In 1Kings, chapter 19; we find the account of Elijah the prophet. He is fleeing from the death sentence decreed by Jezebel.
After a day's journey, he is in the wilderness (Matt.4:1-2; 1Kings 19:8), and as a result of his torment, he is praying for death (1Kings 19:4; Rev.9:5-6; Job 14:13).
The circumstances of Elijah, are pointed to in the book of Revelation (Rev.2:20),
as is also, the Elijah role (Rev.11:3; Matt.17:3,11; Mal.4:5).
I will now copy 1Kings 19, verses 9-12...
"9 And there Elijah went into a cave, and spent the night in that place;
and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have
forsaken Your covenant (2Chron. 13:5; Num.18:7,9,19; Matt.5:13; Luke 21:24; Rev.11:2),
torn down Your altars (Dan.8:11-13; 11:31; Mark 13:14; 2Thess. 2:4), and killed Your prophets with the sword (Rev.11:3,7; 13:10,7). I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” (Mark 8:35; Rev.6:9-11)
11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.”
(Rev.11:4; Zech.4:14,7; Mark 11:22-23; Rev.8:8) (Rev.6:15-16)
And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord,
but the Lord was not in the wind; (Job 37:9; Zech.2:6; Joel 3:2; Jer.23:2)
and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;
(Joel 2:10,1-3,17; Rev.9:2-3; 6:12)
12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; (Ps.74:3,7-8; Joel 1:19; Rev.8:7)
.......and after the fire a delicate, whispering voice."
It is clear that God was not the source of the wind, quaking, or fire.
His spirit was not in these destructive forces.
Many wrongly assume that unlike the wind, earthquake and fire... God is in the voice...
and that the source of this still, soft, delicate, groveling, weak voice that is whispering from the dust,
is God, speaking to Elijah.
In the context of this vision that Elijah is given in the cave (1Kings 18:22; Num.12:6), no explanation of what the voice says, or who it is that is speaking, is given.
We are given, Elijah's situation.
Verses 13-14 continue...
"13 So it was, when Elijah heard it (the weak voice), he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.
Suddenly the word of the Lord came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because 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 treacherous tyranny of Jezebel and Ahaz, is killing God's prophets and fostering idolatry throughout God's nation. That corrupt leadership is defiling the land and oppressing the faithful with great persecution, just as was depicted by the wind, quaking, and fire, described above. As a result of this corrupt leadership; God's land has apostatized. The leaders are seeking the deaths of their fellow Israelites, even of the messengers of God, His prophets. For a time, God allows it.
Often, when God merely allows something to take place by means of Satan the Destroyer (Ex.12:23; Isa.33:1) (1Kings 22:21-22; 2Chron. 18:20-21), He is credited with the event (Ex.12:12,29) (1Kings 22:23; 2Chron. 18:22). This is the case with Isa.29:2,3, which you will soon read.
By God allowing these trying circumstances to come upon His wayward nation, it will make manifest, the faithful from the unfaithful... the repentant from the unrepentant (Mal.3:18).
How do the scriptures give us understanding of this voice that occurs, after the onslaught upon God's people, by their powerful apostate leaders?
How does the Bible, identify this voice?
Isa.29:1-4 NKJV ...
“1 Woe to [a]Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt!
{[a]="Lion of God/Jerusalem}
Add year to year;
Let feasts come around.
2 Yet I will distress Ariel;
There shall be heaviness and sorrow,
And it shall be to Me as Ariel (an altar hearth for sacrifice).
3 I will encamp against you all around, (Rev.20:7-9; Luke 21:20; 19:43-44)
I will lay siege against you with a mound,
And I will raise siege-works against you.
4 You shall be brought down,
You shall mumble out of the ground;
Your speech shall be low, out of the dust;
Your voice shall be ghost-like, out of the ground;
And your speech shall whisper out of the dust."
Jezebel and Ahaz ruled over their fellow Israelites. They became oppressive and corrupt, even seeking the deaths of their brother Jews. We saw that also occur, when Jesus was killed
(John 18:3,7,12-14,28-31,35; 19:6,11; Matt.16:21; John 1:14,11)
We are warned against hypocrisy (Matt.5:20; Luke 12:1 B)
Christ has ordered his genuine followers, to love their brothers (John 13:34-35; Gal.6:2; James 2:8).
Those who don't, are hypocrites (1John 4:20-21; Matt.25:40; 7:21-23,26).
(see 1Kings 19:12; Gen.4:10; 1John 3:12; Luke 12:45; Matt.23:37,34-36,32; Rev.18:24; 17:6)
(Ps.113:7; James 4:10; 1Pet. 5:6; Isa.52:2)
Both 1Kings 19 and Isa.29, point ahead to the Great Tribulation... the assault unleashed by Satan against the remnant (Rev.12:15; 20:8; Dan.9:26), which God allows for their discipline and refinement (Zech.13:9; Rev.8:7,12; 12:4).
There will be war by the unfaithful wicked steward/false prophet (and it's Gentile beast), against their faithful brothers, who awaken and repent over the corruption being promulgated by their leaders (Rev.13:11,15)
(Rev.2:5,16,20-22; 3:3,19; 9:20; 16:9,11; Matt.11:21; Rev.11:3)
(Rev.16:13-16; 17:14; 20:7-9; 2Cor. 10:3-5)
God allows the wind, quaking, and fire, due to the idolatry that is rife in His land
(Rev.13:8,15; 2:20; 17:2,13) (Rev.1:5-6; 5:9-10).
The vision given to Elijah, regarding the voice that whimpers from the dust,
is a prophecy depicting the prayer of the remnant that repents, after their discipline causes them to turn back to God
Isa.26:16-17 NIV ; John16:20-22 NKJV
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