I almost titled this entry "Earth, Wind, and Fire."
There are three momentous things that happen to Elijah as he stands on Mount Horeb waiting for the Lord to pass by (vs. 11). First, a mountain-splitting wind blows past - but the Lord was not in the wind. Then an earthquake shakes the ground, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. Third, a fire appears, but the Lord was not in the fire. Despite all the noise and show and force, God was not in any of these things.
What was God in? The Bible says, "After the fire, a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave" (vs. 12-13).
Have you ever heard God in the silence? When prayers seem to go unanswered. When tragedy strikes. When friends turn their back. What Elijah heard in the sound of silence was God's presence. Elijah discerned that God was with him in the midst of his trials and sufferings. Jezebel may have been trying to kill him, but he enjoyed God's protection and favor.
Though he had been ready to throw in the towel (or mantle) and just die, God had other plans for Elijah. In verses 15-18, at the pivotal location of Mount Horeb, God unveils a new leg for the prophet's spiritual journey and gives him a fresh set of marching orders to anoint the next generation of leaders.
God raises up for Elijah a helper who will be his successor. His name even sounds like Elijah! Elisha is found immediately after Elijah's encounter on Mount Horeb. The older prophet throws his mantle over the young man in a symbolic way of establishing a line of succession with him. Later, Elisha will inherit and put on himself the mantle of Elijah. Today we have preserved the phrase "to take up the mantle" to convey this thought of continuing on in someone's footsteps.
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