“So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”” 1 Kings 19:11–13, NASB95
How does God speak? So often, we look for God to speak in great magnificent ways like handwriting in the sky, a large booming voice, or even a very loud, angry prophet that screams, “Thus saith the LORD!” In days of desperation, we want God to speak, yet there is silence. We look to be encouraged by God, and all we hear are crickets. This was the case for the prophet Elijah.
Elijah killed the prophets of Baal and had a great victory when Jezebel, the queen, declared by an oath that Elijah should die. So Elijah ran away and prayed under a juniper tree that God would take his life. Instead, God encouraged him with the touch of an angel and some angel food cake. Elijah left and went to Mt Horeb, the mountain of God, to meet with God. It was in the mountain of God that Elijah would hear the voice of God.
After the first encounter with God, God then spoke a second time to Elijah, instructing the prophet to stand before Him and learn to listen. God sent a strong wind that tore up the mountain, but God was not in the wind. God sent a strong earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake. God sent a strong fire, but God was not in the fire. After all this, Elijah heard a whisper of wind, and God was in the whisper. God speaks in a gentle, quiet voice in order to bring peace to the troubled prophet. It is the whisper of God that brings encouragement to the hearts of those in despair.
If you find yourself desperately looking for God’s presence, go to the “mountain of God” and listen. The mountain of God is the place where you and God can be alone without distractions. Don’t look for the spiritual phenomena but listen for the simple whisper of God in your heart, and you will hear the voice of God.
““Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”” Psalm 46:10, NIV84
In His Service
Pastor Cary