
turn from their idolatry.

Where
did Elijah
go?

We must
go look
for him! There is
no use. He
is gone to
heaven.

2 Kings 2:14-16 141

 Chapter 7

s
prophecie
of christ

142
 After Elisha, God raised up other
prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and
Amos, who would call the people to turn
from their idolatry and sin. God spoke
through these prophets, having them
write many prophecies of things to come.

Isaiah was a prophet during the reign

of kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and
Hezekiah (Approximately 760-700 B.C.).
God spoke through Isaiah, “I have
nourished and brought up children,
but they have rebelled against me.
The dumb ox knows its owner, but
Israel does not know me. You are
a sinful nation, a people filled with
iniquity, children of evildoers...”

“If you will put away

your evil and relieve the
oppressed, take care of the
fatherless, and provide for
the widows, I will restore
and heal you, but if you do
not turn to me, you will be
devoured with the sword.
Your whole land will be
desolate, and your cities
will be burned with fire.
And they will carry all your
sons into Babylon and there
shall they be made eunuchs
to serve in the palace of
the king of Babylon.”

Jeremiah was a prophet during the reign of kings

josiah, jehoiakim, and Zedekiah (approximately 630-
590 b.c.). He said, “Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I set
before you the way of life, and the way of death. He
that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by
the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth
out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you,
he shall live, but he will become a slave in Babylon.
For I have set my face against this city for evil,
saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the
king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.”

Isaiah 1:2-4, 7, 16, 20, 39:7; Jeremiah 21:8-10 143

 The LORD spoke through Jeremiah
saying, “And I myself will fight
against you with an outstretched
hand and with a strong arm,
even in anger, and in fury, and in
great wrath. And I will smite the
inhabitants of this city, both man
and beast: they shall die
of a great pestilence. And
afterward, saith the LORD, I will
deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and
his servants, and the people, and
such as are left in this city from
the pestilence, from the sword,
and from the famine, into the
hand of Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon, and into the hand of
their enemies, and into the hand
of those that seek their life: and he
shall smite them with the edge of
the sword; he shall not spare them,
neither have pity, nor have mercy.
My fury will burn like a fire and
none will quench it. They shall
carry you as slaves into
Babylon, and shall slay you with
the sword. Many of those who go
into Babylon shall die and be
buried there.”

144 Jeremiah 20:4-6, 21:5-7, 10-12