Recap

So far in 1-2 Kings we've read through Solomon's reign and the splitting of the kingdom. David was old and dying. His son Adonijah seized on this weakness and set himself up as king. In response, David declared Solomon as king, thwarting Adonijah's attempt at the throne. David encouraged Solomon to be faithful and loyal to God, but then told him to kill all of his enemies.

Solomon's reign started off bloody with the killing of his enemies and then looked positive as he asked God for wisdom to lead. This wisdom led to him and the nation flourishing with new levels of infrastructure being put in place and with a long era of peace. Solomon built the temple and a palace for himself. But through it all he started hoarding for himself horses, gold, and foreign wives, all of which Deuteronomy 7 warned against. These foreign wives led him to worship foreign gods. God rebuked Solomon and told him that once he died, his kingdom would be split in two. Israel in the north, and Judah in the south.

Rehoboam replaced Solomon and told the people he would be harsher than his father, which caused the northern tribes to split and start a new kingdom, with Jeroboam as their leader. Jeroboam led the northern tribes to worship idols in their own places of worship. Then we started the section of the book focused on the various kings of the two kingdoms, and the prophets that guided them.

In Israel, because Jeroboam led the people to worship false gods, God promised to remove his family from the throne. He died and was replaced by his son Nadab, who was killed by Baasha. Similarly, after Baasha came his son, Elah, who was murdered and replaced by Zimri, who was murdered and replaced by Omri. After Omri, came his son. All the northern kings were evil and their lines were bloody. In Judah, after Rehoboam came his son Abijam, who was equally wicked. After Abijam is Asa who did good and led the people back to God. But when attacked by the northern kingdom, he went to Syria for help rather than God. After Asa came his Jehoshaphat.

1 Kings 17-19

Today we move into the section of the book loosely focused on Elijah. Elijah was a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel and there are a lot of famous stories about him squeezed into today's reading. One of the things that king Ahab had introduced into Israel was the worship of Baal. Baal was the Canaanite storm god who was the one who brought the rain. So God sends Elijah to tell Ahab that the rain is going to stop. This is God challenging Baal's power and showing the people how foolish they were to worship him. But God makes sure to provide for his prophet Elijah.

At first, God sends him to a little stream where there is water and causes ravens to bring him food. When that stream eventually dries up because there was no rain, he sends him to a widow who is from Zarephath. Zarephath was in the land of Phoenicia, a land outside of Israel and the land where Baal worship came from.

This widow was preparing to have her last meal with her son before they died of starvation. All she has left is a little bit of flour and a little bit of oil, each in a jug. But Elijah blesses her so that those two jugs never empty, and he stays with her and her son. Once again, the people of God are being wicked while someone from a foreign nation is experiencing God’s goodness. At this point, God is now not only showing up the god Baal, but he's now showing him up in his home country, on his turf.

After a little while, the boy gets sick and dies, and the poor widow asks why Elijah has let this happen. Elijah takes the child upstairs and asks God to bring him back, which he does. At this, the widow sees that while Baal might be dead, the God of Israel is clearly alive and all-powerful.

Next is the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Elijah goes back to Ahab and proposes a challenge. Both he and the prophets of Baal will make an offering to their god, and each will ask their god to bring the fire. The god who brings the fire is the true god. Ahab agrees and the prophets assemble, 450 for Baal.

The prophets of Baal went first. They prepare their bull and then called out to Baal, dancing in worship to him. They even begin to cut themselves in the hope of getting his attention. Meanwhile, Elijah is mocking them and their god. Finally, it is Elijah's turn. He prepares his bull and builds a trench around the altar. Elijah then gets his servants to pour water all over the offering, so much so that it fills the trench. He then calls out to God once and instantly the whole thing is consumed by fire.

The God of Israel is proven to be greater than Baal. Elijah tells the people of Israel to kill the prophets of Baal. With the contamination of Baal removed, Elijah tells Ahab that God will bring back the rain, and the rain comes. The God of Israel is the God of resurrection, he is the God of fire, and he is the God of rain.

Ahab tells his wife, Jezebel, what Elijah has done, and so Jezebel threatens to have him killed. Sometimes, the point when we are most vulnerable is actually after we've had a great victory. Jezebel is a powerful woman. She is the queen of Israel and has killed prophets of God before. Frightened, Elijah flees. Can the God of Israel protect his people from someone like Jezebel?

At first, he sends an angel to Elijah to bring him food and water. Then God speaks to Elijah himself. He brings Elijah to mount Horeb, better known as mount Sinai. There God causes an earthquake and fire. But God wasn't in either of those. Finally, he comes to Elijah in a whisper. We have already seen God in the great things, in the rain and the storm and the fire. Now God is showing Elijah that he is in the small things as well, the little details that we might think he's not interested in.

God tells him to go and anoint a new king over Syria, a new king over Israel, and a new prophet to replace him. Elijah finds Elisha and throws his cloak over him, the sign of the mantle, the authority of the prophet. Elisha immediately says goodbye to his family, closes up that chapter of his life, and fully pursues Elijah and his new role.

Psalm 99

This psalm is not attributed to anyone, and falls into the category of praise psalm. Is part of a small collection of psalm (Psalm 93-99) that focus on God as king.

Psalm 99:1-5 - The Lord is a righteous and mighty king

Psalm 99:6-9 - God has been faithful in Israel’s history

The psalmist opens with a declaration that the Lord reigns. Let humans and creation a like tremble before him. He is based in Jerusalem but is Lord over all peoples. He is worthy of praise. The Lord is a king who loves justice. He establishes equality and righteousness amongst his people and should be worshipped.

And then the psalmist points to Israel’s history and how God was with them then. Moses, Aaron, and Samuel all called on the Lord’s name and he answered them. Why these three? Because these three represented times before God’s people had kings. God ruled over them before when they had no kings, and God will rule them now when they have no kings. This psalm was likely set after the exile at a point when Judah had no kings.

During that time before there were kings, God spoke to his people and held to all that he promised them. He would forgive them when they messed up and avenge them when others tried to destroy them. The implication is that he will do the same for them now, if they exalt and worship him alone.

In Psalm 94, we read the lament of a people post exile who were beaten and downtrodden. Psalm 95-99 are the answer. God is king and will restore all peoples to himself.