Elijah on Mount Carmel Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “The LORD is the one true God.”
For three years there had been no rain. King Ahab and many people had turned away from God. They prayed to a false god called Baal. A false god is not real. It cannot hear or help.
Then the LORD spoke to Elijah. “Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.” So Elijah went. “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” Ahab said. Elijah said, “I have not troubled Israel, but you.” Ahab had left God’s ways.
Elijah called all the people to Mount Carmel. Four hundred fifty prophets of Baal came too. And on God’s side? Only Elijah!
Elijah said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If the LORD is God, follow him.” Waver means you can’t decide. The people didn’t say a word. The LORD is the one true God.
Elijah said more. “You call on the name of your god. And I will call on the LORD’s name. The God who answers by fire, let him be God.” Each side would put a bull on a pile of wood. But no one would light a fire. All the people answered, “What you say is good.”
Baal’s prophets went first. From morning until noon they called, “Baal, hear us!” They jumped around their altar. But there was no voice. Nobody answered.
Elijah said, “Cry aloud! Perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened.” Elijah was teasing them. They shouted louder and louder, all afternoon. But nobody answered. Nobody paid attention. Baal could not answer. The LORD is the one true God.
In the evening, Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me!” Then Elijah took twelve stones. There was one for each of the twelve tribes of God’s people. Let’s count the stones! One, two, three, four, five, six. Seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve!
He built an altar to the LORD. He dug a ditch all around it. He put the wood and the bull on top.
Elijah said, “Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the wood.” Splash! “Do it a second time.” Splash! “Do it a third time.” Splash! Now everything was soaking wet. Even the ditch was full of water.
Elijah prayed. “Hear me, LORD, hear me, that this people may know that you are God.”
Then the LORD’s fire fell! Whoosh! It burned up the bull, the wood, the stones, and even the water! The people fell on their faces. “The LORD, he is God! The LORD, he is God!” they said. Can you say it with them? The LORD is the one true God.
Then Elijah went up to the top of the mountain to pray for rain. He bent down low, with his face between his knees. He told his helper, “Go up now and look toward the sea.” The helper looked. “There is nothing,” he said.
“Go again,” said Elijah. Seven times the helper went to look! Let’s count: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven!
The seventh time, the helper came back. “A small cloud, like a man’s hand, is rising out of the sea.” Hold up your hand – that small! Then the sky grew black with clouds and wind. And there was a great rain! Pitter-patter, pitter-patter!
The LORD answered with fire, and then with rain. The LORD is the one true God.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- What do you think the people thought when the fire came down?
- Why do you think Elijah poured so much water on the wood?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Color the 12 stones of Elijah’s altar and the 4 jars of water.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“The LORD, he is God!” — 1 Kings 18:39 (The LORD → point up high; he is God → lift both arms up)
Dear God, you are the one true God. Thank you that you hear us when we pray. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: There is only one true God
Memory verse: “When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces. They said, "The LORD, he is God! The LORD, he is God!"” — 1 Kings 18:39 · WEB
The Bible story
One brave prophet, hundreds against him, and a mountain-top test to see who the real God is — then fire falls from heaven and everyone gasps!
Talk about it
- Why had the rain stopped and the land grown dry? — The people turned from God
- What was the name of the brave prophet who loved God? — Elijah
- What was the name of the mountain where they met? — Mount Carmel
- How many prophets of Baal came to Mount Carmel? — 450
- What was the test to find the true God? — Who could answer with fire
- What happened when the prophets of Baal called on their god? — Nothing happened
Where is Jesus in this story?
On Mount Carmel, Elijah asked the people, “How long will you waver between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21). They had to choose between the Lord and Baal. Jesus asks for the same whole heart when He says, “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). The God who answered with fire wants all of you, and Jesus shows us He is worth it.
What God wants to tell us
Elijah stood alone against a huge crowd, but he was never really alone because God was with him. When we love God and trust Him, we don't have to be afraid, even when everyone around us believes something different. God is real, God is powerful, and God is always kind. Just like He answered Elijah with fire and sent the rain, He hears us when we pray and He loves to show us how close He is.
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You that You are the one true God who hears me when I pray. Help me to be brave like Elijah and to trust You, even when it feels hard. Thank You for loving me and never leaving me alone. Amen.
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