The first, 1 Kings 9:1, is strictly a geographical reference. For context, I'm including verses 17-19:
And Solomon rebuilt Gezer. He built up Lower Beth Horon, Baalath, and Tadmore in the desert, within his land, as well as all his store cities and the towns for his chariots and for his horses -- whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and through out all the territory he ruled.
I pondered discussing Solomon's building program and his reign, but, you know, that really has very little to do with 'desert' at all. So I think I will leave that reference right there, just as it is, indicating that Solomon was a builder, and move on to the next mention of 'desert', which is totally unrelated, in 1 Kings 19.
This follows the dramatic showdown between Elijah and the priests of Baal on Mt. Carmel; Elijah got wind of Jezebel's intention to kill him and
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it, and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. (1 Kings 19:3 - 5a)
I have always thought it rather ironic that Elijah ran for his life from Jezebel, then asked God to kill him. I mean, really? Maybe he thought he would suffer less if God killed him? I don't know. But I do see in this a predecessor to the events that happen when Elijah actually does depart the earth...after trying repeatedly to leave his servant at that time behind. Of course, at this point Elijah's tasks weren't finished and he is twice awakened and fed a baked cake and water by an angel. Then, strengthened by the food and refreshed by the rest, he set off on foot for Mount Horeb. It took him 40 days to get there. I have heard it said that he fasted the entire trip...that the strength of those angelic meals miraculously kept him alive until he reached Horeb. Now, I am not going to say that isn't so...but I will say that I don't read this that way. If you go back and read through 18: 20 - 48 you'll find that Elijah had already been fasting...and he spent himself both physically and spiritually before he got to the broom tree (the mileage he had to have covered to get from Mt. Carmel to Jezreel to Beersheba, then another day's walk into the desert is pretty staggering). I don't think those meals and that rest were what got him through the next 40 days; I think they were what gave him enough recovery to even begin the journey, because I believe he was at the absolute end of his resources when he fell asleep. We don't know how long the angel let him sleep before rousing him...and we don't know how long he slept between meals...but once he'd had that second cake he was able to get up and get moving.
The scene that played out on the mountain 40 days later is also very familiar (aside...do you suppose this cave is the same cleft in the rock that protected Moses when God passed by?); there is ferocious wind, then an earthquake, then a fire...then a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard the whisper, he knew the presence of the LORD was near so he covered his face and stood at the entrance to the cave. For the second time, God asked him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" and Elijah repeated his earlier answer (cp 19:9-10 and 13-14), complaining that the Israelites had abandoned God, killed all the prophets and now he was the only one left, "...and now they are trying to kill me, too."
At first, God did not respond at all to Elijah's complaint. He just gave him instructions.
The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet." (1 Kings 19: 15-18)
Then...God dropped the little fact that there were still 7,000 in Israel who had not turned aside to follow Baal. Elijah was hardly alone.
Elijah's tasks began a shift once he returned from his desert retreat...the end of the rule of the house of Ahab in Israel, a new dynasty in Aram, and a new protege' who would become THE prophet after he was gone.
I wonder how long his previous servant waited on him in Beersheba?
Seriously, though, Elijah's sojourn in the desert was a shifting point, not only in his life, but in the kingdoms around him. He went into the desert exhausted and discouraged; he came out with a purpose.
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