Similarly here, the notion of drinking from the brook and being miraculously fed with bread and meat while in the land east of the Jordan reminds us of Moses and Israel in the wilderness being fed with bread and quail from heaven. Both prepare an altar consumed by God's fire from heaven. Both experience wind, earthquake, and fire up on a mountain. ![]() Both fast for forty days and forty nights. The author of Kings draws a number of parallels throughout the book between Elijah and Moses who was before him. Instead, it is shown that Yahweh is the one who has control over rain and life and death.īeyond being a symbol of death, the ravine is also a symbol of the wilderness. According to House (NAC), it was explained that the reason Baal did not always bring rain on the earth was because Mot, the god of death, would kill him every year and then his sister Anat would eventually take revenge on Mot and free Baal from death. Of course, the drought is a direct assault on the claims of Baal, but so is the death and resurrection theme. This indictment is then transposed in the second half of the chapter as now not unclean ravens, but unclean gentiles are the ones to care for Elijah.)Įlijah, however, does not remain "cut off." Just as after the widow's son is revived after Elijah stretches out on him three times, so after three years, Elijah returns from the ravine to confront Ahab and defeat Baal.Īll of this is a mockery of Baal, who as the storm god was supposed to bring rain on the earth. Job 38:41, Psalm 147:9), so it is a serious indictment on Ahab and Jezebel that not only do they care more about the lives of animals than the lives of the prophets, but even the unclean ravens who neglect their own young care more for God's prophet. (Ravens were known to not even feed their own young (cf. While Jezebel is "cutting off" the prophets in the land, Ahab has Obadiah to try find pasture to save the animals from having to be "cut off." Symbolically, then, Elijah is killed, which is likely echoed in his being fed by ravens, who are known for eating carrion. The language of "cutting off" is continued in 18:4-5. ![]() The name Kerith means a "cutting" or "separation." While having to do with the physical nature of the river itself - as seen in the photos Jon Ericson provided - it also points to the "cutting off" of Elijah the Tishbite from Ahab and the rest of Israel who at this time are going after idols. On a purely physical level, it functions (unlike the Jordan) as a place far away and hidden from King Ahab who was seeking Elijah's life because of the drought. Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, and went away again beyond Jordan (River) into the place where John at first baptized: and there he (Jesus) abode.The Kerith Ravine is home to a river somewhere east of the Jordan, which marked the eastern border of the land given to Israel. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. ![]() If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. Īnd Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost (Spirit) returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil.Īnd they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.Īnd he (John the Baptist) came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |