32 The Still, Small Voice [1 Kings 19]
The Bible passage: [1 Kings 19]
The Story:
Ahab told Jezebel (his queen) everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets on Mount Carmel. (see 31 Elijah and the Prophets of Baal and Asherah)
Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me severely if I don’t take your life by this time tomorrow!”
Elijah became afraid and ran for his life. He ran for a couple of days. At that point, he sat down under a tree and asked the Lord to let him die.
Then he lay down and slept under the tree. Suddenly, an angel touched him and told him to get up and eat. He looked, and there was a loaf of bread and a jug of water at his head. He ate and drank and lay down again.
A second time, the angel touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.”
Elijah got up, ate, and drank. With the strength from that food, he walked 40 days and nights to the mountain of God, Mount Horeb.
He entered a cave and spent the night. The Lord spoke to Elijah and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Elijah replied, “I have served you faithfully, but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets. I am the only one left, and they are looking for me and want to kill me.”
The Lord told him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain in My presence.”
A great, mighty wind tore at the mountains, shattering rocks and cliffs, but the Lord was not in the wind.
After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.
After the fire, there was a voice, a soft whisper.
When Elijah heard it, he went out and stood at the entrance to the cave.
A voice came to him and again said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Elijah again said, “I have served you faithfully, but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets. I am the only one left, and they are looking for me and want to kill me.”
The Lord told him, “Go back the way you came. When you arrive back, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram, Jehu as king over Israel, and Elisha as prophet to take your place. Then Jehu will execute whoever escapes from Hazael, and Elisha will execute whoever escapes the sword of Jehu. But I will leave a remnant of seven thousand in Israel – every knee that has not bowed in worship of Baal.”
When Elijah found Elisha, he was plowing a field. Twelve teams of oxen were in front of him. He was with the twelfth team.
Elijah walked by him and threw his robe over him.
Elisha left the oxen and ran to follow Elijah. He said, “Please let me tell my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” Elijah told him to go on back.
Elisha went back and told his parents goodbye. He took the team of oxen that he had been working with and slaughtered them. He broke up the yoke and plow to build a fire. He cooked the meat and gave it to the people. Everyone ate.
Then Elisha left, followed Elijah, and served him.
The Lessons:
- After all that Elijah had seen and done with God and for God in his life, including the previous story where God consumed his sacrifice and protected him during the showdown with the prophets of Baal and Asherah, when Queen Jezebel threatened him, he ran for his life.
- When Elijah fled, he went to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God. He ran FROM Jezebel, but he ran TO God.
- While on his journey, an angel ministered to Elijah and spoke with him. When he reached Mount Horeb, God Himself spoke to Elijah.
Next: 33 Elijah is Taken up to Heaven in a Chariot [2 Kings 2:1–12]
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