Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to see whose god could make a fire under a sacrificed bull faster. The firewood of those who believed in Baal never set flame, but Elijah’s set flame the first time he called to the Lord. All this was done to convince the people who was the true god.
The people fell on their faces in worship of the Lord. Elijah told them to kill the prophets of Baal. Wretched act. Perhaps being the lone remaining prophet of the Lord had cost him whatever mercy he might have had.
Elijah climbed Mount Carmel and looked out over the Mediterranean Sea. He told the men who followed him to look, too. They saw nothing. Seven times he told them to look, until finally they saw a small cloud, like a man’s palm rising from the waters. “Go tell Ahab to hurry home before the rain hits and the road is too muddy for travel.”
ELIJAH, THE VISITOR
Passover begins with a Seder, a special dinner. After the meal, people open their house door to invite the prophet Elijah to enter and confirm that they are ready for him. People fill five cups with wine, but reserve one for Elijah, who they believe will visit right before the redemption day. Elijah is said to bring world peace and clear up confusion people have about religion. This prophet is one of the most beloved figures of the western religions of Judaism, Catholicism, and Islam.
Ahab went home. Elijah went the opposite direction, for he knew that Jezebel would order him killed. No one would defend him; no one truly had faith. He felt ready to die; the struggle had gone on too long. He fell asleep and woke to a meal of bread and water, brought by an angel. For 40 days and nights he wandered, eating only what the angel brought. Then he stopped in a cave. The Lord said, “Why are you here?”
“I am moved by zeal for the Lord. But the Children of Israel have made a mess. I alone remain faithful…and they want to kill me.”
“Stand on the mountain and look as the Lord passes.”
A great wind tore apart the mountain, but the Lord was not in that wind. An earthquake shook, but the Lord was not in that earthquake. Fire raged, but the Lord was not in that fire. Then came the sound of thin quiet, like a still, small voice.
Elijah wrapped his mantel around his face and stood at the mouth of the cave.
“Why are you here? Go home, Elijah.”
Elijah went back home.
While all this was going on, Ahab got a yearning for the vineyard of his neighbor Naboth, but Naboth would not sell it. Ahab sulked. He wouldn’t eat. Jezebel promised she’d get that vineyard for him. She wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with Ahab’s seal, and sent them to the elders. The letters denounced Naboth for cursing god and king, and gave the names of two men—scoundrels—who would bear witness to that—false witness, of course. So Naboth was stoned to death. Ahab got his vineyard for free.
The moment reeked of treachery as evil as what David had done to Bathsheba’s husband. The Lord told Elijah to confront Ahab and tell him that the very place in which dogs lapped up Naboth’s blood would be the place that dogs would lap up Ahab’s blood.
When Ahab heard this, he wailed, rending his clothes. Then he wore sackcloth, fasted, and wandered around, humbled by the evil he and his wife had done. The Lord had mercy on Ahab, but not on his children. Thus the father didn’t experience disaster, but the children did.
Later, after Ahab died, God announced that Elisha would succeed Elijah as prophet. When it was time for Elijah to go to the heavens, Elisha begged Elijah to give him double his spirit, for he feared that he wasn’t up to taking over for Elijah. Then a chariot of fire separated the two, and Elijah disappeared in a whirlwind. Elisha picked up Elijah’s mantel, which had fallen, rolled it up, and struck the water of the River Jordan. The water parted—like it had parted for Joshua.
From then on, if people wanted to know what the Lord was thinking, they turned to the spirit of the prophet Elijah. They called him the elusive one, the wanderer, the one who maybe never died. They thought he might be the harbinger of the Messiah, when the world is finally ready for perfection.
Elijah grew old and God chose Elisha to succeed him as prophet. A chariot of fire swooped down and carried Elijah away. But people believed that the old prophet might never have really died.
The Lord gave Jonah a task, but it was too huge, so Jonah escaped in a boat. But the Lord sent a wind that would capsize the boat if the men didn’t throw Jonah overboard. Seeing no way out, the men did that, and Jonah sank through the sea into the waiting jaws of a giant fish.
JONAH AND THE GIANT FISH
Jonah was an ordinary man, living his ordinary life, when the Lord said, “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and call out to the people, telling them the right way to live, because their wickedness has come to my attention.”
This was not good news. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire. It was a place where the many poor suffered badly as the few rich indulged themselves. Violence ruled the streets. Who could be persuasive enough to correct such corruption? Like Moses before him, Jonah had never asked for such responsibility. He felt sure this would not turn out well for him. But unlike Moses, Jonah did not try to talk the Lord into choosing someone else. He fled.
Jonah went to the town of Joppa, on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, and boarded a ship headed for the city of Tarshish. He thought he could sneak away without the Lord knowing. The Lord knew, of course. The Lord sent a mighty wind, for wind had been a fine divine tool since Day One of the creation. The ship was buffeted about so hard, it threatened to fall apart. The sailors were not members of the tribes of Israel, so they prayed to their various gods for salvation, as they threw cargo overboard to lighten the ship and make it easier to steer. Meanwhile Jonah lay below deck, asleep. The captain woke him. “Get up! Call out to your god for salvation!”
Jonah went to the deck, where the sailors had decided to cast lots to figure out whose fault it was that they were in such peril. The lot pointed to Jonah!
“What did you do?” They wanted to know all about him.
“I’m a Hebrew. I worship the Lord who made heaven, sea, earth.”
“But what did you do to make our troubles now?”
“I ran from the Lord.”
“How can we get the storm to stop?”
“Lift me up and throw me into the sea. Abandon me. For the storm is my fault.”
The men were horrified. They didn’t want to murder an innocent man; they rowed ever harder for shore. But the sea grew wilder. They prayed to Jonah’s god, asking that they not be given blame for Jonah’s death, since that was what the Lord wanted. And they picked up Jonah and threw him overboard. Instantly, the sea calmed. The frightened men changed their loyalty in astonishment. They offered a sacrifice to the Lord.
Jonah thrashed about in the salty water. Seaweed wrapped around his head. He sank as deep as the roots of the mountains, when a giant fish swallowed him whole. He spent the next three days and nights inside that fish. What glories of the undersea world must he have seen through the glassy eyes of that monstrous fish! He prayed the whole time.
The Lord listened to Jonah’s prayers and commanded the fish to spit Jonah onto dry land. But that didn’t mean Jonah’s ordeal was over. Oh, no, the Lord wasn’t about to let up on Jonah. “Get up,” the Lord ordered again. “Go to the great city of Nineveh and deliver my message.”
This time Jonah went. Nineveh was so huge, it would take a person three days to walk from one end to the other. Jonah walked just one day into the city and announced, “In forty days’ time, God will destroy this evil city.”
THE GREAT FISH
Jonah is swallowed by a dag gadol— (דג גדול) “great fish.” The Mediterranean has huge groupers and several kinds of sharks, including the great white. It also has two very large whales: the fin whale and the sperm whale. Whales generally don’t swallow prey whole, but groupers and sharks do—though passage through the esophagus would be rough. Could a human survive if swallowed? Air supply would be cut off. Digestive juices would break down flesh and
bones. So the Jonah story must be read as miracle or metaphor.
The people believed Jonah. Who knows why? He was just an ordinary man walking through the streets, shouting. They could as easily have thought he was a lunatic. Yet they listened and feared God. They put on sackcloth to show they repented of their indulgences. Even the king repented. He shed his royal robes, put on sackcloth, and sat in ashes, as he proclaimed a fast. No people or animals should drink or eat. Everyone must give up evil and violent ways. The king hoped that God would see their repentance and turn from anger, treating them kindly.
The Lord made Jonah his prophet, and had him spread the news that the city of Nineveh would be destroyed for its evil ways. But the Lord relented when the people repented. In despair, Jonah made a shelter outside the city and sat under a kikayon plant that God made grow, and lamented being a false prophet.
And God did. No destruction came.
Jonah thought this was the worst thing that could happen to a prophet. Here Jonah had proclaimed coming destruction and what did God do? God turned from anger—making Jonah a false prophet. No destruction came. Jonah was furious. “I knew you’d be compassionate, Lord. That’s why I didn’t want to deliver your message. Kill me now. Death is better than life.”
The Lord asked, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
In silence, Jonah went outside the city to the east and made a shelter. He watched to see what would become of the city. God made a kikayon plant grow tall and throw shade over Jonah, who was happy not just for the respite it offered but for its company.
The next day God sent a worm that ate the kikayon. Jonah watched, aghast. The poor plant!
God sent an east wind that scorched Jonah, and a sun that blazed his head. Faint and weary, Jonah declared again, “Kill me now. Death is better than life.”
The Lord answered, “You felt mercy for the kikayon, though you did not tend it, you did not make it grow. Do you then say that I should not feel mercy for the people of Nineveh, 120,000 people, and that many animals, as well?”
What could Jonah respond? The Lord was right, of course. Thus Jonah’s story ends. He was God’s agent, even though it brought him no personal glory. That was the fate of prophets.
Four men came to Job, each bearing horrendous news: His oxen and donkeys and their guards had died, his sheep and shepherds had died, his camels had been stolen and his servants killed, and, worst of all, his children had died. Job sank to the ground in grief and prayer.
JOB’S AFFLICTIONS
Job had everything going for him. He had seven sons, three daughters, 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 pairs of yoked oxen, 500 jenny donkeys, and a huge household. He was faithful to the Lord. He often made burnt offerings to the Lord for all his family, just in case his children had been remiss.
One day the satan, an adversary, came before the Lord.
“Where have you come from?” asked the Lord.
“Wandering the earth.”
“Have you noticed my servant Job? He’s upright and faithful.”
“Of course,” said the adversary. “You’ve blessed everything he does. But if you make problems for him, he’ll curse you.”
The Lord rose to the bait. “All right. Everything Job has is in your hands. Only do not harm him.”
Soon after that, a messenger arrived at Job’s home. “The Sabeans killed your oxen, donkeys, and the servants guarding them. I alone escaped.”
While he was yet speaking, a second messenger arrived. “Fire fell from heaven and burned up your sheep and shepherds. I alone escaped.”
While he was yet speaking, a third messenger arrived. “The Chaldeans stole your camels and killed the servants guarding them. I alone escaped.”
While he was yet speaking, a fourth messenger arrived, with the worst news. “Your children were feasting at your oldest son’s home when a wind swept across the wilderness and flattened the house. It crushed them dead. I alone escaped.”
Job cried out, rending his robe. He shaved his head, fell to his knees, and prayed. “The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away. May the Lord’s name be blessed.”
So the Lord won that cruel bet.
The adversary came again to the Lord, and again the Lord asked, “Where have you come from?”
“Wandering the earth.”
“Have you noticed my servant Job? You led me to destroy everything he had for no reason, yet he is faithful to me.”
“Skin for skin,” said the adversary. “A man can give up all he has. But if you harm his bone and flesh, he’ll curse you.”
Again the Lord responded. “All right. He is in your hands. Only do not kill him.”
Job was struck with sores head to foot. Job sat in ashes and scraped at the burning sores with broken pottery. His wife said, “Why do you remain faithful? Curse god and die.” At least that way Job would be freed of this last pain. But Job refused to speak against the Lord.
Three friends came to comfort Job: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For seven days and nights they sat with him. At last Job spoke: “Perish the day I was born.” He wailed. “Let darkness foul that day.” He wept. “Let that night be barren, with no song of joy.” The worst that he had ever dreaded had befallen him. His death-wish poem made the air ache. His anguish made the ground shiver.
Eliphaz spoke first. He said innocent men never suffered. So clearly Job was not innocent. Job had sinned. He had drunk wrongdoing like water. He must look inside himself, see that sin, and repent.
Job protested. He was innocent. Job had not asked for gifts, nor had he offered bribes. He behaved with integrity always. Job demanded that someone explain to him how he had gone astray. He was not some monster from the sea. He was a good man who now loathed his life.
Bildad spoke next. No human was innocent. The very essence of being human made one a sinner. Even the moon and the stars were not bright in the eyes of God. So how could humans be bright? Humans were worms. Job deserved whatever God gave him.
Job protested again. Of course God was all powerful and of course Job could not answer God in a test of arguments. All Job wanted was a chance to speak and know why God condemned him and ask for mercy. God made Job, after all. How could God simply turn away?
Now Zophar spoke. No, Job did not see his own sins. But that didn’t mean he hadn’t sinned. God saw every iniquity. Job’s sins were like the venom of cobras within him. God rained burning anger on the bodies of sinners.
No, protested Job. God could humble anyone—God could make chiefs grope in the dark and stagger like drunkards. Yet Job deserved a chance to argue his case with God. He would speak—that’s all—then let come what may. Even a felled tree might hope to sprout again.
On and on they argued, until Job called them fickle friends. They told him to be patient as God afflicted him.
Weeping reddened Job’s face; his prayer was pure. Surely God should put a stop to this and kill him now. Job would never speak against God. But he had to know: Where would wisdom be found? Job had had everything. Now he had nothing. Everyone shunned him. He was the definition of affliction. Blameless, distraught, sick of life. Many wicked prospered, but Job wasn’t wicked. Job called out for a fair trial.
A fourth friend of Job arrived: Elihu the Buzite. Elihu was angry that Job dared challenge God. The truth was that God spoke in many ways. In visions that came in dreams, in pain that takes away appetite. This is God’s warning, said Elihu. Job should pay attention, so that his soul could be brought back from the pit. By rebelling against God’s wishes, Job added to his sins. Elihu closed his speech with the claim: God is majestic and does only right.
Finally the Lord spoke to Job. “Who is this who speaks without knowledge?” The Lord went on with question after question. “Where were you when I created the earth…the morning stars…the seashores?” “Have you commanded the morning since your days began?” “Have you entered the springs of the sea or walked in its depths?” “Have you entered the reserves of
snow or hail?” “Have you carved a path through torrential rain for the thunderbolt?” “Can you hunt prey for the lion and nourish the cubs in their dens or thickets?” “Do you know the season when the mountain goats give birth?” “Who makes a donkey swift…the wild ox willing to serve you?” “Who understands the waving plumage of an ostrich wing?” “Did you give the horse its mane?” “Does your wisdom help the hawk soar?” Anyone who argued with God must answer such questions.
“I am small—a lightweight,” Job said, and put his hand over his mouth, in awe at the vastness of God’s powers.
The Lord came in a whirlwind and listed many things no man could do, things the Lord did. The Lord urged Job to clothe himself in the glory and mystery of God.
AN ADVERSARY
The wager framing Job’s story is between God and an adversary, where the Hebrew term used here is ha-satan (השטן). Satan means “adversary”—one who opposes your position. Later in the New Testament this word came to mean “devil.” The original sense is behind the saying “play devil’s advocate.” What we have in the tale of Job is a high-stakes wager between God and Satan, with Job being the one to pay the price.
“I spoke without understanding,” said Job. “Now I see. I repent.”
The Lord rebuked Job’s first three visitors as false friends, full of folly. They owed the Lord burnt offerings, and Job should pray for them.
Then the Lord made Job wealthy again, with twice as many belongings as before. Job’s old friends returned and added to his wealth. Now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 cattle, 1,000 pairs of oxen, and 1,000 she donkeys. He had seven more sons and three more beautiful daughters, and Job gave all of them inheritance. Job lived to see his grandchildren and their children—four generations—before he died.
Treasury of Bible Stories Page 10
