Read 1 Kings 19:9-18

King Ahab, of Israel, the Northern Kingdom, had Jezebel who brought with her the priests of Baal.  Loyal to Yahweh, Elijah challenged the Baal priests to a showdown:  Would their power or Yahweh’s power end the drought in the land (1 Kings 18:20-46)? Yahweh won and furious Jezebel set out to kill Elijah.  Read 1 kings 19:1-8. How would you describe Jezebel’s feelings? How did Elijah react? Why might Elijah have felt this way? What did God do in response? Read Exodus 34:27-28. What connection does that passage have with this lesson? What other period alone with God does it remind you? Compare this lesson with Ex. 33:17-23. What similarities do you find? Read Mark 9:2-8; who appears at the Transfiguration? What does this information suggest to you about the significance of Elijah?

Prayer for the week

God of awe, from whom we flee in holy terror:  your silence burns like ice; your whisper cuts through fear; we long to hear your faithful word of righteousness and peace.  Bless us with bold believe even in the darkness of the night and the assault of life’s storms, that we may be messengers of your justice, in the name of the One whom wind and wave obey.  Amen.