19:111 Kings 19:11

Elijah had fled in discouragement to a cave at Horeb after his stand on Carmel, and there God asked what he was doing and told him to go out and stand on the mount before Him.Lt 62, 1900, par. 3–6+4 A great wind tearing mountains and breaking rocks, then an earthquake and fire, passed before Him, but He was in none of them, and afterward He spoke in a still small voice before which Elijah covered his face.3T 291.3–292.1+4 This teaches that God is not revealed in overwhelming force and outward display, and His work and kingdom are not built by spectacle, political upheaval, or powerful presentation, but by gentle influence on the heart through mercy and the quiet, sure working of His Spirit.MH 36.1–2+4 It teaches quiet trust and reliance on Him as a present help, with the storm and broken rock going before as the breaking up of self-righteousness and self-sufficiency that must prepare the heart for His coming.3T 291.3–292.1+3 The command to go forth calls all who hide in the cave of doubt, grief, and despondency to come out by faith, stand under His guidance, and listen to what He says.Ms 42, 1890, par. 72–78+4

The setting is Horeb, reached after a journey of forty days and nights on the strength of food provided, where shelter was taken in a cave.PK 166.2 The flight there followed the stand against idolatry on Mount Carmel, where divine power had been publicly revealed in the defeat of the prophets of Baal, yet the threat of Jezebel caused loss of courage and flight into the wilderness.Lt 62, 1900, par. 3–6+1 In weakness and weariness there was a prayer to die, a failure of faith that cut short the life-work so that another prophet was bidden to continue it.ED 151.1–2

The triumph on Carmel had opened further opportunities for work, but Jezebel's threat turned the prophet away from them.PK 167.2 The encounter at Horeb therefore belongs to the need to learn to trust wholly in God before completing the work among those led into Baal-worship.PK 167.2 At Horeb the discouraged prophet was met, with angelic attendance to make known the divine purpose for Israel.PK 167.1 The hasty flight was confronted by the question what is being done there, a reminder of being sent and strengthened for work in Israel, including facing the priests at Carmel and guiding the king's chariot to Jezreel.PK 168.1

The command was to go forth out of the cave and stand upon the mount before the Lord as the Lord passed by.RH Oct 7, 1873 In obedience there was a going out from the cave to meet with God, who met and spoke there.RH Oct 7, 1873+1 First came a great and strong wind rending the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces, in which the Lord was not, then an earthquake and a fire, in which He also was not, and then a still small voice.RH Oct 7, 1873 At that voice the face was wrapped in the mantle and the stand was taken in the entrance of the cave.RH Oct 7, 1873

The surrounding account also holds the answer to the appeal against Israel, that seven thousand had been reserved who had not worshiped Baal.WAJP 2.1–2 Widespread unfaithfulness therefore did not mean that all the people had been abandoned, for a faithful remnant remained.WAJP 2.1–2

The Lord was not in the great and strong wind that rent the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces, nor in the earthquake that followed, for those mighty displays preceded His manifestation but did not reveal His presence, and His message came afterward in a still small voice.3T 291.3–292.1+2 This shows that His work is not accomplished through overwhelming force, outward spectacle, political overthrow, armed conflict, or upheaval, but His kingdom and Christ's kingdom are established by gentle influence on the heart, by mercy and self-sacrifice, and by the inward work of His Spirit in reaching hearts.MH 36.1–2+1 Loud, forceful displays and even the most powerful presentation by voice or pen do not necessarily accomplish the best results, for His purpose is not always accomplished through the greatest display of power, while the still small voice can subdue and soften and achieve great things.Lt 62, 1900, par. 11–16+1

That quiet voice represents the Spirit of God, whose power convicts and converts the soul.GW92 266.1–2 The Spirit works quietly but surely to change the heart and develop character, and this quiet influence can reach people more deeply than eloquence or logic.PK 169.1 The manifestation was given to teach quiet trust and firm reliance upon Him, which softened Elijah and will ever find Him a present help in time of need.3T 291.3–292.1+2 The storm and broken rocks going before His coming mean the preparatory heart work that must go before His coming to a person: the transforming of the heart, the casting down of evil imaginations, and the breaking up of the fallow ground of self-righteousness and self-sufficiency, without which the person is not yet ready for Him to come.Lt 104, 1911, par. 6–12

In these last days His voice is to be heard with reverence and godly fear in storm and rolling thunder and in permitted calamities in earthquakes, breaking forth of waters, destructive elements sweeping all before them, ships going down, and whirlwind speaking to families refusing to recognize Him, sometimes face to face as with Moses and again whispering love to the little trusting child and the aged.21MR 62.3–4 The great wind and tempest moving rocks comes first, but God is very near in the succeeding still small voice.21MR 62.3–4+1 That voice calls all to cover the face, to wait in bowed attitude, and to hide in Jesus Christ as hiding place, sheltered in the cleft of the rock by His pierced hand.21MR 62.3–4+1 Elijah's covering his face when God spoke in the still small voice teaches that people stand in God's presence when receiving light and knowledge communicated through Scripture, and should approach it with reverence rather than presume to judge what is inspired.Ms 16, 1888, par. 9–10

Elijah had borne a heavy burden for Israel, warning faithfully against national idolatry and watching with deep solicitude through three and a half years of famine for repentance, and standing alone for God on Carmel where idolatry was cast down and the returning rain testified to waiting showers of blessing.ST Nov 17, 1909 Then in weakness and weariness he fled before Jezebel's threats and prayed alone in the desert to die, and by that one failure of faith he cut short his life-work so that he was not to complete what he had begun but was bidden to anoint another to be prophet in his stead.ST Nov 17, 1909 Yet God had marked the heart-service of His servant, and Elijah was not left to perish in discouragement and solitude in the wilderness nor to descend to the tomb, but was taken up with God's angels to the presence of His glory.ST Nov 17, 1909 This declares that sin brings only shame and loss and unbelief means failure, but that mercy reaches to the deepest depths and faith lifts the repenting soul to share the adoption of the sons of God.ST Nov 17, 1909

God's dealing with Elijah at Horeb encourages all who spend their lives in self-sacrificing labor and are tempted to despondency and distrust, giving hope and courage in His watchful care, love, and power.RH Oct 30, 1913 It is nothing strange or new for men of spiritual power, pressed beyond measure under trying circumstances, to become discouraged and see nothing desirable in life, especially when zeal is misunderstood or unappreciated, counsels and reproofs are slighted, efforts at reform are repaid with hatred and opposition, and those from whom help was expected add to the burden.RH Oct 30, 1913 When hope was gone and his life-work seemed threatened with defeat, Elijah learned one of the deepest lessons of his life, and in the hour of his greatest weakness he learned the need and the possibility of trusting God under the most forbidding circumstances.RH Oct 30, 1913 Heaven will never forsake such a one while he maintains his integrity.RH Oct 30, 1913

The command to go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord calls Elijah out of the cave to speak with God, and the same call comes to those fixed on discouragement and their own weakness, overwhelmed by grief, or hiding in the cave.Ms 42, 1890, par. 72–78+2 By faith they are to leave the darkness of doubt, come out and speak with God, turn to Him who gives grace to meet the trial, and look to Jesus as Helper and Saviour.Ms 42, 1890, par. 72–78+2 They are to place themselves under divine guidance and listen to what He says, turning from discouragement to communion.Ms 42, 1890, par. 72–78+2 That standing with God to hear what He will say means coming under divine guidance where the Comforter leads into all truth, taking the things of Christ as they fall from His lips and infusing them as living principles into hearts opened to receive them, so that both Father and Son are known.14MR 174.2 It is a call to come out of hiding, place oneself under God's guidance, and listen.14MR 174.2+1

Elijah's retreat into the cave warns against withdrawing from the work, for Christians should not seek attention or praise nor make painful efforts to attract notice, but should come out of discouragement, stand with God, and let their moral light shine into the world's darkness.Ms 40, 1890, par. 42–43+1 The question of what he does there calls God's children back when voices have been silenced or work has been left, to preach the gospel and prepare people for the day of God.PK 171.3 It calls Christian families and individuals to carry their influence and ministry into places in spiritual darkness, even when answering requires self-sacrifice.PK 172.2 Joined to the call to come out of the cave, stand with God, and listen to what He will say, it urges God's people to leave division behind and seek unity and love.Lt 10, 1892, par. 18–21 The history of Elijah in difficulty after Jezebel's threat shows that God works for His tempted and tried servants, teaching those in difficulty to trust the Lord rather than human wisdom, remain in the way of duty without fear, and wait patiently and prayerfully for His defense and power.13MR 362.1+1