THE SOFT GENTLE VOICE
Doug J Klassen
1 Kings 19
I was impressed, thinking of this scripture, especially in relation to the words we have already had. We have had the thought of brethren dwelling together in unity, the thought of a little power, and the thought that was brought before us of the Lord calling the four. It says that He called each one of them, but there were two brothers in Simon Peter and Andrew and two other brothers in James and John.
I read this whole chapter because I want to take the whole of it into account for what was in my mind. What I was especially thinking of was the “soft gentle voice”. In the account here we see how Elijah was dealing with outward circumstances, which anyone might have said were completely against him; and, dear brethren, we sometimes feel that things are totally against us. And yet we have the sense of hearing the “soft gentle voice”. I would like to liken that soft gentle voice to the voice of the Spirit. There are these other things that it says Jehovah was not in, these great things. Man by nature likes some great sign to be able to see so that he might believe. Indeed, they asked for signs as it says in the scripture (1 Cor 1: 22); and yet you think of “the meekness and gentleness of the Christ” (2 Cor 10: 1), walking among men; it was not to make anything of Himself. In fact, if I can say this reverently, He was moving under the influence of that “soft gentle voice”: He was moving in the power of the Spirit. I say that because the Spirit not only came and abode upon Him, but it abode in Him, and, dear hearer, what a resource we have as we allow ourselves to be governed by the movements and power of the Spirit! It takes away from relying on our own natural power, that which cannot effect anything spiritually. Elijah was brought to that here: there was nothing he was going to do which was going to effect anything. There was even this woman Jezebel who was seeking his life; you think of the influences of the world which Jezebel would be a type of in a peculiar way. The world would even seek the life of the believer, and seek to take it away. Satan is very active in that; he is going to find something to bring in in any way he can to spoil that.
What affected me, dear hearer, in reading this is the type of the Spirit seen in the angel who came and ministered to Elijah and gave him to eat; and the word came to him, “Arise eat!”. And then the second time he said, “Arise, eat; for the journey is too great for thee”. Sometimes we may feel that the journey is too great. Perhaps we know the end that God desires to reach in us, and yet we feel it is too much and we are not able for it. Think of the sustaining power of the Spirit, able to come in and give us everything that is needed. Have we proved that power? Have we proved what He brings to us, and what He ministers to us of Christ through the week? We often speak about how those experiences bring us to something greater. So we realise we are not alone on this journey. The Lord Jesus has gone before, He has marked out the path that we tread, and we have the power of the Spirit. What a wonderful resource! So we are fed by Him. We do not have to be concerned about the things that are around us, the extreme circumstances that are around us; we recognise that our food comes from above.
I just desire that we would prove this, that we would prove this “soft gentle voice”. The Spirit does not force Himself upon us; He does not force us to do things or to take things. He is there available for us, and as we are kept by the Lord Jesus and maintained and preserved, the Spirit would make His presence known to us. He would desire to speak to us as this “soft gentle voice”. How many times would we think of someone addressing persons having to speak up in a loud voice. I think it is the sensitivity of the heart that God is looking for. If our hearts are sensitive, the Spirit is able to link on with that. He is able to direct us.
Then, what affected me too in this chapter - going back to the thought of brethren dwelling together in unity - is that others are brought in. I know that the Lord said there were seven thousand more that had not bowed the knee, but what I was thinking of was these others, Hazael, Jehu and Elisha; others are brought in, and Elijah is able to recognise that and link on with them. He is able to see that the testimony is going to continue and this was his desire. And he was also able to recognise that they would be in type following the Lord together as the two brothers who were instructed of the Lord to follow Him.
Well, it is just a simple word that came to me as our brothers were speaking. I trust we can be encouraged in these things. We think of the resource that was brought at the end of the chapter, the sacrifices; I think that is what God is seeking as a result of our times together, and as a result of working out the truth together; and as a result of proving the Spirit as the “soft gentle voice”, that there would be worship and praise, “the fruit of the lips” (Heb 13: 15) returning to God.
May God bless the word.
Words in a ministry meeting in Aberdeen, ID
2 May 2018
Our brother Harold Klassen was taken to be with Christ on 12 July 2018: this was the last ministry meeting which he attended.