“THE WORD OF THE LORD!”

 

1 Kings 19:9-15                 (ESV)

 The LORD Speaks to Elijah

“[9] There he (Elijah) came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, “THE WORD OF THE LORD” came to him, and HE said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” [10] He said, “I have been very jealous for THE LORD, the GOD of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken YOUR covenant, thrown down YOUR altars, and killed YOUR prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” [11] And HE said, “Go out and stand on the mount before THE LORD.” And behold, THE LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke 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. [12] And after the earthquake a fire, but THE LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. [13] And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” [14] He said, “I have been very jealous for THE LORD, the  GOD of hosts. For THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL HAVE FORSAKEN YOUR COVENANT, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” [15] And THE LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.”

Getting directly to the point today, Elijah must not have thought that he was very effective in his mission for THE LORD because he didn’t SEE results that were very indicative of success, at least in “worldly” standards???

GOD PLAINLY STATES in Isaiah 55:8-9 “For MY thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways MY ways, declares the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are MY ways higher than your ways and MY thoughts than your thoughts”.  

We are not always placed in a place of success and earthly rewards to GLORIFY JESUS?!?  Sometimes we have to get ALONE and LISTEN INTENTLY to be able to HEAR “THE WORD OF THE LORD”???  We get our minds so “busy” that we forget that GOD can speak to us, even if HE has no place us in a SEVENTEEN DAY COMA!!!

“THE WORD OF THE LORD” is quite capable of getting through to us without any help!  But HE USES the circumstances that we are placed in FOR HIS GLORY to accomplish HIS PLAN for our lives!  Elijah was taken to HEAVEN by a windstorm (2 Kings 2:11), something that only happened one other time (Genesis 5:24) in the history of mankind!  

“THE WORD OF THE LORD” sometimes has to get us alone to where we are able to HEAR HIM SPEAKING to us?!?  Are we listening to AND for HIM???