Bible Men: Elijah and the Still Small Voice

Elijah and the Still Small Voice

1 Kings 19:1-18

The still small voice is one of the most precious events in the life of Elijah, it came at a time when he was very depressed, a time so many can relate to.

In my previous posts concerning Elijah, we read of King Ahab.  His wife was named Jezebel, who was a very wicked woman.  She worshipped the "gods" and was dominant over her husband.  Jezebel heard how Elijah had confronted the prophets of Baal and how he had slain all of them afterwards. 1 Kings 19:2 "Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, so let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time."  Those were very foolish words from Jezebel as time would tell..

 I have heard it said that Elijah was fearful and that's why he "arose and went for his life, and came to Beersheba..and left his servant there"(1 Kings 19:3) In thinking about this verse now, I would rather apply Proverbs 16:9 "A man's heart deviseth his way, but the LORD directeth his steps." We will see that the LORD had a wonderful lesson for Elijah, which he would only learn when he was by himself.  Beersheba belonged to Judah, the part of the nation of Israel that served the LORD, the God of Israel.  After leaving his servant there, Elijah went on himself another day's journey into the wilderness, where he "sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die;and said "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers." (V4)  Sometimes we may feel like dying too, when it seems that things are so against us, that it is better to be with the Lord..   It is notable here that Elijah "lay and slept under a juniper tree" (V6) To me that says that Elijah had put forth his request,  and then left the matter in the  will of the LORD, and so should we also.