Today’s Devotion
Topic: A Passionate Prophet Vrs His Evil King (Part 16)
(Self Assessment 216)
Background: From last week’s study, do you remember that Elijah, afraid for his dear life, run away when he heard of Jezebel’s intention to hunt him down to death?
When he had gone a day’s journey into the wilderness, Elijah even prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord! Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors”, he said. He then slept under a broom bush till an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat”.
But why will an angel wake him up to eat? How is that going to protect him from Jezebel? Is the Lord happy with Elijah when he asked to die? For answers to these and more, let us zoom straight into today’s Bible study.
Text: 1 Kings 19: 6- 10
6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 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. There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn 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.”
Amen
Questions:
1. Why do you think the Lord chose to refresh Elijah in verse 6 instead of directly reacting to his earlier plea to be allowed to die?
2. The angel of the Lord came back a second time to feed Elijah. Why do you think the angel found this to be necessary?
3. Strengthened by food, Elijah travelled forty days and nights until he reached the mountain of God. In your opinion, what kind of food could this be and how can one access it in our time?
4. The Lord appeared to Elijah and asked what he was doing there. Now why does the Lord, being all knowing, still question many in the bible about where they are (Gen 3:9), what they are doing at a place (1 kings 19:9) or why they are doing what they do (Gen 16: 8)?
5. Kindly read verse 10 again:
a. What does it mean to be very zealous for the Lord?
b. After the Mount Carmel encounter, Israel’s heart turned back to the Lord. Why was the prophet still complaining about Israel’s past deeds against the Lord then? For what kind of favour or justification does he present the story this way? How can we ralate this to our daily walk with God; the complaints we give to suit our position on many things?
c. Why is the prophet complaining to God that all of Israel wants to kill him when he knew very well it is Jezebel and not Israel?
d. Why do we like to exaggerate or twist the events of our lives to earn us favour or pity before others, even the all knowing God?
6. What have you learnt from today’s discussion?
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