The book of First Kings covers the very end of the Davidic reign, the reign of his son Solomon over the United Kingdom, the building of the Temple, and after Solomon's death, the division of the kingdom into two parts - Israel in the north and Judah in the south.
In the Hebrew Old Testament the books of First and Second Kings are one book. The Septuagint (LXX, the Greek translation of the Old Testament) translators of the Hebrew Old Testament divided the book.
Because of sin, namely idolatry, both kingdoms were eventually carried away into captivity - first the northern Kingdom of Israel (by the Assyria in 722 B.C.) and second the southern Kingdom of Judah by Babylonia in 586 B.C.
But God did not punish his people quickly. In much patience and mercy he sent prophets to both kingdoms in an attempt to get the kings and the people to repent. All the kings of the northern kingdom were evil. Some of the kings of the southern kingdom were good but many were bad. In the end, God had to punish both the north and the south.
First Kings records the ministry of the great prophet Elijah to the northern kingdom of Israel. The four lessons below report on this ministry.
Elijah prophesied a famine against the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the wicked King Ahab. This didn't make Elijah too popular. But God protected Elijah by hiding him in the ravine of Kerith, east of the Jordan. And later Elijah went Sidon to the widow of Zarephath and her son. In both the ravine and the widow's house God did amazing things to provide for Elijah's needs!
The prophet Elijah confronts Ahab, the King of Israel and proposes a test between the false god, Baal and Yahweh, the God of Israel. Ahab agrees. Amazing things happened on Mount Carmel. The God of Israel triumphed!
After the events of Mt. Carmel, King Ahab's wife, Queen Jezebel, threatened to kill the prophet Elijah. This caused Elijah great fear and depression. He ran for his life. But God met him in a very unusual way. God gives new hope to the depressed.
Once again Elijah confronted King Ahab of Israel. He was a very wicked king, who had a man murdered just to get his property. Through Elijah, God pronounced judgment on King Ahab. However, something very surprising happened. Even the most wicked of men can repent.