In this issue:
Children’s story: Elijah flees for his life and seeks help from God
Essay Question
Bible Accent: King Ahab and Queen Jezebel’s evil ways
Spotlight on the Saints: St. Joseph Calasanz
Puzzle: Unscramble
King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of Israel were evil people. The king did not follow God’s laws, and the queen was a pagan who worshipped the false god Baal. Their evil ways caused the people of Israel to forsake their covenant with God.
One day, God’s prophet Elijah put the prophets of Baal to death. This upset Queen Jezebel, who threatened Elijah’s life.
Elijah became frightened and fled to Beer-sheba of Judah. He left his servant in Beer-sheba and went a day’s journey into the wilderness.
Elijah came upon a solitary broom tree, sat beneath it and prayed for death.
He fell asleep under the tree and was awakened by an angel of God.
“Get up and eat!” the angel said.
Elijah saw a hearth cake and a jug of water near his head. He ate, drank and went back to sleep.
God’s angel returned and urged Elijah to get up.
“Get up and eat or the journey will be too much for you!” the angel said.
Elijah again ate and drank. He then walked 40 days and 40 nights to the mountain of God, Horeb, where he found shelter in a cave.
God spoke to Elijah.
“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will be passing by,” God said.
A strong and heavy wind began to rend the mountains and crush rocks before the Lord. An earthquake and fire followed. After the fire, there was a tiny whispering sound. Elijah hid his face in his cloak and stood at the cave’s entrance.
“Why are you here, Elijah?” a voice said.
“I have been most zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts,” Elijah said, “but the Israelites have forsaken your covenant. They have destroyed your altars and murdered your prophets by the sword. I alone remain, and they seek to take my life.”
God told Elijah to take the desert road to Damascus. He instructed Elijah to anoint Hazael as king of Aram, Jehu as king of Israel and Elisha as prophet to succeed him. These men would go on to bring God’s judgement and restoration to Israel.
Elijah set out, and he met Elisha along the way. Elisha stopped what he was doing and followed Elijah as his servant.
READ MORE ABOUT IT:
1 Kings 19
Q&A
1. What mountain did Elijah journey to?
2. Who was to succeed Elijah as prophet?
Essay Question
When have you sought God’s help during a difficult or scary situation?
Bible Accent
In 1 Kings 21, we can read more about King Ahab and Queen Jezebel’s evil ways.
Beginning in verse 1, we learn that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard next to King Ahab’s palace. The king wanted to buy the vineyard, but Naboth said no, since it was his ancestral heritage.
The king went home angry. Queen Jezebel asked him what was wrong, and he recounted his conversation with Naboth.
“What a king of Israel you are!” the queen said. “Get up! Eat and be cheerful. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
Jezebel wrote letters in the king’s name and sent them to the elders and nobles where Naboth lived.
“Proclaim a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people,” Jezebel wrote in the king’s name. “Next, set two scoundrels opposite him to accuse him: ‘You have cursed God and king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
The elders and nobles did as they had been commanded. After Naboth had been stoned to death, they sent word back to Jezebel that the deed had been done.
Jezebel brought the news to Ahab.
“Go, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite which he refused to sell you, because Naboth is not alive, but dead,” she said.
Spotlight on the Saints: St. Joseph Calasanz
Joseph Calasanz was born in Spain in 1556. He studied law and was ordained a priest in 1583.
Joseph became vicar general of a diocese in Spain but left for Rome in 1592. There he joined the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and worked with neglected children.
In 1597, he and three other priests established the first free school in Rome. Joseph then founded the Clerks Regular of the Religious Schools and served as superior general.
He died in 1648, and Pope Pius XII named him the patron saint of Christian schools in 1948.
We remember Joseph on Aug. 25.
Puzzle
Unscramble the letters in each word and arrange the words to form a quotation from the children’s story.
ot file hyet ym kees kate
Answers: to, life, they, my, seek, take
They seek to take my life.
