The Purpose of Discernment
Discernment is how we learn to hear God's voice by "tuning in" to His spiritual communication frequency.
Elijah and the Lord (19:9b–18)
9b–10 At length the word of the Lord aroused Elijah. The penetrating interrogation called for minute self-evaluation (v.9b; cf. Gen 3:9). Did Elijah yet understand his failure and God’s gracious guidance in bringing him to this places Elijah’s reply indicated that he did not. Like Phineas of old, he alone had been very zealous for the Lord in the midst of gross idolatry (v.10; cf. Num 25:7–13). His soul was somewhat bitter at having served God so earnestly and spectacularly and yet having experienced rejection and solitary exile.
11–14 The Lord did not comment on Elijah’s self-justification but offered instruction. He was to come out of the cave and stand before the Lord, for he would soon pass by (v.11). Suddenly a rock-shattering tempest smote the mountain around Elijah. Surely this would announce the divine presence. But the Lord was not in the wind. There followed a fearful earthquake, but still God was not there. A sudden fire followed (v.12); yet God had not come. All these physical phenomena were known to be often precursors of God’s coming (Exod 19:16, 18; Judg 5:4–5; 2 Sam 22:8–16; Pss 18:7–15; 68:8; Heb 12:18). There followed a faint whisper, a voice quiet hushed, and low. Elijah knew it instantly (v.13a). It was God! What a lesson for Eiijah! Even God did not always operate in the realm of the spectacular!
Pulling his prophet’s cloak over his face, Elijah made his way reverently out of the cave (v.13b; cf. Exod 3:6; 33:20; Isa 6:2–3). Again came the divine question: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah’s reply was the same (v.14; cf. v.10). How slow he was to learn! Yet much of what he said was true. Though he had failed at the last, he had been faithful; and truly persecution was rampant in Israel. It was understandable why he would feel quite alone.
15–18 God again dealt graciously with his prophet. He was to go back to the northern kingdom (v.15), the place where he had veered off the track with God in his spiritual life (cf. Abram, Gen 13:3–4; John Mark, Acts 15:39). Elijah still had work to accomplish for God. That task was threefold: (1) in the realm of international politics, he was to anoint Hazael to succeed Ben-Hadad, Israel’s perennial adversary in Damascus; (2) in national affairs, Jehu was to be anointed as the next king (v.16); and (3) in the spiritual realm, Elisha was to be commissioned as his own successor (cf. God’s instruction to Moses in Num 27:18–23).
The threefold commission was singularly interrelated (v.17). Jehu’s work would supplement that of Hazael, that is, any who fell to Israel to escape Hazael’s purge would be dealt with by Jehu. In turn those who survived Jehu’s slaughter must face the spiritual judgment of Elisha. To encourage his restored prophet further, God set the record straight: there were yet seven thousand true believers in Israel (v.18).
Notes
15 For Hazael see the comment on 2 Kings 8:8; for Jehu, see 2 Kings 9–10.
7) Elijah and the call of Elisha (19:19–21)
19–20 Since the key figure in Elijah’s threefold commission was Elisha, Elijah sought him out first. He found Elisha busily engaged in plowing (v.19). Coming on him suddenly, Elijah threw his mantle over Elisha, a symbol of Elisha’s call to the prophetic office. Elijah himself continued on without a word. When Elisha was able to collect his wits, he ran after Elijah, asking only that he be allowed to take leave of his family (v.20). Elijah’s reply indicates that he himself had not called Elisha; it was God’s call. Whether Elisha would follow that call was his own decision.
21 Elisha meant business for God. Taking his leave of Elijah, Elisha returned home to enjoy a farewell meal with his family and friends. The meat was cooked over Elisha’s own plowing equipment. Thus he had burned his past behind him. Henceforth he would serve God. However this first meant learning more of him through Elijah
Elijah and the Lord (19:9b–18)
9b–10 At length the word of the Lord aroused Elijah. The penetrating interrogation called for minute self-evaluation (v.9b; cf. Gen 3:9). Did Elijah yet understand his failure and God’s gracious guidance in bringing him to this places Elijah’s reply indicated that he did not. Like Phineas of old, he alone had been very zealous for the Lord in the midst of gross idolatry (v.10; cf. Num 25:7–13). His soul was somewhat bitter at having served God so earnestly and spectacularly and yet having experienced rejection and solitary exile.
11–14 The Lord did not comment on Elijah’s self-justification but offered instruction. He was to come out of the cave and stand before the Lord, for he would soon pass by (v.11). Suddenly a rock-shattering tempest smote the mountain around Elijah. Surely this would announce the divine presence. But the Lord was not in the wind. There followed a fearful earthquake, but still God was not there. A sudden fire followed (v.12); yet God had not come. All these physical phenomena were known to be often precursors of God’s coming (Exod 19:16, 18; Judg 5:4–5; 2 Sam 22:8–16; Pss 18:7–15; 68:8; Heb 12:18). There followed a faint whisper, a voice quiet hushed, and low. Elijah knew it instantly (v.13a). It was God! What a lesson for Eiijah! Even God did not always operate in the realm of the spectacular!
Pulling his prophet’s cloak over his face, Elijah made his way reverently out of the cave (v.13b; cf. Exod 3:6; 33:20; Isa 6:2–3). Again came the divine question: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah’s reply was the same (v.14; cf. v.10). How slow he was to learn! Yet much of what he said was true. Though he had failed at the last, he had been faithful; and truly persecution was rampant in Israel. It was understandable why he would feel quite alone.
15–18 God again dealt graciously with his prophet. He was to go back to the northern kingdom (v.15), the place where he had veered off the track with God in his spiritual life (cf. Abram, Gen 13:3–4; John Mark, Acts 15:39). Elijah still had work to accomplish for God. That task was threefold: (1) in the realm of international politics, he was to anoint Hazael to succeed Ben-Hadad, Israel’s perennial adversary in Damascus; (2) in national affairs, Jehu was to be anointed as the next king (v.16); and (3) in the spiritual realm, Elisha was to be commissioned as his own successor (cf. God’s instruction to Moses in Num 27:18–23).
The threefold commission was singularly interrelated (v.17). Jehu’s work would supplement that of Hazael, that is, any who fell to Israel to escape Hazael’s purge would be dealt with by Jehu. In turn those who survived Jehu’s slaughter must face the spiritual judgment of Elisha. To encourage his restored prophet further, God set the record straight: there were yet seven thousand true believers in Israel (v.18).
Notes
15 For Hazael see the comment on 2 Kings 8:8; for Jehu, see 2 Kings 9–10.
7) Elijah and the call of Elisha (19:19–21)
19–20 Since the key figure in Elijah’s threefold commission was Elisha, Elijah sought him out first. He found Elisha busily engaged in plowing (v.19). Coming on him suddenly, Elijah threw his mantle over Elisha, a symbol of Elisha’s call to the prophetic office. Elijah himself continued on without a word. When Elisha was able to collect his wits, he ran after Elijah, asking only that he be allowed to take leave of his family (v.20). Elijah’s reply indicates that he himself had not called Elisha; it was God’s call. Whether Elisha would follow that call was his own decision.
21 Elisha meant business for God. Taking his leave of Elijah, Elisha returned home to enjoy a farewell meal with his family and friends. The meat was cooked over Elisha’s own plowing equipment. Thus he had burned his past behind him. Henceforth he would serve God. However this first meant learning more of him through Elijah