1 Kings 19 – When Ahab tells Jezebel what Elijah did
to all the prophets of Baal, she sends a threatening note to Elijah, and he
becomes afraid. He flees to
Beersheba, goes past there and into the wilderness. He asks God to let him die:
“O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors” (19:4). An
angel appears and encourages him to eat—leaves him a cake and some water. A second time the angel comes and tells
him to eat again “otherwise the journey will be too much for you” (19:7).
He does and
travels to Mt. Horeb [likely another name for Mt. Sinai] to a cave there. He is
in the wilderness 40 days and nights. “Then
the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” (19:9)
He answers, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the
Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed our
prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take
it away” (19:10).
The Lord sends
Elijah up to the top of the mountain to “stand before[the Lord]”: “Now there was a great wind, so strong that
it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but
the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord
was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was
not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his
face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that
said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” (19:11-13)
Elijah tells the soundless voice, “Lord God Almighty, I have always served you – you alone. But the
people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars,
and killed all your prophets. I am the only one left – and they are trying to
kill me” (19:14). The Lord tells him to return and anoint
Hazael king over Aram; Jehu, king over Israel and Elisha as prophet in his
place. “Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever
escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill” (19:17). He will leave 7,000
in Israel that have not “bowed to Baal” (19:18). Elijah does what he is
supposed to do. When he meets
Elisha and throws his mantel over him, Elisha asks to be able to kiss his
father and mother before he follows Elijah. Elijah says, “’Go back again; for what have I done to you?’”
(19:20) He goes back and offers sacrifice, shares it with the people and then
leaves to follow Elijah.
Luke 2:21-52 - Jesus is
circumcised at eight days old and named Jesus. When the time of purification
arrives, they take Jesus up to Jerusalem “to present him to the Lord” as “first
fruits” of their marriage and they offer a sacrifice.
Simeon, a
“righteous and devout” man, experiences the Holy Spirit as well and
recognizes in Jesus the “Lord’s Messiah” (2:26). My “eyes have seen your
salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for
revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” (2:30-32). Mary and Joseph are “amazed” and Mary
learns the “child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will
be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too” (2:34-35). In addition
to Simeon, the prophetess Anna (of
Asher) who stayed at the temple also “began to praise God and to speak about
the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem” (2:38).
In a sense
these people also fulfill the prophecy of Joel—about men and women prophesying
at the messiah’s coming. But the thing most noticeably different here from Mark is the public and early revelation
of Jesus’ identity and mission.
The child grows and is “filled with wisdom” (2:40). When he is twelve, he is left
accidentally behind when his parents leave for home after coming to Jerusalem
to celebrate the Passover. They
seek him for three days and find him “sitting among the teachers, listening to
them and asking them questions” (2:46). When his mother expresses anxiety over
what he has put them through, he asks “Why were you searching for me? Did you
not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (2:49)
At the end it says of Mary, “His mother treasured all these things
in her heart” (2:51). A similar passage follows his birth at 2:19.
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