Stroll through Scripture for November 2, 2025

Based on 1 Kings 19:1-18

A big portion of the Hebrew Scriptures is about the time when northern and southern kingdoms had kings ruling over them.  Most of Judah’s (southern kingdom) kings were terrible.  All of Israel’s (The northern kingdom) were bad – it’s just a matter of whether they were downright evil or not.  This week the Narrative Lectionary moves us the time of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel.  Ahab was considered a wicked king.  Why, might you ask?  It’s theological.  Jezebel was a Phoenician princess who influenced him to promote the worship of the Canaanite god Baal and goddess Asherah, including building temples in Samaria.   Elijah, God’s prophet had confrontations with Ahab and Jezebel and prophesized that there would be no rain because of their idolatry.  In return Ahab and Jezebel persecuted the prophets of God.  That’s just the small list – the Scripture tells us that Ahab sinned worse than any king before him.  

In this portion of Scripture, we hear about a tired and afraid Elijah.  He runs from Jezebel’s threat on his life and goes into the wilderness where he asks God to end his life.  But God wasn’t done with him yet.  God sends an angel to care for Elijah, giving him food and water.  Elijah rests.  And then it’s time to get up and go.  

And this time, replenished, Elijah finds a cave to spend the night in.  And Elijah has some time to think.  He thinks he is the only one who remains faithful.  As if he knows the hearts of the whole country.  

But that’s just not the case.  God has plans for Elijah and for Israel.  God and read the hearts of people and knows who is faithful.  And it’s far more than Elijah thought – 7000 to be exact.  

This passage is a good reminder that when we feel alone, often we aren’t.  We just think we are because we aren’t hearing others speak up.  But the faithful exist and are plentiful.  And God sees them and is with them.  We are not alone.  We are never alone.  

Questions for reflection:

• When we get into a “woe is me” time, what are the ways that God pokes at us and reminds us that we are not alone?
• God asks Elijah, “What are you doing here?”  When has God asked you the same thing and what did you do in response?