by Isaack Kilimba | 8 October 2025 08:46 am10
1 Kings 19:9–13
9 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?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. 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.”
11 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.
12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
When we go back a little in this story, we read that before Elijah fled to Mount Horeb, he had executed the prophets of Baal after seeing that the whole nation of Israel had turned away to serve foreign gods. But even after that great victory, he received word that Queen Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, was determined to destroy him as he had slain the prophets of Baal.
Remember, Jezebel was a cruel and ruthless woman who had already killed many of the Lord’s prophets in Israel. Those who survived lived hiding in caves all their days.
Therefore, the only solution Elijah saw was to run to the mountain of God — Mount Horeb — far away from Israel, to plead his case before the Lord. This was the same mountain where God had once spoken to the children of Israel, the same mountain where He called Moses and gave him the commandments and laws for Israel to keep all their lives. That mountain was known as the Holy Mountain of God, called Mount Sinai or Mount Horeb.
In Elijah’s reasoning, it seemed best to go to God in the same way Moses had — following the same pattern. That’s why we see that Elijah fasted for forty days and forty nights without eating or drinking anything, just as Moses did. He believed that there, God would speak to him as He had spoken to Moses — perhaps shaking the earth again and delivering Israel through great signs and judgments against the pagan gods of Baal, just as He had done in Egypt.
When Elijah finally reached the summit of Mount Sinai, he stayed there in one of the caves, waiting for God to speak. Indeed, the Lord came and spoke to him just as He had to Moses.
Then the voice of God came — not accompanied by any visible manifestation — and asked him:
“Elijah, what are you doing here?”
But Elijah did not understand, because his expectations were different. He expected God to speak through fire, thunder, wind, and earthquake — as He had done to Moses and the Israelites before.
After a while, the Lord said to him, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD.”
Then the Lord passed by — and a mighty wind tore the rocks apart, then an earthquake, and then a fire, just as Elijah expected — the same way God had revealed Himself to Israel. But despite all these mighty signs and wonders, Elijah realized something was not right.
Finally, God spoke to him again — through a still small voice — and asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
That’s when Elijah recognized that it was indeed the voice of God speaking to him. Out of reverence and fear, he covered his face, something he hadn’t done the first time. He understood that God was not in the fire, nor in the earthquake, nor in the wind, nor in the cloud, nor in the lightning, nor in the pillar of fire or storm — but in the gentle whisper.
He realized that even the signs and wonders that Israel had witnessed in the wilderness were not proof of God’s constant presence among them. Those manifestations were only symbols meant to help them believe and prepare their hearts to hear God’s voice.
The true presence of God was in the still small voice — the voice that spoke through the Law given to Moses:
“Do not worship other gods.
Honor your father and mother.
Do not murder.
Do not steal,”
and so on.
Anyone who obeyed those words, even without witnessing miracles, would still have God’s presence within them — for they were heeding His still small voice.
But many Israelites saw the wind, the fire, the earthquakes, the parting of the sea, the water from the rock — yet never recognized the voice of God in their midst. They thought the miracles were the fullness of God Himself. As a result, most of them perished in the wilderness.
Likewise, in this New Covenant era, when the Church began, on the Day of Pentecost (which is our own Mount Sinai), God again manifested Himself through mighty signs among His chosen people.
Acts 2:1–4
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Do you see that? On that day, fire came down, wind filled the place, and gifts began to manifest — people spoke in new tongues, prophesied, and miracles took place. Even the earth shook under the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:23–31).
Yet, God was not in the outward manifestations — He allowed them as signs to prepare the people’s hearts to hear His voice.
That’s why, when the people saw those wonders, they did not praise the wind or the fire, but asked Peter and the other apostles:
“Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).
And Peter replied:
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38.)
Notice — they did not say, “This fire is amazing! This wind is powerful!” No. They were convicted in their hearts. They heard the still small voice of God speaking through Peter — calling them to repentance, just as God’s gentle voice told Elijah:
“What are you doing here? Return!”
To “return” means to turn back — to repent.
In the same way, in these last days, many churches have become like those who seek only the manifestations — the miracles, prophecies, tongues, and deliverances — thinking that these are proof that God is among them. Yet Jesus warned:
Matthew 7:22–23
“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
These are people who failed to hear the gentle voice of God that calls for repentance and holiness.
My brother, if today you think that speaking in tongues or working miracles is the ultimate sign of the Holy Spirit, while you ignore the still small voice telling you, “Repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and turn away from sin,” then you have missed God’s true presence.
If messages of repentance and holiness no longer move you, and you only go to church seeking emotional experiences — wind, fire, excitement, and miracles — then you have not yet heard the still small voice of the Lord asking,
“What are you doing here? What are you doing in sin?”
What are you seeking in the house of God?
Is it miracles? Success? Healing? Prosperity? Marriage? Promotion?
If these are your only motives and you think God’s favor in these things proves His presence, you are deceived.
Jesus said plainly:
“Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3.)
To be born again means to repent — to turn away from your old life: drunkenness, immorality, gossip, witchcraft, unforgiveness, hatred, envy, quarrels, filthy talk, worldly pleasures, immodest dressing, and the worship of idols.
After repentance comes baptism — the true baptism of water in the name of Jesus Christ — for the remission of sins. Then God Himself will give you the power of the Holy Spirit to live a victorious, holy life.
Today, the still small voice speaks again:
“Without holiness, no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14.)
Listen to the voice of God through His Word, not merely through miracles, dreams, or visions.
If you chase only signs, wonders, and prophecies, the same question will echo again:
“My child, what are you doing here?”
“I am not in those things — I am in the still small voice.”
And because that voice is gentle, it is easy to ignore.
May God grant us ears to hear His still small voice speaking through His Word — calling us to repentance and holiness. These are the last days; let us be watchful.
God bless you.
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