Let God Whisper (Elijah)

Elijah is another prophet, like Samuel, who towers over the Old Testament. He comes to represent the best of the prophetic calling. In the Gospels, we encounter Elijah with Moses at Jesus’ transfiguration: “there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus” (Matthew 17:3).

We remember Elijah best for his faith-filled challenge with the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah on Mount Carmel during the reign of King Ahab. Although the prophets of Baal and Asherah shout, dance, and gash themselves in their sacred rites, they evoke no response from their gods. But with a few simple words in prayer, the Lord responds to Elijah with fire from heaven. The people of Israel clearly see who is the true God: “the Lord – He is God!” (1 Kings 18:39).

But after the heights of success, Elijah found that not everything in the kingdom was working out his way. Jezebel wanted to end his life. Fear gripped him. So he ran southward out of the reaches of the King.

Elijah comes to Mount Horeb, the mountain of God. When he arrives, he is first of all worn out physically from travelling well over 80 miles on foot (19:5).  He is worn out emotionally from his efforts against the prophets of Baal and Asherah. He feels suicidal, asking God to take his life (19:4). He feels lonely and isolated (19:4, 14).

In this place of sheer exhaustion, Elijah comes to the mountain of God. There he experiences the power of God in a violent wind, an earthquake, and a fire. But each time, we read: “but the Lord was not in the wind…the earthquake…the fire.”

Many of us have times where we are exhausted, spent, and lonely like Elijah. We have seen the dramatic works of God, but even that is not what we most need in those moments. We want to hear from God but we are unsure of what that looks like in the place of soul-deep weariness.

It was in that sort of place, however, that God met Elijah. After the wind, the earthquake, and the fire “came a gentle whisper” (19:12).

That was what God’s voice sounded like in Elijah’s exhausted ears: a gentle whisper.

Without a doubt, all of us have times where we experience the let-down of living that Elijah had on his way to Mount Horeb.

So think about this:

Where are you experiencing physical, emotional, or spiritual exhaustion? Where are the places into which you simply need to let God whisper His presence?