Ahab-Elijah-Jezebel's Vicious Threat

By Mary Vee
I Kings 18, 19

Journal Entry from Jezebel' Messenger

I had a job in the palace. I kind of liked it. 

Several years ago, Ahab assigned me to work for his wife, Jezebel. Basically, I did a little cleaning around her palace until she called me to deliver a message. We didn't have cell phones, or texting. I guess you could say I was the text messenger. 

Where ever and to whom ever she wanted a message delivered to, I got the job. It kept me in shape and let me visit interesting places.

Of late Jezebel has not been in a good mood. She was angry at the prophet Elijah. 

I'd never risk telling her my opinion, but I can write it here. I saw the challenge Elijah gave to the prophets of Baal. All day I watched, waiting for Baal to set the sacrifice on fire and prove to Elijah he was wrong. But Baal didn't. Elijah prepared his sacrifice, and to make the challenge more difficult, he poured water over the entire altar. One prayer. That was all it took. One prayer from him. My heart still pumps hard when I recall the scene. A blaze of fire poured down from heaven and burned every part of the sacrifice, including the altar. It took my breath away.

Jezebel is the one who insisted we, the people of Israel, worship Baal. To please her, Ahab set up Baal temples. It all made sense. We could see the statues and honestly felt the words of the prophets of Baal rang true. After a while, few questioned if Baal was real--until Elijah's challenge. 

Following the challenge all the people of Israel confessed the truth of the Almighty God of Israel. The same day rain fell on the land. We hadn't had rain for a several years. God blessed our confession with rain. We didn't deserve it, but He did it. How could we have ever doubted the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?

Jezebel still believed in her Baal. I hadn't seen her face turn such a crimson angry red before. She'd been made at others, but never this angry. She called me into her chambers. One look at her face let me know her wrath would soon fall on some soul.

"Messenger." She paced and huffed with each breath. "Go to the prophet Elijah and tell him this message: 'May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not kill you as you have killed my prophets serving Baal.'"

I bowed in respect to her after she finished speaking and hurried out of the room. A messenger's job did not allow for breaks, meals, or walking. I had to find the prophet Elijah quickly and give him Jezebel's message.

I asked a few people on the way if they knew where Elijah might be staying. When I found the home, I knocked on the door. "Elijah?"

The door opened. "Yes?"

"I am Jezebel's messenger. She sent me with these words." I told him her message she sent.

I have never seen a prophet of God frightened before that day. He hurried to the back room and gathered his walking stick and coat. He didn't even say good bye.

Since I'd delivered the message I returned to Jezebel's palace, waited for my next assignment, and hoped Elijah would find a good place to hide.

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photo courtesy of christiansourceimages.com

1. Describe the job of a messenger.
2. Who insisted the people worship Baal?
3. Who agreed and had the Baal temples built?
4. After the challenge, Jezebel became angry. What message did she want to give Elijah.
5. Did Elijah believe her? How do you know?