4.7 1 Kings 17-19

Michelle Horn

4.7.2020

1 Kings 17-19

These chapters focus on Elijah and some of the things he did as the last prophet of God at the time. This section starts with Elijah thrusting God and going to Kerith Brook where he is instructed to eat only what the ravens bring him. God then tells Elijah to go live in the village of Zarephath and there he prays to God on behalf of a widow to bring her son back to life. After this Elijah  has his showdown with the prophets of Baal and Asherah to show who the true God was and still is. Elijah then goes to Mount Sinai to escape Jezebel’s anger and there has a conversation with God. This section ends with Elisha being called to replace Elijah as God’s prophet.

1 Kings 19: 11-12

“ Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.

So much of the old testament is full of examples of God’s anger and discipline but God was not found in any of the events that would have gone along with that persona. God came to Elijah in the form of a gentle whisper. He created a safe space for His prophet to be open and honest with Him. This teaches me that I need to approach future conversations with other with love and humility. To create a safe space that allows each party to be heard. One of the biggest areas in which I need to work on this is with my kids. 

This example is about God the father but Jesus also lived his life by this same concept.  He humbled himself completely by living among the world fully human for us. He created a safe space for all who came to him for help and that is something I will strive to do as well.