Not looking back

I Kings 19-22:

1. It is nice to know that even arguably the greatest prophet discussed in the bible was weak at times. We see in I Kings after having held the victorious showdown with the prophets of Baal that Elijah runs away after threats from Jezebel. He wanted to die and did not feel worthy to live any longer after his failing. Yet God forgave him and still continued to use him in great ways.

2. I wonder why it was necessary for Elijah to have to travel to Mount Horeb. Couldn't God have delivered the message there in the desert? Perhaps there was some benefit in him having to travel because it would teach him something, or perhaps there were things that were going to be on the way back that he would need to do that would have been out of his way otherwise.

3. It is interesting how Elisha knew exactly what Elijah wanted and was ready to go after bidding his parents farewell and slaughtering his oxen.

4. In Luke 9:61-62 Jesus states that no one who looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God after one who is asked to be his disciple says they want to first go back and say good-bye to their family. This is the exact same thing that Elisha asked of Elijah. But in the case of Elisha, we can see that Elisha was merely tying up loose ends - not hesitating about what he should do. Elisha understood the price that he would pay and willingly destroyed his former career tools when he killed his oxen and burned the tools to cook the meat of the oxen.

5. Standing up for what is right can potentially cost your life. When Naboth refused to give up the land that God had commanded them to keep (even though it may have even been in his best interest to sell it) because of God's command, he was framed and murdered. The sad part about this story is that in many cases it is the same type of scenario. No one within the town bothered to stand up for this one righteous man. Why not? Was it fear? Or was it just that all were truly as wicked as king Ahab and queen Jezebel?

6. It is interesting that God spared even Ahab and his family during the lifetime of Ahab because of his humble attitude when confronted with the sin he had committed. It tells me that God is very forgiving, if we will just humble ourselves unto repentance.