1 Kings 19:1-18
When King Ahab told his wife, whose name was Jezebel, what Elijah had done on Mt. Carmel, she was very angry. She had always lived in a land of idols, and did not believe in the Lord, nor rejoice that He had given rain. She sent word to Elijah that he should be killed the next day.
The queen’s message made Elijah so afraid that he forgot how God had kept him safe in the three years past, and he fled with all his might to a land south, and on into a wild desert where he thought no one could find him.
There were low bushes there, called juniper, which in our land are a pretty, overhanging evergreen, but it is said that in such desert places they are just bare branches. But there was no other place of shade from the hot sun, and Elijah was tired and sad, so he laid down under a bush and wished to die.
Poor Elijah! he would soon have died in that lonely desert without food or water. But there was One who saw him, and while he slept, God, sent an angel to make him a cake, and take him a bottle of water, and call him to arise and eat. Elijah ate the cake and drank the water, then he slept again. Later, the angel again called him to rise and eat.
Then Elijah had strength to go on many days, until he reached a mountain, far south, where he stayed in a cave, sad, alone, and afraid.
But the Lord saw Elijah there, too, and spoke to him and showed him of His great power; first by a mighty wind, breaking rocks in pieces; then an earthquake came, cracking the earth beneath; next came fire; but after those, he heard “a still, small voice.”
It was the Lord speaking gently, calling his name, and ready to comfort him.
The Lord told Elijah that there were many yet of Israel who had not bowed to idols, although Elijah thought he was the only one. And the Lord said he should have a helper, and should go again to take His messages to kings.
God’s words gave Elijah courage to go back again to Israel’s land.
Do you think there was any place Elijah could have gone, or that we could go where God would not see? No, there is no place, “the darkness and the light are both alike” to Him (Psa. 139:11,12).
We do not go to a mountain for help, but we hear God’s “still, small voice” when we read His holy Word.
The mountain where Elijah stayed is called Sinai, and the whole range of mountains there is called Horeb. It was from the same mountain that God gave the Ten Commandments. If you find the name, Sinai, on a map of Arabia, you will see that Elijah went a long way from Mt. Cannel (Ex. 19:20).
ML 03/26/1939