8 August 2021

But he (Elijah) himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep.

1 Kings 19:4-8, NRSV

All the prophets of his time except Elijah had been killed at the command of Queen Jezebel who had also threatened to kill him. No wonder then that Elijah took himself off into the wilderness where it would be hard for anyone to find him. However, Elijah soon decided that he had had enough and lay down, asking God that he might die. Although Elijah wanted his life to end, God clearly still had future plans for him. Elijah was woken by an angel and provided with food and water. The food provided was a scone baked on hot stones – not an easy feat to achieve in a desert! After eating and drinking, Elijah lay down again but was again woken by the angel and told to eat more to fortify himself for a long journey. Elijah did as he was told and received the strength he needed to travel for forty days until he reached Mount Horeb where Moses had received the Ten Commandments and where he would have his own special encounter with God.