Chapter Nineteen

1Ki 19:1  And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah did, and all, that he killed all the prophets by the sword. 

1Ki 19:2  And Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do, and more so, if at this time tomorrow I will not cause your life to be as the life of one of them. 

1Ki 19:3  And he saw, and rose up and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba of Judah, and left his young man there; 

1Ki 19:4  and he himself went into the wilderness a day's journey, and came and sat under a certain broom tree. And he begged for his life, that he might die, and said, Enough, now, O Jehovah; take my life, for I am no better than my fathers. 

1Ki 19:5  And he lay down and slept under a certain broom tree; and behold, an angel touched him and said to him, Get up, eat! 

1Ki 19:6  And he looked, and behold, at his head was a cake on burning stones, and a jar of water; and he ate and drank, and turned and lay down. 

1Ki 19:7  And the angel of Jehovah returned a second time, and touched him, and said, Get up, eat, for the way is too great for you. 

1Ki 19:8  And he rose up and ate and drank, and went in the power of that food forty days and forty nights to the mount of God, Horeb. 

1Ki 19:9  And he came there to the cave, and lodged there; and behold, the Word of Jehovah came to him, and said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 

1Ki 19:10  And he said, Being zealous, I have been zealous for Jehovah the God of Hosts, for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant; they have thrown down Your altars, and they have killed Your prophets with the sword, and I am left, I alone, and they seek to take my life. 

1Ki 19:11  And he said, Go out and stand on the mountain before Jehovah. And, behold, Jehovah passed by, and a great and strong wind tearing the mountains and breaking the rocks in bits before Jehovah! Jehovah was not in the wind. And after the wind was an earthquake, but Jehovah was not in the earthquake. 

1Ki 19:12  And after the earthquake was a fire, but Jehovah was not in the fire; and after the fire came a still, small voice. 

1Ki 19:13  And it happened when Elijah heard, he wrapped his face in his robe and went out and stood at the cave opening; and, behold, a voice came to him, and it said, What are you doing here, Elijah? 

1Ki 19:14  And he said, Being zealous, I have been zealous for Jehovah, God of Hosts for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant; they have thrown down Your altars, and they have slain Your prophets by the sword; and I, I alone, am left; and they seek to take my life. 

1Ki 19:15  And Jehovah said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and you shall go in and anoint Hazael as king over Syria; 

1Ki 19:16  and you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat, of Abel-meholah, as prophet in your place. 

1Ki 19:17  And it shall be, he who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. 

1Ki 19:18  And I have left in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. 

1Ki 19:19  And he left there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat; and he was plowing; twelve pairs were before him, and he was with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him, and threw his mantle upon him. 

1Ki 19:20  And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you. And he said to him, Go back; for what have I done to you? 

1Ki 19:21  And he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen, and sacrificed them, and boiled their flesh with the yoke of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and ministered to him. 

Verses 1-10 Summary:
Ahab tells Jezebel that Elijah killed the priests of Baal. Jezebel promises to kill Elijah. Elijah flees to the forest. An angel attends to him by feeding him. Elijah travels to Mt Horeb. God asks him what he's doing there. Elijah says he's been zealous for God, but now they are seeking to kill him.

1. What surprises you about the reaction of Elijah to Jezebel seeking his life? 
Nothing. We are supposed to believe that after killing 450 of God's enemies would give Elijah the strength/faith to stick around to face Jezebel.

2. What mistakes is Elijah making during this time? (When we fall into depression, how do we make similar mistakes?)  Who of us have had our lives threatened in this way? Zero/few. Elijah did exactly what each of us would probably do. This reaction is normal for all of us. We might teach, but when we do not see results, we think we have failed.
Does God chastise Elijah and send him directly back to pass judgment on Jezebel? Nope.
Should he have been stronger? Yes. But until we put ourselves into this level of existential threat, we cannot assume anything.
If there is anything that the writer does not address, it is that Elijah does not inquire of God immediately. If he did not do that, then I see the problem. In the middle of deep fear and/or depression, sometimes we forget to remember God first.  

Verses 11-18 Summary:
God confronts Elijah again. Elijah gives God the same answer. God gives him instruction to 1) anoint Hazael as king over Syria: 2) you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel:  3) you shall anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat, of Abel-meholah, as prophet in your place. Then Jehovah tells Elijah that there are still 7000 souls who have not bowed to the Baals.

3. What lesson is God trying to teach Elijah in this section?
For a second time God asks "What are you doing here, Elijah?" This was likely a rhetorical question that meant "you should be somewhere else." God sent him there, to deal with Elijah's fear, and to finalize personnel in other positions. 
The greatness of Jehovah passing by  - wind, earth, fire, a whisper seems to be a reminder to Elijah of who he serves. God is everywhere, and seen in every great and simple thing. God is far greater than anything Elijah may fear, and Elijah forgot that. Like the rest of us sometimes.

4. What lesson does the New Testament teach from verse 18?
In Romans chapter eleven, Paul uses this verse to explain the Jew/Gentile church. As in the time of Elijah, only a few retained their faith. When God goes to the Gentiles, it is to provoke Israel to repentance. Israel is the root from which the gospel is supported. Gentiles are the "grafted" in branches. 
Paul's passion was for his people, that they would one day seek God again through Jesus. 
His message was a warning to Gentiles not to fell superior to the Jews.
All of these things are done by God's graciousness towards us, not of our own doing.

Verses 19-21 Summary:
Elijah chooses Elisha to minister to him, and ultimately replace him. (anointing is not mentioned but assumed)

5. What do you find interesting about Elisha boiling a yoke of oxen "using the oxen's equipment?"
A fire was needed for this, and Elisha took the opportunity to burn away the old life he was living. It may seem foolish to burn up equipment like this, but that only adds commentary to this action. God is calling Elisha to who-knows-what?! This was an act of faith. It is safe to assume that Elijah's fame of exterminating 450 of the queen's priests made him a marked man. Elisha is ready.

NOTES:
Elijah:  'êlı̂yâh    'êlı̂yâhû - ay-lee-yaw', ay-lee-yaw'-hoo  - From H410 and H3050; God of Jehovah (or strength of Jah -Jehovah)

Elisha: 'ĕlı̂yshâ‛ el-ee-shaw Contracted for H474; Elisha, the famous prophet (H474) God of supplication (or of riches)

 

Chapter Eighteen

 Ki 18:1  And it happened after many days the Word of Jehovah came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will give rain on the face of the earth. 

1Ki 18:2  And Elijah went to be seen by Ahab. And the famine in Samaria was severe. 

1Ki 18:3  And Ahab called to Obadiah, who was over the house (and Obadiah greatly feared Jehovah; 

1Ki 18:4  and it happened, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and had hidden them, fifty men in a cave, and had fed them with bread and water) 

1Ki 18:5  and Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land to all the fountains of water, and to all the torrents; perhaps we may find grass and keep alive horse and mule, and will not cut off any of the livestock. 

1Ki 18:6  And they divided the land to themselves, to pass over into it; Ahab went in one way by himself, and Obadiah went in another way by himself. 

1Ki 18:7  And Obadiah was in the highway; and behold, Elijah came to meet him. And he recognized him, and he fell on his face, and said, Are you this one, my lord Elijah? 

1Ki 18:8  And he said to him, I am; Go, say to your lord, Behold, Elijah! 

1Ki 18:9  And he said, What have I sinned, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to kill me? 

1Ki 18:10  As Jehovah your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you; and when they said, He is not here, then he caused the kingdom and the nation to swear that it did not find you. 

1Ki 18:11  And now, you are saying, Go, say to your lord, Behold, Elijah. 

1Ki 18:12  And it shall be, I will go away from you, and the Spirit of Jehovah will lift you up, where I do not know, and I will come to tell Ahab, and he will not find you, and he will kill me. And your servant has feared Jehovah from my youth. 

1Ki 18:13  Was it not told to my lord that which I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Jehovah, that I hid a hundred men of the prophets, fifty by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? 

1Ki 18:14  And now you are saying, Go, say to your lord, Behold, Elijah, and he will kill me! 

1Ki 18:15  And Elijah said, As Jehovah of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely today I will be seen by him. 

1Ki 18:16  And Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 

1Ki 18:17  And it happened when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, Are you this one, this one destroying Israel? 

1Ki 18:18  And he answered, I have not disturbed Israel, but you and the house of your father, in that you have forsaken the commands of Jehovah, and you have gone after the Baals. 

1Ki 18:19  And now send, gather all Israel to me, to Mount Carmel and four hundred and fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the sacred pole, who eat at the table of Jezebel. 

1Ki 18:20  And Ahab sent among all the sons of Israel and gathered the prophets to Mount Carmel. 

1Ki 18:21  And Elijah came near all the people and said, Until when are you limping over two opinions? If Jehovah is God, follow Him; and if Baal, follow him. But the people did not answer him a word. 

1Ki 18:22  Then Elijah said to the people, I, I alone, remain a prophet of Jehovah; but the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men. 

1Ki 18:23  Then let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood, and place no fire. And I, I will prepare the other bull and will put it on the wood, and I will not place fire. 

1Ki 18:24  And you shall call on the name of your god; and I, I will call on the name of Jehovah; and it shall be, the god who answers by fire, he is the God. And all the people answered and said, The word is good. 

1Ki 18:25  And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose the one bull for yourself, and prepare first, for you are many; and you call on the name of your god, but place no fire. 

1Ki 18:26  And they took the bull that was given to them, and prepared, and called on the name of Baal from the morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, answer us! And there was no sound, and no one was answering; and they leaped about the altar that one had made. 

1Ki 18:27  And it happened at noon, that Elijah taunted them and said, Call with a loud voice, for he is a god; for he is meditating, or pursuing, or on a journey; it may be he is asleep and must be awakened. 

1Ki 18:28  And they called with a loud voice, and cut themselves, according to their way, with swords and with spears until blood gushed out on them. 

1Ki 18:29  And it happened as noon passed by, that they prophesied madly until the offering up of the offering; and no sound came, and no one was answering, and no one was paying attention. 

1Ki 18:30  And Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me. And all the people came near to him; and he healed the altar of Jehovah that had been broken down. 

1Ki 18:31  And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the Word of Jehovah came, saying, Israel shall be your name. 

1Ki 18:32  And he built an altar with the stones in the name of Jehovah, and made a trench around the altar large as two seahs of seed in space. 

1Ki 18:33  And he arranged the wood, and cut the bull in pieces, and placed it on the wood, and said, Fill four water jars of water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood. 

1Ki 18:34  And he said, Do it a second time; and they did it a second time; and he said, Do it a third time; and they did it a third time. 

1Ki 18:35  And the water went around the altar, and also he filled the trench with water. 

1Ki 18:36  And it happened at the offering of the sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, O Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel, and I am Your servant, that by Your Word I have done all these things. 

1Ki 18:37  Answer me, O Jehovah, answer me; and this people shall know that You are Jehovah God; and You shall turn their hearts back again. 

1Ki 18:38  And fire fell from Jehovah and burned up the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and the water in the trench was licked up. 

1Ki 18:39  And all the people saw, and fell on their faces, and said, Jehovah, He is the God; Jehovah, He is the God! 

1Ki 18:40  And Elijah said to them, Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let a man of them escape. And they caught them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon and killed them there. 

1Ki 18:41  And Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat and drink, because of the sound of abundance of rain. 

1Ki 18:42  And Ahab went up to eat, and to drink; and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and he stretched himself out on the earth, and he put his face between his knees; 

1Ki 18:43  and said to his young man, Now go up, look closely to the way of the sea. And he went up and looked closely, and said, There is nothing; and he said, Go back seven times. 

1Ki 18:44  And it happened at the seventh time, he said, Behold, a little cloud like the hand of a man is coming up out of the sea. And he said, Go up and say to Ahab, Bind up and go down, that the rain may not stop you. 

1Ki 18:45  And until this and this, it happened that the heavens became black with thick clouds and wind, and the rain was heavy; and Ahab rode and went to Jezreel; 

1Ki 18:46  and the hand of Jehovah was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and ran before Ahab until [the place where] you enter Jezreel. 

Verses 1-19 Summary:

Ahab conscripts Obadiah to seek out wetlands hat are still available to keep Israel's animals alive. Ahab goes in one direction, obadiah in he other. Obadiah fears Jehovah. He saves many priests when Jezebel seeks to kill them. Obadiah meets Elijah and fears him. He really does not want to tell Ahab that Elijah is alive. Ahab believes it's Elijah's fault for the drought. Obadiah eventually presents Elijah to Ahab. Ahab accuses Elijah for the drought. Elijah corrects him and tells him it's his fault for following the Baals.

5. Comment on the peculiar way that a wicked man like Ahab refers to the great prophet Elijah as a "troubler of Israel" (does this not happen today?): 

We see this tactic today in many forms. In religion, some people reject God's word by bending to sinful cultural norms. These deceivers are popular for their acceptance of "embracing" sin, or sinful lifestyles. They accuse those who teach Godly principles of being "haters." All the while they hate Jehovah, His word, and the souls they are supposed to be helping. This tactic has been politically adopted as well. 

Verses 20-40 Summary:

The great reveal. Elijah challenges the 450 prophets of Baal. They will make and offering, then he will make an offering. Neither will use fire. They each will call upon their own god/God to consume the offering in fire. The One that does this IS GOD. The Baal prophets go first. They/he fail. Elijah mocks them and Baal. They jump around and cut themselves. Nothing. Elijah, repairs God's altar. He prepares the sacrifice and douses it with water. God consumes the entire thing! Elijah orders the 450 prophets to be executed.

Q - Why does Elijah cover the sacrifice in so much water? I can only assume it was for effect. There was to be no doubt in the minds of the people as to what was happening. God made his presence known in way that none could dispute the miracle.

Note: Contrast the people's words in verses 21 and 39. What do we learn?
In verse 18, they have no answer. In verse 39 they say "Jehovah, He is God, Jehovah, He is God!"
Certainly, the sign made its impact on them. The bigger point is made in verse 21 where they have no answer to their sin of having an idol. He says "Until when are you limping over two opinions? If Jehovah is God, follow Him; and if Baal, follow him. "

It appears that they were so deep into their Baal worship that they did not even consider their slight against Jehovah. They were clueless. Why?

Verses 41-46 Summary:

Elijah goes to Mt Carmel. He sends his servant to look to the sea and report what he sees. He sees nothing. Elijah tells him to return seven times. The servant tell him a cloud is arising. Elijah sends a message to Ahab to bind up and go before the rain so it does not stop him (indicating heavy rain).

Once this was done, God sends rain. 

6. What lessons does the New Testament teach us about Elijah's prayers concerning the rain? 

James in chapter five speaks of Elijah praying for drought and for rain and precludes it with "The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working." He also personalizes Elijah as "Elijah was just as human as we are..." Meaning our prayers are important to God.