The greatest work Christ ever did for you was to die on the cross in your place, to give you new life and eternal life in Him. That was the single most important thing He did for you since sin entered the world. But it was not done out of strength, it was not done out of power, though Christ is the omnipotent, all-powerful God of Creation.
His work of salvation was done out of weakness and suffering. It was done on a cross while the world looked on in disbelief and a total lack of understanding. As they looked on, they saw the weakness and suffering of Christ on the cross as a total defeat. Instead it was a total victory! They were fools. They did not understand.
David said, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” (Psalm 14:1-3)
Paul quotes from this Psalm when he says, “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.” (Rom. 3:10-12)
Sometimes we are only a step ahead of the fool who denies the very existence of God. We believe in God, but we do not listen to Him. We are afraid to listen to the voice of God. We want to have that “pity party” and feel sorry for ourselves, like we see Elijah doing. It we listen to the voice of God, we will not be able to do that.
To his credit, Elijah did listen to God and he also took action because of what he heard. He did not mind listening for the voice of God, because he made a habit of listening to the Lord and of doing according to His Word.
What Elijah understood and what we need to learn is that God’s voice is friendly. He seeks only our best. We need not fear His voice, but we must listen for His voice with a heart that is ready to obey. That is what Elijah did.
The chapter begins with Elijah on the run, hoping to save himself. When he stops running, he argues with God in an attempt to defend himself. He goes from the mountaintop to the swamp, but in the end his strength is restored, both physically and spiritually, and he obeys God, yields himself to Him, and is returned to his work of service.
In all that he did, Elijah responded to the voice of God. He felt like giving up, but he did not. Instead he listened for God's voice and when God spoke to him, he acted on the Word God spoke. When we feel like giving up and walking away we too need to stop and listen for the voice of God.
The unbelief and fear that the people of Israel showed at Kadesh Barnea caused them to wander for 40 years in the wilderness (Num. 13-14). Elijah's unbelief and fear led to his 40 day trial in that same desert (v. 8). Yet the Lord directed his steps all along the way, using this time in the wilderness to prepare Elijah to meet Him anew.
When he arrived at Mount Horeb, “he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place” (v. 9). He made this cave his home and he waited on the Lord “in that place.” This cave is special. Not only is this Mount Sinai (or Mount Horeb), the very mountain where God met Moses in the burning bush some 400 years earlier and wrote the Ten Commandments with the finger of God, but this is possibly the same cave or “cleft of the rock” where God put Moses while His glory passed by.
The Hebrew literally says, “He came there to the cave” (The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Volume 4. 149). Note the use of the definite article “the.” This is not just “a” cave, this is “the” cave. So it is possibly the very "cleft of the rock" where God had placed Moses as his glory passed by (Exodus 33:22-23).
In this sacred cave Elijah waited on the Lord. He was depressed. He was ready to give up both his calling and his life. Remember verse 4 when Elijah sat under “a broom tree” and prayed, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” What a sad day it was. But Elijah did the right thing: he got away from it all and sought the Lord.
The Lord came and met him, just as Elijah had hoped. But He didn’t come to chastise Elijah or even to instruct him. He came to ask him a question: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (v. 9b)
Elijah avoids the question. He says simply, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (v. 10)
Rather than admit he is hiding, he complains that God’s people have gone astray, killed the prophets, and put a contract out on his life as well! He exaggerates.
He would repeat the question, but first He revealed His power to Elijah in order to let him know that God does not always speak in dramatic form. In fact He rarely does. If you want to hear God’s voice, you have to listen carefully for that “still small voice” of God that comes to us without all the noise.
“Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.’ And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (vs. 11-12)
That "still small voice" (v. 12b) shook Elijah to the core. All the Lord wants is for us to listen and let Him guide us by that “still small voice.” Elijah listened. He heard that “still small voice.” And “when Elijah heard it…he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave” (v. 13a). He was ready to hear the Word of the Lord.
Sometimes we too need to find our way through all of the noise and listen for that “still small voice” of God. He is there and He is speaking to our hearts. It’s just that oftentimes we are not listening. We don’t listen because we don’t want to obey. It seems easier to put our nose to the grind and do it ourselves, in our own power. But that doesn't work. We need God's guidance and His power.
Again the question was asked: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (v. 13b). And again Elijah gave the same response: “I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (v. 14). Elijah, Elijah! It was time to quit speaking. It was time to listen!
That “still small voice” brings the Word of God to the listening ear and the contrite heart. There is a time and a place for the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, but most of the time God speaks directly to our hearts with that gentle whisper, with a quiet persuasion. God’s Word is like a gentle breeze that cools and refreshes, cleanses and produces life.
With Elijah ready to listen, the Lord God wasted no time in giving instructions: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place” (vs. 15-16). It was time to pass the torch to Elisha to equip a new generation.
He is told that by his words and works Elisha will finish the work (v. 17). He is further told that he is not alone (v. 18). So he did as instructed (vs. 19-21). Elijah listened to God’s “still small voice” and did as the Lord led him.
Elijah had his moments. At times he walked by sight and not by faith, yet he had an ear to hear the “still small voice” of God. Do you hear His voice? Listen carefully and follow Him faithfully. Amen.
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