The Still Small Voice, Elisha Called
[ READ ] 1 Kings 19:9–21
The Lord Speaks to Elijah
9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke 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. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 15 And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
The Call of Elisha
19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21 And he returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, sacrificed them, boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.
9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke 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. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 15 And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
The Call of Elisha
19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21 And he returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, sacrificed them, boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.
Elijah sits in a cave on Horeb. He has outrun Jezebel. He has called down fire on Carmel. Now he is empty. God asks him a question. “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
God does not ask questions for His information. He already knows. He asks so Elijah can find himself. Where has his soul settled? God asks twice, once before the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, and once after the whisper. Elijah gives the same answer both times. He still feels alone.
Notice what God does in between. He was not in the wind, but He spoke to Job in the whirlwind. He was not in the fire, but He spoke to Moses in the burning bush. He was not in the earthquake, but Sinai shook when He came down. On Horeb (a different name for the same mountain, Sinai), He chose a low whisper. He met Elijah in a way Elijah could hear.
We cannot put God in a box. He does not use one method. He speaks in the way we need to hear Him.
Then look at what happens next. God gives Elijah work. Anoint Hazael king over Aram. Anoint Jehu king over Israel. Anoint Elisha as prophet in your place. And by the way, Elijah, you are not alone. Seven thousand in Israel have not bowed to Baal.
Elijah leaves the cave. He finds Elisha plowing behind twelve yoke of oxen. He throws his cloak over him. Elisha does not hesitate. He slaughters the oxen. He burns the plowing gear to cook the meat. He feeds his people. Then he follows Elijah and serves him.
The prophet who felt alone now has a companion.
God may be asking you the same question today. What are you doing here? Answer honestly. Then listen. He may whisper. He may thunder. Either way, He will not leave you where He found you.
- Mary Gunther
God does not ask questions for His information. He already knows. He asks so Elijah can find himself. Where has his soul settled? God asks twice, once before the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, and once after the whisper. Elijah gives the same answer both times. He still feels alone.
Notice what God does in between. He was not in the wind, but He spoke to Job in the whirlwind. He was not in the fire, but He spoke to Moses in the burning bush. He was not in the earthquake, but Sinai shook when He came down. On Horeb (a different name for the same mountain, Sinai), He chose a low whisper. He met Elijah in a way Elijah could hear.
We cannot put God in a box. He does not use one method. He speaks in the way we need to hear Him.
Then look at what happens next. God gives Elijah work. Anoint Hazael king over Aram. Anoint Jehu king over Israel. Anoint Elisha as prophet in your place. And by the way, Elijah, you are not alone. Seven thousand in Israel have not bowed to Baal.
Elijah leaves the cave. He finds Elisha plowing behind twelve yoke of oxen. He throws his cloak over him. Elisha does not hesitate. He slaughters the oxen. He burns the plowing gear to cook the meat. He feeds his people. Then he follows Elijah and serves him.
The prophet who felt alone now has a companion.
God may be asking you the same question today. What are you doing here? Answer honestly. Then listen. He may whisper. He may thunder. Either way, He will not leave you where He found you.
- Mary Gunther
[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ God was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but He had spoken through each of these before (Job 38:1, Exodus 3:2, Exodus 19:18). Why might He have chosen a low whisper for Elijah on this day?
+ Elisha slaughters his oxen and burns his plowing gear before he follows Elijah. What does he give up, and what does that say about his response to God’s call?
+ God was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but He had spoken through each of these before (Job 38:1, Exodus 3:2, Exodus 19:18). Why might He have chosen a low whisper for Elijah on this day?
+ Elisha slaughters his oxen and burns his plowing gear before he follows Elijah. What does he give up, and what does that say about his response to God’s call?
[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ If God asked you today, “What are you doing here?”, what would you honestly answer? Where is your soul locating itself right now?
+ Elijah thought he was alone. God showed him seven thousand others and gave him Elisha. Who has God placed beside you that you have not noticed?
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ If God asked you today, “What are you doing here?”, what would you honestly answer? Where is your soul locating itself right now?
+ Elijah thought he was alone. God showed him seven thousand others and gave him Elisha. Who has God placed beside you that you have not noticed?
[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, You know where I am before I tell You. Ask me again. Help me answer honestly. Forgive me for the times I have decided how You must speak. Quiet me enough to hear Your whisper. Open my eyes to the people You have placed around me. When I feel alone, remind me that I am not. Give me work to do for You, and the courage to leave the cave and do it. Like Elisha, make me quick to follow. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, You know where I am before I tell You. Ask me again. Help me answer honestly. Forgive me for the times I have decided how You must speak. Quiet me enough to hear Your whisper. Open my eyes to the people You have placed around me. When I feel alone, remind me that I am not. Give me work to do for You, and the courage to leave the cave and do it. Like Elisha, make me quick to follow. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/find-a-group)
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
+ Tell someone about a time God spoke to you in a way you did not expect. How did you know it was Him?
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/find-a-group)
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
+ Tell someone about a time God spoke to you in a way you did not expect. How did you know it was Him?
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