Do you ever read the Bible and wonder why God did things a certain way? Do you ever wonder about certain life events and wonder why God did it that way and not another way? This morning I read about an experience Elijah had with God that has left me wondering.
Elijah has come off of a great victory at Mount Carmel where God showed Himself real over the false gods of Baal. King Ahab wants to kill Elijah because all the prophets of Baal were killed. Elijah has run away to Mount Horeb and God asks Elijah a question and Elijah answers the LORD.
1 Kings 19:9-10
There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
God tells Elijah to go stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD because He was going to pass by. An incredible wind goes by that is shattering rocks and tearing at the mountain, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind an earthquake came, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. A fire followed the earthquake, but still, the LORD was not in the fire. After the violent wind, earthquake and fire a gentle whisper came. It was the LORD.
1 Kings 19:13-14
When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
Same question, same answer.
God gives Elijah instructions for what He wants Elijah to do next.
The experience has a hint of Moses’ experience of the LORD passing by Moses. It has wind and fire elements that were part of the Pentecost experience in Acts 2. I wonder if Elijah needed what we need at times, a special encounter with the living God.
I am still wondering why God did it this way.
What are your thoughts on this?
Comment here:
Elijah has come off of a great victory at Mount Carmel where God showed Himself real over the false gods of Baal. King Ahab wants to kill Elijah because all the prophets of Baal were killed. Elijah has run away to Mount Horeb and God asks Elijah a question and Elijah answers the LORD.
1 Kings 19:9-10
There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
God tells Elijah to go stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD because He was going to pass by. An incredible wind goes by that is shattering rocks and tearing at the mountain, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind an earthquake came, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. A fire followed the earthquake, but still, the LORD was not in the fire. After the violent wind, earthquake and fire a gentle whisper came. It was the LORD.
1 Kings 19:13-14
When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
Same question, same answer.
God gives Elijah instructions for what He wants Elijah to do next.
The experience has a hint of Moses’ experience of the LORD passing by Moses. It has wind and fire elements that were part of the Pentecost experience in Acts 2. I wonder if Elijah needed what we need at times, a special encounter with the living God.
I am still wondering why God did it this way.
What are your thoughts on this?
Comment here:
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