Dave Yadallee's personal blog

Day 160, 9 June 2022



1) 1 Kings 17:8 -20:22



1 Kings 17:8-24



The Widow of Zarephath



8 The word of the Lord came to him, saying,

9 (Ob 1:20; Lk 4:26) "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon,

and live there. I have commanded a widow there to provide for you."

10 (Ge 24:17; Jn 4:7) So he got up and went to Zarephath,

and when he came to the gate of the city, a widow was there gathering sticks.

He called to her and said, "Please get a small cup of water for me to drink."

11 As she was going to get it, he called to her and said,

"Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."

12 (1Ki 17:1; Ge 21:16) She said, "As the Lord your God lives,

I do not have bread, but only a handful of meal in a barrel

and a little oil in a jar. I am gathering two sticks, that I can go in

and make it for me and my son, so we may eat it and die."

13 Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make

a little cake for me first, and bring it to me, and afterward,

make some for your son and you,

14 for thus says the Lord God of Israel: The barrel of meal will not run out,

nor will the jar of oil empty, until the day that the Lord

sends rain upon the earth."

15 She went and did what Elijah told her to do, and she, he,

and her household ate many days.

16 The barrel of meal did not run out, nor did the jar of oil empty,

according to the word of the Lord, which He spoke by Elijah.

17 Later on, the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became

terribly sick, so much so that he had no breath left in him.

18 (2Ki 3:13; Lk 4:34) She said to Elijah, "What do I have to do with you,

O you man of God? Have you come to remind me of my sin and to kill my son?"

19 And he said to her, "Give me your son," and he took him out of her arms

and carried him up to a loft where he slept and laid him on his own bed.

20 He cried to the Lord and said, "O Lord, my God, have You brought tragedy

upon the widow with whom I live by killing her son?"

21 (Ac 20:10) And he stretched himself upon the child three times

and cried to the Lord and said, "O Lord, my God, I pray that You

let this child's soul come into him again."

22 The Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came

into him again, and he was revived.

23 Elijah took the child and brought him down out of the chamber

into the house and returned him to his mother,

and Elijah said, "See, your son lives!"

24 (Jn 3:2; 16:30) The woman said to Elijah, "Now, because of this,

I know that you are a man of God, and that the word

of the Lord in your mouth is truth!"



At Zarephath

8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,

9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there:

behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the

city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to

her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may

drink.

11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me,

I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful

of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering

two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat

it, and die.

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make

me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee

and for thy son.

14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste,

neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain

upon the earth.

15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he,

and her house, did eat many days.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail,

according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

17 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman,

the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that

there was no breath left in him.

18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God?

art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom,

and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought

evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto

the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come

into him again.

22And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah;

and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the

house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See,

thy son liveth.

24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of

God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.



1 Kings 18



Elijah Confronts Ahab



1 (Lk 4:25; Jas 5:17; 1Ki 17:1) After many days, in the third year,

the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, "Go and present yourself to Ahab,

and I will send rain upon the earth."

2 Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. And there was a great famine in Samaria.

3 (Ne 7:2; 1Ki 16:9) Ahab called Obadiah, who was the governor of his house.

(Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly.

4 (1Ki 18:13; Mt 10:40-42) When Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord,

Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them in groups of fifty in a cave

and fed them with bread and water.)

5 And Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go into the land, to all the springs of water

and to all the brooks. Perhaps we will find grass to save the horses

and mules, so that we do not lose all the beasts."

6 So they divided the land between them to search throughout it.

Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7 (2Ki 1:6-8) As Obadiah was going along, he met Elijah, and he recognized him

and fell on his face and said, "Is that you, my lord Elijah?"

8 And he answered him, "I am. Go, tell your lord, 'Elijah is here.' "

9 He said, "What evil have I done that you would hand your servant

into the hand of Ahab to put me to death?

10 (1Ki 17:1) As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom

where my lord has not looked for you, and when they said, 'He is not here,'

he made the kingdom and nation swear that they could not find you,

11 and now you say, 'Go, tell your lord, "Elijah is here!" '

12 (2Ki 2:16; Ac 8:39) As soon as I am gone from you, the Spirit of the Lord

will carry you to a place I do not know, and so when I come and tell Ahab

and he cannot find you, he will execute me. But I, your servant, have feared

the Lord since my youth.

13 (1Ki 18:4) Were you not told what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets

of the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of the Lord's prophets in groups

of fifty in a cave and fed them with bread and water?

14 And now you say, 'Go, tell your lord, "Elijah is here," '

and he will execute me."

15 (1Ki 17:1; 18:10) Elijah said, "As the Lord of Hosts lives, before

whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today."



Elijah and the Prophets of Baal



16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. And Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 (Jos 7:25; 1Ki 21:20) When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him,

"Are you he that troubles Israel?"

18 (2Ch 15:2; 1Ki 9:9) And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but you

and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments

of the Lord and you have followed the Baals.

19 (Jos 19:26; 1Ki 16:33) Now send word out and gather for me all Israel

on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal

and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel's table."

20 So Ahab called out all the children of Israel a

nd gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.

21 (Jos 24:15; 2Ki 17:41) Elijah came to all the people and said,

"How long will you stay between two opinions?

If the Lord is God, follow Him, but if Baal, then follow him."

And the people did not say a word.

22 (1Ki 19:10; 19:14) Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone remain

a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets number 450 men.

23 Therefore, let them give us two bulls, and let them choose one bull

for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on some wood, but do not

light a fire under it, and I will prepare the other bull, lay it on some wood,

and not light a fire underneath it.

24 (1Ki 18:38; 1Ch 21:26) And you call on the name of your gods,

and I will call on the name of the Lord, and the God that answers by fire,

let Him be God." And all the people answered and said, "It is well spoken."

25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves

and prepare it first, for there are many of you, and call on

the name of your god, but do not light a fire underneath."

26 (Jer 10:5; 1Co 8:4) They took the bull which was given to them,

and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon,

saying, "O Baal, hear us." But there was no voice, and no one answered.

And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

27 By noon, Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry out loud, for he is a god.

Either he is talking or is gone away or is on a journey,

or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened."

28 (Lev 19:28; Dt 14:1) They cried out loud and cut themselves with knives

and spears according to their custom until the blood gushed out on them.

29 (Ex 29:41; 1Ki 18:26) And as midday passed, they prophesied

until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice.

But there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

30 (1Ki 19:10; 19:14) Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me."

And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord

that was broken down.

31 (Ge 32:28; 35:10) Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number

of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came saying,

"Israel shall be your name,"

32 (Col 3:17) and he built an altar in the name of the Lord with stones,

and he made a trench around the altar, so deep that it could contain two seahs

[Likely about 24 pounds, or 11 kilograms.] of seed.

33 (Ge 22:9; Lev 1:6-8) He arranged the wood and cut the bull in pieces

and laid him on the wood and said, "Fill four barrels with water,

and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood."

34 He said, "Do it a second time," and they did it a second time.

And he said, "Do it a third time," and they did it the third time.

35 The water ran all around the altar and also filled the trench with water.

36 (Ex 3:6; 1Ki 8:43) At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice,

Elijah the prophet came near and said, "The Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac,

and of Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel

and that I am Your servant and that I have done all these things at Your word.

37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, so that this people may know that

You are the Lord God and that You have turned their hearts back again."

38 (Lev 9:24; Jdg 6:21) Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt

sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust and licked up the water

that was in the trench.

39 (1Ki 18:24; 18:21) When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces

and said, "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!"

40 (Dt 13:5; 18:20) Elijah said to them, "Arrest the prophets of Baal,

and do not let one of them escape." And they arrested them,

and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon brook and executed them there.



End of the Drought



41 Elijah said to Ahab, "Get up, eat and drink, for there is a sound

of a heavy rainfall."

42 So Ahab got up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel,

and he threw himself down on the ground and put his face between his knees.

43 And he said to his servant, "Go up now, and look toward the sea."

And he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing."

And he said, "Go again," seven times.

44 (Lk 12:54) On the seventh time, he said, "A small cloud as small

as a man's hand is rising out of the sea."

And he said, "Go up and say to Ahab, 'Mount your chariot and get down,

so that the rain does not stop you.' "

45 In the meantime, the sky turned black with clouds and wind,

and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.

46 (2Ki 3:15; 4:29) The hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he girded up

his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.



1 Kings 18

In Samaria

1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to

Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will

send rain upon the earth.

2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine

in Samaria.

3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house.(Now Obadiah

feared the LORD greatly:

4 for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah

took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with

bread and water.)

5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water,

and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses

and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it:

Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him,

and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?

8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

9 And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant

into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

10 As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord

hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an

oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the

Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come

and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me:

but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.

13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets

of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD's prophets by fifty

in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

14 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here:

and he shall slay me.

15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand,

I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art

thou he that troubleth Israel?

18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's

house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast

followed Baalim.

19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel,

and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty,

and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.



Mount Carmel



20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets

together unto mount Carmel.

21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between

two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.

And the people answered him not a word.

22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet

of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock

for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire

under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no

fire under:

24 and call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of

the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all

the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for

yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of

your gods, but put no fire under.

26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it,

and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal,

hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon

the altar which was made.

27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud:

for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in

a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives

and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the

time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice,

nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people

came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was

broken down.

31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of

the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall

be thy name:

32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made

a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him

on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the

burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time.

And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also

with water.

36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice,

that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac,

and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel,

and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD

God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice,

and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was

in the trench.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said,

The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them

escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon,

and slew them there.

41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a

sound of abundance of rain.

42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top

of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face

between his knees,

43 and said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up,

and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there

ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up,

say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop

thee not.

45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with

clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode,

and went to Jezreel.

46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins,

and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.



1 Kings 19



Elijah Flees From Jezebel



1 (1Ki 18:40) And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done

and how he had executed all the prophets with the sword.

2 (Ru 1:17; 1Ki 20:10) Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying,

"So let the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life

as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time."

3 (Ge 21:31) When he saw that she was serious, he arose and ran for his life

to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 (Nu 11:15; Jnh 4:8) But he went a day's journey into the wilderness

and came and sat down under a juniper tree and asked that he might die,

saying, "It is enough! Now, O Lord, take my life,

for I am not better than my fathers."

5 As he lay and slept under the juniper tree, an angel touched him

and said to him, "Arise and eat."

6 (Mt 4:11) He looked, and there was a cake baked on coals and a jar of water

at his head. And he ate and drank and then lay down again.

7 The angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said,

"Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you."

8 (Ex 34:28; 3:1; 24:18) He arose and ate and drank and went in the strength

of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.



Elijah Hears the Lord



9 (Ex 33:21-22; 1Ki 19:13) He came to a cave and camped there,

and the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him,

"Why are you here, Elijah?"

10 (1Ki 18:4; 18:22; Nu 25:13) And he said, "I have been very zealous

for the Lord, Lord of Hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken

Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and killed Your prophets

with the sword, and I alone am left, and they seek to take my life."

11 (Ex 24:12; Eze 1:4) He said, "Go and stand on the mountain

before the Lord."

And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind split

the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord,

but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind, an earthquake came,

but the Lord was not in the earthquake.

12 (Job 4:16; Zec 4:6) And after the earthquake, a fire came, but the Lord

was not in the fire, and after the fire, a still, small voice.

13 (1Ki 19:9) When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak

and went out and stood in the entrance to the cave.

And a voice came to him and said, "Why are you here, Elijah?"

14 And he said, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, Lord of Hosts,

because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down

Your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I alone am left,

and they seek to take my life."

15 (2Ki 8:7-15) The Lord said to him, "Go, return on the road through

the Wilderness of Damascus, and when you arrive, anoint Hazael

to be king over Aram.

16 (1Ki 19:19-21; 2Ki 2:9) And you shall anoint Jehu, the son of Nimshi,

to be king over Israel, and you shall anoint Elisha, the son of Shaphat

of Abel Meholah, to be prophet in your place.

17 (2Ki 8:12; 13:3) He who escapes the sword of Hazael will be killed

by Jehu, and he who escapes the sword of Jehu will be killed by Elisha.

18 (Hos 13:2) Still, I have preserved seven thousand men in Israel for Myself,

all of whose knees have not bowed to Baal

and whose mouths have not kissed him."



The Call of Elisha



19 (2Ki 2:8; 1Sa 28:14) So he departed from there and found Elisha

the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen

before him and he with the twelfth, and Elijah passed by him

and threw his cloak on him.

20 (Mt 8:21-22; Lk 9:61-62) He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said,

"Please let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you."

And he said to him, "Go back, for what have I done to you?"

21 (2Sa 24:22) So he returned from following him and took a yoke of oxen

and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes from the oxen

and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he got up and went after Elijah

and ministered to him.



1 Kings 19

On Mount Horeb



1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had

slain all the prophets with the sword.

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me,

and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow

about this time.

3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to

Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat

down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die;

and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better

than my fathers.

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel

touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals,

and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink,

and laid him down again.

7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him,

and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that

meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word

of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the

children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars,

and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left;

and they seek my life, to take it away.

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD.

And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent

the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but

the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake;

but the LORD was not in the earthquake:

12 and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire:

and after the fire a still small voice.

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his

mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold,

there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because

the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars,

and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left;

and they seek my life, to take it away.

15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness

of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

16 and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel:

and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be

prophet in thy room.

17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael

shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha

slay.

18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have

not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.



The Call of Elisha



19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was

plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth:

and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me,

I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.

And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them,

and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto

the people, and they did eat.

Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.



1 Kings 20:1-22



1 Kings 20

Ben-Hadad Attacks Samaria



1 (1Ki 15:18; 15:20) Now Ben-Hadad the king of Aram gathered his army

together. 32 kings were with him, with horses and chariots, and he went up

and besieged Samaria and fought against it.

2 He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him,

"Thus says Ben-Hadad:

3 Your silver and gold is mine, as are your

most attractive wives and children."

4 The king of Israel answered, "My lord, O king, just as you have said,

I and all that I own are yours."

5 The messengers came again and said, "Thus says Ben-Hadad:

Although I have said that you must give me your silver and gold,

your wives and your children,

6 instead I will send my servants tomorrow about this time,

and they will search your house and the houses of your servants,

and whatever is precious to you, they will put it in their hands

and take it away."

7 (2Ki 5:7) Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land

and said, "Please notice how this man is looking for trouble,

for he has demanded I give him my wives and children

and my silver and gold, and I have not denied his request."

8 All the elders and all the people said to him,

"Do not listen to him or consent to his demands."

9 Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad,

"Tell my lord the king: I will comply with the first request of your servant,

but this thing I will not do." And the messengers departed

and brought him word again.

10 (1Ki 19:2; Ex 11:8) Then Ben-Hadad sent messengers to him and said,

"The gods do to me and then some if the dust of Samaria shall suffice

for handfuls for all the people who follow me."

11 (Pr 27:1) The king of Israel answered, "Tell him: Let not he who puts

on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off."

12 (1Ki 16:9; 20:16) When Ben-Hadad heard this message as he was drinking

with the kings in the pavilions, he said to his servants, "Station yourselves!"

And they stationed themselves against the city.



Ahab Defeats Ben-Hadad



13 (1Ki 20:28) Then a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel, saying,

"Thus says the Lord: Have you seen this great multitude?

See, I will deliver it into your hand this day,

and you shall know that I am the Lord."

14 Ahab asked, "By whom?" And he said, "Thus says the Lord:

By the young leaders of the provinces." Then he said,

"Who shall order the battle?" And he answered, "You."

15 Then he counted the young leaders of the provinces,

and they were 232, and after them he counted all the people,

all the children of Israel, and had 7000.

16 They went out at noon. But Ben-Hadad and the 32 kings

who helped him were getting drunk in the pavilions.

17 The young leaders of the provinces went out first.

Ben-Hadad sent out scouts, and they told him,

"Men from Samaria have come out."

18 (2Ki 14:8-12) He said, "If they have come out peacefully, take them alive,

and if they have come out for battle, take them alive."

19 So these young leaders of the provinces came out of the city,

followed by the army.

20 Each one killed his man, and the Arameans fled with Israel pursuing them,

but Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram, escaped on a horse with the horsemen.

21 The king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots

and killed a great number of Arameans.

22 (2Sa 11:1; 1Ki 20:13) The prophet came to the king of Israel and said,

"Go, strengthen yourself and prepare, and see what you do,

for next year the king of Aram will come up against you."



1 Kings 20

Syria Attacks Israel

1 And Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there

were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up

and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.

2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto

him, Thus saith Ben-hadad,

3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children,

even the goodliest, are mine.

4 And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy

saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

5 And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying,

Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver,

and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

6 yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they

shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be,

that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand,

and take it away.

7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark,

I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for

my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold;

and I denied him not.

8 And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him,

nor consent.

9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king,

All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this

thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.

10 And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more

also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people

that follow me.

11 And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that

girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.

12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking,

he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set

yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

13 And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus

saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will

deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young

men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle?

And he answered, Thou.

15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they

were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people,

even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.

16 And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in

the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.

17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and

Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out

of Samaria.

18 And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or

whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city,

and the army which followed them.

20 And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued

them: and Ben-hadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen.

21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots,

and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go,

strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest:

for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.



2) Our Daily Bread for 9 June 2022

https://odb.org/CA/2022/06/09/driving-through-loopholes

Entitled Rejecting Rationalization



Mark 7:6-13



6 (Isa 29:13; Eze 33:31) He answered, "Well has Isaiah prophesied

of you hypocrites, as it is written:

'These people honor Me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from Me.

7 (Mt 6:7; Col 2:22) In vain do they worship Me,

teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'-

8 (Ge 2:24)For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition

of men-the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."

9 (Mk 7:13; Gal 2:21) And He said to them, "You full well reject

the commandment of God so that you may keep your own tradition.

10 (Ex 20:12; 21:17; Dt 5:16) For Moses said,

'Honor your father and your mother,'-

11 (Ps 118:22-23.) and, 'Whoever curses father or mother,

let him be put to death.'(Ex 21:17; Lev 20:9).

11 (Mt 23:18) But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother,

"It is Corban," that is to say, "What you would have profited from me

is a gift to God," he shall be free.'

12 Then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother,

13 (Mk 7:9) making the word of God of no effect through your tradition,

which you have delivered. And you do many similar things."



6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of

you hypocrites, as it is written,

This people honoureth me with their lips,

But their heart is far from me.

7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me,

Teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men,

as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that

ye may keep your own tradition.

10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth

father or mother, let him die the death:

11 but ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban,

that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

he shall be free.

12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

13 making the word of God of none effect through your tradition,

which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.



An Atlanta police officer asked a driver if she knew why he'd stopped her.

"No idea!" she said in bewilderment. "Ma'am, you were texting while driving,"

the officer gently told her. "No, no!" she protested, holding up her cell

phone as evidence. "It's an email."



Using a cell phone to send an email doesn't grant us a loophole from a law

that prohibits texting while driving! The point of the law isn't to prevent

texting; it’s to prevent distracted driving.



Jesus accused the religious leaders of His day of creating far worse

loopholes. "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God,"

He said, quoting the command to "Honor your father and mother" as evidence

(Mark 7:9-10). Under the hypocritical cloak of religious devotion, these

wealthy leaders were neglecting their families. They simply declared their

money as "devoted to God," and voila, no need to help Mom and Dad in their

old age. Jesus quickly got to the heart of the problem. "You nullify the word

of God by your tradition," He said (v. 13). They weren't honoring God;

they were dishonoring their parents.



Rationalisation can be so subtle. With it we avoid responsibilities, explain

away selfish behavior, and reject God's direct commands. If that describes

our behavior, we're merely deceiving ourselves. Jesus offers us the

opportunity to exchange our selfish tendencies for the guidance of the

Spirit behind His Father's good instructions.



By: Tim Gustafson



Reflect & Pray



In what areas of your life do you find yourself rationalising?

How do these rationalisations square with the wisdom of the Bible?



God, I need Your wise discernment. Rescue me from my denial

of my own guilt. Help me live in step with Your Spirit.



3) Daily verses taken from Billy Graham Evangelical Organisation



Words in Season Scripture Memory Tools



Week 6 Showing Grace to Others - Day 5 When you pray



Mark 11:25



25 And when you stand praying, forgive if you have anything

against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven may

also forgive you your sins.



25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any:

that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.



"My prayer don't seem to be very effective," a man told his pastor." I try

to make contact with God, but my prayers seem to hit the ceiling and bounce

back."

The pastor thought for a moment, then gently suggested,

"Is there someone in your life you haven't forgiven?"

"What do you mean?" The man's face flushed; the pastor has obviuosly struck

a nerve. "Well, I guess I've had some struggles with my mother ... and then,

my wife, and I ... ." The hidden truth came to light: the man was bound in

unforgiving relationships with five of the closest people to him.

Forgiveness is an essential element in prayer. For a very good reason,

worship services in liturgical churches place the confession of sin and the

absolution near the beginning of the service, before the reading of God's

Word, prayer, and the sermon. Forgiveness - both the Lord's forgiveness

of us and our forgiveness of others - clears the way for unhindered

communication between God and his people.

When we carry anger and bitterness, or even deeply buried, well-subliminated

unforgiveness, into the presence of God, our prayers will be affected. We can,

however, free the Holy Spirit to work in our lives and the lives of others

through forgiveness. We can choose to forgive in light of God's forgiveness

of us. And when we do, the channels are re-established;

we can pray in power and open ourselves to an awareness of his activity

in our lives.



Application



a) Have my prayers ever been affected by unforgiveness in my life?



b) Is there someone in my life whom I need to forgive,

whether or not I can work toward?



4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland



2 Chr 26:5



5 (2 Ch 24:2; Da 1:17) And he sought after God in the days of Zechariah,

the one who instructed him in the fear of the Lord. And in the days

that he sought after the Lord, God caused him to succeed.



5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah,

who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long

as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.



5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:



God's Gift of Salvation



Ps 40:1-3,9-11



PSALMS 40



1 I waited patiently for the Lord,

and He turned to me, and heard my cry.

2 (Ps 63:1; 84:2) He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,

out of the miry clay,

and set my feet on a rock,

and established my steps.

3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) He has put a new song in my mouth,

even praise to our God;

many will see it, and fear,

and will trust in the Lord.



...



9 (Ps 38:6; 18:2) I have proclaimed righteousness

in the great congregation;

I have not held back my lips,

O Lord, You know.

10 (Ps 42:3; Joel 2:17) I have not hidden Your righteousness

within my heart;

I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;

I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth

from the great congregation.

11 (Ps 42:5; 43:5) Do not withhold Your compassion from me, O Lord;

may Your lovingkindness and Your truth always guard me.



To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;

And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,

And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even

praise unto our God:

Many shall see it, and fear,

And shall trust in the LORD.

...

9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation:

Lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart;

I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation:

I have not concealed thy lovingkindness,

And thy truth from the great congregation.

11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD:

Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.



Remember God's promises when You pray



The Lord's prayer



Matthew 6:9-13



9 "Therefore pray in this manner:

Our Father who is in heaven,

hallowed be Your name.

10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;

Your will be done

on earth, as it is in heaven.

11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.

12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."



9 After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.



6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2022 edition?)



Quebec



Quick facts on Muslims in Quebec



Quebec 2015 population 8214 000



est Muslim Population 418946



CNMM Networks: Montreal



There is a growing Muslim population in Quebec City and a smattering

of Muslims scattered around the rest of the province, yet the vast majority

of Muslims live in the greater Montreal area. n fact, 23% of Canada's Muslim

population live in Quebec. Why is that? It is largely because Francophone

African Muslims are attracted to La Belle Provence.

And here's an interesting, perhaps even shocking fact: There are more

Muslims in Montreal than there are evangelical Christians.

This is one demographic factor creates a challenging environment for churches

and believers here: The size of the available 'workforce' is small

by comparison to begin with. Believers are already is a host culture that

is often either indifferent to religion or resistant to it. And now

this 'new' religious community of Muslims - many of whom do not visibly

or socially conform to Quebec society - are a growing population. It might br

easy for Christians to feel overwhelm by this cultural double-whammy,

yet God has always worked miracles through the small, the few.

Agree in prayer for :



- The people of Quebec, Muslim or otherwise, to be open to the Gospel

- for Muslims who are encountering believers and responding

-for a new group of Muslim background believers who are meeting

together for worship!

- For pastors and believers to be full of passion, faith and vision for

reaching Muslims in Quebec.



Adding further



30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020



Under the Keep Praying page



When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month

and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days

of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that

usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,

of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be

decorated and festivals will be held.



For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the

distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of

Islam.



You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",

which means Blessed Eid!"



Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you

know, and Muslims around the world:



- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions

in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about

unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such

movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three

decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim

relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.

Acts 2:12-17 : 17 "In the last days it shall be," says God,

"that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.

18 Even on My menservants and maidservants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.

19 And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below:

blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,

and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious day of the Lord comes.

21 And whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."[a]



Footnotes

Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32.

- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective

discipleship movements among Muslim people.

- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for

Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.

Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a

hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under

a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the

house."



Ideas for prayer



- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you

- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving

Christ among Muslim people -

Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."

- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims

throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!



And



Thank you for praying through the

5 Days of Prayer for Sikhs.



"My name is Kam. I'm 29 years of age, and I grew up Sikh. As a teenager,

I struggled with depression, brokenness, and addiction to

cannabis. I didn't know how to stop or how to get help.



Then a friend invited me to church. As I spent time with Christians

and heard the message of the Gospel, I experienced the

love of Jesus Christ, and it was like nothing I'd known before.

One night I had a dream where I saw Him - a figure surrounded by

light who I knew was Jesus, the light of the world.



As I began to understand the gospel message, I encountered a reassuring and

confident solution to the problem of sin. I knew that I needed a solution

to my sin problem, and I gave my life to Christ.



Slowly, God began to heal my broken heart and my addiction.

Nine years have passed, and I am a devoted husband and a father

to two beautiful boys. I grow deeper in love with Jesus each day.



I ask you to continue praying with me, and others around the world, for Sikhs.

God is the only one who can draw people to Himself. He works in and through

the prayers of His people. I want Sikhs to know the freedom

and healing that is only available through Jesus Christ."



13 (Ro 14:17; 12:12) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy

and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope,

through the power of the Holy Spirit.



[13] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that

ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.



ROMANS 15:13



My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further

call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity

(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, ...) .



7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada



http://www.ehc.ca



9th Day of the Month



a) Pray a prayer of thanksgiving throughout

the day for God's unfailing love, Mercy, compassion,

faithfulness and provision.



(

Ps 100



A Psalm of thanksgiving.

1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth!

2 (Ps 63:1; 84:2) Serve the Lord with gladness;

come before His presence with singing.

3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) Know that the Lord, He is God;

it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

4 (Isa 30:29; Ps 62:8) Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

and into His courts with praise;

be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

5 (Ps 42:11; 43:5) For the Lord is good; His mercy endures forever,

and His faithfulness to all generations.



Psalm 100



A Psalm of praise.

1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

2 Serve the LORD with gladness: Come before his presence with singing.

3 Know ye that the LORD he is God:

It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;

We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise:

Be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting;

And his truth endureth to all generations.



)



b) Pray that the Lord will lead the Church in finding ways

to wisely and effectively respond to pressing social issues.

(

1 Chr 12:32



32 (Est 1:13) From the sons of Issachar,

those having understanding of times

and what Israel should do: two hundred of their captains

with all their brothers at their command.



32 And of the children of Issachar,

which were men that had understanding of the times,

to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred;

and all their brethren were at their commandment



)





Conclusion:



Pray to the Lord and pray to be guided in Leadership by His righteous hand.



Pray to the Lord: "God, I need Your wise discernment. Rescue me from my denial

of my own guilt. Help me live in step with Your Spirit."



Pray to the Lord and pray to have a true attitude in forgiveness.



Pray to the Lord and pray seek him diligently daily.



Pray to the Lord and pray to declare His faithfulness and His salvation.



Agree in prayer for Quebec:



- The people of Quebec, Muslim or otherwise, to be open to the Gospel

- for Muslims who are encountering believers and responding

-for a new group of Muslim background believers who are meeting

together for worship!

- For pastors and believers to be full of passion, faith and vision for

reaching Muslims in Quebec.



- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you

- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving

Christ among Muslim people -

Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."

- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims

throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!



Pray a prayer of thanksgiving throughout

the day for God's unfailing love, Mercy, compassion,

faithfulness and provision.



Pray that the Lord will lead the Church in finding ways

to wisely and effectively respond to pressing social issues.



Pray for foreign missionaries in Tanzania. Many have been deported after

having their work permits revoked.