Chapter 6: The Still Small Voice

He lay down and fell asleep, expecting never to wake up.

But an angel touched him. Beside his head were fresh bread and a jar of water. The angel said, "Get up and eat." Elijah ate and lay down again. The angel came a second time. "Get up and eat, for the journey ahead is too much for you." He ate once more, and in the strength of that food he traveled forty days and forty nights, all the way to Horeb, the mountain of God. The same mountain where God had spoken to Moses from the burning bush and where He had given the law to Israel.

He found a cave and stayed the night. Then God spoke to him.

GOD“What are you doing here, Elijah?”

ELIJAH“I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

God told him to go out and stand on the mountain.

Then a wind tore across the mountain, so violent it shattered the rocks. But the Lord was not in the wind. An earthquake shook the ground. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. A fire swept past. But the Lord was not in the fire. Now He was showing Elijah that the spectacular display of power was not how He would finish this.

And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (1 Kings 19:11-12)

Elijah wrapped his face in his cloak and stepped to the mouth of the cave. He knew that voice.

God gave him three tasks. Go back. Anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Anoint Jehu as king over Israel. And anoint Elisha son of Shaphat to take your place as prophet.

Then God said one more thing.

GOD“I reserve seven thousand in Israel whose knees have not bowed to Baal.”

Elijah believed he was the last faithful man in Israel. God told him he never was.