After King Solomon died Israel became divided. Kings reigned over Judah and Israel separately. There were kings who did good in the sight of God and kings who did bad in the sight of God. When the Bible introduces one of these leaders it will tell if they were good or evil.

The Bible says King Ahab was more evil than other king before him. Ahab married Jezebel. She also did evil acts.

God’s grace is powerful and always present. While the evil King Ahab reigned the prophet Elijah rose up and would be a spokesman to  Ahab and Jezebel for the Lord. It is important to also note that King Asa was ruler over Judah at this time. He was known as a good king. There is a verse in the New Testament that says when evil abounds God’s grace abounds more. The is true for this time in the Old Testament history.

Here is the introduction to King Ahab and his wife Jezebel and to Elijah the prophet.

1 Kings 16:29-17:1

29 Ahab son of Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him. 31 And as though it were not enough to follow the sinful example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal. 32 First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria. 33 Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him.

34 It was during his reign that Hiel, a man from Bethel, rebuilt Jericho. When he laid its foundations, it cost him the life of his oldest son, Abiram. And when he completed it and set up its gates, it cost him the life of his youngest son, Segub.[a] This all happened according to the message from the Lord concerning Jericho spoken by Joshua son of Nun.

17 Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”