The Still, Small Voice

Faith in an Age of Unbelief: Elijah and Elisha PART III
Rev. Aaron Bjerke
19 July 2015

1 Kings 19:1-18
Elijah Flees to Horeb
1Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.  2So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make you life like that of one of them."

3Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.  When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4while he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness.  He came to a broom bush, 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."  5Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat."  6He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals and a jar of water.  He ate and drank and then lay down again.

7The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him an said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you."  8So he got up and ate and drank.  Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.  9There he went into a cave and spent the night.

The Lord Appears to Elijah
And the word of the Lord came to him:  "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

10He replied, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty.  The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn 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."

11The 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 an powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, by the Lord was not in the wind.  After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  12After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.  And after the fire came a gentle whisper.  13When 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?"

14He replied, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty.  The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn 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."

15The 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.  16Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.  17Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.  18Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him."

ELIJAH'S DESCENT
--Elijah's God just defeated Baal.
--Elijah is depressed as he enters the wilderness.
--Moses was also depressed back in the day
--Difficult for us to admit that we're not doing well.
--Elijah doesn't pretend he's OK.

WILDERNESS
--v.3 He goes to the wilderness.
--v.5 The angel doesn't exhort or reprimand him--he feeds him.
--The angel touches him.
--v.8, 12-13 A spiritual experience.
--Do we over-spiritualize our life?
--Being downcast isn't about our spiritual nature.
--Could be other things like hunger, etc.

SPIRITUAL NATURE
--Rebuke-Elijah gets recommissioned
--v.9 Why aren't you where you're supposed to be as God commanded.
--Reflection - The question is also about his identity.  Where are you when you have nothing left.
--Comfort (v.12) God can speak through a gentle whisper--through the sound of sheer grace.