And it came to pass, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice [came] to him and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
Elijah has fled from Jezebel to a cave at Mount Horeb, and God has just passed by in wind, earthquake and fire without being in any of them. Then comes a gentle voice — older translations call it a still small voice — and it does what the shaking could not: it draws the prophet out, face covered, back to the question he had been avoiding.
Elijah stood unmoved through three displays of overwhelming force. The reason lay in his own mood.
The displays of God's mighty power did not move him, because they matched his own mood. But the grace shown in the tender and gentle voice touched him and took hold of him. So the question presses on his inmost soul again: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" It invites him once more to face the cause of his flight, and to find the root of why he left his field of service.
The question also points back to the place Elijah had left.
People sometimes come before God because they have forgotten Him in the place where they should have stood and given testimony for Him. And so God asks Elijah, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Wind, fire and earthquake announce the power of God to man. They would have suited the angry heart of Elijah as instruments of divine power against Israel. But these displays of His power were not God Himself. The still small voice reveals His presence to Elijah. What would have satisfied his will, and what might have been just towards others, did not awaken his own conscience. But the still small voice pierces Elijah's heart. Through it God reveals Himself, and Elijah hides his face before the presence of the LORD.
The covered face comes from knowing whose presence he is in.
After the wind, earthquake and fire came "a still small voice." This impressed the prophet's soul far more than the terrifying violence of nature. He was in God's presence. In fear and reverence he wrapped his face in his cloak and stood at the entrance of the cave. We must not measure God's power by what He does, but by what He is. He is beyond all His acts.
The voice that draws him out brings back the question Elijah had already been asked.
Elijah is in the presence of the Lord, and the immediate result is that "he wrapped his face in his cloak." Away from the Lord he talks about himself. In the presence of the Lord he hides himself. But there is still pride, bitterness and anger in his heart. So again the Lord searches him with the question, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" God will have everything laid bare in His presence.
The change in him was real, but it was not complete.
He was both subdued and attracted, but not yet in the secret of the Lord, for he repeats his complaint. It takes a long time to bring us to understand the patience of God. And yet are we not ourselves the subjects of it all the time?
Elijah expected mighty displays to do the work. He has to learn otherwise.
Elijah has to learn that wind, earthquake and fire may indeed be God's servants to wake men up. But unless people hear the "still small voice", no one is truly won for God. To reach and win the heart of man, the still small voice of grace must follow the thunder of Sinai.
This is also why the first three signs pass by without God in them.
This does not mean He will never deal in judgment. He has fixed a day for that. Sadly, we are prone to take that work out of His hands and do it too soon, and so we spoil it all. Besides, before the day of judgment there was to be a day of grace; and it is grace that speaks in the fourth and last sign.
The voice also gave him strength to obey.
When Elijah had heard the still small voice, he wrapped his face in his cloak and stood ready to obey the Lord. By the power and strength he had found in this voice he was once again able to obey the commandment of the Lord.
What reached Elijah still reaches people now.
Again we say, it was the still small voice which made Elijah feel that he was dealing with God. It is the same today. God speaks now to consciences and hearts in the written Word.
- Voice over noise. Wind, earthquake and fire were God's servants, but God was not in them. He made His presence known in the still small voice.
- Voice as grace. Elijah wanted judgment on Israel. The fourth sign speaks grace, because God has fixed the day of judgment and it has not yet come.
- Voice that covers the face. Away from the Lord, Elijah talked about himself. In His presence he hid himself. Reverence measures God by what He is, not by what He does.
- Voice that searches. The voice that drew him out asked again what he was doing there. God will have everything laid bare in His presence.
- Voice that sends. That voice gave Elijah strength to obey again. God still reaches consciences the same way, through His written Word.
And he said, I have been very jealous for Jehovah the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I am left, I alone, and they seek my life, to take it away.
God has just spoken to Elijah in a gentle whisper, and now He asks a second time what the prophet is doing there. Elijah gives back the same complaint, word for word — and that answer, which sounds so faithful, is the problem.
God asks, and gets the same words back. One writer weighs what that gentle voice was, and what the reply exposed.
This soft gentle voice was that of grace. It is in grace that God has revealed Himself in the fullness of His being to poor sinners like ourselves. The God who reveals Himself this way asks His question again, to probe the prophet to the very depth: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Elijah makes the same reply. He had had time to reflect; he lays bare what is in his heart. Whom does he credit with good? Himself. Whom does he accuse? The people of God. In a word it is an orderly accusation, a case pleaded against Israel, and a speech in praise of Elijah.
One writer counts three faults in the complaint. Watch the second one — these same people had just helped Elijah kill the priests of Baal.
Does he humble himself, confessing his lack of faithfulness, courage and faith? No. His language is that of self-elevation and accusing others. That is always the case when a believer leaves the path of obedience and refuses to judge himself and confess his sin. These words betrayed his unhappy state of soul in three ways. First, self-exaltation. Second, unjust accusation against God's people, whom he charges with idolatry and with persecuting God's prophets. Why, they had just turned away from their idols and returned to the true and living God, and helped the prophet kill the priests of Baal. Third, a complete lack of fellowship with God's faithful remnant in Israel. There were seven thousand in Israel who had not bowed their knees to Baal, and Elijah did not know one of them.
The New Testament looks back at this moment. One writer sets Elijah's words beside those of Moses.
Being taken up with himself led Elijah to hold very improper feelings toward the erring people of God around him. "Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?" (Rom. 11:2). Intercession against Israel! Speaking well of himself and ill of God's people! Is this the true role of God's witness?… Moses spoke very differently. It is refreshing to listen to his moving prayer to God for Israel after they worshipped the golden calf (Ex. 32, 33). He kept reminding the Lord that they were His people, despite their grave sin, and that the honour of His great name was bound up with their blessing. Rather than see them overthrown, he was willing that God should blot him out of the book He had written.
Not seeing them was itself a failure. One writer links Elijah's blindness to his self-focus — and then turns it on us.
Elijah failed there, and in failing there he failed God. These seven thousand were very precious to God. Yet Elijah had not seen one of them, did not know one of them, did not suspect that one of them existed. If Elijah had not thought so much about himself, he would have seen some of these seven thousand before. It is the same with ourselves… We must not forget that there are those we do not see, those we do not meet. We must leave room for them in our hearts, in our faith. We must carry them on our soul before God.
God holds Elijah up and hands his post to another. Grace and government run side by side.
Grace would strengthen the prophet. Government accepted the resignation that Elijah handed in to God. The prophet feared death at the hands of a wicked woman. Grace would take him to heaven in a whirlwind — chariot and horsemen of fire — without dying at all… Government directed Elijah to anoint Elisha in his place.
The same mistake returns whenever a few faithful people look like the last ones left.
Our own day grows more corrupt, and our outlook is small. How often we imagine that the work of God depends on one or two devoted and faithful servants of the Lord! We think that once they are gone all testimony for the Lord will cease. We have to learn that though servants pass, God remains. He has other servants in preparation for His service. And, unknown to us, God has His hidden ones who have not bowed down to prevailing evils.
- "Left" alone. Elijah's whole case rests on one word — he says he is the only one left. God answers with the same word and a number: seven thousand.
- Left, so accusing. Taken up with himself, he praises himself and blames God's people. He prays against Israel, not for it — the opposite of Moses.
- Left, so blind. The seven thousand were real and precious to God. Elijah knew none of them, because he was watching himself.
- Left, so replaced. Grace strengthens him and takes him to heaven. God's government hands his place to Elisha.
- Never left alone. Servants pass, God remains — and He always has hidden ones who have not bowed to the evils around them.
And Jehovah said to him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when thou comest, anoint Hazael king over Syria;
After the wind, the earthquake and the fire, God does not comfort Elijah with sympathy. He sends the prophet back the way he came, with an errand that answers every word of his complaint.
Elijah had fled from Jezebel and left his work behind. The command to return shows that God has not finished with him.
The Lord recommissions him for service. Having restored His servant's soul, He sends him back to his work.
The order of the three appointments is not random. Each one matches something Elijah had just said about himself and about Israel.
First the Lord says, "Go, return on your way." The prophet must retrace his steps. Then he is to appoint other instruments to carry on the work of the Lord. Had Elijah complained of the evil of the people of God? Now it shall be his sorrowful mission to appoint Hazael king over Syria — an instrument to chastise the people of God. Had Elijah fled from before the threat of the wicked Jezebel? Then he must appoint Jehu to be king over Israel — the instrument to execute judgment upon Jezebel. Had Elijah spoken well of himself, and thought that he only remained? Then he must appoint Elisha to be prophet in his place.
Elijah had accused his own nation before God. The journey north to Damascus is the shape that answer takes.
The Lord did not openly rebuke Elijah, but the instructions He gave were a serious rebuke. He told Elijah to leave that place and go to the wilderness of Damascus, far to the north of where he was, and there anoint Hazael king over Syria (v.15). Why this? Because Elijah had prayed against Israel, and his prayer could be answered by Hazael's vicious cruelty against Israel!
The same writer draws the lesson plainly. Elijah "would have been wiser to intercede for Israel rather than against them!"
The two kings are two different instruments. Hazael rules a foreign power; Jehu rises inside Israel.
The judgements that Elijah seemed to feel were necessary would be carried out. The broken covenant, the altars that had been defiled, and the murdered prophets would all be avenged. The judgements would match the whirlwind, the earthquake and the fire. A ruthless destroyer from outside and a fierce reformer within would be let loose on the guilty nation.
Of the three names, the third touches Elijah himself. Notice which one he carries out first.
He returns by the way by which he had come (v. 15). He finds Elisha the son of Shaphat and casts his mantle on him — the mark of identification as a prophet. If he had stuck to the bare letter of God's word, he would have had to begin by anointing Hazael and Jehu (vv. 15, 16). Instead he hurries to do the act that would reduce himself to nothing. He, the great prophet, hands his authority to another. So the man who had said, "I, even I only, am left," shows that from now on he is nothing in his own eyes.
Yet losing the office was not losing God's favour. One writer sets grace and government side by side:
Grace would strengthen the prophet. Government accepted the resignation that Elijah handed in to God. The prophet had feared death at the hands of a wicked woman. Grace would take him to heaven in a whirlwind — chariot and horsemen of fire — without his dying at all. Government directed Elijah to anoint Elisha in his place.
The account never shows Elijah anointing these two kings. One writer explains why:
What happened was that Elijah met Elisha first, since the Lord brought him onto his path. He threw his prophet's cloak over him for the first time. In doing so he gave up his commission, so to speak, and passed it to Elisha, though his own work as a prophet was not yet over. From the moment Elisha was marked out as his successor, the other two anointings fell to him.
- Go — the first word of the answer is a direction, not a discussion. Restoration ends with the servant back at the post he abandoned.
- Granted — Elijah had prayed against Israel; Hazael is that prayer coming true. Interceding for people would have been the wiser prayer.
- Government — one judgment comes from outside Israel (Hazael), one from within (Jehu). Together they carry out what Elijah felt was needed.
- Given away — handing his office to Elisha ended Elijah's own commission. He rushed to do that one first, and reduced himself to nothing.
- Grace — the same God who accepted his resignation still took him to heaven without dying. Losing a role is not losing His favour.
and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint prophet in thy stead.
Elijah has run to Horeb. He has told God that he alone is left, and he has asked to die. God does not answer with comfort. He gives orders. Elijah must mark out three men, and the last of them takes his own place as prophet.
The three commands answer, one by one, the three things Elijah had said. God takes each complaint and turns it into an assignment.
Did He want the people of God punished for their sin? He Himself should anoint the men who carry out God's judgment — certainly painful work for someone who truly loved the people. Did he think no one could replace him as a witness? Then he must go and anoint his successor — Elisha the son of Shaphat. Did he regard himself as the only faithful man left in the land? Then he must learn his mistake. Jehovah startled him with the news that He still had 7000 loyal hearts among Israel's tribes.
Discipline and grace meet in one command.
God, who is as faithful in discipline as in grace, bids him anoint another in his place.
Elijah has three tasks. He does the third one first — the one that costs him most.
He goes back the way he had come (v. 15). He finds Elisha the son of Shaphat and throws his cloak over him — the sign that marks him out as a prophet. If he had kept to the bare letter of God's word, he would have had to start with Hazael and Jehu (vv. 15, 16). Instead he hurries to do the act that reduces himself to nothing. He, the great prophet, hands his authority over to another man. So the man who had said, "I, even I only, am left," shows that from now on he is nothing in his own eyes. As for Hazael and Jehu, it would not be Elijah, but Elisha who would anoint them.
Anointing was a familiar act in Israel. This one has no parallel.
"And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place" (1 Kings 19:16). This last one is striking. It is the only case where Scripture speaks of anointing a prophet. Elisha was Elijah's successor, so he had to be formally marked out for the post. As a rule a prophet had no successor. God called him for one specific purpose, and no one else could take his place.
Hazael and Jehu carry weapons of war. The third name in the list carries something else, and it reaches further than the other two.
God does not forget Ahab's wickedness while He gives Elijah the discipline he needs. Hazael is to be anointed king of Syria and Jehu king of Israel, and in due time both will carry out God's judgments on the house of Ahab. There was still another sword to be drawn, the most terrible of all... No one escaped Elisha's sword, and it cut far wider than the swords of Hazael and Jehu. Elisha's sword was the word of God. Its judgment caught up with the guilty house of Ahab and with the idolatrous nation, after the swords of Hazael and Jehu had been broken. "Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth." (Hosea 6:5)
Of the three men named, Elisha came first. The order matters.
Of the three, Elisha came first, with his wonderful ministry of grace. This is so like our God. If Israel had eyes to see it, Elisha's service among them was the divine pause between the sentence and the carrying out of the judgement. It was for Israel to say whether the sentence would take effect. Jehovah is always willing to turn aside the threatened blow when men truly humble themselves before Him. This is the principle He declares in Jeremiah 18:7-8, and we see it illustrated in His dealings with the city of Nineveh in the time of Jonah.
The verse ends with a short phrase: "in your place." It shapes everything Elisha becomes.
But God valued his faithful service, and would soon give him a unique and splendid honour: He would take him up into heaven. Yet in grace He planned that Elijah's faithful testimony would carry on in Elisha. So Elijah goes to heaven, and Elisha stays on earth in the same position to represent him — "in his place," as the verse says. The anointing was to fit him and equip him for this, so that he could represent the man whom God took into heaven.
- Complaint answered. God meets Elijah's three claims — punish them, I am needed, I am alone — with three commands and the news of seven thousand.
- Place surrendered. He hurries past the two kings to the one act that empties him of standing, and from then on he is nothing in his own eyes.
- Prophet anointed. This is the one anointing of a prophet in Scripture, because this is the one prophet with a successor.
- Sword named. Hazael and Jehu strike with steel; Elisha strikes with the word of God, and his sword reaches furthest.
- Grace first. The sentence stands, but mercy goes ahead of it — leaving Israel room to repent.