RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-03-08	Does God Speak To Us in A Still Small Voice? (1Ki.19:12)
		1Ki 19:12  and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. Does the Bible teach that God speaks to us in a still small voice? There are those who believe and teach that God speaks to us outside of Scripture by some inner impression. They would call this that still small voice. This is an almost universally accepted belief across the evangelical spectrum. Is this a Biblical concept? We need to look at the context to see what it actually means. In 1 Kings 18 we see Elijah the prophet in the northern kingdom of Israel. He lived during the time of king Ahab and Jezebel. There was a showdown between the true prophet Elijah and the false prophets of Baal (1Ki.18). The false prophets of Baal took an ox and put it up on their altar, and Elijah took an ox and put it up on his altar. Elijah challenged them to call down fire from Baal. These false prophets called down fire from Baal. But after hours passed nothing happened. Then Elijah starts to mock them. Baal failed to come through for these false prophets. Then Elijah called on Yahweh, and He did send fire down from heaven in a dramatic way. The fire consumed the oxen including the altar and the water that was poured on the altar. Elijah had all those false prophets killed. Then after that Jezebel threatens Elijah, and he hears about the threat (1Ki.19:2). Elijah fled into the wilderness fearing for his life. Elijah just saw a dramatic event from God, and now he fears a threat from Jezebel. Go figure. Elijah found himself in a cave (1Ki.19:9). The sound Elijah heard was not a sound inside of his head. 1Ki 19:12  and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 1Ki 19:13  So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" This still small voice was not words inside of his head. It was an external audible voice. God was speaking. The sound was external to Elijah. Elijah went to the entrance of the cave so he could hear the sound more clearly. When we got to the entrance of the cave he heard Yahweh's voice, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” When we use this verse as a voice inside our heads, we are reading a meaning into the text that is not there! Be careful what you listen to inside of your head. Jeremiah tells us something about our hearts (Je.17:9). Jer 17:9  "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? We need to do away with the whole 'still small voice' inside our heads as if that is how God speaks to us. Let me encourage you if you do not hear the voice of God in your head, you are fine, I do not either! How do we hear from God? Read His word! Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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