Women with a Story to Tell. Jezebel 3.

 Last week we saw that Jezebel was at work trying to establish new gods as the central belief and trust of Israel. She went about it with vengeance and violence as well as with money and propaganda…pretty much as the elite does today. 

 Jezebel not only sidelined the prophets of YHWH, but she also hunted them down, took away their rights which had been given them by God, and carried out political executions. Ahab’s own palace steward, Obadiah, was secretly faithful to YHWH. Obadiah hid 100 of the prophets in two different sites so that if Jezebel’s homeland security found one of the hiding places, the other 50 would survive.

 But her chief critic was Elijah, whom God himself was hiding. Ahab searched high and low, and even sent letters to the surrounding nations threatening them that, if they were hiding Elijah, he would come after them. The country was nearing the end of a drought which Ahab and Jezebel were sure that Elijah had caused. Then, Elijah suddenly appeared and challenged Jezebel to send her favorite prophets (they ate at her table) to Mount Carmel for a showdown. 

 It is a famous story, so you know it. Elijah challenged the people. 

“Elijah then came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him, but if Baal, then follow him.” The people did not answer him a word” (I Kings 18: 21).

 Then, Elijah had two bulls cut up for a ritual sacrifice. However, instead of lighting the fire, he challenged the prophets to call down fire from heaven on their offering. The prophets of Ba’al and Asherah danced and sang, then cut themselves and cried out to Ba’al and Asherah to witness their sincerity and send down fire. Not even a spark.

 When they had exhausted themselves, Elijah called for water to be poured over his sacrificial bull and then ordered that the bull and wood be drenched two more times. Then he bowed his head and prayed to YHWH. 

“O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have turned their hearts back” (I Kings 18: 36-37). 

Stand back! Fire poured down from heaven, sucked up the water, burned up the bull, and cracked the rocks of the altar to powder. The people fell on their faces in amazement and said, “The LORD indeed is God; the LORD indeed is God.” Then they looked around to make sure no more fire was coming for them (No. I just added that for humor.)

 Elijah ordered them to seize the prophets of the government and kill them, which the people did. After that, Elijah announced the coming of rain to end the drought.

 What did Jezebel think? Her favorite prophets have been exposed for their false ideology, and she and Ahab had been humiliated for their lack of power in the face of the true God of Israel. Given the character of puffed up political leaders, what do you think she will do?

 “Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.”  (I Kings 19: 1-2).    

 That’s right. Be humiliated when someone reveals how shallow you are, then vow to take revenge and send out the government’s lackeys to mete out punishment. As I said, Jezebel is charging head-long down the path to her own destruction. When God sends messages or even writes them down, take the hint!