Elijah and the Still Small Voice
After his great victory, Elijah flees in fear and despair. God meets him not in wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a gentle whisper.
1 Kings 19:1-18
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The Story
When wicked Queen Jezebel heard what Elijah had done to her prophets of Baal, she sent a messenger to him: 'May the gods deal with me if I don't make your life like theirs by this time tomorrow!'
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. After a day's journey into the wilderness, he sat down under a broom bush and prayed that he might die. 'I have had enough, Lord. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.' Then he lay down and fell asleep.
An angel touched him and said, 'Get up and eat.' There by his head was bread baked over hot coals and a jar of water. He ate and drank, then lay down again.
The angel came back a second time. 'Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.' So he ate and drank and traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
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?'
'I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty,' Elijah replied. '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.'
The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.'
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
A voice said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'
Again Elijah poured out his complaint. Again he said he was all alone.
But the Lord had work for him to do—kings to anoint, a successor to appoint. And God corrected Elijah's despair: 'I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal.'
Elijah was not alone. God came to him not in dramatic displays of power, but in a still, small voice. Sometimes that is exactly what a weary soul needs.
God's Quiet Voice
Kids Version
Elijah had just won a huge battle for God on Mount Carmel! But then the wicked queen sent a scary message: 'You're dead by tomorrow!'
Elijah got SO scared. He ran and ran until he was far away in the desert. He sat under a little tree and prayed a sad prayer.
'I give up, God! Just let me die. I'm no better than anyone else.'
Poor Elijah was exhausted and depressed. He fell asleep.
An angel tapped his shoulder. 'Wake up and eat.' There was fresh bread and water! Elijah ate and went back to sleep.
The angel came again. 'Eat some more. You have a long trip ahead.'
Elijah ate and then walked for FORTY DAYS until he reached a special mountain. He hid in a cave.
God asked, 'Elijah, what are you doing here?'
'I've worked SO hard for You!' Elijah said. 'But everyone has turned against You. I'm the ONLY one left who loves You, and they want to kill me!'
God said, 'Go stand outside. I'm about to pass by.'
First came a POWERFUL WIND that broke rocks apart! But God wasn't in the wind.
Then came an EARTHQUAKE that shook everything! But God wasn't in the earthquake.
Then came a FIRE! But God wasn't in the fire either.
Then... a quiet, gentle whisper.
When Elijah heard it, he covered his face and went to the cave entrance. He knew—THIS was God.
God asked again, 'What are you doing here?'
Elijah said the same sad things. But God had good news. 'You're not alone! There are 7,000 people in Israel who still love Me. And I have more work for you to do.'
Sometimes we feel alone and tired. But God meets us gently and reminds us we're not alone. He still has plans for us.
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Scripture — 1 Kings 19:1-18 (KJV)
1And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
3And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. for himself: Heb. for his life
5And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. head: Heb. bolster
7And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
9And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
10And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD 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, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
11And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
12And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
13And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
14And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
15And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
16And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. Elisha: Gr. Eliseus
17And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
18Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. I have: or, I will leave
Memory Verse
“And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.”
— 1 Kings 19:1 (KJV)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the story of “Elijah and the Still Small Voice” in the Bible?
After his great victory, Elijah flees in fear and despair. God meets him not in wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a gentle whisper. This story is found in 1 Kings 19:1-18.
Where is “Elijah and the Still Small Voice” found in the Bible?
“Elijah and the Still Small Voice” is found in 1 Kings 19:1-18, in the book of 1 Kings.
What can children learn from “Elijah and the Still Small Voice”?
This story teaches children about God's gentleness, Depression and hope, God meets us in weakness. After his big victory, Elijah got scared and ran away. He was tired and sad and wanted to give up. But God came to him—not in a big storm, but in a quiet, gentle whisper.