The Voice of Silence

In 1983, David Copperfield, an American stage magician and illusionist, raised a massive curtain in front of a live audience seated on Liberty Island. When the curtain dropped moments later, the 305-foot, 62,000-pound statue of Liberty was completely gone. To prove it was missing, radar screens showed no sign of the statue, and searchlights from helicopters swept through the empty space where it had stood. The live audience were amazed as well as the people who were watching on TV. But of course this was only an illusion. Not real!

We are always fascinated with magic or with extraordinary phenomenon. Same with spiritual events. We are captivated with supernatural occurrences or miracles.

In Naga City, Philippines, June 2025: thousands of Catholic devotees gathered outside the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, as they witnessed and recorded what they believed to be an apparition of Jesus in the clouds. Video footage circulated globally, showing a white, glowing figure with arms outstretched appearing in the sky.

I do believe in miracles, for the Bible is full of them. But does God only work in miracles? I believe He can work through ordinary and quiet ways too. Let’s study 1 Kings 19.

The Running Man

Before we read, here’s a quick summary that preceded the story we’re going to read:

God did not send rain because Israel fell into idolatry and not worshiping God. After 3 and half years of no rain, Elijah was sent back by God to King Ahab and challenged the prophets of Baal in Mount Carmel to a cook off. Not really a cook off, but whose offering sacrifice will be cooked or burned would be deemed the winner or proclaimed that their God is the true God. 

Prophets of Baal prayed all day, most likely 8-9 hours, but nothing happened. When Elijah’s turn came, he prayed and instantly fire came from heaven. After that all the 450 prophets of Baal were killed. Elijah prayed for rain, and heavy rain fell. Elijah and King Ahab rushed back from Mt. Carmel to Jezreel, and Elijah even outran the chariot of King Ahab.

1 Kings 19:

1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”

Instead of acknowledging the true God because of His revelation by fire from heaven in Mt Carmel, Jezebel was defiant. She was angry after learning what happened to her prophets, and vowed to kill Elijah within 24 hours.

3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

So what did Elijah do when he learned of Jezebel’s threat? He ran! Beersheba is in the southern tip of the kingdom of Judah which is a separate kingdom from the northern kingdom of Israel. Beersheba was 80 miles away south from Jezreel. That was a long run! And for good measure, Elijah traveled further from Beersheba, which was a day’s journey (meaning: 15-20 miles more) to the wilderness. 

Remember before he escaped from Jezreel, he already ran from Mt Carmel to Jezreel the night before, which is about 17 miles, and outran King Ahab’s chariot. That’s an incredible speed. If a horse-drawn chariots cruising speed is normally 15-20 miles/hour, Elijah ran faster than that! Even Sebastian Sawe, a Kenyan who holds the world record holder for a marathon race can only ran an average of 13 miles/hour. But in the text 1 Kings 18:46 it says “the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah” – so he was given a special strength.

After all the running (more than 100 miles), and escaping for his life, we find Elijah extremely tired, very lonely, severely depressed, and spiritually demoralized. He even prayed to God to take his life!

This was the Elijah who bravely appeared before the king and told him that there would be no rain for three and half years. The same prophet who was fed by the ravens near the Brook Cherith for several months. The same man who witnessed miracle day after day when he stayed with the widow of Zarepath, whose oil and flour did not ran out until the famine ended. The same one who prayed in Mount Carmel and fire fell from heaven and burned the offering sacrifice. The same person who prayed and rain finally fell after 3 and half years of drought.

This just show that discouragement can come even to the strongest individual. Even men and women who believe in God can suffer depression too. If you are experiencing that feeling of being dejected or being downhearted right now, please continue to hold on to God.

Here is also an instance in the Bible, that God did not answer a prayer. Well, He did answer, but His answer to Elijah’s prayer was no. Not only did God not take Elijah’s life during that time, but God did not take Elijah’s life ever! Elijah some time later was taken to heaven, and he did not see death at all.

Let us thank God that sometimes His answer to our prayers is no. He knows what is best for us.

Mountain Trek

Let’s continue reading.

5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.

Because of extreme exhaustion, Elijah fell asleep under a broom tree. The Hebrew name for the tree is “Rotem” commonly translated as the white broom tree. It is native to arid, rocky wilderness regions in this area. It is actually a shrub, not a tree, and can grow between 6 and 8 feet tall. Just tall enough to lay and sit under it. Though it offers modest shade from the desert heat. 

The broom tree was not a luxurious place to rest, but it provided a simple shelter to Elijah. Let’s thank God for the simple comforts we have in our lives: a roof over our head, is a better shelter than the broom tree; we have transportation, so we don’t have to run like Elijah.

Have you noticed how God dealt with Elijah’s depression? No lecture, no stern sermon, not even a discussion of “let’s talk about it.” Instead, God let him sleep and rest. Then He sent an angel who brought him food and water. After that, He let him sleep some more. Then He brought him food and water again.

Elijah was tired and hungry, and God provided for his physical needs. Sometimes all it takes is to have our physical needs met and we will be alright. 

That’s what we should do to others. What can we do to meet the physical needs of our neighbors? What can we do to alleviate their physical suffering?

After Elijah rested, ate and drank water, he continued on his journey to Mount Horeb.

Mount Horeb is also known as Mount Sinai. Elijah wanted to go to the same place where Moses met with God. He was thinking God would talk to him there like He did to Moses, about 400 years before him.

Mount Horeb was about 250 miles from Beersheba, and it said it took him 40 days and 40 nights to reach it. That was a very long journey.

Maybe while Elijah was traveling to Mount Horeb, fresh in his memory were the events in Mount Carmel. How God answered with fire from heaven. The people shouted. And then the rain finally came. For Elijah Mount Carmel showed public victory. In Mount Horeb it revealed his private struggle.

9 And there he 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, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”

Finally after a long journey, Elijah reached Mount Horeb. He went into a cave and sleep. Some Bible scholars even believe that this may be the same place described as the “cleft of the rock” (Exodus 33:22) where Moses hid and God put His hand on that cleft to cover Moses so he would not die from being in the presence of God’s glory.

God ask Elijah why was he there and Elijah told God what was causing his anguish. He thought he was the only one left faithful to God.

Earth(quake), Wind, and Fire

11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” 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; 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 a still small voice. 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?”

The wind, earthquake and fire are like the character of the fiery prophet Elijah. Perhaps he was expecting God will reveal Himself through those great spectacular phenomenon. But He did not.

Though God can definitely show Himself through a spectacular way. When God appeared to Moses, it was in a fire in the burning bush. When God appeared to Job, He spoke to him in a whirlwind. When Israelites came to Mount Sinai and God gave them the Ten Commandments, they felt God’s presence when the whole mountain shook.

But in this instance, God came to Elijah in a still small voice. In Mount Carmel God spoke through fire. In Mount Horeb, God spoke through a whisper.

The Hebrew phrase translated as a “still small voice” is qol demamah daqqah. This phrase describes as an eerie stillness, so quiet that it can be heard. In other words it is a sound of a deafening silence.

It was only in the deafening silence that God came to Elijah, and His Divine presence became real.

If we continue reading further in this chapter, God gave instructions to Elijah to go back to Israel, and told him that he was not alone for there were 7,000 faithful people in Israel that did not bow down to Baal.

What is the lesson for us today?

We many times want the fire of Mt. Carmel, but we don’t understand the silence of Mt. Horeb. Sometimes as Christians, we look only for the supernatural or extraordinary occurrences. We are like the Jews during the time of Jesus, always asking for miracles in order for them to believe.

Do we tend to overemphasize on miracles? Do we only feel God is working when we are experiencing or witnessing miracles?

When we need money, do we only pray for God to send us money, but not look for a job to earn money? God can bless us through a rather ordinary means like giving us work.

There is a story of a man (of course it’s not true) who kept on praying that he win the lottery. Every night he’ll pray to God to let him win the lottery. Then one night he heard a voice from above. It said : “At the least, go and buy a ticket!” How can he win if he does not even have a ticket, right?

When we are sick, we pray to God to heal us. But are we following the health principles? God can use the simple principles of healthy living and through our lifestyle choices. God can also use the doctors and modern medicine to help us get healed.

When we pray for enlightenment, God can send a bright light from heaven to reveal Himself to us, like when He called Paul. But He can also enlighten us by reading our Bibles, or through our quiet meditation in the morning, or through gentle reminders from our ministers or a brother or a sister.

Some lessons are only learned in silence. Many times we expect God only in dramatic miracles, but often times He comes gently, like having peace even in our sufferings. His voice is not always the loudest voice in the room. It can be a whisper, and many times we have to be still to hear it.

Regular Delivery

New York jeweler Harry Winston, donated his fabulous 45.5 carat Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. It is presently housed at the Smithsonian Museum and is heavily guarded, protected by an array of high-tech security. 

This priceless gem is estimated to cost $250 million, which makes it the most expensive item in the whole collection of the Smithsonian Museum. We saw it a few years ago when we visited Washington DC. It is beautiful.

When it was delivered to the Smithsonian Museum, many thought that will be encased in an unbreakable vault, with sophisticated alarms, in an armored truck, and escorted by police cars. 

The day of the delivery came: no noisy sirens, no police escorts, no armored truck. It was delivered by a postman who came by walking into the building, who brought it out of his shoulder bag, in a package wrapped in a brown paper.

When God came to this world, He came not as a mighty king, or a powerful ruler. Instead He came as helpless baby, a son of a carpenter, raised as a simple man, and died a sinner’s death.

God can come in a spectacular, powerful, and miraculous way. But He can also come in a silent, gentle whisper.

The Lord is about the pass by….. let us listen to the Voice of Silence.

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(*photos taken from the web)