Good morning. This is The News Hour with Azariah bar Jesse, bringing you a special report from Samaria in the kingdom of Israel on Thursday, September 23rd, in the 8th year of the reign of King Ahab Ben Omri. Today we have a newsmaker interview from Beersheba in Judah, where our special correspondent Micah ben Asher has finally tracked down the notorious trouble-maker and insurrectionist Elijah the Tishbite. But first a background report from Mt. Carmel, the site of last month’s rioting which left nearly 1,000 dead following the surprise victory of Elijah’s god over the priests of Ba’al. Shimon the Jezreelite has that story.
Thank you, Azariah. Nothing is left here on the slopes of Mt. Carmel but the remains of the two altars from last month’s contest. The ashes on YHWH’s altar have been completely washed away by the rains we have been having, although the twelve split and blackened stones remain in place. The carcass of the unburnt bull on Ba’al’s altar was removed within hours by the few adherents of Ba’al and Asherah willing to be publicly identified after his priests’ astonishing defeat at the hands of Elijah. Down below, in the Kishon Valley, soldiers of Queen Jezebel’s personal guard are still on high alert after cleaning up the slaughter of a thousand priests and priestesses. There is no sign left of the crowds who assembled to watch the contest and later carried out the killings on Elijah’s orders. Opinion is divided about whether they were fleeing the Queen’s anger or have just gone home to take advantage of the rains by getting in a fall crop. Elijah’s sensational victory and the subsequent massacre is already taking on the proportions of myth. No residents of the nearby villages would admit to having been present, and although there was a brief upswing in traditional religious observance immediately following the event, that too has seemed to die down as people return to their normal lives. After three years of drought, only a full-scale invasion would take precedence over the prospective end to the famine.
The soldiers confirm, however, that the Queen is still furious, completely set on silencing Elijah once and for all. They have orders to arrest him at once and bring him into Samaria for trial and probable execution for causing a public disturbance, instigating a massacre, and blasphemy. No one here has seen Elijah since before the rains began, though.
Thank you, Shimon. And now to Micah ben Asher in Beersheba. Tell me, Micah, how did you get on Elijah’s trail?
Well, as you know, Azariah, Beersheba is about as far away from Samaria as you can get without leaving the area altogether and going to Egypt or Babylon, and something told me Elijah would most likely go to earth among his co-religionists in Judah. And there had been sightings; he’s a pretty distinctive looking man, after all, and he was traveling too fast to be really discreet. I picked his trail up a few days ago so just north of Beersheba and tracked him down to a cave in the mountains even further south. Azariah, Elijah is a frightened man. You would never believe that this was the same person who stood up to Jezebel, threatened Ahab, and calmly faced down nearly a thousand opponents just forty days ago.
Elijah would never have talked to me if he had known I was a correspondent for the Samaritan News Network. So I had to resort to subterfuge to get close to him. The way I did it was: I got the Levites - you know, they’re a special class of assistant priests the Judeans have - to let me join them. Some travelers from Arabia had told them they had passed Elijah on the way, so they had a pretty good idea of where he must be heading and were planning to take him some food. I told them I was a special envoy from King Jehoshophat in Jerusalem, sent down to get a report for the temple there. And, of course, they were all over themselves to cooperate. But Elijah still wouldn’t talk unless I promised on binding oath not to reveal his hiding place. The following interview was taped earlier this morning.
Elijah, your triumph over the followers of false gods of Israel is on everyone’s lips in Judah. But for our viewers who may not have gotten the full story, let’s recap it briefly. What we have heard is that you challenged the servants of Ba’al and Asherah to prove their gods were powerful and real - right out in public, in the daylight, where they couldn’t pull any fast ones. Is it true that they danced around the bull on their altar all morning, pleading and calling upon their gods to respond? Hmmm. I see. And that in the afternoon they redoubled their efforts, even going so far as to take knives and slash themselves so that their own blood would become part of the sacrifice, in hopes that that would force their gods to take some sort of action? We’ve heard that by late afternoon they were all limping, and that some had even collapsed from pain, exhaustion, and loss of blood. Is that the way it really happened? ...Simply amazing. And then it was your turn.
What surprised us in Jerusalem was that YHWH God acted outside of the temple. Most people seem to think he doesn't notice what goes on outside it. But I hear that you built an altar in the old style, with twelve stones for the twelve tribes, and dug a trench around it. What was the trench for? For the water? But wasn’t this supposed to be a burnt offering? Oh - I see - you didn’t want there to be any doubt that YHWH was doing this with no help from you at all. So you poured so much water on the bull that it even overflowed the trench! I’ve got to hand it to you, sir, you really have a flair for the dramatic! People will be talking about this for years! And then what happened? Is it true that the whole thing suddenly burst into flames? Well, of course, I mean after you prayed. But it all did burn up?
That’s an extraordinary story, Elijah. It vindicates everything you’ve been saying for years. This was your supreme moment. What made you leave in such a hurry?
Well, yes, we did hear that Queen Jezebel was beyond furious. But didn’t you expect that? After all, she’s responsible for the recent upturn in Ba’al-worship, isn’t she? The priests and priestesses you had killed were frequent guests at court, and known to have her favor. Couldn’t you have let well enough alone and just been content with having proved that YHWH was more powerful than Ba’al? Well, yes, of course I know that YHWH commanded that followers of the Canaanite gods be put to death. But that practice hasn’t been followed in years, not even in Judah. Didn’t you know it would get you into trouble? Well, yes, we do follow the law in Jerusalem, of course we do, what I mean is, the King is on our side. It isn't dangerous.
Elijah, that’s not fair. You pay attention to political reality, too. This isn’t the first time you’ve hidden from Ahab and Jezebel. But a display of YHWH’s power like the one you just experienced? We haven't seen anything like that in generations. Everyone expected you to stick around and savor your triumph. Why didn’t you? Just tell us what happened in your own words. This is the part of your story that no one has heard, and what everyone has been waiting for weeks to find out.
Well, but, Elijah, did you really expect Ahab and Jezebel to publicly denounce their gods and order the whole country to begin worshiping YHWH again? That would mean public humiliation for them. They’d have to admit they were wrong about you all along, maybe even do some kind of public penance for persecuting YHWH’s prophets. They’d lose bargaining power in their relationship with Judah. And they’d lose an enormous amount of power - not to mention their cut of the sacrificial offerings. Yes, yes, of course I know that people who follow YHWH prosper more than those who don’t - but still - don’t you think you were being a little naive? Even if Ahab were willing, Jezebel simply couldn’t afford to let you win. She’s invested too much personal prestige in opposing you.
What I want to know is, why do you behave as if you’ve lost? After that spectacular demonstration? And the rain - the end of the drought - wasn’t that your doing, too? That is, YHWH’s doing?
Well, yes, yes, of course I understand that you were tired. And of course you deserved a break. But it’s been over forty days now. Tell our viewers what you’ve been doing all this time. Has YHWH spoken to you? Are we going to see more miracles? Bring us up to date.
First of all, how did you survive all this time? We know that you didn’t stop to get provisions before you left, and none of the people who sighted you along the way mentioned having fed you. How have you managed? Someone brought you food? But who? You suspect it was an angel? What makes you think that? Did he bring you a message from YHWH? Oh. I see. That’s not very helpful, is it. Oh - I’m sorry - of course it was very helpful to you to be fed, that’s not what I meant. I should have said, that doesn’t give us any hint of what YHWH is going to do now. So what happened next?
Oh, you did speak with the Lord. Why didn’t you say so? This is what our viewers have been wanting to hear. You’ll only talk off the record? But - there’ll be a lot of disappointed viewers out there. It’s not every day that we hear directly from the Lord. Well, yes, of course I do understand that some things are private. Well, how about in confidence, off the record? Come on, Elijah. You can trust me. After all, we’re on the same side, aren’t we? Well, yes, of course I understand that it doesn’t show you in a very good light. But we’re all human, Elijah. Everyone has moments of doubt and depression. I’m sure no one will think worse of you.
Is that all? But - Elijah - that’s nothing more than the truth. You have been very dedicated. No one has worked harder than you to get the people to obey. And I’m sure that it does seem sometimes as though you’re all alone. I know I couldn’t do it, never having anyone to talk to about your work, knowing you couldn’t trust anyone, wondering if the next person you meet is one of Jezebel’s hired assassins. I’m sure YHWH doesn’t blame you. After all - he’s still speaking to you, isn’t he. Now tell me - how did you hear from him? Was it in a dream, like Joseph? Or from a burning bush, like Moses?
A violent storm! Oh, my. That’s a new one. He - oh, that wasn’t it? YHWH wasn’t in the storm? An earthquake instead! You know, we got a mild one up near Beersheba not too long ago. If we could feel the effect of your quake at that distance, it must have been a mighty big one! So what did the Lord say? He wasn’t in the earthquake, either? Well - ok, ok, I’ll let you tell it your way. There was a fire after that, you say? But there’s nothing here to burn, it’s all just rock and dust - oh, sorry. Of course He doesn't need fuel to make a fire. What happened next? Just silence? That’s all? How can there be a voice of silence, isn’t that a contradiction in terms? Well, yes, I suppose silence is a kind of sound. Did you speak? Did you fall on your face? What did you do?
You just told him how you felt! That took a lot of nerve, didn’t it? Weren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning or something for disrespect? We’re always very careful exactly how we address him. Oh. I suppose you’re right. Since YHWH already knows what you’re thinking, what difference does it make? You might as well tell him how you feel and ask for what you want. It can’t hurt, and you certainly feel better. That does make sense. I just hadn’t thought of it that way before, that’s all. So what did he say?
He’s sending you to Damascus? Why Damascus? What’s in Damascus for YHWH? I mean, I know the Syrians are no friends of Ahab’s, but they’re not exactly pals with King Jehoshophat in Judea either. What has YHWH got up his sleeve this time? He wants you to anoint their new king? But why would they be interested in having you anoint their king, I mean, YHWH isn’t their god. Excuse me - of course I know that YHWH is everyone’s God, what I meant is, they don’t know that. They think YHWH is just Judah’s god. Oh, I see. Ahab and Jezebel will hear about it, and it’ll make them jumpy. Well, at least it’ll make Ahab anxious. It’ll just make Jezebel mad. But what’s the point? Ahab’s always edgy, and Jezebel’s always mad. No, I suppose you’re right. YHWH doesn’t always tell us his reasons. But it sure would be nice to know.
What else did he say? Oh my! Anointing Ahab’s successor! That’ll really put the fat in the fire! But what about all of Ahab’s sons? Not to mention his cousins and nephews, that’s a big family. Jehu son of Nimshi, hmm. I’ve heard of him. He’s getting quite a reputation in the army. So when is all this going to happen?
Not for years? But - what’ll you do in the meantime? Jezebel still has a price on your head. Are you going to have to remain in hiding all that time?
You’re going to get an apprentice? Who’s it going to be? Elisha of Abel-Meholah! Oh, my. Well, that’s very good of YHWH, isn’t it, you won’t be alone anymore. There’ll be two of you to be thorns in Jezebel’s side. But it’ll still be pretty risky, won’t it, after all, even the people who turned back to YHWH-worship after your big victory on Mt. Carmel will start backsliding under pressure from her. You won’t be safe anywhere within the borders of Israel. What? You’re kidding! Seven thousand worshipers of YHWH still live in Israel? But I thought you said you were the only one left.
Sorry. You’re right. We all exaggerate sometimes. So, when is all of this going to happen? You’ll come back with us as far as Beersheba and head straight north? Well, I’m sure we can all look forward to some interesting news over the months ahead. Thank you very much, Elijah. It’s been an honor talking to you. I wish you all the best in the days to come.
Well, Azariah, there you have it. The excitement is over. It doesn’t look as though we’ll be seeing any more spectacular displays of divine power like the one Elijah put on for us up on Mt. Carmel, at least not anytime real soon. We’ll be looking forward, instead, to political news from Damascus, and watching for power struggles and attempted coups from within the military. You’d think that if Elijah really has the inside track with a god who can do what YHWH did to Ba’al and Asherah that he’d keep the pressure up, but I guess that’s not going to happen.
And it really does cast doubt on their claims that YHWH is god over all the surrounding nations, and not just of Judah, doesn’t it. If the claims were true, and if YHWH really was interested in regaining his power over the people, you'd think he’d up the ante, you know, really put the squeeze on, but if Elijah is right that’s not what’s going to happen. YHWH’s going to lose a lot of credibility if he doesn’t follow up.
It’s an odd way to run things, if you ask me.
