Elijah's flight to Mt. Horeb followed the Mount Carmel contest in which he defeated and killed the 450 Baal prophets and 400 prophets of goddess Asherah.

However, Elijah's flight to Mount Sinai seemed to be symbolical. This was the same mountain that God had made a covenant with Israel's forefathers. Therefore, it was a place of great significance to them.

Elijah's mighty and triumphant act was a disappointment and humiliation to Jezebel who felt that her authority had been challenged.

Jezebel responded to the contest by promising to kill Elijah before the end of the following day and she went on to persecute whoever was on the side of him.

Fearing for his life, Prophet Elijah fled Jezreel where he had taken shelter from rain and went together with his servant to Beersheba in Judah.

Elijah walked the whole day and later complained to God about his troubles. He prayed to the Lord to take away his life.

The angels of the Lord fed Elijah on his way with a loaf of bread and a jar of water as he lay down under a tree tired of walking

Prophet Elijah walked for forty days to the holy mountain of Sinai from where he spent his night in a cave.

However, the Lord appeared and spoke to Prophet Elijah as he was in his hiding in the cave of the holy mountain of Sinai.

Prophet Elijah complained to the Lord that he had always served him alone. This showed how disobedient and rebellious the people had been that there was now only one person serving the Lord.

Besides, the prophet revealed to the Lord that the people of Israel had broken the covenant they had made with him thus justifying his return to the holy mountain.

The prophet also observed that the people of Israel had torn down His altar and killed all His prophets that he was now the only one left yet they still wanted him dead.

The Lord commanded Prophet Elijah to get out of the cave and stand before Him on top of the mountain so that He could speak to him.

The Lord passed by and sent a furious wind that split the hills and shattered the rocks.

This signified the omnipotence of God.   

There was also an earthquake and fire that followed the wind but the Lord still remained absent from them.

However, Elijah heard a soft whisper voice to which he responded by covering his face with his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. The voice proved the presence of God

The Lord commanded Elijah to return to the wilderness near Damascus and enter the city so that he could be told his next assignment.

The Lord instructed Elijah to anoint Hazael as king of Syria; Jehu as king of Israel and Elisha to take over from him as prophet.

The Lord went on to pronounce death on the people of Israel. He would use the newly anointed; Hazael, Jehu and Elisha to put everyone to death.

However, the Lord promised to leave seven thousand people alive in Israel. They would comprise the people who had been loyal to him and had never bowed to Baal or kissed his idol.

THE CIRCUMSTANCES (REASONS FOR) THAT LED TO ELIJAH'S FLIGHT TO MOUNT HOREB

Elijah had just had a contest with prophets of Baal and the prophets of goddess Asherah at Mount Carmel.

Prophet Elijah defeated and killed the 450 Baal prophets and the 400 prophets of goddess Asherah during the Mount Carmel contest.

Elijah had also humiliated Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab and this had made her furious as she felt challenged by the new development against her.

Elijah was under the threat of being killed before the end of the following day. Jezebel had promised to do the same thing as the prophet had done to her.

All the prophets of the Lord were being persecuted by Jezebel thus was unhappy that all her prophets had been killed.

Elijah was scared that he was the only prophet of God left as all the other had already been put to death.

King Ahab who was now living under the influence of his pagan wife; Jezebel could no longer offer protection to Elijah.

Elijah was still being blamed for the consequences of the drought that had lasted for a period of 2-3 years. Starvation and death had characterized the nation of Israel.

Jezebel was killing whoever believed in and was happy with Prophet Elijah's victory over the Baal prophets and the prophets of goddess Asherah.

The people of Israel had turned to the Lord and confessed in Him as their only God during the Mount Carmel contest.    

However, Prophet Elijah was disappointed that the people of Israel had violated the covenant they had made with the Lord at the foot of Mount Sinai.

By taking refuge, Elijah wanted the Lord to intervene in his prophetic work as he bitterly and sorrowfully asked to take away his life or else he would be dead.

Elijah intended to call upon the people of Israel to maintain their holiness so that they could remain God's children.

Elijah wanted to appeal to the people of Israel to turn back to their monotheistic faith and drop idol worship.

Besides, God had equally condemned the people of Israel to death. They were to be put to death by the Lord's newly anointed leaders; Hazael of Syria, Jehu of Israel and Elisha.

The Lord was also willing to spare people in Israel. He would leave seven thousand loyal people in Israel alive.

Revision Questions

1.          Account for Elijah's flight to Mount Horeb

2.          Justify Elijah's second exile life in the wilderness during the reign of King Ahab

3.          Discuss the circumstances that led to Elijah's flight to Mount Sinai

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ELIJAH'S FLIGHT TO MOUNT HOREB

It was a call for Israel to turn back to their monotheistic faith which they had violated as the prophet complained that he had always served the Lord alone.

It showed the holiness of God symbolized by Prophet Elijah going back to the holy mountain the Lord had had a covenant with the people of Israel.

It was a call of the people of Israel to turn back to the terms of the Sinai covenant which they had broken through their act of disobedience.

It signified the omnipotence of God proved by the furious wind, which split the hills and shattered the rocks as Elijah was in the cave of Mount Sinai.

It signified the omnipresence of God. He was with Elijah during the Mount Carmel contest, appeared to him on his way to and re-appeared to him while at Mount Sinai.

It proved that Elijah was a true prophet of God. He was being persecuted and he complained to the Lord that all the other prophets had been killed and he was now the only left.

It was a call on Israel to renew her theocratic status for Elijah showed that he had always served the Lord alone.

It proved the human nature of Prophet Elijah. He feared for his life and fled Jezreel and later complained to the Lord that his troubles were too much for him to bear.

It signified the idea of remnant Israel as the Lord revealed to Elijah that he would leave seven thousand people alive in Israel.

It proved the humanity of Elijah because of the fear of being killed- by Jezebel, the prophet decided to go to the wilderness.

It showed that Elijah was a faithful servant of the Lord. The prophet complained to the Lord that he had always there served him alone.

It signified repentance for the people of Israel in order for them to survive punishment and destruction for the Lord warned that He would only spare those who been loyal to Him and had never bowed to Baal or kissed his idols.

It showed that Elijah was a suffering prophet for he was bitter that his troubles were too much that he wished to be dead.

It restored God's revelation in Israel. God revealed to Prophet Elijah how He was going to put the people of Israel to death and that seven thousand would be spared.

Elijah was given more tasks to perform. God commanded him to anoint Hazael as king of Syria, Jehu as king of Israel and Elisha as a prophet to succeed him.

HOW GOD DEMONSTRATED HIS POWER THROUGH ELIJAH

•              Elijah pronounced a period of drought in Israel which lasted for 2-3 years

•              God fed Elijah through the ravens while he was in the wilderness

•              Elijah multiplied a handful of flour and a drop of oil of the widow

•              Elijah restored the life of the son of the widow after had died of a short illness by simply praying

•              Elijah left hiding place with courage to go and face King Ahab who had been hunting for him.

•              Elijah was courageous to meet King Ahab despite warning that he was putting his life in danger

•              Elijah openly confronted and referred to him as the troublemaker in Israel

•              Elijah summoned all the Israelites to the Mount Carmel contest to witness his victory

•              Elijah made fun of the Baal prophets during the Mount Carmel contest

•              Through fire that burnt up the sacrifices together with everything around it during the contest

•              Elijah made the Israelites confess in the Lord as their only God

•              Elijah alone defeated the 450 Baal prophets during the Mt. Carmel contest

•              Elijah also went ahead and killed the 450 Baal prophets.

•              Elijah anointed Elisha to succeed him as a prophet of Israel.

•              Elijah anointed Jehu as king of Israel and Hazael as king of Syria

•              Elijah also confronted King Ahab for marrying Jezebel from Sidon

•              Elijah walked for 40 days in the wilderness without any fear