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hey guys

I'm kinda lost when it comes to this passage

1 Kings 19:11-13
(11)and He said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks 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)And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

I've read it over and over and I just don't understand it .. but I really want to...
Do you guys know what this means?

Kinda confused here

Hi starry Here's my interpretation sis. I'm gonna go line by line.

1 Kings 19:11-13
(11)and He said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks 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:

Elijah is told to go and stand upon the mountain where God will meet Him. And when God passed by...His Spirit of course...there was a great wind...like a tornado and it brlke the rocks...but God's Spirit was not the wind...and then after there was an earthquake...and then again God's Spirit was not 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.

After the earthquake there was a fire...but again God's Spirit was not the fire....and then after the fire Elijah heard a still small voice...sort of like a peaceful calm and quiet voice which was God's voice.

13)And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

And when Elijah heard God's voice he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave in the mountain he is on. And then God's voice came to him and said...Why are you here Elijah?

Hope that helps ya understand it a bit better sis.

luv ya

Thanx for replyin sis

What I just really don't understand is why did God allowed a great wind to go by and demolish those mounts.. why did he allow the earthquake to happen.. and what was the purpose of the fire?

What was the purpose of all that?

I thought there just HAD to be a reason why God didn't skip all that and just ask Elijah Why he was in the cave.. but then again, God doesn't need a reason ... so

Oh ok now I see what you are asking...ok my thoughts again on this are that God was showing that though His strength is mighty...His true Spirit is soft and merciful.

luv ya

Hello Starry Starry Night and Mlg and Everyone

Ohhhhhhhhh Starry, you think very similar to me. I have wondered about those very things off and on for a couple years now.

A few things I've discovered through meditating and also through research is that the word "wind" in those verses is Strong's Concordance #7307 (Hebrew word = ruah) is the same word "cool" used in...

Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

Strong's Concordance says this: breath, wind; by extension: spirit, mind, heart, as the immaterial part of a person that can respond to God, the seat of life; spirit being, especially the Spirit of God.

Anyway, I wondered, and still do, if maybe this is nature responding to God's presence, or if maybe it's The Holy Spirit drawing Elijah's attention? I don't know for sure, but...maybe.

Also, it reminds me so much of when Moses was up on the Mount of God -- when he was receiving the Ten Commandments. Remember at one point he asked God to allow him to see His glory, but God said that he wouldn't be able to see His face because he wouldn't be able to withstand it, but that He would allow Moses to see Him after He had passed by, and that God would shield Elijah with His hand, while in a clift of a rock (protection).

You can read about that in Exodus 33:17-23.

Also, in Exodus 34:6 And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

that wording "passed by" is the same as in I Kings 19:11 -- and also takes place on the Mount of God -- Mount Horeb.

And, you might want to also look at Exodus 19:18-19, and also Psalm 68:8.

Pretty cool, huh?

Oh, and another thing in I wanted to point out -- up in verse 9: And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou, here, Elijah?

...the word...

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Wooooooohoooooooo!!!

I could read about this for days and never tire.

Soooooo, even though I don't have any definite answers for you, I hope I shared some good goosebumps (spine chills) thoughts with ya.

God bless you all.
Love,
Mack

Hello star

Though there is no wrong way to read the Bible , but I came to learn (very slowly) that the best way to understand what is being said more effectively is to get a bit of an idea of the ways of that culture , and , most important , is the fact the Bible being the Word of God , and God being Spirit , hence the Bible was written on the Spiritual plain by and for a culture that used a lot of symbolisms to convey a message .

The Mountain that God instructed Elijah to "go up" , symbolically represent Prayer , (like in our culture today , when we say 'hit your knees ' or 'hand to hand combat' and such) so basically God is instructing Elijah to "come up and pray" (lift up your spirit) and it says , when he (Elijah) was on his way , God passed by , and then while on his way , the earthquakes and and the fires came upon , again symbolically speaking , it is describing trials and tribulations .
Elijah knew they were not of God (for God was not in them - the earthquake and the wind , and fire ) so Elijah hid in the cavern , (sort of till they pass) .
God asking Elijah why are you hiding here , He is basically telling or asking Elijah don't you have enough faith ? wasn't I the one asking you to come up here ? Would I hurt you ? Would I leave you in the middle of a crisis during prayer ? What is it you're hiding from ?

It was God's way to strengthen Elijah's faith in Him .

My two cents worth.


In Christ , our Lord