Stroll through Scripture for Sunday, November 5, 2023–1 Kings 18:17–39

The Narrative Lectionary continues marching us forward with an important segment of the story of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In Sunday’s reading we hear about King Ahab, who is the seventh Northern king of Israel. His wife, Queen Jezebel, was from Sidon and this created a political alliance between the northern kingdom and the Phoenicians. Ahab’s rule was marked with conflict with the Assyrians to the north and with Moab to the East and the South.

Jezebel brought the worship of Baal with her. Baal was associated with the storm and the fertility god Hadad from the region around Syria. Baal was also associated with agriculture and was called the ‘giver of life’ by his adherents. Baal was the god most worshiped by the Canaanites. Asherah was a goddess of fertility that mythology told that she was married to El, the strongest god of the pantheon. She was also the mother of Baal according to the mythology.

It is with this background in mind that Elijah, the only remaining prophet of Yahweh, faces off with the 450 prophets of Baal. On the surface, things are not looking good for Elijah. He’s outnumbered, the people have no loyalty to Yahweh and haven’t for some time, the government is totally dedicated to the pantheon of gods associated with Baal. Ahab confronts Elijah and they agree to a prophet face off.

Elijah lets the prophets of Baal go first. He goes out of his way to make plenty of accommodations for them so there can be no accusation…