1 Kings 19:9-18
There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, 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. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
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. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel–all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” (NIV)
There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, 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. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
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. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel–all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.” (NIV)
Elijah was on the run.
He had just experienced victory on top of Mount Carmel. God responded to Elijah's prayer with fire, and the prophets of Baal were exposed as frauds. What is more, a three year drought was ended as Elijah prayed to God. You could say this was a day to be remembered.
So, why was Elijah on the run? Soon after Elijah's victorious day, he heard that Queen Jezebel wanted to kill him. Fear entered Elijah's heart, and he ran. Even though Elijah had seen the power of God in fire that fell from heaven, he suddenly lost hope. He was tired, alone and void of hope.
Even in the face of victory and what we know to be true of God, we can lose hope. How? Self-pity. When self-pity enters the front door, hope runs out the back. Elijah felt that he was the only prophet left… the only one being hunted down by the wicked Queen… the only one staying true to God's word. And as Elijah was feeling sorry for himself, God came to him.
How did God breathe hope into Elijah? In a whisper. He did not pound Elijah with wind, an earthquake or a fire. Even though Elijah was running away in self-pity, God's manner was one of gentleness. It was his whisper and gentle approach that breathed hope into Elijah.
And what did God whisper to Elijah? He gave Elijah simple directions of what to do next. As a father gently instructs a child, so God lifted Elijah out of his heaviness. Hope comes from hearing God's whisper. Hope remains by obeying his clear directions.
He had just experienced victory on top of Mount Carmel. God responded to Elijah's prayer with fire, and the prophets of Baal were exposed as frauds. What is more, a three year drought was ended as Elijah prayed to God. You could say this was a day to be remembered.
So, why was Elijah on the run? Soon after Elijah's victorious day, he heard that Queen Jezebel wanted to kill him. Fear entered Elijah's heart, and he ran. Even though Elijah had seen the power of God in fire that fell from heaven, he suddenly lost hope. He was tired, alone and void of hope.
Even in the face of victory and what we know to be true of God, we can lose hope. How? Self-pity. When self-pity enters the front door, hope runs out the back. Elijah felt that he was the only prophet left… the only one being hunted down by the wicked Queen… the only one staying true to God's word. And as Elijah was feeling sorry for himself, God came to him.
How did God breathe hope into Elijah? In a whisper. He did not pound Elijah with wind, an earthquake or a fire. Even though Elijah was running away in self-pity, God's manner was one of gentleness. It was his whisper and gentle approach that breathed hope into Elijah.
And what did God whisper to Elijah? He gave Elijah simple directions of what to do next. As a father gently instructs a child, so God lifted Elijah out of his heaviness. Hope comes from hearing God's whisper. Hope remains by obeying his clear directions.