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THE KING’S BUSINESS
had not been in the habit of talking about his zeal for the Lord, but of showing it by his actions. It is a very bad sign when a man gets to talking about his zeal. It was when he himself was backslidden that Elijah talked about his own zeal, and of the faithlessness of everybody but himself. Look out for thè man who says, “I, even I only, am left.” Elijah was not telling the truth about the rest of the people. It was true that there had been a very great apostasy in Israel, but it was very far from true that Elijah was the only faithful one left (cf. v. 18; ch. 18:4; 20:13; 22:35, 41; 22:8). The devil is very fond of trying to make us think- that there are no faithful people except our selves, for he is pretty sure that if he can make us think that we stand alone, that be fore long we will not stand at all. It is often said in defense of Elijah’s statement that these seven thousand were weak-kneed, cowardly followers, but there is no proof whatever of that. But even if it were true, what part was Elijah himself playing at just this time? Was he not on the run from Jezebel, and from the post of duty? There could easily have been many faithful men in Israel of whom Elijah knew noth ing, for he had spent much of his own time in seclusion. The man who fancies that he is the only man who is loyal to God is in a very dangerous position. vs. 11, 12. “And he said, ‘Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD.’ " God did not tell Elijah at once that he was mistaken in thinking that he was the only faithful one; he told him to go out and stand before the Lord. That is the very best place for the discouraged man to get, in God’s own presence. However, as we shall see later, Elijah did not obey at once, and go out and stand before the LORD (cf v 13). “And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before i the Lord^ hut the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was
not in ithe fire." The wind, and the earth quake and the fire were all symbolical of Elijah’s own life of activity in the past; he had been a man of force and violence; a man who moved and shook things; a man who burned and glowed, and God would have him learn that there were other meth ods of representing Him besides his own, and so the Lord was not in the wind, the earthquake or the fire. He often is in the wind, the earthquake and the fire, but not always; and oftentimes He has a more quiet and quite as effective a way of manifesting Himself. "AND after the fire a still, small voice." The still, small voice was symbolical of the quiet influence of the seven thousand. To day God is not always in the men of the wind, earthquake and fire, and often is in the man and woman of quiet influence. The quiet, unobtrusive influence and testimony of, obscure men and women of whom the world hears little or nothing, is Often ac complishing more for God than the noise of more prominent, self-assertive men. Of course, God is sometimes in the fire (ch. 18:38; Gen. 15:17; Ex. 3:2; Deut. 4:11; 12:33). But many are always in danger of making Elijah’s mistake, and desiring the manifestations of God that arouse men’s wonder and admiration, and are not con tented with the more silent, but none the less effective forms of ministry of the still, small voice. Elijah himself was to be suc ceeded by a man of the gentler, quieter type; but Elisha, though he never brought down fire from heaven, and had the whole people on their faces before God, probably accom plished quite as much for God and Israel as Elijah. The literal translation of the words, “still, small voice,” is most expres sive and instructive—“A sound of gentle stillness.” That is what is needed in. many a community today. Oh, the mighty power of the sound of gentle stillness, when God is in it. v. 13. “And it was so that when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the en tering in of the cave." When Elijah heard
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