Whisper

Whisper

(1 Kings 19:1-13)

Yearly Theme:  “Goodness is… Glorious”

Series Title:  “Beyond the Noise”

September 1^st, 2024

Something to think about:

As we start a new series today, we come to a great example of this in the book of 1 Kings in the Old Testament and the prophet Elijah. 

As a prophet of GOD to the nation of Israel, Elijah was a powerful voice of warning to the people who had shifted from their love and worship of GOD to the worship of pagan deities and idol worship.  In 1 Kings 18, things had gotten so bad – in fact – that Elijah went to the seat of power and authority in the northern kingdom to confront the prophets of the false god called Baal.  In a showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, YAHWEH showed up and proved to the people He was the one true GOD of heaven and earth by sending fire from Heaven and consuming the sacrifice that Elijah had set before the people.  After this mighty act of GOD, Elijah ordered that the people round up all the prophets of Baal (450 altogether) to be killed in the Kishon Valley, but when Queen Jezebel heard of what Elijah had done to all her prophets she was enraged and promised to have Elijah killed within 24 hours.  Fleeing for his life in fear, Elijah fell into a deep depression.  This is where we pick up his story today:

Turn in your Bible to:  1 Kings 19:1-13

The late professor and author “Dallas Willard” writes:

“Solitude and silence are the most radical of the spiritual disciplines because they most directly attack the sources of human misery and wrongdoing.  To be in solitude is to choose to do nothing.  For extensive periods of time.  All accomplishment is given up.  Silence is required to complete solitude, for until we enter quietness, the world still lays hold of us.  When we go into solitude and silence we stop making demands on God.  It is enough that God is God and we are His.  We learn we have a soul, that God is here, that this world is ‘my Father’s world.”[1]

Key Point:  “In order to hear from GOD we must be quiet enough to recognize His whisper.”

How do we understand Elijah’s response to Queen Jezebel’s threats when we read about what the LORD did through him as a prophet of GOD?  What was really going on inside of Elijah’s mind and heart that would cause him to be afraid when GOD had used him so mightily?  Let’s look at the key elements in this passage to try and find out what was going on with Elijah that caused him to react the way he did:

•   and  , Elijah fled for his life.

1 Kings 19:3 (NLT),  Elijah was afraid and fled for his life.  He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.

• Elijah  completely  .

1 Kings 19:9b-10 (NLT),  The Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

¹⁰ Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty.  But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets.  I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

• In  and  Elijah heard the voice of GOD.

1 Kings 19:11-13 (NLT),  ¹¹ “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him.  And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain.  It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind.  After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  ¹² And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.  And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.  ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Something to take home:

I rarely read blogs or go to blog sites for information, but in doing research for this message on Elijah’s experience with GOD at Mt. Horeb, I came across this quote from a Christian blogger by the name of Jordan Elise.  In her reflection on Elijah’s fleeing from Jezreel to Beersheba in fear for his life, and his continued journey from Beersheba to Mt. Horeb/Sinai, she writes,

“Why did the Lord call Elijah to Mount Horeb in the first place?  He had spoken to Elijah many times before.  Why make him travel another 40 days and 40 nights just to ask him one question and then tell him to go back the way he’d come?  I think the Lord wanted to test Elijah’s faith, and I think He wanted to remind him that He would equip Elijah to do whatever He asked.  Elijah’s journey from Jezreel to Beersheba wasn’t nearly as long as the one to Mount Horeb/Sinai, but at the end of that journey, we see Elijah collapsed, broken and downtrodden, beneath a [broom tree].  Forty days later, after traveling over twice the distance, we see Elijah resting in the comfort of a cave, awaiting the presence of the Lord.  Why the difference?  Because the journey from Jezreel to Beersheba was one motivated by fear, while the journey from Beersheba to Mount Horeb was one motivated by faith.”[2]

The journey of fear was the disruption of the sediment of Elijah’s life.  He was depressed and blinded by his sheer exhaustion and anxiety.  He couldn’t see clearly; the water was too muddy for him to make sense of anything that GOD was doing.  However, the longer journey of faith, to the “Mountain of GOD,” is where Elijah was quiet enough, and expectantly waiting upon the LORD, that he was able to hear the still small voice of GOD (GOD’s whisper).

When was the last time you sat still before the LORD in solitude and silence, allowing the sediment of your heart, soul, mind, and strength to settle enough in order to hear the still small voice of GOD?  It’s time to begin this journey!

Key Point:  “In order to hear from GOD we must be quiet enough to recognize His whisper.”

[1] A quote from Dallas Williard in the preface of  Ruth Haley Barton’s book:  Invitation to Solitude and Silence, (InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, Illinois; 2010), 12.

[2] JordanElise. From Jezreel to Beersheba, December 5, 2018. https://jordanelise16.blogspot.com/2018/12/from-jezreel-to-beersheba.html.