When Elijah raises the widow's son there is a lot more going on in the story than meets the eye. God is demonstrating his sovereignty over the false pagan gods Baal and Mot. Baal was supposedly the god of life and Mot was the god over death. Many times Mot would prevail over Baal. Elijah demonstrates that the God of Israel is Lord over death and life. 

David comes to the Lord with the inner groaning of his heart. David wants the Lord to judge rightly and to take down the deceitful and the bloodthirsty. David knows the righteous can rest in the Lord and the Lord will act as his shield.

God brings judgment to Israel in the form of Elijah's prophecy of the coming drought. Israel has sinned previously and God is bringing judgment. God also shows amazing grace to a pagan woman living in Sidon. 

Ahab comes to power as the king of Israel. He and his queen Jezebel further degrade the spiritual life of Israel with Baal worship and paganism. The sin of the people and the king have reached a tipping point. We learn throughout Scripture that sin has consequences. 

In this chapter, we have a quick (60 years) overturning of Israelite kings who all ascend the throne through bloodshed and conspiracy. From Baasha to Omri, evil kings bringing Israel further from God at every turn. All of this leads to King Ahab taking the throne and being the worst Israelite to have ever reigned in Israel.

In today's reading, we see the effect of paganism on a culture. Israel has devolved into a violent and unstable kingdom because they have turned their back on God. 

Psalm 4 is known as an evening prayer. David is in distress and cries out to God. David admonishes those that have broken the covenant with God through the worship of false idols. He informs the reader, "Be angry and do not sin." We are called to contemplate good things and practice self-reflection on our beds at night. David can go to sleep in peace at night because God is faithful.  

David's mighty men fight for him and do great and courageous acts. Jesus on the other hand fights for his people. Jesus went into the valley of the shadow of death and came out victorious for his people. Jesus is the true Mighty Man. 

In this chapter we get one of the final speeches of David. David was a man that was valiant and faithful in many ways but he was also a man of great failure. Despite David's personal failures God was faithful to his promises that he made to him. 

David has a final interaction with the Gibeonites. Although Saul dealt with them harshly David acts as a gracious king. This one of the final kingly acts of David.