““Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!””
1 Kings 19:11-18 NLT
There is a certain irony to Elijah’s attitude about the massacre at Mt. Carmel. Elijah was dejected from that experience, f elongated sorry for himself as the people did not turn to God completely in that moment. Though the grand demonstration of God’s power was enough to create a mob mentality against the prophets of Baal, it only caused the wicked queen and king to double down on their evil. Here God shows something to Elijah. His presence isn’t in the grand sweeping powers that he certainly has. God is grand, but he isn’t found there. He whispers and that whisper preserves the heart of 7,000 of which Elijah doesn’t know about. The people need a still and small voice to be able to see God clearly. Displays of power won’t always lead people to God. They just make them scared or indignant. We must ask ourselves what we are showing if God when our expectations fail to produce the fruit we were expecting. We must not lose heart or hope in the remnant who we cannot see.
JOSH McGARY. COM 