Catechesis Notes for the Week — Judgment Against Apostasy and the Persecution of the Faithful—This week’s Bible narrative highlights the apostasy of both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. The prophet Ahijah pronounced the Lord’s judgment against the house of Jeroboam and gave his kingdom to another. He had done more evil than all those who came before him. A similar judgment was pronounced against Rehoboam for the same reason. The Temple treasury and its sacred vessels were robbed by the king of Egypt. The backsliding of both kingdoms would continue after the deaths of Jeroboam and Rehoboam. Despite their apostasy, the Lord would send faithful prophets to call them to repentance. Elijah was sent into the northern kingdom with the Lord’s Word, but his faithful proclamation of the Word resulted in persecution from King Ahab and his Phoenician Queen Jezebel. The life of a faithful prophet is marked by suffering, loneliness, rejection, and persecution, just as Jesus would face. But such persecution and suffering for the Lord’s sake is, itself, a sign that the prophet has been faithful to the Lord. The widow of Zarephath received Elijah and provided for him during the drought as a confession of faith that the God of Israel was the only true and living God.CP241020