Good morning. They were dark days in the history of Israel. King Ahab and his wife Jezebel were the embodiment of evil. They had outlawed the worship of God and had killed His prophets and most of the priests. In 1 Kings 18 we read about the showdown between Elijah, the only prophet of God left standing, and the 450 “prophets” of Baal. Elijah called down fire from heaven, God responded in power, Baal was humiliated (as were Ahab and Jezebel) and God had the attention of His people once again.
But Satan wasn’t finished. Ahab and Jezebel swore an oath to have Elijah killed and he was once again on the run. It was a terrible time, and time of great depression for God’s champion, Elijah. He didn’t want to go on. For him, the fight was over. He wanted to drift away in self-pity and die a lonely death. But God would have none of it.
God asks Elijah an important question: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” God’s prophet answered: He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 1 Kings 19:10
You can kind of understand how Elijah feels, can’t you? He had gone the extra mile, had trusted God with all his heart, had put his life on the line, and he had faithfully invoked the power of the Almighty and witnessed God’s victory. But at that moment it felt like it was all for nothing. He was once again on the run, and God’s people had not responded with faithfulness.
That was when God instructed Elijah to go up on the mountain and wait for Him to pass by. Elijah waited, and a great wind tore through the mountain. God wasn’t in the wind. Then there was an earthquake that shook the mountain to its core. God wasn’t in the earthquake. Next was a fire, but God wasn’t in the fire either. Finally, there was the voice of God calling to His prophet Elijah, and the voice was but a gentle whisper.
God’s question of Elijah was the same, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah’s response was also much the same. Why God? It isn’t fair! Why can’t it all be easier?
God continued to speak in His gentle whisper. He didn’t argue with Elijah, nor did He explain Himself. God pointed out that Elijah didn’t know the end of the story, and that he would need to continue to serve the Lord faithfully. Elijah believed Him, obeyed Him, and was blessed by God. How does Elijah’s story end? He obediently finds Elisha who would be his replacement, and then we read: As they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind into heaven. 2 Kings 2:11
God speaks, sometimes in a gentle whisper. But He is always speaking in truth, and always in love, and always in power.
Vern