GOD’S BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL

Welcome back to Bible Blog, which follows the daily bible readings of the Catholic Church. Today the blogger resumes after a week’s absence on holiday.

Reading 1,  1 Kings 17:1-6

1 Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘By the life of Yahweh, God of Israel, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain these coming years unless I give the word.’

2 The word of Yahweh came to him,

3 ‘Go away from here, go east and hide by the torrent of Cherith, east of the Jordan.  4 You can drink from the stream, and I have ordered the ravens to bring you food there.’

5 So he set out and did as Yahweh had said; he went and stayed by the torrent of Cherith, east of the Jordan.

6 The ravens brought him bread in the morning and meat in the evening, and he quenched his thirst at the stream.

Elijah fed by ravens

So, OK, this didn’t happen, but what is the text telling us?

It is saying that Israel, under a violent and unjust rule, was starved of God’s nourishment, whereas the rejected prophet of justice received the food of God’s care The tenderness of God towards the witness for truth is shown by the way the ravens who are scavengers, become providers of food.

Or is it the case that Elijah, hiding out in barren countryside, reported that he’d been fed by ravens and watered by a river torrent?

The story proclaims a lasting truth: any power that rules without justice cuts itself off from moral and spiritual nourishment; while those who stand for justice are refreshed by God.

Gospel, Matthew 5:1-12

1 Seeing the crowds, he went onto the mountain. And when he was seated his disciples came to him.

2 Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

3 How blessed are the poor in spirit: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

4 Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth as inheritance.

5 Blessed are those who mourn: they shall be comforted.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice: they shall have their fill.

7 Blessed are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be recognised as children of God.

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10 Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of justice: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

11 ‘Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you falsely on my account.

12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.

The Elijah story might be one of Jesus’ models for these blessings. We should recognise that we have them in two versions, this one more familiar than the one in Luke’s gospel. Whatever the received tradition of Jesus’ words was, the gospel writers have been creative in handing them on.

Matthew’s version gives us the great and terrible insight: under God’s rule, we get what we really want.

If we want the riches of heaven rather than the riches of the world, we’ll get them.

If we want to receive the earth rather than grabbing it, we shall be given it.

If we mourn the evil ways of this world, we’ll be comforted by the world to come…

And so on.

On the other hand:

Those who want only the riches of this world will have only them forever.

Those who grab the earth will live in greed and violence forever.

Those who enjoy the evil of this world, will be given evil forever.

And so on.

In God’s time, God will give us what we have really wanted, for God loves us and respects our freedom.