1 Kings

[0:00] Book of Kings chapter 19 and verse 12. The first book of Kings chapter 19 and verse 12.

[0:13] And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire a still small voice.

[0:24] And especially and after the fire a still small voice. It seems as we read the word of God.

[0:41] That the fathers had a greater knowledge. And a greater experience. And a deeper understanding of the majesty.

[0:56] Of the holiness. Of the righteousness and the justice of Jehovah. Than we do. Though we have been acquainted with the word of God.

[1:18] And his attributes have been set before us. Both in the word and by teaching. If you are careful.

[1:33] Even in the most unexpected places. We can see levity. Carelessness.

[1:45] Indifference. Even amongst those who call. The almighty God. Holy. Righteous. And just.

[2:00] To come through the door. Into the house that is set apart for the worship of his name. Is not a light matter.

[2:13] Because we may have come in thousands of times. Should never make it commonplace.

[2:26] But rather. More. And more. Important. That we come in. In reverence.

[2:39] And in godly fear. And I believe that. If the lord is pleased to touch our hearts. He will give unto us.

[2:52] Early. In. Of the years of favors. A greater. Apprehension. Of himself. In his glory.

[3:03] In his majesty. In his holiness. And in his righteousness. And I pray that we.

[3:14] Each in. This day. In which we live. When. The things of god. Are generally. Despised. May increasingly.

[3:28] Show. In his house. And respecting. His word. A greater. A greater. A greater. And reverence. We have a gracious promise.

[3:44] From the lord. Where two or three. Are gathered together. In my name. There am I. In the midst. Dear friend.

[3:56] How shall we approach. A holy god. Are these the things. That concern you. As you come through the door. If there is.

[4:11] A right apprehension. Of him. Who is holy. That apprehension. Of him. Will also. Give us an apprehension. Truly. Of ourselves. A view.

[4:24] Of his holiness. And of his righteousness. Will show unto us. Our own. Unholiness. And our need. Of his righteousness.

[4:41] I have not intended. In. Any way. To. Speak those things. But. I trust. That there may be. A purpose in it.

[4:51] Many theories. What. One. One. A name. When we read the record of Elijah, we see the majesty of Almighty God in so many of the episodes that are recorded concerning him.

[5:14] The Lord took him from Gilead, a prosperous agricultural part of the land.

[5:27] He was not a man suited unto palaces, to kings, to courtiers and their ways.

[5:39] Yet the Lord raised him up to stand even there before the king. And he gave him to speak unto the king, most solemn matters, matters of judgment.

[5:57] And we know that there was famine in the land because of the withholding of the rain.

[6:09] And Elijah was not taken out of the consequences of the withholding of the rain, but the Lord made a provision for him.

[6:21] He commanded him to go to the brook Cherith. And when that brook failed, to go to the widow at Zarephath. And we read a little concerning those circumstances wherein the prophets of Baal were slain.

[6:44] And we see the faith of Elijah in the Lord.

[6:56] In face of all the people of Israel, the king, his courtiers, the prophets of Baal, and all the forces that were at the king's command, he alone withstood them and declared the name of the Lord.

[7:22] Can we in any way understand what a sense of the majesty and the holiness of Almighty God must have been upon him to withstand all those and all their influences?

[7:36] We do well to consider when we come and are confronted with comparatively simple matters lest we be compromised rather than we should stand for the name of the Lord.

[8:06] And when all these things were done, one word that seemed to rest in my mind as we read it was this, And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

[8:36] Faith heard the sound of the rain, But Elijah went up to the mount to ask the Lord for it.

[8:53] Dear friend, how tender he was, And yet how conscious of the glory and the majesty of the Almighty.

[9:09] Now when these things were done, Jezebel threatened his life, and we know that he fled. The man that had been a warrior, valiant in the name of the Lord, was afraid and cowed by the threat of that woman.

[9:24] He was like all of us. Surprising at times, what things bring us into subjection.

[9:39] And we have read how that he went into the desert, and the Lord provided for him, and he came unto Horeb, the mount of God.

[9:57] And I want to notice when we read and speak of those events concerning the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, that Mount Horeb was the mount where the Lord commanded Moses to strike the rock and the water flowed forth.

[10:25] This is the place to which Elijah came. If you turn to the book of Numbers in chapter 20, take the rod and gather the assembly together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall give forth his water.

[10:55] And thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock. So shalt thou give the congregation and their beast drink. And this was that occasion when Moses lifted up his hand and smoked the rock twice, and the Lord was angry with him.

[11:17] And if you read in Exodus chapter 17, in verse 6, Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it that the people may drink.

[11:36] And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. When we consider the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, they are synonymous with the glories of God and the majesty of the Almighty in holiness and in righteousness and justice made known in the law.

[12:13] In the epistle to the Hebrews, we have surely that word which we have heard and known and repeated so many, many times.

[12:26] For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more.

[12:48] For they could not endure that which was commanded, and if so much as a beast touched the mountain, it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart.

[13:00] And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake. But ye are come unto Mount Zion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

[13:42] Now I believe that when we read, and after the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire, a still, small voice, there, our Lord, Jesus, the gospel, grace, mercy, love, and peace is manifested.

[14:14] And I wonder, when we at times are brought to consider what some seem to suppose that they must have, and some even say that except they have it, they can't be sure and assured that they are the Lord's people.

[14:42] And by that I mean they expect a vision or they expect a word in a most peculiar way. but the Lord was in the still, small voice.

[15:01] If you read in Job, you'll find exactly the same. I believe that the Lord's people are brought to know that voice voice like the woman in the Song of Solomon.

[15:19] It is the voice of my beloved. Now the voice of a beloved is not brash and strident. It doesn't crush, it doesn't beat, it doesn't drive.

[15:32] The voice of one who speaks in love speaks gently, whispers, there's tenderness, compassion, understanding, feeling.

[15:46] All these things are conveyed in that word and hence it is called a still, small voice. It isn't that which cares, it isn't that which destroys, it's that which gives confidence.

[16:08] it isn't it isn't small in the sense that it is nothing, but it is small in this sense that it speaks even immediately to the heart.

[16:28] You know, I love to read that chapter in Hosea, behold, I will allure her and bring her into a wilderness place apart.

[16:44] You know, when the Lord speaks, He doesn't say, I will drive her into the wilderness, He says, I will allure her. It's a still, small voice that allures the allurements of that love which will satisfy the need and it was to this end and purpose that He brought there.

[17:12] I want to try just for a few moments to bring a few of those words of the Lord which in the experience of the Lord's people constitute that still small voice.

[17:34] In the prophecy of Isaiah in chapter 61 the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.

[17:54] He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all that mourn to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oil of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called the trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified oh what a tender word that is and our Lord when he came into the earth he takes up that word declaring the father's commission given unto him and consider to whom he comes is your character written there it speaks of prisoners of the prison house of those that mourn of the poor and the needy and

[19:29] I'm sure that we can all bring forth those references and texts concerning each of those characters but dear friend what about your character is it written out in God's word perhaps it may be that there's one who feels themselves to be a prisoner there's a desire in the heart to know and enjoy the blessings of almighty God but they're not at liberty they have no supply and sin hangs heavy upon them they know the futility of trying to extricate themselves being brought to realise that the

[20:42] Lord alone can do it and they yet wait to do it wait for him to do it it's a trying pathway but you know the Lord has a word and a place and a sure deliverance for such he speaks in that still small voice behold I have blotted out as a cloud thy transgression oh what a word that is to a prisoner prison waiting for deliverance because of sin and guilt because of the burden that is upon them as of the truth of God's word is applied unto their souls and to their consciences when the prodigal came to himself what was it that he was most clearly conscious of

[22:00] I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son but the father received him you know it's a wonderful thing to understand and to be assured by God's word that forgiveness is that wherein the children whom the Lord calls received his father didn't partially condone what he done you know that there was a strict disapproval of what he done but there was a forgiveness for him in the father's heart now when the

[23:11] Lord says I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions what a word that was unto David in his day and in his need how it met all things that so concerned him and so it will with you when that still small voice comes and ministers in the commandment of the father for this is what it is nothing less he sent the son it was his commission behold the spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to do these things and to do them for you to bring them to you to pour them out upon you and you know that ere he left the earth he declared

[24:25] I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do he didn't neglect any part each commission and every office is fulfilled and therefore there is a perfection as well as a certainty in all of those things that he speaks when we read such things as these and it pleases the Lord to impress them a little upon our heart and I say a little because sometimes we need to have these things repeated and repeated and repeated there is such a fullness in them and we are not always able to understand the deep things or the depths of that which

[25:28] God purposes in his love but when the Lord is pleased to impress such a word upon us I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgression if we believe that which God has said the word is applied with power then there must be an effect and a consequence upon that word and I believe that when the Lord is pleased to speak in such a way it will bring the poor sinner in prayer to his feet because that still small voice has taken the impediment away a ground has been given both for faith and for prayer we proved it at times and there are times we have had to wait for that still small voice to come and speak again to enable us and give us strength to go but we prove that he is eternally the same now sometimes the

[27:16] Lord is pleased to speak in a still small voice and that may be a voice of persuasions there are those who know and hear the word of the Lord perhaps over many years and while they have within them an understanding in some measure it seems as though there is nothing clear and definite nothing that they can appoint to and say that the Lord spoke to me there the Lord commanded me there but over a period of perhaps years there grows within their heart and conscience a persuasion or that we should never belittle even the faintest desire one of the hymn writers says those feeble desires those wishes so weak tis

[28:49] Jesus inspires and bids thee still seek now Lord when he speaks concerning those that fear his name doesn't forget those who think upon his name it isn't only those that talk but it's also those that think and he knows and he marks even then and I believe that one of the evidences of the reality of these persuasions which come as a consequence of his still small voice is that though we may know and read the word and absorb perhaps its meaning in our natural minds except it is accompanied with the power of the Holy

[29:54] Ghost it is of no profit to us savingly and I believe that the persuasions of the Lord are manifested that ultimately there is a softening and there's a leading there's a drawing there's a bringing it may be impossible to say when the Lord accomplished a certain part of that which he has purposed but the time comes when the desires of the heart rise up and desire to go out after him perhaps there won't be a great deal to say perhaps there'll be no show whatsoever but a quiet humble meek and tender walk have you ever thought of that woman that came to the Lord with the box of alabaster ointment there must there must have been such love in her heart such a persuasion concerning him such a desire to make it known unto him and she came and she anointed his feet and she washed them with tears and wiped them with the hairs of her head that wasn't show was it it was love and that love was the consequence of those persuasions in her heart of the love that she felt unto him and I believe that if you and I are amongst those who hear this still small voice then there will be much in us and with us that seeks after and seeks unto him you know the apostle says we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burden sometimes it takes us all our lives to be made meat for the inheritance prepared for the saints in this particular sense to desire truly fully to go out after him you know there are many things that we say many things that we may express are to be a love of our concern respecting our

[33:31] Lord but I am a firm believer in this that accept the Lord wean us from the world who and it is by much gentle teaching much gentle leading much gentle instruction that these things are accomplished there will still be in our hearts except he do it that which cleaves unto the things of time and sense but when the Lord by those secret teachings the still small voice brings his people into those favoured places like the apostle there is a desire to be absent from the body and present with the

[34:31] Lord if you think of Simeon here was a man who looked for the promise given unto him of almighty God and that man waited patiently diligently for the fulfilment of the word and oh how gentle how small a word it was in man's eyes indistinguishable even would have been a matter of dispute amongst others but when he took the child up in his arms the voice was heard and the effect and the consequence of it was this Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation when the

[35:39] Lord is pleased to speak unto his children Principal that still small voice is the ministrations of eternal love unto the souls of the elect vessels of mercy it's nothing less than that to this end Christ came this still small voice which the Lord's people are brought to know is nothing less than the commandment of life which the Father commanded Christ to bring and to give that commandment is in Christ it is administered by Christ and it is granted unto all the children that God gave unto him if you turn to John's gospel in chapter 12 and I believe it's verse 49 for I have not spoken of myself but the Father which sent me he gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak and I know that his commandment is life everlasting whatsoever I speak therefore even as the Father said unto me so I speak what a wonderful thing that still small voice that comes unto the Lord's dear children dear children prisoners bankrupt needy sorrowful mourning guilty sinners a commandment of life life and the Lord said and I passed by thee and I said unto thee live dear friend

[37:55] I wonder how many know the effect of that still small voice that speaks life unto the soul you know except ye be born of the water and of the spirit ye cannot enter into the kingdom of God ye must be born again this still small voice that speaks life that says live is needful to every one of us if we hope or expect to come to heaven nothing less can bring us there now you may say well it's easy to say those things it's very different when you feel to be without it it does seem in those circumstances that we have no companions whatsoever no one that understands us or feels for us we believe that that word which God has left no man careth for my soul is known by such but if these things are your concern if these things really are the chief matter in your heart and in your soul the still small voice has said he has come to bind up the broken hearted and I believe if you've been brought into that place that I just described very briefly you'll know what it is to be broken hearted but the still small voice has come to speak and to bind up the broken hearted so you're not left out you're not forgotten you're not passed over there is a word a still small voice comes with the word of love and of grace and of mercy to every needy soul the lord was not in the wind the lord was not in the earthquake the lord was not in the fire but after the fire a still small voice may you and I be blessed to hear and to know that still small voice and to recognize it for the woman in the song of Solomon said it is the voice of my beloved may it be the voice of our beloved also may the lord add his blessing and think you heard that still in therators may be the sun things

[41:37] Ministry and هذه the Antarctic非常 become together it's a wherein or a or where to falling an Christopher new voice and you hear ph have one time