Read the passage several times through, slowly and prayerfully. It might help to use your imagination to picture the scene. At the end of the text you will find helpful background information in our ‘Setting the Scene’ section.

As you read, look out for shockers and blockers.

Shockers – a phrase, word, image or something from the text that resonates, stands out or connects with you.

Blockers – something from the text that raises questions for you.

1 Kings 19.7–13

Soon the Lord’s angel woke him again and said, “Get up and eat, or else you’ll get too tired to travel.” So Elijah sat up and ate and drank. The food and water made him strong enough to walk forty more days. At last, he reached Mount Sinai, the mountain of God, and he spent the night there in a cave.

The Lord appears to Elijah

While Elijah was on Mount Sinai, the Lord asked, “Elijah, why are you here?”

He answered, “Lord God All-Powerful, I’ve always done my best to obey you. But your people have broken their solemn promise to you. They have torn down your altars and killed all your prophets, except me. And now they are even trying to kill me!”

“Go out and stand on the mountain,” the Lord replied. “I want you to see me when I pass by.”

All at once, a strong wind shook the mountain and shattered the rocks. But the Lord was not in the wind. Next, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

Finally, there was a gentle breeze, and when Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his coat. He went out and stood at the entrance to the cave.

The Lord asked, “Elijah, why are you here?”

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Setting the Scene

Elijah was a prophet (a messenger from God). Immediately before the events of this passage he had found himself in the middle of a heavyweight contest between God and the false prophets of Baal. God won (of course) by raining down fire upon a drenched alter of wood and stones.
Queen Jezebel was mad at Elijah and sought revenge. He ran in excess of 100 miles in an effort to escape.
Throughout the Old Testament Horeb is used as an alternative name for Mount Sinai, where Moses met with God.
Despite witnessing God’s miraculous power on more than one occasion, Elijah is afraid, mentally exhausted, depressed and scared.
After fireworks and miraculous displays, God comes to Elijah in the gentle breeze (some translations say ‘sheer silence’). Elijah lived an amazing life – seeing God at work in ways few others have. Yet he needed times of solitude where God could meet him alone to give him refreshment and guidance.

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