The second example of a man who heard God’s voice is Elijah. Elijah had had a tremendous personal triumph. He’d called down fire on the sacrifice on Mount Carmel. He’d humbled and humiliated and even had executed all the false prophets. But then, he’d run away from a woman, Jezebel, gone out into the wilderness and asked God to take his life. God had sent an angel to strengthen him, and in the strength that he received from the angel, he’d made his way to Mount Horeb, the very place where God first made His covenant with Israel. And this is what happened to Elijah when he got there to Mount Horeb.
“The Lord said to Elijah, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.” 1 Kings 19:11-13
Three tremendous demonstrations of God’s power: the wind that shattered the mountains, an earthquake, a fire. But how significant: God wasn’t in any of those tremendous demonstrations of His power. And then it goes on like this:
“And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”
You remember what I said, that God doesn’t shout. Some people picture God as a man shouting. I think that was Hitler’s picture of God, a man shouting. A lot of dictators and people like that have seen God as just a big man shouting, but God is very different. After all the demonstrations of His power, there came a gentle whisper and the impact on Elijah was tremendous.
When Elijah heard it, [not the wind, not the earthquake, not the fire, but the gentle whisper] he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
What did that mean, pulling his cloak over his face? It meant worship. It meant bowing. It meant humbling himself. It meant opening up his spirit to God.
“Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?””
Think of the careful preparation that God made for Elijah to hear His voice. God is concerned that we hear His voice. But remember, God may not be in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but if you have ears to hear, after that there’ll be a gentle whisper. When you hear that, you’ll want to put your cloak over your face. You’ll want to worship. Your heart will bow down.
It’s important to see the results that came in Elijah’s life from hearing that gentle whisper. There was strength and new direction for his ministry. When he went to Horeb, he was really a beaten man. He was ready to give up, to quit, to throw in the towel. But after he’d heard God’s voice, he was a conqueror and he had new direction. Up to that time, he didn’t know what to do next, but hearing God’s voice gave him direction for his ministry. It will do the same for you and me. Strength and new direction come from hearing God’s voice.
Father, help me to understand that You’re not always in the powerful manifestations, that You actually are much more present in stillness. Thank You that You are not shouting at me, that You gently whisper. Help me to find this quietness in my spirit, so I’ll be able to hear Your gentle whispers. In Jesus’ Name, amen!
