The Narrative Continues

What is this Narrative Lectionary doing jumping from story to story- leaving out lot's of stuff?

Well it's summarizing the Hebrew story of God’s covenants with humankind- particularly the covenant with Abraham- in which God promises to make of Abraham a great nation through which all people will be blessed. 

The covenant with David extends this theme as David becomes the first king of a united nation formed from the tribal descendants of Israel- Abraham’s grandson.

But things are not going so well,

After only two kings, the kingdom splits (but not in half)- Israel (and ten of the tribes) in the north and Judah (tribes of Judah and Benjamin) in the south.

Israel exists as a kingdom for about 270 years until it is conquered by the Assyrians. Those that did not escape to Judah in the south were taken captive leading to the myth of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.

Judah existed independently for another 200 years before it was conquered by the Babylonians and Solomon’s temple was destroyed.

Side note: Who Gets to Write History?

In the Ancient Near East histories were written by the élites. In the case of 1^st and 2^nd Kings we are reading a history written during the 6^th century BCE – from the southern kingdom of Judah. This was just before the return from Exile and the restoration of the temple. The concern was for restoring the Law of Moses and Yahweh worship centered in the temple.

King Ahab's palace in Samaria

The history understandably reflects this perspective. For instance, archaeological discoveries reveal that Ahab was a great king who built a lot of stuff- evidence of great wealth and power.

The record for Solomon..... not so much!

But Ahab was a man who hedged his bets with the gods, and was beguiled by a beautiful pagan princess into worshiping more than Yahweh. There’s no way for the restorationist-author that Ahab could have been the greatest king in Israel’s history.

Whoever is greatest, clearly one nation as the conveyor of the Abrahamic/Davidic covenants is having difficulty.

And so along come the prophets with words from Yahweh that he is not pleased (jealous actually, of the other-god worship).

Jezebel & Ahab stopping to ask directions from Elijah

Elijah is the first and greatest prophet. He lives in the Northern Kingdom. He speaks angrily against Ahab and his Phoenician Queen, Jezebel, for mixing the worship of Yahweh with Baal and (Yahweh forbid) Asherah- a female deity! 

Asherah circa 800 BCE

[Funny note- the archaeological record is revealing that apparently Asherah was worshiped by the Hebrew people as the consort of Yahweh- Queen of Heaven. Some refer to this as the "charm of Biblical polytheism" Apparently, Yahweh did not like being fixed up this way, and was not amused (although I'm sure he and Asherah made quite a striking couple!).If only people would listen to the clergy, these things wouldn't happen!]

Elijah will later massacre 400 prophets of Baal and 200 prophets of Asherah at Mt Carmel (that whole story of Elijah on Mt Carmel was one of my favorite Bible stories as a kid, but I never really took notice that it ended in an incredible Yahweh-sanctioned blood bath- somehow it just never registered, kind of like the story of Noah being about the extermination of the human race- just missed it!)

This Sunday’s Narrative lectionary reading is about how God sends a famine to punish Ahab and then sends Elijah to live with a widow in Sidon (NOTICE: this is where Jezebel is from) to wait out the famine by miraculously providing food for them.

Elijah will also raise the widow’s son from the dead (the first time this happens in scripture, and later to be an identifying sign of the Messiah). This is in contrast to Ahab and Jezebel who sacrifice their oldest and youngest sons to Baal when building their capital city of Samaria (previous chapter in 1^st Kings).

So what do we make of all this?

I mean, other than being sold into slavery and then becoming a powerful ruler, or being a mighty warrior, or having 100’s of wives, or living in the desert - what does this have to do with me?

It does leave intriguing questions: 

What will happen with the Covenant? 

What will a people "blessed by God to be a blessing" look like?

When will this all come about?

Fortunately the Hebrew prophets are on their way to provide some insight. Stay tuned…