We have been
following the Old Testament, touching on a few stories. You will know other
stories, hopefully you have been able to note where they come in the overall
story.
So far, we
have been looking mainly at history.
[slide 1]
We started at
the creation story in Genesis One, the Patriarchs, the time in Egypt, Moses, Exodus,
skipped over Judges, then the call of the boy Samuel, anointing of David, and the
building of the Temple by Solomon.
God had
warned the people of Israel what would happen if they had a King. After just 3
kings, Saul, David and Solomon, the kingdom divides.
[ slide 2]
This morning we
meet Elijah, but first a bit more background.
Solomon had
many wives, mostly foreign women, this was part of a plan to maintain peace in the
neighbourhood, and it did. But it also meant the influence of foreign gods.
1
Kings 11: 3 - 6
Seven
hundred of his wives were daughters of kings, but he also married three hundred
other women.
As
Solomon got older, some of his wives led him to worship their gods. He wasn’t
like his father David, who had worshiped only the Lord God. Solomon also
worshiped Astarte the goddess of Sidon, and Milcom the disgusting god of Ammon.
Solomon’s father had obeyed the Lord with all his heart, but Solomon
disobeyed and did what the Lord hated.
The worship
of the Lord was what had held the twelve tribes of Israel together, but the
Monarchy was not able to maintain that bond, especially when the Monarchy no
longer was true to the Lord.
[ slide 3]
Back in Exodus,
when the people arrived in the promised land, each tribe settled in an area.
[ slide 4]
The twelve tribes
spilt into two Kingdoms, the Northern Kingdom, Israel and the Southern Kingdom,
Judah.
Today’s readings
take place in the Northern Kingdom.
Elijah is a
prophet, over the next few weeks we will hear more from the prophets. Prophets in
the Bible are not fortune tellers, or predictors of the future. Prophets are
people who speak the message of God.
Elijah is
concerned at the way the King and Queen, and others, are not following the
Lord, many are following Baal. Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal, to see
which god is greatest, The Lord or Baal.
Our first
reading this morning was about that contest, The Lord won, and Elijah and the
crowd killed the prophets of Baal.
This happened
at Mt Carmel.
[slide 5]
When Queen
Jezebel heard what had happened, she threatened the life of Elijah and he ran
away. He ran from Mt Carmel, to Beersheba, left his servant there, and walked another
day into the desert. He falls asleep, an angel rouses him with food and water,
he falls asleep, again an angel rouses him with food and water. Then Elijah
travels for forty days, which means a long time.
[slide 6]
Elijah ends
up on the mountain of the Lord, Mt Horeb, also known as Mt Sinai. This is the Mountain where Moses received the
Law, and the people made the golden calf. And now, Elijah has travelled to this
mountain, to meet God. Twice the Lord asks Elijah
“Why are you here, Elijah?”
Elijah
replied, “I’ve been very passionate for the Lord God of heavenly
forces because the Israelites have abandoned your covenant. They have torn down
your altars, and they have murdered your prophets with the sword. I’m the only
one left, and now they want to take my life too!”
The Lord
tells Elijah to stand at the entrance of the cave,
Then the earthquake,
wind and fire, and God speaks not in the noisy or extravagant, but in sheer
stillness, or a still small voice, depending on translation.
Elijah was running
away, fearful for his life, and wondering if it would be better to just die.
I wonder when
you have felt like Elijah, wanting to run away, wishing God would take your
life, because living has become too difficult or painful.
I wonder when
you have felt like running away and starting all over again somewhere else. I know
women whose partners are violent who choose to run and hide, because that feels
safer than their partner finding out where they are.
People are targeted
in various places because of their religion, ethnicity or family connections, some
choose to run away, to look for a safe place to live and raise a family.
Some people resort
to drugs, legal and illegal, to escape their pain and fear;
And some
people need a break, time out.
And often
some time out helps. Some space to breathe without wondering what else will
happen next.
Some time to rest
and be nourished by food and drink and sleep.
On the
mountain, Elijah stops running, from Jezebel, and from being a prophet. On the
mountain, Elijah stops and meets with God, is reminded of God’s presence, God’s
call on his life and God sends Elijah back with work to do.
Elijah’s
journey goes from running away from Jezebel in fear of his life; and becomes a
time to meet with God, to be nurtured, and to have his call affirmed.
Here this morning,
we take time out;
Time out from
busyness
Time out from
the words that tell us we are failures
Time out from
the background noise of radio and TV and iPods and traffic
Time out to
be
Time out to reconnect
with the source of life
Tie out to remember
the story of life, and how your story intertwines with the God story.
We share
together, remembering we are not alone, God is with us, but we are also a
community of faith, a community that cares and prays together, that sings and learns
together, that shares bread and juice, and life and love.
As saints we
meet around the table, not because we are perfect, but because the Lord, our
God, invites us.
Part of our
response is to accept the invitation to bread and juice.
Another part
of our response is to let the peace of God guide us, that we may be saints who
let the light of God shine in our lives, that others may see beauty, hope and
love.
