After the big showdown on Mt. Carmel Elijah had all the confidence in the world! Right?
Well…
There was this intense woman named Jezebel, and she was really upset with Elijah for killing hundreds of her sycophants. And Jezebel said, “I’m gonna kill Elijah!”
But Elijah had just seen supernatural fire from heaven on the summit of Mt. Carmel, and Elijah had just carried out blitzkrieg on Jezebel’s lickspittles! So this threat from Jezebel won’t phase him. Right?
Nope.
Elijah was afraid.
And Elijah arose and ran for his life. Elijah went a day’s journey into the wilderness and bivouacked under a broom tree. And Elijah called up his Boss and asked that he might die. The Boss gave Elijah food and then the Boss told Elijah to walk for 40 days on the strength of that food, and after 40 days of walking Elijah arrived at a cave at Mt. Horeb, and Elijah bivouacked in the cave.
And Elijah’s Boss said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
And Elijah said, “I’m all alone. I want to retire.”
And Elijah’s Boss said, “Get up and walk out of the cave and hike to the summit of Mt. Horeb.” And behold, the Boss passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountain apart splitting massive pieces of rock away from the summit, but the Boss wasn’t in the violent wind. And after the wind an earthquake occurred, but the Boss was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Boss was not in the fire. And after the fire …there was the sound of a low whisper, and behold – there came a voice (it was the voice of the Boss!), and the voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
And Elijah said, “I’m all alone. I am utterly and absolutely alone! I’m the only one who really understands what’s truly going on. And Jezebel wants to kill me. And I’m done! I want to retire!”
And Elijah’s Boss said, “Ok. But first you have to inaugurate a new king in Syria, and also inaugurate a new king in the nation state of Israel; and you have to groom your successor. And here’s the deal …the people who escape the sword of the new king of Syria shall be killed by the new king of Israel; and the people who escape the sword of the new king of Israel shall be killed by your successor! Capeesh?”
And Elijah said, “I capeesh.”
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