MidReal Story
Whispers on Horeb: Elijah's Divine Encounter
Scenario: I am Elijah and I have just seen the power of God demonstrated on Mt Carmel. Jezebel has threatened to kill me and I have run for 40 days to the mountain of God. From Exodus 19 write about the interaction between God and Elijah highlighting the applications for today especially focusing on the still small voice of God
Create my version of this story
Ahab
king influenced by Jezebel, weakwilled yet conflicted, married to Jezebel, appearance reflects his indecisiveness, conflicted and easily swayed.
Elijah
prophet seeking God's voice, solitary and resolute, no relationships specified, rugged with a weathered face, determined and faithful.
Jezebel
antagonist threatening Elijah's life, powerful and vindictive, relationship with Elijah is adversarial, striking and imposing appearance, manipulative and ruthless.
Chapter 1
I had never been so afraid in all my life.
I had faced down the prophets of Baal and Asherah on Mount Carmel, and I had not been afraid then.
I had watched as God sent fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice, and I had not been afraid then.
I had seen the people fall on their faces and cry out, "The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!" and I had not been afraid then.
But now I was very much afraid.
I had never run from a fight in my life, but as soon as I heard her message, I turned tail and ran as fast as my feet could carry me.
She was going to kill me, and there was nothing I could do about it.
In fact, I was so tired that I did not want to try to do anything about it.
All I wanted was for God to take my life away from me right then and there.
And so, I began walking toward Beersheba—a forty-day journey—hoping that by the time I arrived, my life would be over.
When I finally reached Beersheba, I left my servant behind and traveled into the wilderness alone.
I had come further into the wilderness than anyone since Moses or the Israelites who came before him, but still I was not far enough away.
I finally got to Mount Horeb and found a cave where I could hide until God told me what he wanted me to do next.
But as soon as I entered the cave, my fear overtook me.
And now all I want is for God to let me die in peace under this broom tree.
It is no wonder that you are tired of living when you have lived like this.
When you have been on your feet for forty days and nights without food or water, even when you are doing something you love it can become difficult to keep going.
But when you are trying to run away from someone who wants to kill you, there is no way that you can find the strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other—I know because I have tried.
I went as far as I could go before my body collapsed beneath me and refused to take another step without a break.
The heat of the sun was beating down on the ground all around me, and it took everything inside me just to keep breathing enough air into my lungs so that I would not pass out completely.
I did not know what to do after the people had turned against the prophets of Baal and Asherah on Mount Carmel, so I killed them by the brook Kishon just as Elijah had done when he first met Ahab.
And now their queen wants to kill me too—after I have done everything she asked of me!
I knew that I had to get away quickly or else I would be next on her list of enemies to destroy, but there was nowhere left for me to run where she would not find me eventually anyway.
So I started walking away from Beersheba as fast as my feet could carry me: forty days and forty nights without stopping except to sleep when my body finally gave out and could not go any further!
And now I wish that I would die here under this broom tree, just like Elijah did long ago on the same mountain where Moses met the Lord God Almighty in a burning bush when he led his people out of Egypt over four hundred years before us!
Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the ground because he was so tired after traveling through the wilderness without stopping even once during his journey from Beersheba all the way here to Mount Horeb (also known as Mount Sinai).
And while he slept the Lord sent an angel down from heaven to touch him gently on his shoulder and wake him up saying: "Get up and eat some bread that I have brought you, my friend. You must be very hungry after walking so far without any food or water!"
And when Elijah opened his eyes again after sleeping soundly for many hours beneath that old broom tree, there was fresh hot bread baking on hot coals next to him along with a jar filled with cool water from a nearby spring.
He could smell it all around him even before he sat up and looked at what was waiting there for him!
I am not worthy to receive such kindness from you, O God Almighty; how can I ever repay you for everything that you have done for me?
But the angel only smiled at him and said again: "Get up and eat some bread, my friend. You must eat well because the journey ahead of you is long, and it will take everything inside you to reach your final destination. And don't forget to drink plenty of water too so that your body will have enough strength for what lies in store for you after that."
So Elijah got up and ate the bread with gusto along with drinking lots of water until he felt completely satisfied once again.
Then the angel told him to get up one more time before lying down again so that he could rest for a little while longer underneath that same old broom tree where he had fallen asleep earlier.
And when he woke up a second time after sleeping for a few more hours, there was more hot bread baking on hot coals next to him along with another jar filled with cool water from a nearby spring.
"Get up and eat some more bread, my friend," the angel said to him once again as soon as he opened his eyes.
"You need all the food and water that I can give you right now so that you will have enough strength inside for the journey ahead. There are still many miles left to walk before we reach our final destination together, so do not worry about running out of things to eat or drink along the way!"
So Elijah got up once more and ate the fresh hot bread along with drinking lots more water until he felt completely satisfied once again.
I had come here alone and in secret, hoping that God would talk to me directly just as he had talked to Moses so many years ago when he appeared to him in a burning bush and gave him the Ten Commandments.
This was a desolate place where I could be sure no one else would find me—not Jezebel, not her messengers, not even Ahab himself—and it was also where I knew God lived because He said that He would meet me here.
So I waited for Him with bated breath and every muscle tensed until…
"What are you doing here, Elijah?"
A voice spoke from within or around the mountain.
"I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life."
The same question.
I gave it a different answer this time.
The voice replied: "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord."
I stepped outside into the light.
A windstorm tore through the mountains and shattered rocks all around me, but God was not in the wind.
An earthquake shook the earth beneath my feet, but God was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake came a fire that blazed fiercely across the land for what seemed like hours before burning itself out completely, but God was not in that fire either.
The voice spoke again: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
I listened intently for Him this time, and then I heard it—a still small voice that whispered gently in my ear without making any sound at all: "Wrap your face in your mantle and step back into the entrance of your cave, for I am about to pass by."
So I wrapped my face in my mantle and stepped back into the entrance of my cave just as I had been told because I knew that if God's presence came close enough to touch me, I would surely die from being so close to something so holy.
Chapter 2
The voice sounded as if it were coming from inside or behind me—I couldn't tell which—so I turned around and looked at the back of the cave; but there was no one there.
As I watched, a finger of light appeared at what seemed like eye level and moved slowly across the wall until it reached the entrance of my cave, where it stopped.
"Step outside," said the voice.
"I want you to stand at the entrance of your hideaway while I show you how strong and mighty I am."
So I stepped out into the light just as I had been told, and then—
The voice asked me another question.
The voice asked me yet again: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
The voice said: "Go out, and stand on Mount Horeb before me."
So I went out as I was told, and then a windstorm tore through the mountains so violently that I had to grab onto a nearby boulder just to keep from being blown away; but once again, God was not in the wind.
An earthquake shook the ground beneath my feet so hard that rocks fell all around me, but God was not in the earthquake either.
Afterwards there came a fire that blazed across the land and swept up into a towering inferno that stretched thousands of cubits high into the sky before dying back down into nothing but ashes; but God was not in that fire either.
When everything had finally grown still again, I listened intently for Him, and this time—
There came before me a powerful wind that tore through the mountains and shattered rocks, but God was not in the wind.
Then an earthquake rumbled beneath my feet, shaking everything around me until even Mount Horeb itself seemed to tremble, yet God was not in this earthquake.
Next came a fire that blazed across the land and consumed everything in its path, from trees to rocks to all manner of living things—even humans—but still God was not in this fire.
Once more everything fell silent as I listened intently for Him—and that was when I felt His presence drawing near.
A still small voice came to me then—a quiet whisper that seemed to emanate from deep within me rather than from any external source—and it asked: What are you doing here, Elijah?
And I answered: I have been very zealous for You, Lord God of hosts; for Your people have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and slain Your prophets with the sword. And I am alone; and they seek to take my life.
And He said: Go out and stand on Mount Horeb before Me.
So I went out as He commanded, and then a great and powerful windstorm arose that tore through the mountains and shattered rocks into tiny pieces; but God was not in that wind.
Afterwards an earthquake shook everything around me so violently that it caused even Mount Horeb itself to tremble to its very core; but God was not in that earthquake either.
I had been given a new mission, and I was determined to complete it as commanded.
After arriving at Mount Horeb, I did as instructed.
I anointed Hazael as king over Aram, Jehu as king over Israel, and Elisha as prophet to succeed me and carry out my own work in my absence.
When I finished, my task was clear: it was time for me to leave.
So I departed from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing.
He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair.
Elisha went up to him and threw his cloak around him (1 Kings 19:19 NIV).
Without saying a word, I approached Elisha as he plowed through a field with twelve yoke of oxen.
I placed my mantle upon his shoulders.
Elisha knew what it meant.
Without hesitation, he stopped working and asked only one thing before he followed me.
Then he set out to follow me and became my servant (1 Kings 19:21 NIV).
Together, we slaughtered the oxen and burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat.
Elisha had a feast with his family and friends, a farewell celebration.
And then he accompanied me as we journeyed on together.
The day I left Mount Horeb was the beginning of Elisha's journey alongside me, where he would learn from me and eventually take up the mantle of prophecy after I was gone.
This event marked not only the beginning of Elisha's life as a prophet but also his lifelong service to God, which would lead to numerous miracles, prophetic works, and other significant contributions to God's kingdom.
It was through Elisha that God's work among His people would continue through the next generation.
With each stride, I pondered the weight of my task: anointing kings and a prophet.
I had been given a new mission, and I was determined to complete it as commanded.
After arriving at Mount Horeb, I did as instructed.
I anointed Hazael as king over Aram, Jehu as king over Israel, and Elisha as prophet to succeed me and carry out my own work in my absence.
Chapter 3
I instructed Elisha to wait for me at Bethel while I went to Jericho, telling him that the Lord had sent me there.
Soon after I arrived in Jericho, the sons of the prophets came out to meet me.
"Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?" they asked.
"I know," I replied, "so be quiet."
"Then Elijah said to him, 'Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.'
And he replied, 'As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you'" (2 Kings 2:6 NIV).
The sons of the prophets came out to meet me, and they questioned if I knew that the Lord would take my master away that day.
I acknowledged and asked them to be silent about it, but they were insistent.
"Come with us," they said, "and let's look for him."
They searched three days, but could find nothing except for my cloak, which had fallen off when I was taken up into heaven by the chariots of fire—just as they had suspected.
While sifting through mounds of dirt and piles of rock, the prophets became increasingly worried that I might have been taken up in a whirlwind and brought to some other place against my will.
I assured them that they could stop looking—"After all," I said, "didn't I tell you not to mention it?"
Even after hearing this, however, the prophets begged me to let fifty of their men look for three more days.
In the end, their search was fruitless; when we returned to Jericho, I left with these same sons of the prophets and traveled on back to Bethel.
Once again, upon arriving in Bethel, more prophets came out to meet us and asked if I knew that Elijah would be taken from me that day.
Again, I replied that I knew and asked them to remain quiet about it.
