Professional golfer Tommy Bolt was playing in Los Angeles and had a caddy with a reputation of constant chatter. Before they teed off, Bolt told him, “Don’t say a word to me. And if I ask you something, just answer yes or no.” During the round, Bolt found the ball next to a tree, where he had to hit under a branch, over a lake and onto the green. He got down on his knees and looked through the trees and sized up the shot. “What do you think?” he asked the caddy. “Five-iron?” “No, Mr. Bolt,” the caddy said. “What do you mean, not a five-iron?” Bolt snorted. Watch this shot.” The caddy rolled his eyes. “No-o-o, Mr. Bolt.” But Bolt hit it and the ball stopped about two feet from the hole. He turned to his caddy, handed him the five-iron and said, “Now what do you think about that? You can talk now.” “Mr. Bolt,” the caddy said, “that wasn’t your ball.” Operating on limited knowledge often times gets us in trouble.
Elijah found himself operating on such limited knowledge after fleeing to Mt. Horeb. He had successfully waged war with 450 prophets of Baal, a pagan god worshipped during the reign of King Ahab. Also engaged in the spiritual battle that day were 400 additional prophets of the pagan god Asherah. But Jehovah God put to rest all doubts as to Who was the true God. When Elijah’s turn came to call on the Name of the Lord God sent fire from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, the altar and all the water in the ditch surrounding it. A glorious victory for Jehovah and for the ministry of Elijah.
But in 1 Kings 19 we find Elijah fleeing for his life. What had scared him? A wicked woman by the name of Jezebel had threatened to kill him. So Elijah ran for his life: for forty days and nights he ran until he came to Mt. Horeb and hid in a cave. When the Lord rebuked him by asking why he was hiding at Horeb, Elijah recounted all his faithful service and complained that he was the only prophet left who would proclaim the Name of Jehovah. Then Yahweh spoke – not in a powerful wind, not in an earthquake and not in a fire, but in a gentle whisper. Elijah repeated his complaint. It was then that God revealed to Elijah, the hiding prophet, the truth that he had not seen before. God said, “I reserve seven thousand prophets in Israel who have not bowed down to Baal.” In other words, “Elijah, you’re not alone!”
Do you find yourself at a spiritual Horeb today? Do you sometimes think that you are the only one in your circle of life who is faithful to the Lord? Are you sometimes scared because you have lost sight of the sovereign power of God at work around you? Then listen to the still small Voice of God speaking through His Word that you are not alone. Remember His promise to never leave you or forsake you. Remember His promise that there are more with you than against you. By standing firm in the facts that God provides you can live with a a steadfast hope and an enduring faith. There are many narratives in Scripture to remind us of this. These things are written…..That You May Know (1 John 5:13)
That You May Know Ministries 