Christian Religious Studies · Lesson 4

Greed, Mount Carmel, Jonah, Amos, Hosea and the calls of the prophets

JAMBWAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

JAMB: 1 Greed and its effects (Ahab; Gehazi, cf. Josh 7); 2 The supremacy of God (Mount Carmel); 6 God’s message to Nineveh (Jonah); 7 Social justice, true religion and divine love (Amos; Hosea; cf. James 1:19-27); 8 Holiness and divine call (Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah); 9 Punishment and hope

WAEC: 7 Supremacy of God; 8 Greed and its effects; 12 Nature of God (Amos and Hosea)

NECO: 7 Supremacy of God; 8 Greed and its effects; 12 Nature of God (Amos and Hosea)

What you will learn

Assess the religious situation in Israel under Ahab and narrate the contest on Mount Carmel.
Define greed, distinguish Ahab’s greed from Gehazi’s and analyse its consequences.
Narrate Jonah’s call, disobedience and mission, and the Ninevites’ response.
Identify the social ills Amos condemned and explain true religion.
Analyse Hosea’s portrayal of divine love and the human response.
Distinguish the calls of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel and their assignments.
Describe situations that led to punishment and the conditions for hope and restoration.

Key points

Ahab married Jezebel, built a temple and altar for Baal in Samaria: evil “above all that were before him”.
Elijah announced drought; ravens fed him at Cherith.
Carmel: 450 prophets of Baal failed; Elijah’s twelve-stone altar, water, short prayer; fire fell; “The LORD, he is the God”; rain followed.
Horeb: wind, earthquake, fire, then a still small voice; anoint Hazael, Jehu, Elisha; 7,000 faithful.
Ahab coveted Naboth’s vineyard; Jezebel’s letters, false witnesses, stoning; dogs licked Ahab’s blood; Jezebel thrown down.
Gehazi ran after Naaman, lied and took two talents and garments; became a leper.
Jonah fled to Tarshish, was swallowed, preached “Yet forty days”; Nineveh repented; the gourd lesson shows God’s mercy to all.
Amos: herdman of Tekoa; condemned oppression, bribery, cheating and empty worship; “let judgment run down as waters”.
Hosea: Gomer’s unfaithfulness pictures Israel’s idolatry; God’s love redeems; “I desired mercy, and not sacrifice”.
Isaiah: “Holy, holy, holy”; coal on lips; “Here am I; send me”. Jeremiah: known before birth; “I am a child”. Ezekiel: ate the scroll; watchman.
Punishment and hope: individual responsibility (Ezek 18), dry bones (Ezek 37), good tidings and beauty for ashes (Isa 61).

Start here: Ahab’s reign and Elijah’s first appearance (1 Kings 16:29–17:7)

The religious situation

“And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.” (1 Kings 16:30, KJV)

He walked in the sins of Jeroboam and married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and served Baal (16:31).
He built a house and altar for Baal in Samaria and made a grove (Asherah pole) (16:32-33).
In his days Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho, losing his firstborn Abiram and youngest son Segub, fulfilling Joshua’s curse (16:34; Josh 6:26).

Elijah announces drought (17:1-7)

“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” (1 Kings 17:1, KJV)

God sent him to hide by the brook Cherith before Jordan, where “the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening” (17:3-6). When the brook dried up, God sent him to a widow at Zarephath (17:7-16, see cr2).

Why drought? Baal was believed to be the god of rain and fertility; withholding rain at the word of the LORD’s prophet showed that the LORD, not Baal, controls nature.

Worked example 4.1 (JAMB-style)

Jezebel was the daughter of A. Omri B. Ethbaal C. Hiram D. Ben-hadad

Answer: B (1 Kgs 16:31).

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Practice questions

1. Ahab’s wife who promoted Baal worship was

Jezebel
Athaliah
Michal
Bathsheba

Show answer

A: Jezebel
1 Kings 16:31.

2. On Mount Carmel, Elijah asked the people how long they would

worship the golden calf
refuse to give tithes
stay in the wilderness
halt between two opinions

Show answer

D: halt between two opinions
1 Kings 18:21.

3. How did God answer Elijah on Mount Carmel?

Rain fell at once
A voice spoke from the cloud
Fire fell and consumed the sacrifice
An earthquake shook the mountain

Show answer

C: Fire fell and consumed the sacrifice
1 Kings 18:38.

4. At Horeb, God spoke to Elijah in

the fire
a still small voice
the wind
the earthquake

Show answer

B: a still small voice
1 Kings 19:11-12.

5. Who was anointed to succeed Elijah as prophet?

Elisha
Jehu
Hazael
Gehazi

Show answer

A: Elisha
1 Kings 19:16.

Key words

Prophet: A person called to speak God’s message, to warn, rebuke and offer hope.
Baal: The Canaanite storm and fertility god promoted in Israel by Jezebel.
Jezebel: Daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians; Ahab’s wife who persecuted the prophets (1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4).
Tishbite: Description of Elijah, from Tishbe in Gilead (1 Kgs 17:1).
Still small voice: The quiet way God spoke to Elijah at Horeb, after wind, earthquake and fire (1 Kgs 19:12).
Greed: Excessive desire for more than one needs, especially of what belongs to others.
Covetousness: Desiring what belongs to another, forbidden by the tenth commandment (Ex 20:17).
Naboth: The Jezreelite who refused to sell his ancestral vineyard to Ahab (1 Kgs 21:3).
Social justice: Fair treatment of all, especially the poor and weak, in courts, trade and society.
True religion: Worship that is matched by righteousness, mercy and justice (Amos 5:24; James 1:27).
Gomer: Hosea’s unfaithful wife, daughter of Diblaim (Hos 1:3).
Lo-ruhamah, Lo-ammi: “Not pitied” and “not my people”, names of Hosea’s children (Hos 1:6, 9).

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