Day 26: I Kings 16:21 - II Kings 4:37

We pick up today with the probably the worst king Israel had. King Ahab does more evil in the eyes of the Lord than all the kings before them. He marries Jezebel (who you might have heard of for her evilness), and begins to serve and worship Baal. But we also read about two of the greatest prophets Israel had–Elijah and then Elisha. These guys were awesome.

We first meet Elijah when he prophesies to Ahab that it won't rain in Israel for years except at his word. He then goes to hide and gets fed by ravens. Then he goes to stay with a widow at Zarephath. She's out of food and is gathering firewood to make the final meal for her and her son. Elijah tells her to first make him a small loaf of bread for him and the Lord has told him that her jar of flour and her jug of oil will not be used up until the drought is over. And that's what happens. Her son dies suddenly, and she asks Elijah if he came to remind her of her sin and kill her son. He goes up to where her dead son is, cries out to the Lord, stretches himself out over her son 3 times, God hears him, and the boy is raised from the dead. That's pretty intense, and it's just the beginning for Elijah.

Some time later, Elijah meets up with Ahab to tell him that he should summon all the people from Israel and the prophets of Baal and meet him on Mount Caramel. Once they're all gathered, Elijah throws down. He tells the people, “How long will you waver between to opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” He tells them that they'll set up a test to see which God is God. The prophets of Baal and he will each build an alter, place a bull on the alter, and see which God answers by fire. The people think this sounds like a good plan. Ball prophets go first.

The 450 prophets of Baal set up their alter and cry out to Baal. Nothing. They dance; they shout. Nothing. Elijah taunts them suggesting that Baal might be sleeping, traveling, or deep in thought. They shout louder and cut themselves. Still nothing.

So Elijah sets up an altar, has four large jars of water poured over his alter three times, and then prays. The fire of the Lord falls and burns up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the soil around the alter. The people see this, fall prostrate and say, “The Lord–He is God!” Elijah then has the people kill all the prophets of Baal. He prays, and it rains.

Ahab tells Jezebel this story, and she sends Elijah a message that she will kill him. So he goes and hides. The Lord then appears to Elijah. First a great and powerful wind tears through the mountains, but the Lord is not in the wind. Then comes an earthquake, but the Lord is not in the earthquake. Then a fire, but the Lord is not in the fire. Then comes a gentle whisper. When Elijah hears it, he pulls his cloak over his face and speaks with the Lord. He tells him that he has been very zealous for the Lord, but the people have all rejected His covenant, put the prophets to death, and He is the only one left (apparently their zeal on Mount Carmel was short lived). The Lord gives him some instructions on who to anoint as king next and who will be his successor. Then He adds that he reserves 7,000 Israelites who have not bowed the knee to Baal nor kissed him. Elijah isn't as alone as he thinks.

Elijah goes and meets Elisha who is plowing with twelve yoke of oxen. He throws his cloak around him, which I guess means that he's calling him to be his protege. Elisha's response is fascinating. Talk about not looking back and passing the point of no return. He kisses his father and mother goodbye, kills the oxen, cooks them by burning the plowing equipment, and follows Elijah to become his servant.

You probably remember the story about Ahab, Naboth, and his vineyard. He won't sell it to Ahab so Jezebel has him killed, and Ahab gets the vineyard. Elijah shows up and tells him that the Lord will bring disaster on him and his house. Ahab then dies in battle shortly after that.

Ahab's son, Ahaziah, isn't any better. When he is injured, he sends messengers to inquire of the prophets of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron if he will recover. Elijah meets them and sends them back with the message, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you go to inquire of the god of Ekron? You'll die from the injury.” The king is not pleased with this message, so he sends 50 men to bring Elijah to him. They say, “Man of God, the kings says, 'Come down!'” To which Elijah replies, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” It does. The king sends fifty more men. And repeat. The third captain sent begs Elijah not to call down fire from heaven; he really doesn't want to die. So Elijah goes with them and delivers the same message to the king. The king dies.

After that it's time for Elijah to be taken up to Heaven. Elisha asks for a double portion of the anointing that was on Elijah, and he sees Elijah taken up in a whirlwind and chariots of fire. On his way back, a gang of youths come out and taunt him (they especially make fun of his baldness). He calls down a curse on them in the name of the Lord and they're mauled by two bears.

This post is way too long already, so I'll end by saying that Elisha also has a story with a woman's son who dies, he prays, and the son is brought back to life. That's where the reading ends today, and we'll read more about Elisha tomorrow.

Tomorrow's reading is II Kings 4:38 through 15:26.

Peace.