The Voice in The Quiet (1 Kings 19:1-18)
Notes
Transcript
1 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. 2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”
3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. 4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” 6 He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.
7 Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”
8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. 9 There he came to a cave, where he spent the night.
But 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.”
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?”
14 He replied again, “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.”
15 Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. 16 Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. 17 Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! 18 Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”
Elijah is Exhausted!
Elijah is Exhausted!
1 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal.
What did Elijah do?
Most specifically, this has to do with the contest on Mount Carmel between Elijah and the prophets of Ba’al.
But, there is MORE to it than that contest...
The background is the reign of Ahab and the evil things he did, including taking Jezebel as his wife...
30 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him. 31 And as though it were not enough to follow the sinful example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal. 32 First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria. 33 Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him.
As a way to get the attention of the people, God sent a drought
1 Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”
At the beginning of the famine, Elijah was fed by ravines. He was also cared for by a widowed woman of Zaraphath. For our understanding, we need to know that Zaraphath is on the coast NORTH of the Northern Kingdom of Israel ( in other words, the famine affected other lands and Elijah stays with this woman who is NOT an Israelite). She was promised that if she took care of Elijah she would not go hungry during the famine.
During the famine her son became sick and died. But Elijah laid on the boys body 3 times and called out to the Lord and the boy returned to life.
After the drought had been ravaging the land for three years Elijah was instructed to go to Ahab and tell him that rain would come. ( 1 Kings 18:1) and this began the context on Mount Carmel...
20 So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel. 21 Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.
22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets. 23 Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the altar, but not set fire to it. 24 Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!” And all the people agreed.
A beautiful picture of the southwest face of mount Carmel during the sunset.
View of the Kishon River looking southwest. This river drains the Jezreel Valley to the southwest. Mount Carmel and the city of Haifa are in the background.
The Jezreel Valley looking east from Mount Carmel. Four mountains are visible with Carmel in the foreground from where the picture was taken. Mount Tabor is on the left with Mount Moreh in the center and Mount Gilboa on the right. Tel Jokdeam is at the center of Mount Carmel.
Elijah had the prophets of Baal try first, but nothing happened.
Then Elijah had the alter he built, and the sacrifice he was making drenched with water. He had the people fill 4 large vessels of water and pour it on the sacrifices 4 times.
36 At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. 37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”
38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”
After this, Elijah commanded that all the prophets of Baal be captured and killed. He then told Ahab that rain is on the way!
And this Brings us to Chapter 19 and Elijah’s concern, Exhaustion, and Frustration...
And this Brings us to Chapter 19 and Elijah’s concern, Exhaustion, and Frustration...
1 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. 2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”
Jezebel is so angry with Elijah that she vows to have him killed.
So, Elijah flees.
Jezebel wants Elijah gone. She, for a moment, gets her desire. No, he may not be dead, but he is NOT going to be bothering her anytime soon. He has left.
If find it interesting… Elijah had God’s strength and power just a couple of days earlier on Mount Carmel. Elijah had no problem declaring God’s word and knowing that God would somehow see him through. But, in the face of Jezebel, Elijah for whatever reason, seems unprepared. So he flees the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In fact, he goes so far as to flee to the southern end of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
He goes to Beersheba which is the most southern town (the southern boundary) of Judah. Beersheba is about 125 ish miles from Mount Carmel - some sources say 100 miles (a few days journey I am sure). Then, he travels another day into the Desert/Wilderness and finally rests under a broom tree - which is really a shrub...
At this point he needed physical rest and food!
He is at the point of despair.
He has challenged the false prophets. He has challenged the ruling powers. People seem to repent for a short while, but the biggest problem - Ahab and Jezebel - they aren’t listening. He’s exhausted, he is NOT getting the results of turning the nation back to the LORD. JEzebel wants to kill him - And, he is depressed and would like to die.
4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
Isn’t it a little ironic… Jezebel wants to kill Elijah, Elijah flees into the wilderness and then admits that he would like to die… Why not stay and let JEzebel kill him? Maybe because deep down he KNOWS there’s more to the story, but yet, he is HONEST enough to admit his despair - I WANT TO DIE! I AM TIRED! I FEEL AS THOUGH I AM A FAILURE...
So, he takes a physical rest...
But, during his rest, the Lord awakes him and instructs him to eat… He would need his strength for what is to come.
5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” 6 He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.
7 Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”
I am not sure if the Lord is talking about Elijah’s continued journey to Horeb/Sinai or if God is referencing the prophetic task that He will eventually remind Elijah of. Either way, God has made it clear that although Elijah is tired and depressed, God is NOT done with the prophet yet!
Then, he journey’s to Mount Sinai/Horeb...
We are told that the journey took 40 days. This journey is approximately 200 miles. However, that journey would not USUALLY take 40 days. There is something prophetic happening here...
40 was a time of renewal, refreshing, and repentance as the people prepared to embrace the NEW that God would bring.
It rained for 40 days and 40 nights in the flood
Moses was a shepherd for 40 years when God called him to go back to Egypt
Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai (when he was given the Law - oh, and then the people committed idolatry with a golden calf).
The people journeyed the wilderness for 40 years...
In fact, the story is written to remind us of how God used Moses.
Sinai, the people’s idolatry, oh, and God speaking to the prophet and appearing before the prophet...
Moses, in a moment of desperation, pleads with God that God would remind Moses of His presence. That God would God with the people (which God had been doing, but Moses seems to be desperately saying, “I want to tap out...”
14 The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”
19 The Lord replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. 20 But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.” 21 The Lord continued, “Look, stand near me on this rock. 22 As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.”
It seems as though Elijah is making a PURPOSEFUL trip to Sinai
It is the place where it all began
Is it the place where God encouraged Moses and showed Himself (albeit in a veiled way) to the prophet.
Elijah is on a PILGRIMAGE for RENEWAL!
And in that place the Lord, again speaks to Elijah...
8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. 9 There he came to a cave, where he spent the night.
But 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.”
Elijah, what are YOU DOING?
God, I am TIRED! I have been zealous and excited to serve you. I have seen you do amazing things. BUT, the people refuse to repent. They refuse to turn to you. They tear down your alters and destroy the things you are doing. I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT WHO CARES....
Then God instructs Elijah to stand at the entrance to the cave - for God will speak and appear to him...
What happens next is interesting to me… There’s wind, fire, earthquake. These are classic THEOPHONIES (ways of describing God’s appearance) in Scripture (Remember Psalm 29)
God said he would appear, but the text tells us that God was not in these events. This is NOT to say that God couldn’t be in those events. But, it seems as though the Lord might be testing the prophet. Does the prophet REALLY want to HEAR from God - or will the prophet allow these loud things distract from the true message.
In this case, the prophet did NOT need God to speak through natural phenomenon. In fact, it seems that for Elijah, he needed to know that God would silence the craziness around him and speak in that silence. That it wasn’t SIMPLY that God spoke, but that God silences the hectic world around the prophet in order to speak.
When reading what happened in Hebrew it says that God spoke in the “sound of silence. ” Maybe the voice was not actually audible - but yet, Elijah heard it.
And, when God spoke he reminded the Prophet of His Purpose
And, when God spoke he reminded the Prophet of His Purpose
15 Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. 16 Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. 17 Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! 18 Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”
Elijah, REMEMBER your purpose! You are a prophet.
Go anoint Jehu as King of Israel. There’s some good news! Ahab will not be king much longer, and he will not pass the reign onto any of his sons. Go anoint Jehu from the family of Nimshi to take Ahab’s place.
Anoint Hazael to be King of Aram. - Aram is NOT a part of Israel or Judah - this is a nation OUTSIDE of Israel. The prophet has a role that includes other nations. Now, Aram did not play well with Israel and God used Aram as a tool of judgment for a time. However, God shows himself to be King Over All to Elijah - this is GOD’S PLAN and ELIJAH still has a role in it.
Anoint Elisha to succeed you. Elijah, I am NOT done with YOU yet, but I have picked your successor. You still have plenty of ministry left, but, mentor the one who will follow you. Yet, it is even greater than that… Elijah, this is MY ministry God says - so when you are done I WILL STILL BE WORKING!
Oh, and Don’t forget… YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
18 Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”
This could be translated I AM PRESERVING - God is still up to something. Elijah is NOT alone. (also, note that 7,000 could be a figurative number of completeness and perfection. 7 - completeness time 1,000 or 10*10*10 PERFECTION 3 FOLD)
So God spoke in the silence.
So God spoke in the silence.
Is it possible for this passage to teach us something...
Maybe.
I think we are in a world very similar to Elijah’s. The battle lines are drawn against the Righteous ways of God and the unrighteous ways of men. And, like Elijah or the pagan prophets, we realize there is no middle ground. And, we realize that martyrdom lies at both sides. The prophets of Ba’al died in their rebellion and the Prophets of YHWH were promised assassination.
And, it is exhausting to be righteous during this time.
We feel like failures
We feel no one listens or changes
Sometimes our own families are against us
And, the nation, well… Let’s just see how this goes.
And we feel ALL ALONE!
Pastors feel it too… (I sometimes wonder if this story is in the Bible for pastors)
75% of pastors report being “extremely stressed” or “highly stressed” (1)
90% work between 55 to 75 hours per week (2)
90% feel fatigued and worn out every week (1)
70% say they’re grossly underpaid (2)
40% report a serious conflict with a parishioner at least once a month (1)
78% were forced to resign from their church (63% at least twice), most commonly because of church conflict (1)
80% will not be in ministry ten years later and only a fraction make it a lifelong career (1). On average, seminary trained pastors last only five years in church ministry (2)
100% of 1,050 Reformed and Evangelical pastors had a colleague who had left the ministry because of burnout, church conflict, or moral failure (2)
91% have experienced some form of burnout in ministry and 18% say they are “fried to a crisp right now” (7)
70% of pastors say they have a lower self-esteem now than when they entered ministry (1)
70% constantly fight depression (2)
50% feel so discouraged that they would leave their ministry if they could, but can’t find another job (2)
80% believe their pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families and 33% said it was an outright hazard (1)
80% of ministry spouses feel left out and unappreciated in their church (2)
77% feel they do not have a good marriage (2)
41% display anger problems in marriage (reported by the spouse) (3)
38% are divorced or divorcing (1)
50% admit to using pornography and 37% report inappropriate sexual behavior with someone in the church (1)
65% feel their family is in a glass house (2)
So what do we do?
So what do we do?
We have to carve TIME to listen to God in the SILENCE
Elijah took more than 40 days. What Elijah experienced was NOT a day of sabbath. A day a week is VERY HELPFUL, but sometimes we need MORE! Elijah went on a purposeful pilgrimage to HEAR from God. Weekly Sabbath gives us a physical break, but oftentimes, especially in our polarized world, we need a longer time - an actual sabbatical.
FYI, in the Church of the Nazarene, the Manual declares that each pastor should receive a Sabbatical after 5 consecutive years of ministry.
But, this isn’t about pastors only - although you SHOULD be aware that pastors feel like Elijah - OFTEN!
This is for YOU too. The story of Elijah reminds us of the necessity to silence the chaos in life and HEAR from God.
We’ve been looking at the voice of God and asking the question how we discern if God is speaking.
Today we see that God did not speak through cataclysmic events. God spoke when Elijah left the normal routine and could LISTEN TO THE SILENCE.
Behind the question of how we discern if God is speaking is the nuanced question of IS God speaking or WHY do I not KNOW God is speaking .
Elijah’s struggle and journey invite US to set aside the crazy, hectic life to INVITE God to speak. Maybe God isn’t speaking because everything else around us is too loud.
Maybe God isn’t speaking because we haven’t given enough precedence to silence.
No, we may not be able to go on a sabbatical. But, we are invited to carve out a cave of silence. A place and time where all the distractions are set aside. A place where we can be honest. A place where, even in the silence, God speaks!
