Elijah - G. Savoldo
The mystic from Tishbi (=captivity) a town in Gilead (=rocky region)
who prophesied against Ahab (=father's brother),
Israel's most evil king married to phoenician Jezebel (="Baal exalts" or "Baal is husband to").
who prophesied against Ahab (=father's brother),
Israel's most evil king married to phoenician Jezebel (="Baal exalts" or "Baal is husband to").
Elijah (="my God is Jehovah" or "Yah(u) is God")
confronts "uncle" Ahab with a prophecy.
confronts "uncle" Ahab with a prophecy.
Yah says :
"there shall not be dew nor rain these years,
but according to my word."
but according to my word."
Yah then directs Elijah to safe places:
Brook Kedron (flows from Mt o Olives),
crows feed him;
crows feed him;
Zarephath (=refinery) phoenician town, widow,
a "bottomless" jar of flour and oil.
a "bottomless" jar of flour and oil.
Obadiah saved 100 prophets
from murderous Jezebel.
from murderous Jezebel.
Elijah likes to think of himself
as the only prophet left and zealous!
as the only prophet left and zealous!
"God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow
with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?"
with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?"
Elijah likes to think he has more empathy than Yah!
Elijah likes his word of authority
to be noted by his contemporaries.
to be noted by his contemporaries.
In the 3rd year of the drought,
Yah says :
"Go, show yourself unto Ahab;
and I will send rain upon the earth."
Elijah delegates Obadiah to get Ahab
with an assurance that Elijah won't translocate in the Spirit!
On Mt Carmel, Elijah seems to do a faint parallel of Moses on Mt Sinai.
He gathers Israel to experience the fire of God on an offering
and a Baal (=lord,supreme male divinity of phoenicia) prophet slaughter.
The 400 prophets (temple prostitutes?) of Asherah (=goddess consort of baal)
didn't turn up !?
didn't turn up !?
Did Yah instruct this slaughter or just the breaking of the drought?
Elijah outruns (with Spiritual strength)
the chariot of Ahab to Jezreel (=God sows).
the chariot of Ahab to Jezreel (=God sows).
Why is it that Elijah folds so quickly to Jezebel's threats
after his day of victory?
after his day of victory?
Did he think that Ahab and Israel had returned to Yah,
because of his victory and the breaking of the drought?
Ahab did not require her submission.
Jezebel still had 400 prophets and she was up for another challenge.
His victory was replaced with his panic but
Yah was not asked for His solution.
Yah was not asked for His solution.
Elijah was only interested in victory the way he had envisioned it.
Angels strengthened him for his idea of a retreat to Mt Sinai.
But Yah was perplexed why he was there!
Elijah gave a self-promoting reply.
Yah showed some bombast like Elijah's.
Hurricane, earthquake, fire.
But Yah was only interested in whispering:
"What are you doing here?"
Again, Elijah gave a self-promoting reply!
Then Yah gave his solution.
It was a succession plan for the many who still worshiped Yah.
New kings, new replacement for Elijah!
"...and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat
from the town of Abel-meholah
to replace you as my prophet."
Elijah's "anointing" of Elisha was delayed
and less than fatherly!
He sees the end of Ahab and Jezebel.
It was a succession plan for the many who still worshiped Yah.
New kings, new replacement for Elijah!
"...and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat
from the town of Abel-meholah
to replace you as my prophet."
Elijah's "anointing" of Elisha was delayed
and less than fatherly!
He sees the end of Ahab and Jezebel.
He sees the end of Ahaziah,
(not without some self-indulgent calling fire down from heaven
to kill those sent to arrest him!).
He leaves this Earth more mysteriously than he entered the scene.
A chariot of fire drawn by horses of fire
which drove between Elisha and Elijah
who was taken into Heaven by a whirlwind.
(not without some self-indulgent calling fire down from heaven
to kill those sent to arrest him!).
He leaves this Earth more mysteriously than he entered the scene.
A chariot of fire drawn by horses of fire
which drove between Elisha and Elijah
who was taken into Heaven by a whirlwind.
Elisha saw it and cried out,
“My father! My father!
I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!”
And as they disappeared from sight,
Elisha tore his clothes in distress.
Read it !
Elisha has to plead for his anointing just before this.
And Elisha replied,
“Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit
and become your successor.”
Yah had told Elijah to anoint Elisha as his replacement years ago!
Elijah keeps his "office" until the very last second.
Elisha picks up what's left from Elijah, his cloak.
He goes down to the Jordan, frustrated,
he strikes the water with the cloak, as Elijah just did,
and cries out
"Where is the Lord?, Where is this God of Elijah?
Then the river divided,..."
This is the first time Elisha and the prophets
know that he has the anointing
and the position as father prophet to Israel,
by not so much as an anointing but a "cloaking".
“My father! My father!
I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!”
And as they disappeared from sight,
Elisha tore his clothes in distress.
Read it !
Elisha has to plead for his anointing just before this.
And Elisha replied,
“Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit
and become your successor.”
Yah had told Elijah to anoint Elisha as his replacement years ago!
Elijah keeps his "office" until the very last second.
Elisha picks up what's left from Elijah, his cloak.
He goes down to the Jordan, frustrated,
he strikes the water with the cloak, as Elijah just did,
and cries out
"Where is the Lord?, Where is this God of Elijah?
Then the river divided,..."
This is the first time Elisha and the prophets
know that he has the anointing
and the position as father prophet to Israel,
by not so much as an anointing but a "cloaking".
I think Elisha is not the only one
pleased to see Elijah off ....
Earth !!!
Elijah is recorded in six chapters
(I Kings 17-19, 21; II Kings 1-2).
pleased to see Elijah off ....
Earth !!!
Elijah is recorded in six chapters
(I Kings 17-19, 21; II Kings 1-2).
No comments:
Post a Comment