The Socio-Economic Impact of Israel’s Waywardness in 1 Kings 17: Implications for the Nigerian Society

Abstract

Upon entrance into Canaan, ancient Israel faced the challenge of divided loyalty. This was heightened by the dominant influence of Baal, the Canaanite god of fertility, who was believed to have power over bountiful crops and multiplying flocks. Baalism later became a practical religion for farmers in their quest for plenty harvest having been recognized as lord of the earth, owner of the land, giver of rain, source of grain, wine, and oil. Against covenantal stipulations which bar ancient Israelites from paying allegiance to foreign God’s, Ahab, his associates and their loyalists compromised through Baal worship. Obsessed by such moral decadence, Elijah, in 1 Kings 17, declared a three and half years of no rain and dew. Given the Israelite context as an agricultural society, which survives at the mercy of the vagaries of rainfall, the study used the Historical-Grammatical and Contextual Biblical Hermeneutical Approaches. The former examined the historical background and language in relation to the meaning of the text, while the latter engaged the Nigerian social, political, and economic context relative to the socio-economic impact of Israel’s waywardness. Evidently, the absence of rain for three and half years impacted the socio-economic landscape adversely. Vegetation withered destroying food and cash crops giving way to serious hunger and starvation. Sheep and goats which survived on vegetation provided little or no milk for both domestic and commercial purposes. A critical look at the Nigerian socio-economic milieu suggests that although the country is blessed with rich natural resources, poor governance combined with corruption has created among others a weak economy, with a high level unemployment, double digit inflation, ethno-religious and sectarian conflict, corruption and dilapidated infrastructure, high and increasing level of poverty, rising crime rate, and dwindling educational standards. To avoid an outright declaration of God’s judgment and a full-blown drought, Nigerian leaders should take seriously their oath and commitment to deliver the best to the populace. The citizens should also do their part in safeguarding the dividends of democracy.

Keywords: Socio-economic, waywardness, drought, famine, rain, corruption