Session 9: The Mount

Session Overview

Creedal Statement

Coming soon.

Key Elements

• Key Passage - 1 Kings 17:1–19:21
• Scripture Memory - Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink. John 6:53–55
• Catechism - Q: What kind of commitment is God calling us to? A: Covenant.

Introduction

“At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be My people.” This is what the Lord says: “The people who survived the sword found favor in the wilderness when Israel went to find rest.” The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion.”

Nobody can do as much damage to the church of God as the man who is within its walls, but not within its life.

Commitment to Christ can ebb and flow. This side of eternity, no disciple reaches full perfection. Even the most devoted disciples need to be intentional about maintaining, cultivating, and sustaining their service in Christ. Christian disciples and communities regularly face opposition from opponents, distractions from worldly pleasures, erosion of spiritual focus, and fear of personal danger. This is why God has brought disciples together into a community of faith. The church community is one of the most important resources to cultivate and reinforce our devotion to God. One practice which sharpens and sustains this commitment is the sacred meal of communion.

The practice of communion is a corporate practice. All of Christ’s disciples are invited to the meal. At Christ’s table, we offer ourselves anew to God’s service, God’s people, God’s ways, and God’s world. The Lord’s Supper is intrinsically covenantal: we participate in it as God’s servants bound to Jesus and united to one another. As his servant community, we reap the benefits of God’s provision for those who are devoted to him. God supports and sustains his servants in many gracious ways: timely nourishment, the future promise of eternal life, sovereign protection, opportunity for repentance and renewal, empowering sustenance, and team ministry. These gifts of grace (along with many more) can be experienced at the sacred meal of communion. The table fellowship at the Lord’s Supper helps disciples face our personal failings, forgive the sins of one another, rededicate ourselves to God’s service, confess our trust in Christ, and look forward to God’s future promises with unwavering hope. This God-given meal is a conduit of God’s grace to his covenant people. Devotion to God and his service, communion is a confession that we have not been left without God’s sustaining hand.

In 1 Kings 17:1–19:21, the multi-scene narrative about Elijah highlights the character of devotion to God and God’s gracious provisions for his devoted servants. In this biblical account, meals form a noteworthy theme of the storyline. These meals foreshadow key aspects of the Christian practice of communion, specifically highlighting how the Lord’s Supper fosters covenantal commitment to God. In the story, God provided nourishment for Elijah at the brook Cherith in a display of his grace and compassionate care. A widow enjoyed an endless supply of flour and oil throughout the famine (and received back her son from the dead). Obadiah fed God’s prophets in hiding, a stark contrast to Jezebel’s feasts for the prophets of the false gods. Elijah called Ahab to covenant renewal after the defeat of Baal. God sustained Elijah with a supernatural provision of food and drink as he fled from a bloodthirsty Jezebel. In the end, Elisha offered a sacrificial meal as he entered into God’s prophetic service. In many ways, this story of Elijah exemplifies devotion to God and foreshadows the importance of Christian communion in our walk of faith.

Like Elijah’s service, the life of faithful service to God is a pilgrimage. As long as we journey through this life, we will always need to renew our covenant commitment to God. Our fidelity to God is not based upon our own strength or resolve. God abundantly provides for those he calls to faith and into his service—God does not commission without his divine supply. God’s sustenance, provision, nourishment, and presence are available to us as we seek to be faithful to him. Equally, we must realize that the world, like Jezebel and the false prophets, indulges itself in its own feasting. While the world’s frustrated efforts at gratification never come to fruition, God’s covenant community can enjoy deep and abiding satisfaction in God’s service with minimal physical provision. In sum, the Christian practice of communion is a meal that fosters the devoted life of the church community. As we journey with Elijah, may we find ourselves eager to renew our own covenant commitment to God together with his people.

Biblical Interpretation: Hearing the Word

Study the Text: The Bible is God’s inspired word to his people. Christian disciples mature in the faith when they are grounded in God’s word. In this movement, you will study the basic details of the biblical text.

Observation Questions

Read (or listen to) the whole passage of Scripture. Discuss the questions below for each section of the story. Pay attention to the details of the text to recall what the passage is saying. Use the focus verses to guide your conversation.

Storycraft

Retell the story in your own words, recounting the overall flow of the narrative, the main segments of the story, and the major developments that take place.

Narrative Elements

Story Retell

Theological Dialogue: Discussing the Plot

Explore the Text: God’s word is his trustworthy and sufficient revelation to his people. We grow as Christ’s disciples by rooting our lives in God’s unchanging truth. In this movement, you will explore vital teachings of this biblical passage.

Discussion Questions

Summarize the biblical story. As a community, discuss the following questions. Be attentive to the truths taught in this text. Use the commentary on the next pages to uncover core principles this passage teaches about the Christian faith.

Biblical Commentary

Use this commentary to help you understand the meaning of the text. Refer to the infographic on the next page to think through how narratives work.

Passage Introduction

Key Idea

In the journey of faith, God sustains his people and calls them to renewal of their devotion through the sacred meal of communion.

Passage Overview

Our devotion is connected with God’s provision. The variety of meals in this story of Elijah contrasts God’s provision with the empty supply of false gods. The true God sustained his people in the wilderness, nourished them in caves, supplied for them amply on their exilic journey, offered life to the vulnerable, and energized his people to missional service. In contrast, the false gods offered empty promises, feigned strength, suffered a lack of resources, and failed in the presence of the true sovereign. Importantly, our devotion is connected with the source from which we find spiritual provision. For Christians, our devotion to God occurs in the context of a covenant relationship—to God and to one another. Our faithfulness to God only works because God has first declared his faithfulness to us. The God of all provision supplies our needs as we commit to his service. His timely provision sustains us in suffering. His bountiful supply draws us to saving faith in the first place. Recalling God’s faithfulness in our lives is important as a fuel for our spiritual devotion. Take time to explore the following biblical exposition in order to gain an understanding of this biblical text and what it teaches about commitment to the Lord and his people.

Passage Outline

1. 1 Kings 17:1–7
2. 1 Kings 17:8–24
3. 1 Kings 18:1–40
4. 1 Kings 18:41–46
5. 1 Kings 19:1–18
6. 1 Kings 19:19–21

Building a Community of Common Faith

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost! Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.

The ordinance is not to be celebrated once in a year, or once only in our lives, but often. A Christian’s own necessities may make him come often hither. His corruptions are strong, therefore he had need come often hither for an antidote to expel the poison of sin. His graces are weak. Grace is like a lamp, which if it be not often fed with oil is apt to go out.

Introduction

Meals may seem incidental to life, but they are a regular and consequential part of our existence. When we eat, we remember our neediness, confess our finitude, and express complete dependence upon God. In their best forms, food and drink bring joy and satisfaction to life, reminding us of God’s goodness. Around the table, we enjoy most of our deepest relationships—family, friends, companions, and colleagues. Special meals mark celebrations, holidays, and festivities. Table fellowship rightly occurs during the high points of life and during the seasons of the year. Whether we realize it or not, the very ordinary nature of eating and drinking carries great spiritual significance. Importantly, the life of faith is also marked by meals. When Christians eat together, they exemplify unity and celebrate God’s divinely supplied provision. The Lord’s Supper is one particular meal—the meal of meals—that defines and sustains God’s people in the journey of faith. In communion, God’s people celebrate God’s provision for the salvation of his people. Table fellowship at communion is a testament to Jesus’ redemptive work applied to our lives, forming us into his covenant people. Christ instituted this sacred meal as a means by which the church would refresh and renew herself in matters of faith. God does not summon us to faith devotion without the promise of his benevolent provision. This provision may not always come in the form we had originally anticipated—as this biblical story will evidently show—but God’s invitation to the community of faith for radical devotion is supported with his gracious and sovereign supply.

A tightly woven narrative that involves several meals, Elijah’s narrative in 1 Kings 17:1–19:21 depicts a series of accounts that teach us about devotion to God. As the narrative unfolds, Elijah is depicted as a (mostly) faithful servant who epitomizes faithful service to God. He faced the prospect of a severe drought, trusting in God’s provision. He ministered to a vulnerable widow, showing her the source of unending life. He confronted the false prophets of Baal, summoning the community of faith to full allegiance to the one true God. He commanded Israel’s king to eat a covenant meal, giving attention to the importance of full consecration to God. He rested in God’s timely supply during a moment of acutely felt weakness, subsequently encountering God’s revealed word and presence. He called his replacement to prophetic ministry, inviting him into full service of God.

This narrative records the first instance of Elijah in the Bible. His faith in God and ministry of service were in direct contrast to the faithless Ahab, the immoral Jezebel, and the idolatrous false prophets. In this scriptural record, six meals mark the unfolding plot. These meals teach us about a life of worship and devotion to God, contrasting the false worship of the godless with the faithful devotion of the godly. Although these meals occurred in an ancient world much different than our own, they instruct us today in our faith. These meals remind us that God sustains, nourishes, encourages, strengthens, and establishes his people in their faith. In the end, this assortment of meals foreshadows the sacred meal of communion, a mode of table fellowship that marks the high point of God’s provision for his people in his redemptive work—salvation in Jesus Christ.

When the Brook Dries Up: Not Putting Our Confidence in Temporary Provisions

Biblical Narrative (1 Kings 17:1–7)

The surrounding context of this story is important. Ahab came to rule Israel after his father Omri had died (1 Kings 16:28). Ahab “did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him” (16:30). The old standard of rebellion and evil, Jeroboam, was considered a lightweight compared to Ahab (16:31). He married his wife, Jezebel, from the idolatrous people of Sidon (16:32). So vile and wicked was Ahab that he “did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him” (16:33). It was during Ahab’s rule that the city of Jericho was rebuilt. This was the city about which Joshua had pronounced a curse upon anyone who rebuilt it (cf. Joshua 6:26). In Israel at this time, Ahab was the new standard of evil. His reign represented widespread idolatry and immorality in Israelite society, the sad and difficult context in which Elijah the prophet ministered.

The prophet Elijah announced to wicked king Ahab that there would be a drought in the land: “There will be neither dew nor rain in these years” (17:1). When Elijah made this pronouncement, he made it clear that he spoke on God’s behalf. The drought would come “as surely as the Lord lives” (17:1). Elijah did his work and conveyed his prophetic messages accountable to the Lord, “the God of Israel before whom I stand” (17:1). God had endowed him with a serious vocation. Backed with God’s authority and power, the drought would not end “except at [Elijah’s] word” (17:1). The drought was severe and life-altering. It would last three-and-a-half years (cf. 18:1; cf. Luke 4:25; James 5:17).

After bringing this news to Israel’s king, Elijah received “a revelation from the Lord” (17:2). God told him to leave that area and go to the east. Specifically, God told Elijah to hide “by the Brook of Cherith, east of the Jordan” (17:3). At this place God would provide drink (i.e., water from the brook) and food (i.e., provisions brought from ravens) for his prophet (17:4). Along with announicng God’s messages to God’s people, Israel’s prophets often did performative actions to enact these divinely revealed messages. As an obedient prophet, Elijah followed God’s word: “Elijah did what the Lord had told him, and he went and lived by the Brook of Cherith, east of the Jordan” (17:5). God sustained Elijah in his hiding. Every morning and evening, “the ravens would bring [Elijah] bread and meat” (17:6). Throughout this time, God’s prophet would refresh himself by drinking water from the brook. God’s provisions came according to God’s revealed word. God’s faithful prophet messenger enjoyed God’s supply as he trusted and obeyed God’s commands. Nevertheless, after some time had gone by, “the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land” (17:7). The severe drought that had come upon the land had afflicted Israel, even the prophet Elijah.

Biblical Principles

Timely Provision. The opening of this narrative records God’s kind provision for his faithful servant. God told Elijah to hide by a brook outside the land of Israel, “east of the Jordan” (17:3; cf. 17:5). Divine provision in this territory emphasized God’s compassionate care for his prophet in a most difficult environment. At this time, God used natural means (brook water) and supernatural means (the ravens’ supply) to provide for Elijah (17:4, 6). What God did for Elijah, he had also done for his people. In all generations, God cares for his people, meeting their needs with timeliness and all-sufficiency. For Elijah, the raven brought him food “in the morning and evening” (17:6). Through ordinary means or miraculous wonder, God will provide for his people all that they need. The instruction for Elijah to “hide … by the Brook of Cherith” (17:3) is a vivid depiction of what it looks like for people to trust God to supply their needs: hiding, taking refuge, and finding shelter. The storehouses of God’s care and provision are endless in supply. No territory is beyond God’s reach. No solitary servant of God is left uncared for or abandoned. No circumstance is too difficult for God to overcome. Nevertheless, when God’s people reject God or rebel against his ways, God can (and does) withhold and withdraw his provision as a means of judgment and discipline.

Divine Judgment. This story of God’s provision is also about God’s judgment. Elijah’s hideaway near the brook Cherith was outside the land, “eastward” (17:3). Although God’s provision for Elijah was amazing, part of his provision was short-lived. The story records the temporary nature of Elijah’s water provision as “the brook dried up” (17:7). This temporary nature of Elijah’s provision demonstrated God’s judgment on the land. The drying up of the brook was due to the fact that there was a famine—“there had been no rain in the land” (17:7) and “there will be neither dew nor rain in these years” (17:1). Ahab’s evil and Israel’s infidelity warranted God’s righteous judgment. While God cared for his faithful prophet outside the land, Ahab brought idolatrous corruption upon Israel in the land (cf. 16:29–34). Now, even Elijah’s brook was becoming dry. What God did to his servant Elijah was parabolic of what he was doing to Israel. With the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel contaminating Israelite society, God’s people had succumbed to dependence upon false gods. Now, God’s patience was “drying up.” The false gods of the foreign peoples were empty. Sin never delivers on its promises. A life of sin is effectively a choice to embrace a life of self-inflicted drought and famine. God brings judgment upon his rebellious and unbelieving people in order to show them that he is all-sufficient. The provisions of the world are temporary and fleeting. Yet, God’s supply for his people is abundant, timely, and uninhibited.

Example of Faithfulness. In this opening scene, Elijah and Ahab are starkly contrasted. The scene also clearly contrasts Israel’s God as the true God with the false gods that Ahab and Jezebel had brought into the land. On display is not only the sufficiency and supremacy of God but also Elijah’s allegiance to this God. Elijah’s devotion to deliver God’s word (17:1), receive God’s word (17:2–4), and follow God’s word (17:5) was cultivated in a divinely provided meal. Elijah lived with a sense of God’s faithfulness: “as surely as the Lord lives” (17:1). He embraced his life and faith, accountable before God, “the God of Israel before whom I stand” (17:1). Elijah was bound to God’s word as an adherent to the faith and as a messenger of divine revelation. Elijah’s word and actions had been aligned with God’s revealed word. God’s commanding instruction to Elijah (17:2–3) was reinforced by God’s commanding provision of the ravens (17:4). Elijah’s faithful example is commendable and inspiring. As with Elijah, God does not call us to faithfulness to him without first showing us his faithfulness to us. God’s commands are backed by his divine promises. Although obedience to God’s ways may bring us to far-off places, God will sustain his people. On the other hand, devotion to false gods will always disappoint. Elijah’s obedience resulted in miraculous provision; Ahab’s evil resulted in an extended drought. While we enjoy many of the good things on earth, we must diligently seek and trust God, whose provision meets all of our needs in this life and the one to come.

A Jug That Shall Not Be Empty: Finding Our Confidence in the Life-Giver

Biblical Narrative (1 Kings 17:8–24)

After the Cherith brook dried up, Elijah received his next instruction: “​​The word of the Lord came to Elijah” (17:8) and told him to visit a widow in Zarephath. God commanded this widow to feed Elijah the prophet (17:9). Obedient to God’s word, Elijah went to Zarephath and found a widow gathering sticks at the city gate (17:10). Elijah asked her for some water to drink (17:11). As she went to get some, he asked her to bring “a piece of bread” (17:11). In response to his request, the woman lamented her poverty and lack: “I have no bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug” (17:12). Her situation was desperate and her prospects were bleak. She was gathering sticks so that she could prepare one last meal for her and her son so they could “eat it and die” (17:13).

Reflecting God’s own compassion, Elijah calmed the woman with the words, “Do not be afraid” (17:13). The prophet told the widow to first bake something for him and then make something for her and her son (17:13). Undergirding this instruction with a gracious word of promise, Elijah explained to the woman that her meager portions would endlessly flow: “The jar of flour will not be exhausted and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain upon the face of the earth” (17:14). In a display of trust and obedience, the woman “did according to the word of Elijah” (17:15). The result was miraculous provision: “There was food every day for Elijah and the woman and her household” (17:15). True to Elijah’s word, the divinely provided supply did not stop (17:16; cf. 17:14). What God had done for Elijah at the Brook of Cherith, he had done for this widow in Zarephath.

After this great act of divine provision, the widow experienced a great hardship. The widow’s son became ill and died (17:17). In frustration, she expressed her grief to the prophet, holding him accountable for her loss: “What have you done to me?” (17:18). Elijah asked for her son, took him to his room, and laid him on his bed (17:19). Then, Elijah prayed to God, lamenting the “tragedy on this widow” (17:20), the very one who had shown Elijah hospitality. After praying to God, Elijah stretched himself on top of the boy three times and pleaded with God, “O Lord my God, please let this boy’s life return to him” (17:21). God heard Elijah’s prayer and the child came back to life (17:22). Elijah gave the living child back to his mother (17:23). The widow repsponded with a profession of faith: “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is truth” (17:24). Nothing was too hard for God to accomplish. God had demonstrated his ability to miraculously provide food during a drought and bring the dead back to life.

Biblical Principles

Continuous Provision. In contrast to the temporary provision at the brook at Cherith, God’s provision of food for the widow of Zarephath through Elijah brought continuous provision until the drought ended. The widow knew the great pain of loss and poverty (17:9–12). Her husband had died. She was alone in caring for her son. Her provisions were nearly depleted. Her situation approached hopelessness. She was preparing a final meal for her and her son before they died. Into this dire misfortune God gave bountiful provision: “The jar of flour will not be exhausted and the jug of oil will not run dry” (17:14; cf. 17:16). God promised that she would have flow and oil “until the day the Lord sends rain upon the face of the earth” (17:14). Her life had become a barren wasteland, and God breathed new life into a most serious and severe situation. The waters of the Brook of Cherith had eventually run dry (17:7), but the flour and oil provided by the Lord would flow endlessly until the end of the drought. When Elijah raised the deceased boy back to life, God showed himself as the provider, sustainer, and giver of life (17:21–24). Neither death nor drought is more powerful than God. God certainly provides for his people in timely ways, but he also provides for his people in continuous ways. The ongoing provision of God in this story intimates and foreshadows the ultimate “continuity of care” that God provides for his people beyond our brief earthly lives, through the power of resurrection and new life in the world to come.

Simple Faith. It would have taken much trust for the widow to follow Elijah’s instructions to bring him water and bread. Provisions were tight, especially for this bereaved widow during a time of extended and severe drought. Nevertheless, the widow’s obedience to provide this meal for Elijah—especially to provide it before she provided for her son (17:13)—was an act of great trust and faith. The promise of a jar of flour and a jug of oil that would not run empty was an emphatic declaration of God’s care for the most vulnerable and his inexhaustible supply for those who trust him in simple, self-denying faith. When the widow faced the death of her son, her trust in this God was again put to the test. To provide food despite harsh and desperate circumstances clearly showed God’s providential care. However, for God to bring her dead son back to life showed that he was truly the sovereign, the only God who can provide unending life. The phrase “as the Lord your God lives” (17:12; cf. 17:1; 18:10, 15; 2 Kings 2:2, 4, 6; 3:14; 4:30; 5:16, 20) appears throughout this story (with some variation). It asserts God’s faithfulness to act in the world according to his purposes and will. It also affirms human dependence upon God. It also attests to the fact that God himself is the only reliable and trustworthy standard for life. Both miracles in this narrative establish God’s care for his people to be as certain as God’s very existence. When God’s people are devoted to him, they are devoted to a God who has their unending provision in mind. Simple and sincere faith is the only key to access to God’s continuous provision for his people.

Daily Provision and Resurrection Hope. The side-by-side miracles of continuous provision of food to a vulnerable widow (17:8–16) and raising of a deceased boy (17:17–24) help believers understand the nature of devotion to God. Sincere faith in God trusts God’s provisions for daily life and for life beyond the grave. The sacred meal of communion emphasizes both sides of God’s provision. The regularity of communion reminds us of our need to depend upon God daily. The unchanged and repeated gospel message keeps our focus on the crucified and risen Lord. For those who follow Christ, God always supplies our daily bread. But disciples of Christ have set their hope on life in the world to come. Therefore, Christians claim victory over death and hold to the certain hope of eternal life. Communion is a testimony of resurrection life for all who follow Christ. The hope and promise of the resurrection is the spark of Christian devotion. Daily provisions from God remind us of God’s provision beyond the grave. Having the guarantee of eternal life with God, what would we not sacrifice—even our very lives—to follow God’s call on our lives? The promise of the resurrection and the provision of daily needs help believers refrain from becoming enamored with temporary realities and place our ultimate hope and satisfaction in God’s good and eternal promises.

Sitting at the Right Table: Declaring Our Allegiance to the True God

Biblical Narrative (1 Kings 18:1–40)

Many days after God raised the widow’s son, he told Elijah to go to Ahab and tell him that rain would soon come (18:1). True to his obedient character, Elijah went to Ahab (18:2). At this time, Obadiah was over the household of Ahab (18:3). A godly man, Obadiah “greatly feared the Lord” and had provided safe haven and provision (i.e., bread and water) for a hundred prophets (18:4). It was the third year of the drought (18:1) and “the famine was severe” (18:2). Ahab and Obadiah went in different directions throughout the land in search of grass to feed their animals (18:5–6). During his search, Obadiah encountered Elijah, who instructed him to tell Ahab that Elijah had arrived (18:7–8). Obadiah feared for his life to tell Ahab about Elijah. After all, Ahab had been looking far and wide for Elijah. Obadiah feared that God’s Spirit could suddenly carry Elijah to another place when people spotted him (18:9–13). Eventually, Elijah reassured Obadiah that he would remain in his place while he went to get Ahab (18:15–16).

When Ahab met Elijah, he called him a “troubler of Israel” (18:17). However, Elijah told Abab that he was the one who troubled Israel because he had “forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals” (18:18). Elijah called “four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah” (18:19) to meet him at Mount Carmel in a contest against the true God of Israel. Importantly, he noted that these prophets were ones who ate “at Jezebel’s table” (18:19). Jezebel’s royal provisions for false prophets were in stark contrast to God’s provision for the hundred prophets fed by Obadiah in the caves (18:4–5, 13). These contrasting meals set up a showdown on Mount Carmel between the prophets of the false gods and the prophet of the true God.

The people and prophets gathered at Mount Carmel (18:20) and Elijah told the people to stop being ambivalent in their worship, but to worship the true God: “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” (18:21). Intent to show them that the Lord was the true God, Elijah set up a contest. Elijah and the prophets of Baal each took a bull and prepared it for a sacrifice on two different altars (18:22–23). Without a human setting fire to the altar, each group was to call out to their god to see which one would bring a fire upon the altar (18:23–24). The prophets of Baal went first. They prepared the bull on the altar, called to Baal for hours, and even cut themselves with swords, but there was no answer or fire on the altar from Baal (18:25–29). Elijah mocked them and their god, saying, “Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey,” and “Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened” (18:27).

Then, Elijah called the people to him. He repaired God’s altar with twelve stones to represent the twelve tribes of Israel (18:30–32). Then, he built a trench around the altar, set up the wood, placed the cut-up pieces of the bull on the altar, and poured water on top of the altar until it filled the trench (18:32–35). Elijah called out to the “Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel” (18:36) and asked God to answer his prayer that the people would know the true God and turn back from their sinful ways (18:37). In response to this prayer, God sent fire down on the water-saturated altar and it consumed the offering, wood, stones, dust, and even evaporated the water (18:38). When the people saw what occurred, they fell on their faces and declared that the God of Israel was the true God (18:39). Then Elijah had the prophets of Baal captured and slaughtered at the Kishon brook (18:40).

Biblical Principles

Two Competing Kingdoms. In this battle between the prophets of Baal and the prophet of God, there are subtle references to meals. Israel had become so amicable to idolatry that there were “four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table” (18:19). Through her provision, Jezebel was nourishing agents of false worship in the land, propping up devotion to empty and powerless deities. Opposed to the worship of God, Jezebel even “slaughtered the prophets of the Lord” (18:4). In contrast, Obadiah “had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water” (18:4; cf. 18:13). Obadiah had sustained God’s faithful servants during an intense time of persecution. While the false prophets received royal treatment at Jezebel’s table, God provided for his faithful servants in their vulnerable situation. The opulence of Jezebel’s table differed from the simplicity of Obadiah’s caves. Jezebel’s hospitality fostered indulgence, immorality, and idolatry. Obadiah’s provision cultivated endurance, comfort, and faith in God. Jezebel fueled hostility and persecution; Obadiah preserved the faithful remnant of God’s prophetic band. These two competing meals represent two contrasting kingdoms at war with each other. In the end, the kingdom of God certainly triumphs over the kingdom of darkness.

The One True God. Boldly, Elijah challenged the false prophets. But the real contest was between the living and true God and the false gods of Israel’s fancies (18:21, 23–24). In this story, the true God overcame Baal (18:27, 36–39). With God’s help, the singular Elijah (18:22) contended against the crowd of false prophets (18:22, 25). The cacophony of pagan rituals (18:26–29) was no match for the single-minded prayer of Elijah (18:36–37). And, in the end, the people confessed what Ahab betrayed: faith in the true God (18:37, 39). No impressive quantity of well-fed false prophets could stand a chance against the sovereign God. With just one of his faithful prophets, God undoes the forces of a rebellious kingdom.

Exclusive Faith and Wholehearted Devotion. This narrative encourages exclusive faith in and wholehearted devotion to God. The Lord’s Supper is more akin to Obadiah’s meal in a cave than Jezebel’s royal banquet. Obadiah supplied a meal for the persecuted righteous in contrast to Jezebel’s feast for the indulgent wicked. The difference in these meals—and in each of these contrasts—highlights the different allegiances of people. Communion is a gospel-centered meal that calls us to regularly commit ourselves in allegiance to Christ. His death on the cross is the true sacrifice acceptable to God (cf. 18:38). Christ’s victorious atonement is the true defeat of the enemy (cf. 18:40). Christ’s resurrection is the final vindication of the true God (cf. 18:39). And the communion meal is God nourishing his exiled people in their continued allegiance to Christ (cf. 18:4, 13). The meal of communion is a feast of allegiance where we renounce the false gods and their malnourishing amusements and submit ourselves to the true God whose supply is ample and abundant, even if he feeds us on the run or in hiding. Communion represents the corporate cry of God’s people: “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!” (18:39). It is a definitive rejection of false gods. The table of communion is for those who no longer “waver between two opinions” (18:21). Because we know that “the Lord is God,” we eat as a confession of faith: we “follow Him” (18:21).

A Covenant Meal: Renewing Our Relationship with the Faithful God

Biblical Narrative (1 Kings 18:41–46)

After the victorious Mount Carmel contest, Elijah told Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain” (18:41). Obeying the prophet’s words, Ahab went to the top of Mount Carmel to “eat and drink” (18:42). Elijah’s instructions carried great spiritual significance. In the ancient world, meals were a part of a covenant renewal ritual in which God’s people revitalized their commitment to the Lord. King Ahab should have been leading God’s people in righteousness and pure worship. Instead, he (and his wicked wife) were leading God’s covenant people into immorality and idolatry. On Mount Carmel, Elijah had just demonstrated the superiority of Israel’s God over all other gods. Now, Elijah was summoning the king to restore faithfulness to the one and only true God.

Meanwhile, Elijah went to the top of Mount Carmel to pray. God’s prophet “bent down on the ground, and put his face between his knees” (18:42). The time of the drought was ending, and, as Elijah had previously said, rain would only return “at [his] word” (17:1). Previously, Elijah had been God’s appointed messenger to bring news of this extended lack of rain. Now, Elijah petitioned God to send rain. Elijah’s prayer was persistent. Kneeling before the Lord, Elijah sent his servant to check if clouds were forming (18:43). This happened seven times. A cloud appeared the seventh time, and Elijah sent his servant to tell Ahab that rain was coming and that he should leave before the rain would stop him (18:44). Then a great rain fell on the earth, and Ahab went back to Jezreel (18:45). God’s hand was on Elijah, and he ran to Jezreel ahead of Ahab (18:46).

Biblical Principles

Covenant Renewal. In the previous scene, Elijah clearly demonstrated God’s victory over Baal. Consequently, Elijah’s command for Ahab to eat a meal on Mount Carmel was an invitation to join in with the people’s affirmation, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!” (18:39). That Ahab “went up to eat and to drink” (18:42) demonstrates some level of respect for God, even if it was superficial. The mountaintop meal amounted to a covenant renewal ceremony, giving an opportunity for Ahab and Israel to recommit themselves to God and reestablish their covenant relationship with him. It is hard to know the extent of Ahab’s genuine devotion here. Later in his story, Ahab continued to practice wickedness and came to a fateful and disgraceful death (cf. 1 Kings 21–22). Whatever became of Ahab’s devotion, the meal at the summit of Mount Carmel was a means to reject false gods and express exclusive allegiance to the true God. As Israel’s leader, it was Ahab’s duty to do this for the nation.

Christians, saved by God’s grace and through faith in Christ, do not become perfect at their conversion. Initiated into a body of fellow believers who share life together, Christians continue to grow in their faith. Susceptible to bouts of disobedience, struggles in doubt, and seasons of rebellion, Christians need a way to renew their covenant commitment to God. As a covenant meal, the blessed practice of communion is a way for God’s people to keep their covenant relationship—with its gracious provision and lifestyle obligations—ever before the community of faith. Covenantal in nature, this meal should be reserved for genuine members of the covenant community. But even these, as they progress in their faith, rely upon a regular meeting—a covenant meal—to reassert their commitment to the God of their salvation.

Persistent Petitionary Prayer. While Ahab ate a covenant meal, Elijah petitioned God for rain (18:42–44). Elijah’s prayer is instructive to us. In kneeling before the Lord, Elijah was humble and dependent (18:42). In asking God seven times, God’s prophet was patient and unrelenting (18:43–44). Elijah also demonstrated expectancy and hope in his prayer, repeatedly sending out his servant to look for rain to come from the sea (18:43–44). After the Lord answered his prayer, Elijah instructed his servant to tell this news to Ahab (18:44). In this act, he showed responsiveness and alertness when God intervened. Elijah’s boldness to confront the false gods of the land was backed by a life and ministry of deep dependence upon God. All of God’s people are called to a life of prayer. Covenant faithfulness is expressed and energized by a prayerful life. Inasmuch as communion is a rededication of our commitment to God, it is also a means of seeking God’s help in our time of need. As individual believers and as a church community, we should make the habit of prayer a lifelong exercise in devotion and dependence upon God.

Super Food: Going on the Journey in God’s Strength

Biblical Narrative (1 Kings 19:1–18)

After the events of Mount Carmel, Elijah went on the run into the wilderness. Ahab told Jezebel about Elijah’s slaughter of the false prophets (19:1; cf. 18:40). This infuriated Jezebel, who sent a vehement message to Elijah threatening his life: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the lives of those you killed” (19:1–2). When Elijah heard that he was the target of Jezebel’s animosity, God’s prophet became “afraid and ran for his life” (19:3). From northern Israel (Mount Carmel and Jezreel), God’s terrified messenger fled to “Beersheba in Judah” (19:3), on the southern edge of Israel. He left his servant there and journeyed by himself into the wilderness for one day and sat under a tree (19:4). Discouraged and despairing, Elijah asked God to end his life: “I have had enough, Lord … Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers” (19:4). Exhausted in body and spirit, Elijah fell asleep under the tree (19:5). Unexpectedly, an angel woke up Elijah and told him, “Get up and eat” (19:5; cf. 18:41). God had graciously provided for his weary and forlorn servant: “By his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water” (19:6). After eating, Elijah fell asleep again (19:6). The angel woke him up a second time and told him to eat and drink so he would have strength for his journey (19:7). Obedient to God’s messenger, Elijah ate and drank and was so “strengthened by that food” that “he walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God” (19:8).

After his long journey to Horeb, Elijah slept in a cave (19:9), where he had a powerful encounter with God. God spoke to Elijah asking him why he was staying there (19:9). Elijah expressed three concerns to God: his faithfulness to the Lord, Israel’s faithlessness to God, and his lonely suffering (19:10). Even though God had a decisive victory at Mount Carmel and even though God miraculously provided for Elijah under the broom tree in the wilderness, Elijah was still discouraged, lonely, and despairing. God told Elijah to go out to the mountain because “the Lord is about to pass by” (19:11). God planned to reveal himself to his servant in an act of reassurance and revelation. After experiencing a strong wind, earthquake, and fire, God finally revealed himself to Elijah in a low whisper (19:11–12). Knowing he was in God’s presence, Elijah covered his face with a cloth and God asked him again what he was doing here in the cave (19:13). Again, Elijah responded with his threefold complaint to the Lord (19:14; cf. 19:10). God told Elijah to return to Damascus where he gave him instructions to anoint the king of Syria, the king of Israel, and Elisha as his prophetic successor (19:15–16). God reaffirmed to him that he was still at work and Elijah was not the only one faithful to God (19:17–18). God had met with his discouraged prophet only to commission him into his continued service.

Biblical Principles

Timely Provision. At this point in the narrative, Elijah was a fugitive on the run. His great ministry success (19:1) was followed by targeted persecution and hostile threat (19:2). Previously bold in his confrontation of Baal’s prophets, now he was afraid and running for his life (19:3). A sense of single-minded resolve to serve God against the currents of an idolatrous Israelite society turned into a lonely and isolating retreat (19:4). The prophet’s flight to Beersheba and the wilderness beyond left him tired, weak, hungry, and discouraged, despairing of his own life (19:4–7). God met his servant in this moment of frailty and distress. The broom tree gave rest to this weary prophet (19:4). In supplying him food and water, God provided for Elijah’s physical nourishment (19:5–8). The angelic visit gave Elijah clear instructions to follow in what may have been a mentally confusing time (19:5, 7). God used both ordinary means (i.e., broom tree) and supernatural means (i.e., freshly baked bread and a jug of water in the wilderness) to care for his servant. While these divine provisions met Elijah’s physical needs, they also gave him supernatural strength so that this meal allowed him to travel forty days to Horeb (19:8). The timely and gracious care of God’s prophet tells us much about God’s care for his people. God does not abandon his own. He meets our daily needs, provides for our physical well-being and our comfort, and strengthens us for the journey of faith.

Exilic Identity and Faith Pilgrimage. The meal in this story nourished a weary exile on his journey to God’s presence. Elijah represents God’s chosen servant experiencing marginalization and mistreatment (19:2–3, 10, 14). Elijah depicts the exilic reality that is intrinsically true of the Christian life. The church of Christ lives on this earth as God’s chosen people, but the experience of the Christian life is one of exile and pilgrimage. Those who take comfort in this world as their home are susceptible to indulgence, self-gratification, and gluttony. On the contrary, God’s people are nourished sufficiently (with just enough) to continue in their journey. Communion reminds us that we are temporary sojourners on this earth. Like the wilderness meal that sustained Elijah until he reached Horeb (19:8–9), communion sustains God’s people in their pilgrimage of faith until they are finally reunited with their Lord. The Lord’s Supper is a sacred meal, a divine provision that strengthens, nourishes, and sustains God’s people in their exilic life.

God’s Presence and God’s Word. In this narrative, Elijah is depicted as a Moses-like figure who enjoyed intimate communion with God. He met with God on Mount Horeb, “the mountain of God” (19:8), where Moses experienced God’s presence (cf. Exodus 3:1–6). On this mountain, Elijah received ministry instructions and reassurance (19:15–18) like Moses (cf. Exodus 3:7–4:17). At Horeb, Elijah expressed his concerns about Israel’s covenant faithlessness (19:10, 14), the same mountain on which God established his covenant relationship with his people (cf. Deuteronomy 5:1; 29:1). Both of these servants experienced God’s presence while in a cave-like opening in the mountain (19:9; cf. Exodus 33:17–23). When Moses encountered God’s presence, he removed his sandals (cf. Exodus 3:5) and later covered his face (cf. Exodus 34:29–35).

During this mountaintop experience, God’s servant encountered his presence through his revealed word. Elijah’s journey to Horeb led him to hear God’s word (19:9, 11–13, 15). Through the divine word, Elijah encountered God’s presence: “Stand on the mountain before the Lord … the Lord is about to pass by” (19:11; cf. 19:12–13). Although God provided a strengthening meal for his weary servant (cf. 19:6–9), God’s presence and God’s word were greater gifts for Elijah. God revealed himself to his frustrated prophet and showed him that he was not alone. God was with him, and God had a faithful remnant who had not betrayed him (19:18). In our suffering, we are tempted to think that we are alone and that God has abandoned us. Targeted persecution might foment blame against God and self-pity within ourselves. Often, we need God’s presence and God’s word to rescue us from our murmuring stupor. In this narrative, God’s presence is revealed in the tenderness of a low whisper (19:13). Elijah had already experienced the unconquerable power of God on Mount Carmel. In the cave at Horeb, he needed to meet God in his kindness and gentleness. When we meet with God in his word, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness, we become certain of God’s promises, and we become strengthened for God’s work. God will not forsake his people. God has formed his suffering and exilic people into a covenant community. Believers are not alone. They are members of this community of faith—God’s people throughout history, around the globe, and between heaven and earth—who share a common faith and bear each other’s burdens. Given to his pilgrims and exiles, the meal of communion nourishes weary and suffering pilgrims. It reminds us of the faithful remnant throughout the world and offers us a gentle knowledge of God’s faithful presence.

Sacrificial Meal: Offering Ourselves to God’s Service

Biblical Narrative (1 Kings 19:19–21)

After God’s mountaintop revelation to Elijah, God’s prophet followed God’s instructions and left the cave. He found Elisha, his prophetic replacement whom he was told to anoint (19:16). At this time, Elisha was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and, when he passed by, he threw his cloak on Elisha (19:19). This symbolic act amounted to a call to prophetic ministry. Elisha “left the oxen” and “ran after Elijah” (19:20). Elisha had understood something of what Elijah had done. He at least knew some implications of becoming Elijah’s protéé. Therefore, Elisha asked Elijah if he could say goodbye to his parents (19:20). Then, Elisha “took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them” (19:21). He cooked the meat and gave it to the people to eat. After this sacrificial meal, Elisha “set out to follow and serve Elijah” (19:21).

Biblical Principles

Sacrifice. In this part of the story, Elisha sacrificed his animals and offered a meal to the people (19:21). This sacrificial meal was rich in meaning. It represented a clear break with his old life. The slaughter of oxen put to death animals that were a means of his family’s provision. This sacrifice was also a statement of his earnest desire to follow God. He was willing to follow God with wholehearted commitment, offering himself fully to God. In this way, the sacrifice also symbolized dedication to a new vocation. Elisha was to serve God’s purposes rather than his personal well-being, even parting ways with his family (19:20). Although the Lord’s Supper is not a sacrifice, it represents the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross. It reminds us of Christ’s full devotion to his Father’s will that sent him to his crucifixion. Christ’s sacrifice for salvation encourages our sacrifice of full devotion to God. When we partake in communion, we are offering ourselves to God in self-denial and self-sacrifice.

Service. When Christians practice the Lord’s Supper, they remember Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and offer their lives to God’s service. Elisha’s willingness to part ways with his old life was also a statement of his willingness to “follow and serve Elijah” (19:21). Devotion to Christ involves serving Christ. Submission, humility, and venturesome faith characterize a life of service. When Christians gather around the Lord’s table, they are acknowledging their identity as servants of Christ. Believers belong to Christ. He guides their steps. He instructs their paths. He decides their work. The nourishment from the table fellowship equips God’s servants to go into the world and fulfill their divine assignments, to follow, obey, and serve Christ wherever he leads.

Conclusion

Devotion to God involves our full service. Embracing a life of worship to God, God’s people follow his commands obediently in faithful trust. As we follow God in obedience, we can have confidence that God will provide for us along the way. Elijah’s story manifests these truths. Elijah experiences God’s nourishment and sustaining care at the brook Cherith. Although this brook dried up due to the drought, he experienced God’s unwavering provision in the story of the widow of Zarephath. God miraculously provided a constant supply of flour and oil, and God brought her dead son back to life. Elijah’s confrontation of the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel highlights God’s power over all false gods, asserting that God alone should be worshiped. Obadiah’s provision and protection of God’s prophets starkly contrast with the false prophets feasting at Jezebel’s table. No short supply will be found when God provides for the faithful. After the defeat of Baal and the killing of the prophets, Elijah’s command that Ahab eat on Mount Carmel showed the importance of a meal as a way for covenant renewal. When Elijah fled Jezebel and sought protection, God provided food that sustained him for a forty-day pilgrimage. On Mount Horeb, God revealed himself to Elijah in a gentle whisper, and God showed that his purposes will ultimately prevail. Eventually, Elijah appointed Elisha as his replacement. When Elisha slaughtered his oxen, he emphasized the importance of sacrifice in devotion to God.

The life of faith is a journey, a pilgrimage of trust in God and service of his purposes in the world. To follow God in devotion is to heed his word, trusting that he will supply everything we need along the way. In his best moments and in his lowest, Elijah encourages us in devotion to God. The six meals referred to in this story are not mere incidental narrative details. Together, they mark a noteworthy theme in this biblical account that helps us understand devotion to God and his care for his people. God provides for his people when he summons them to faith. God works through weak human vessels to showcase his power and might. God tenderly cares for his own when they face weakness, fear, discouragement, and despair. As a whole, this story points us to the meal of meals—the Lord’s Supper—which nourishes, strengthens, and sustains God’s people in their faith and service. It also points us to God’s most faithful servant of all, Jesus Christ, God’s eternal Son, whose faithfulness, power, and sacrifice are the foundation of our life with God.

Session Synopsis

SESSION 9 SYNOPSIS
Mount	In this passage, we learn about God’s provision in sustenance and renewal. In the present story, God provided a meal for Elijah at the brook Cherith during an extended drought. This was followed by a miraculous provision for a widow and the raising of her son from the dead. During this time, the idolatrous feasting of Queen Jezebel and her false prophets was contrasted with the compassionate provision of Obadiah for God’s prophets. Eventually, Elijah demonstrated God’s sovereignty and supremacy on Mount Carmel in a contest against Baal’s prophets. After this victory, Elijah instructed Ahab to eat on the mountain as a witness to the covenantal relationship with God. Elijah prayed seven times for rain, and the drought ended. Elijah then became a target of Jezebel. She threatened his life, and Elijah fled to the south and despaired for his life. God provided food for his weary prophet and revealed himself at Mount Horeb. After Elijah summoned Elisha to be his prophetic replacement, Elisha slaughtered his oxen, representing a sacrificial meal offered to consecrate himself in full service to God. This narrative (and the meals that occur in it) reveals the nature of devotion to God and points to the important aspects of the Lord’s Supper. A summary of this story’s principles is outlined below.
Various Meals	Several meals occur in this story. They teach about devotion to God and foreshadow aspects of Christian communion. God’s provision by the brook of Cherith shows his timely provision and judgment over evil (17:4–6). The miraculous supply for the widow in Zarephath shows God’s unending and continuous supply for his people in need (17:8–16). Obadiah’s meal is contrasted with Jezebel’s meal, highlighting God’s provision for his persecuted people (18:4, 13, 19). Ahab’s meal on Mount Carmel represents a covenant renewal (18:41–42). God’s provision for Elijah in the wilderness is sustenance for his suffering and discouraged servant (19:5–9). Elisha’s slaughter of the oxen hints at the sacrificial nature of Christian devotion (19:21).
Sustaining God’s People	God sustains his people physically (17, 8–16; 19:4–8) and spiritually (17:13; 19:9–18). God can use common, ordinary means (17:4, 6; 19:4–5) and uncommon, supernatural means (17:4, 6, 8–24; 18:43–45; 19:6–8) to care for his people. God uses his word (17:2, 5, 8, 16, 24; 18:1, 31, 36; 19:9, 11–13, 15) and presence (19:11–13) to sustain and encourage his people.
Exilic Identity and Faith Pilgrimage	Elijah was God’s chosen servant who experienced opposition (19:1–9). Believers live in a world of two competing kingdoms: the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness (18:1–19). Elijah represents the exilic nature of God’s people, a community of faithful followers on a pilgrimage of faith.
Divine Provision	God meets the needs of his people in their time of need (17:1–7, 9–16; 19:1–8). God withholds his blessing as a form of judgment (17:1, 7). God’s faithfulness to his people and his word is a matter of his faithfulness to himself (17:1, 12; cf. 17:1; 18:10, 15; 2 Kings 2:2, 4, 6; 3:14; 4:30; 5:16, 20).
Expressions of Devotion	God calls his people to wholehearted devotion and faithfulness to himself (17:1, 5). This devotion can manifest itself in simple faith (17:15), exclusive allegiance 18:21, 39–40), covenant renewal (18:41–46), and prayerful dependence (17:20; 18:36–38; 42–45). All devotion to God involves sacrifice (19:20) and service (19:15–18, 21) to God.

Personal Reflection: Entering the Story

Apply the Text: The word of God is binding and authoritative, the only reliable guide for faith and godliness. True disciples submit themselves to God’s word. In this movement, you will apply God’s word to your lives.

Reflection Questions

Encourage one person to share a testimony about how this story has impacted them so far. Use the reflection questions to examine your life in light of this biblical passage.

Spiritual Practice

Ministry Practice: Rehearsing the Script

Minister the Text: God’s word is living and active. Through God’s word, the Christian community is edified. In this movement, you will utilize the biblical passage to minister to other believers and build them up in their faith.

Application Questions

Look at the infographic below. Use the questions to think about how to minister this text to other believers.

Missional Outreach: Publicizing the Truth

Witness the Text: The Bible is a message of God’s gracious salvation to the world. In word and deed, God’s people proclaim the good news of the gospel. In this movement, you will use this biblical passage to reach out to unbelievers.

Strategy Questions

Reflect on the infographic below. Consider how you can use this passage to witness to the surrounding world. Use the suggested ideas to prime your imagination. Then, put together a plan to share this passage with unbelievers, Afterward, reflect on this mission experience.