Life of Elijah part 1 the real part 1

Elijah: God's word against decline Prophesy: God's communication through human mediation 1 & 2 Kings answers the question: how did we get to be in exile? It is the story of a nation's decline. Introduction Genesis: God forms his people in 12 tribes, Israel. Abraham will be called the father of many nations (17:5), and he is the first called "prophet". Exodus: God saves his people from slavery and gives them a covenant, an agreement to be their God and king alone. Moses mediates between God and his people. "[The people] said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen. But don't let God speak to us, or we will surely die". (20:19) "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend." (33:11) Joshua: God brings his people into the promised land. Judges: God rules his people through imperfect judges, saving them every time they disobey, which is most of the time. Civil war almost destroys the tribe of Benjamin. 1 & 2 Samuel: God's people demand a king that's not him. God gives them what they want with a stern warning, which comes true. God gives a king in Saul, who disobeys. David replaces him to unify the kingdom after civil war. David was a "man after God's own heart" but sinned mightily, taking many wives. With his last breath and gray hair, he orders the murder of Joab. 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles: Solomon rules a united kingdom, but it divides at his death. Solomon's sins are passed down, and every future king is bad. Every one of them is evil. The "good ones" were punished for their sins. Josiah was killed for his sin in war. Hezekiah was spared from destruction, but was prideful in himself and his people, leading to the evil reign of his son. The northern kingdom of Israel is destroyed and the southern kingdom of Judah is put in exile. God leaves his temple and it is destroyed. Ezra and Nehemiah: The Jews (from Judah) return from exile after the Persians defeat the Babylonians. The people rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, but God does not occupy this temple until Mary brings him in. Ezra executes those unwilling to follow the law. A new era of Judaism begins where nationalism and hyper-legalism set the stage for the Messiah. Elijah in the gospels: Matthew 17: The Transfiguration After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?" Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist. 1 Kings 3:3 (NIV) 3 Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. 1 Kings 11 (NIV) 11 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter-Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, "You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods." Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molekthe detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done. 7 On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods. 9 The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.10 Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD's command. 11 So the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. 12 Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen." [skip to verse 26] Jeroboam Rebels Against Solomon 26 Also, Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled against the king. He was one of Solomon's officials, an Ephraimite . . .. 29 About that time Jeroboam was going out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh met him on the way, wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone out in the country, 30 and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 Then he said to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon's hand and give you ten tribes. 32 But for the sake of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe. 33 I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molek the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees and laws as David, Solomon's father, did. 34 "'But I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon's hand; I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees. 35 I will take the kingdom from his son's hands and give you ten tribes. 36 I will give one tribe to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name.37 However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel. 38 If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right in my eyes by obeying my decrees and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you. 39 I will humble David's descendants because of this, but not forever.'" 40 Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt, to Shishakthe king, and stayed there until Solomon's death. Solomon's Death 41 As for the other events of Solomon's reign-all he did and the wisdom he displayed-are they not written in the book of the annals of Solomon?42 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 43 Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.