July 3, 2026

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah lamented at the state of Israel. He was weighed down, utterly depressed, and asked God if he could just die. An angel brings Elijah bread and water (what does that remind you of?) and from that meal, Elijah received the strength to travel 40 days (40 being symbolic for both "very long" and a trial or probation before a spiritual experience) to Mount Horeb (Mount Sinai, where Moses received the commandments) where he communed with God and received further light and knowledge concerning the remainder of his mission.

When we feel broken by the world, lost, alone, afraid, depressed, and defeated, for whatever reason or multitude of reasons, we can find healing through our Redeemer as we follow the pattern of Elijah. We can take the sacrament and renew our strength for the toil we face. We can fast (booknote for "40"), we can go to the temple and seek personal revelation. We are His children, and He loves us. If we go to Him, He will be there.

The world rages. We will not find our God in the tempest, the earthquake, or the fire but in the still small voice in the temple of the Lord. And He will speak peace to our souls.

1 Kings 21 Ahab, like David, sought coveted something of his neighbors. Although he was king and had more than him, Ahab desired the vineyard of Naboth. Jezebel had Naboth killed by false witness to deliver up to Ahab the vineyard. Out of Bathsheba came Christ, and out of a vineyard, His Atonement. The world and sin wants to take that which brings forth good and distort it for it's own. It is done through murder and secret combinations. But despite the works of evil, God's work rolls forward; nothing can stop it.

Because Ahab humbles himself, the Lord says He will spare Ahab in his days.

Moby Dick parallels Ahab and Elijah.

1 Kings 21

2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

A vineyard of often used to symbolize God's covenant relationship, His people, and His kingdom. Naboth refuse to give his inheritance (birthright, covenant of Abraham) to a king following idolatrous gods. He doesn't sell his covenants for money.

A lot of times we focus on the gospel of Christ and the atonement removed from the Bible or the focus of Christ, especially in the Genesis story. However, that is not. The only thing that is noticeably left out. Satan is also removed from the Genesis story significantly. What do we think? The reason for that is? The hand of Satan that was so heavily influencing the scribes in their biblical butchery not only wanted to remove references to Christ and the gospel, but also wanted to remove references to himself. Just like we read in the scriptures. In 2 Nephi 28 we are taught that Satan wants us to believe he doesn't exist to lull away the Saints.

21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.