At the end of our reading yesterday, Israel rebelled against Rehoboam, Solomon's son, just as God said. The kingdom was split, with Rehoboam as king of Judah and Jeroboam as king of Israel. There was continual warfare between them, and both did evil in the eyes of the Lord.
In the next few chapters we see that most kings were evil. God kept his promise that descendants of David would rule over Judah. In Israel, however, there were many murders and coups for the throne. Almost 70 years pass.
Today's Devotion: 1 Kings 19, 9b-14
And the word of the LORD came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
11 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14 He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." (NIV)
taken from www.biblegateway.com
At this point Elijah has been fed by ravens in the desert for three years during a terrible famine, he lived with a widow and her son for a time on what appeared to be one meal's worth of flour and oil, he raised the son from the dead, and he witnessed the miraculous fire from heaven as proof that Yahweh was the true God, not Baal.
He was fleeing for his life because the queen didn't like being made to look the fool. Despite the miracles he had witnessed, and that had saved his life, he was scared and discouraged. God didn't strike him down because of disbelief -- instead he sent angels to feed Elijah and he visited the prophet on the mountain side.
When we suffer bouts of disbelief, God will make his presence known to us, also. We just have to look and listen at the right time. He may send a refreshing breeze, an amazing sight, or even the gentle touch of a friend. Think of a time when he provided proof to you that he cared, and find a way to show that love to another today!
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