Elijah and the Widow

Instructions

Read some poetry connected to the story of Elijah and reflect on its meaning.

This poems are from the English Standard Version of the Bible.

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Psalms 104


The worship of Baal and the worship of the God of Israel are contrasted in the stories of Elijah.  Baal was seen as a bring of rain, thunder, and water, which were needed for plentiful crops.  See how this poem attributes these powers to YHWH, the God of Israel.


Bless the Lord, O my soul!
    Lord my God, you are very great!
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
    covering yourself with light as with a garment,
    stretching out the heavens like a tent.
He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters;
he makes the clouds his chariot;
    he rides on the wings of the wind;
he makes his messengers winds,
    his ministers a flaming fire.

He set the earth on its foundations,
    so that it should never be moved.
You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
    the waters stood above the mountains.
At your rebuke they fled;
    at the sound of your thunder they took to flight.
The mountains rose, the valleys sank down
    to the place that you appointed for them.
You set a boundary that they may not pass,
    so that they might not again cover the earth.

10 You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
    they flow between the hills;
11 they give drink to every beast of the field;
    the wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
    they sing among the branches.
13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
    the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

14 You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
    and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
15     and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
    and bread to strengthen man's heart.

16 The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,
    the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 In them the birds build their nests;
    the stork has her home in the fir trees.
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats;
    the rocks are a refuge for the rock badgers.

19 He made the moon to mark the seasons;
    the sun knows its time for setting.
20 You make darkness, and it is night,
    when all the beasts of the forest creep about.
21 The young lions roar for their prey,
    seeking their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they steal away
    and lie down in their dens.
23 Man goes out to his work
    and to his labor until the evening.

24 Lord, how manifold are your works!
    In wisdom have you made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Here is the sea, great and wide,
    which teems with creatures innumerable,
    living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships,
    and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.

27 These all look to you,
    to give them their food in due season.
28 When you give it to them, they gather it up;
    when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
    when you take away their breath, they die
    and return to their dust.
30 When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
    and you renew the face of the ground.

31 May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
    may the Lord rejoice in his works,
32 who looks on the earth and it trembles,
    who touches the mountains and they smoke!
33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
    I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
    for I rejoice in the Lord.
35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth,
    and let the wicked be no more!
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Praise the Lord!


“Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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Discussion Questions

Look at verses 1-4 and describe what is happening in the heavens.

Look at verses 5-9 and describe what is happening with the deep waters, the mountains, and God's thunder.

Look at verses 10-13 and explain what is happening with these waters.  Are they nourishing?

Look at verses 14-15 and explain where food comes from.

Look at verses 16-18 and explain where the animals homes come from.

Look at verses 19-23 and explain how the cycles of light and dark work and what their purpose is.

Look at verses 24-26 and explain what is happening with the creatures.  Do they have any explained purpose?

Look at verses 27-30 and explain what the source of life is.

Look at verses 31-35 and explain why we praise God.  How is it related to previous parts of the poem.

Read the history unit and explain how this poem contrasts the worship of Baal.

If you had to summarize, what do you see as the main point of this poem?  How does its message connect with the Elijah stories that we are reading?

Optional Assignment - Read Genesis 1.  What similar ideas do you see in this poem?  What do you see as differences?