A Still, Small Voice

“And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”  I Kings 19:12

Elijah was one of God’s prophets during the evil reign of Ahab over Israel.  The people of Israel were following the example of Ahab and had forsaken the worship of Jehovah God and followed after the false god Baal.  Elijah thought he was the only one left who honored the LORD God and who gave a flip about the backslidden condition of Israel.  It makes me wonder if John the Baptist felt the same way as he exclaimed himself as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” (John 1:23).  It’s easy for a believer to feel that way when in the midst of unbelievers or believers who are walking at a guilty distance from their commitment to Christ.  Just let those around you know that you are a loyal follower of Jesus Christ, and the atmosphere will turn somewhat uncomfortable, not so much for you, but more for all the unbelievers and/or carnal Christians.

Baal had 450 prophets, and Elijah set out to prove that Baal was not a god.  He challenged Baal’s prophets to build an altar to sacrifice a young bull and then call upon their god to light a fire under the bull.  These prophets worked all day to no avail.  Elijah prepared his sacrifice and soaked it with water three times, as he prayed to the LORD God.  The fire of the LORD fell immediately, consuming Elijah’s sacrifice and drying up all the water.  The Israelites, those who had abandoned God, gathered to watch the event.  When they saw that Baal could do absolutely nothing to consume the sacrifice that the prophets had made to him, and saw how God had miraculously made Elijah’s sacrifice to completely disappear, they were convinced that God was the LORD, but likely only a few of them completely renounced Baal and followed the LORD.  Many of them kept Baal on the back-burner, so to speak.  However, while they were in this state of amazement, Elijah ordered them to gather up the prophets of Baal, and he killed all 450 of them.

When Jezebel, Ahab’s wicked wife, heard what Elijah had done, she put “out a hit” on him.  Elijah was afraid of her and “headed for the hills”, sat down under a juniper tree and asked God to take his life.  I guess he saw that as an easy way out, but he had too much more work to do for the LORD.  An angel brought food, which revived him and gave him strength to continue on in his mission.  He still felt alone, though, in his defense of the LORD God.  God’s word came to him and instructed him to stand before Him on the mountainside.  Elijah was eager to hear from the LORD.  In a moment, a great wind blew, then an earthquake, then a fire, but God’s voice was not in any of these natural elements, but rather in a still, small voice which gave Elijah his next assignment.  God also let Elijah know he wasn’t alone in his mission; God had 7,000 other Israelites which had remained loyal to Him.

It has been said that if you really want someone to listen to you, then whisper.  The lesson in this passage for us is not to always look for prayers to be answered in some great, monumental way, but to listen for the small stirrings within our spirit.  Take time to shut out the noise of the world and listen for that still, small voice of the LORD bringing the words of the purposes that He has for our lives and words of comfort and peace.