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)