1 Ki. 19: New Guy

1 Kings 19:8 "So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God."

What's most interesting to me about Jezebel's predictable reaction to the massacre of Baal's prophets is how Elijah, exhausted from fleeing the wrath of Jezebel's gods, is helped along by the Angel of God. Elijah, who just proved the superiority and Lordship of God at the altar, would surely have been protected. Why would God, who rained fire on a soaked sacrifice turn around and allow Elijah to die at the hand of a pagan? Anyway, that's not the question here. The question is, why does God sustain Elijah in his fleeing? God didn't tell him to go, but Elijah bailed. It must not have looked good for God to the Israelites, who witnessed the miracle, but now watch God's prophet run in fear from idols. I guess to me it shows how God is willing to preserve even those who disobey and turn from him...God had a plan for Elijah, and was going to see it through.

The LORD catches him in the middle part of the chapter. He asks Elijah what he's doing there. This is sort of a strange passage. Elijah answers, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

What follows is a series of huge events. The first being a wind that (apparently) dashes a mountain to pieces. Next there was an earthquake, and then a fire. And then a whisper. The great and powerful displays show God's power, but the whisper shows God's nuance. His subtlety. God was in that huge show at the altar, but where did Elijah miss something? God asks him again. Elijah answers exactly the same way, word-for-word. Did he miss something again? What does he need, God to spell it out? Fortunately, God does.

In fact God gives him very explicit instructions. To anoint a king over Aram, a king over Israel, and Elisha, Elijah's successor as prophet. God had in place a system to preserve order, including a line of succession as to who would kill rebels.

Elisha protests not when met by Elijah. In fact, all he wants to do is kiss his folks good bye, and he's out of there. In fact, he slaughters the oxen he'd been plowing with, and burns the equipments to cook the meat. He wrapped it all up pretty nicely. Then he takes off to follow Elijah. Who I don't think he knew previously. What is with that motivation? He was already going to be a prophet, so my thoughts are that God already appeared to him somehow, and prepared him for Elijah's visit. If not, Elisha is more motivated than me.