Elijah

The LORD, the God of Israel, is alive, and I serve him. So: no dew and no rain these next years, unless I say so.

The LORD sent me to hide by the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan. Ravens bring me bread and meat, morning and evening. Ravens. I drink from the brook.

Replying to @elijah.tishbite

The brook’s dried up. No rain anywhere. Now he’s sending me to Zarephath, near Sidon. He says there’s a widow there who’ll feed me.

Replying to @zarephath.widow

Told her don’t be afraid. Make me a small loaf first, then some for you and your son. The LORD says the flour won’t run out and the oil won’t run dry until he sends rain.

Replying to @zarephath.widow

Took him from her arms, up to my room, and laid him on my bed. Cried out to the LORD: have you brought this on the widow who took me in? Stretched out over the boy three times: LORD my God, let his life come back to him. The LORD heard. He’s breathing.

Replying to @obadiah.palace

I serve the LORD of armies, and as sure as he lives, I’m showing myself to Ahab today.

Replying to @king.ahab

I’m not the one who’s troubled Israel. You and your father’s family have, by ignoring the LORD’s commands and going after the Baals. Now get all Israel to Mount Carmel. And the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.

I’m the only prophet of the LORD left. Baal has 450. So: two bulls. They take one, I take the other. Nobody lights a fire. They call on their god, I call on the LORD. The God who answers with fire is God.

Replying to @carmel.crowd

Shout louder! He’s a god, isn’t he? Maybe he’s deep in thought. Or busy. Or away on a trip. Maybe he’s asleep and needs waking up.

LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let them know today that you are God in Israel and I’m your servant. Answer me, LORD. Answer me, so these people know that you are God, and that you’re turning their hearts back.

Ran for my life. Left my servant in Beersheba and walked a day out into the desert. Sat down under a broom bush. I’ve had enough, LORD. Take my life. I’m no better than my ancestors.

Replying to @elijah.tishbite

Fell asleep. Something touched me: an angel. Get up and eat. By my head, bread baked on hot coals and a jar of water. Ate, lay down again. Again: get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you. That food kept me going forty days and forty nights, all the way to Horeb, the mountain of God.

In a cave on Horeb. The LORD asked what I’m doing here. I told him: I’ve given everything for you. Israel has broken your agreement, torn down your altars, killed your prophets. I’m the only one left, and now they want me too.

He told me to go and stand on the mountain, because the LORD was about to pass by. A wind that tore the mountains and smashed the rocks. The LORD wasn’t in the wind. Then an earthquake. He wasn’t in the earthquake. Then a fire. He wasn’t in the fire. And after the fire, a still, small voice. I wrapped my face in my cloak and went and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Replying to @elijah.tishbite

Same question. Same answer from me. He’s sending me back: anoint Hazael king of Aram, Jehu king of Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat to be prophet after me. And it turns out I’m not the only one left. He’s kept seven thousand in Israel who’ve never bowed to Baal.

The LORD sent me down to Ahab. Found him in Naboth’s vineyard, gone to take it for himself. He said: so you’ve found me, my enemy. I told him: I’ve found you, because you’ve sold yourself out to doing what the LORD calls evil. The LORD is bringing disaster on you and your family.

Asked Elisha what I can do for him before I’m taken away. He wants a double share of my spirit. That’s a hard thing to ask. But if he sees me when I’m taken from him, it’s his.

Liked by Elisha

A letter for King Jehoram of Judah. The LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: you haven’t lived the way your father Jehoshaphat did, or Asa. You’ve lived like the kings of Israel, like Ahab’s family, and you’ve led Judah and Jerusalem to be unfaithful.

Breakfast by raven. Supper by raven. Bread and meat, both times.

The brook’s dried up. No rain anywhere, so of course it has.

Third year of the drought. The LORD has told me: go and show yourself to Ahab, and I’ll send rain. So I’m going.

Replying to @king.ahab

I’m not the one making trouble for Israel. You are. You and your father’s family. You’ve abandoned the LORD’s commands and gone chasing after the Baals.

Replying to @king.ahab

Now get all Israel to Mount Carmel. And bring Baal’s 450 prophets, and the 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.

How long are you going to keep limping between two sides? If the LORD is God, follow him. If Baal is, follow Baal.

I’m the only prophet of the LORD left. Baal has 450. So: two bulls. They pick one, cut it up, put it on the wood. No fire. I do the same with the other. They call on their god, I call on the LORD. The God who answers with fire is God.

Shout louder! He’s a god, isn’t he? Maybe he’s deep in thought. Or busy. Or away on a trip. Maybe he’s asleep and someone needs to wake him up.

LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel: let them know today that you are God in Israel, that I’m your servant, and that I’ve done all this because you told me to. Answer me, LORD. Answer me, so these people know you are God, and that you’re turning their hearts back.

A day’s walk into the desert. Sat down under a broom tree. I’ve had enough, LORD. Take my life. I’m no better than my ancestors.

Fell asleep under the tree. Someone touched me. An angel. Get up and eat, he said. By my head: bread baked on hot coals, and a jar of water. Ate. Drank. Lay back down.

Replying to @elijah.tishbite

He came back and touched me again. Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.

Got up. Ate and drank. And that food carried me forty days and forty nights, all the way to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Found a cave on the mountain. Spent the night in it.

Replying to @elijah.tishbite

The LORD asked me: what are you doing here, Elijah?

Replying to @elijah.tishbite

Told him. I’ve given everything for you. Israel has broken its agreement with you, torn down your altars and killed your prophets. I’m the only one left, and now they’re after me.

He’s told me to go out and stand on the mountain. The LORD is about to pass by.

Wind. A huge one, tearing into the mountains, smashing the rocks. The LORD wasn’t in the wind.

Then an earthquake. He wasn’t in the earthquake.

Then fire. He wasn’t in the fire.

And after the fire, a still, small voice. Barely a whisper.

Replying to @elijah.tishbite

When I heard it I wrapped my face in my cloak and went and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Same question: what are you doing here, Elijah? Same answer from me. I’m the only one left, and they want me dead too.

He’s sending me back the way I came, to the desert near Damascus. Pour oil on Hazael and make him king of Aram. Do the same for Jehu, as king of Israel. And for Elisha son of Shaphat, to be prophet after me.

And I’m not the only one left. The LORD says he’s kept seven thousand in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal, never kissed him.