When the wind, earthquakes, and fires, are so much louder...
"Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave."
~1 Kings 19:12
I promise I'll listen... if I can have a snow day.
It's been warm this year. A hot summer. A warm fall. Right now we're decorating the Christmas Tree and (weather-wise) opened-toed shoes would be perfectly acceptable. I have to admit, I was secretly (okay, maybe not so-secretly) hoping for a white Christmas. Firstly, because snow is simply awesome. I mean, sledding? For real? It's the highlight of my year. Snow forts, snow ball fights, snow angels - and don't even get me started on snowmen. But more than that, my favorite part of the snow is the simple quietness. The stillness that seems to engulf the entire world. Schools are closed (snow for-the-win on that one), and there are no cars on the street. Everyone is home, hopefully beneath a blanket in front of a fire gazing out the window at the freshly fallen snow. And if you listen carefully, you hear the sound of....nothing. Absolutely nothing. All is quiet. Still. Calm. And wonderfully silent.
In those quiet snowy moments, I feel like I can hear the Lord speaking. I can hear the voice of the One who has whispered to the nations every century since the dawn of time. That very same ancient voice that echoed across the formless void at the creation of the world; the voice that was hovering over the waters, crying out to the deep; the voice who spoke and created a universe. In those moments, those silent snowy moments, silence is a wonderful thing. And the only voice I hear is the voice of my Creator and my Father.
In those quiet snowy moments, I feel like I can hear the Lord speaking. I can hear the voice of the One who has whispered to the nations every century since the dawn of time. That very same ancient voice that echoed across the formless void at the creation of the world; the voice that was hovering over the waters, crying out to the deep; the voice who spoke and created a universe. In those moments, those silent snowy moments, silence is a wonderful thing. And the only voice I hear is the voice of my Creator and my Father.
But being able to listen has also had it's downsides for me. It really all depends on who I am listening to. So many voices fill up our days (and our ears) with so many different messages. They are voices of our friends, family, coworkers, professors, employers; and even the voices of movies, TV shows, books, and magazines. They all speak to us and tell us something. Maybe it's good. Maybe it's not-so-good.
On the other hand, my problem with listening has never really been listening the voices of others (just ask my mom, if you need a reference). No, my issue has been my own negative self-talk, and what I say to myself. Although I may find solace in that blessed silence of freshly fallen snow, the majority of my non-snow time is typically filled with echoes of an inner-voce that is generally negative and pessimistic in tone.
Let's completely change gears for a second. What do you know about Jezebel? I know it's a weird question, but do you know her story? My first thoughts on her were: I think she got eaten by dogs? Wasn't she seductive or something? Yes. Yes she was. But there's more to that story than just that of an evil lady. I really didn't know that much about her, once upon a time, but some fairly recent revelations have caused me to rethink the story of Jezebel (and if you stay with me I promise this will all make sense a minute - or at least let's hope so).
So let's talk about Jezebel a second. Let's go back all the way to the time of 1 Kings in the Old Testament. Back to the time when the great prophets we remember from Sunday school were around. Specifically, let's go back to the time of Elijah. Elijah, if you remember, was the one who called fire down from heaven, who told the rulers of Israel there would be no more rain (and incidently started 3 1/2 year drought), and survived in the wilderness by being fed by ravens. It was during this time that Jezebel was Queen. Evil Queen Jezebel. Seductive, manipulative, down-right awful, Jezebel.
One thing I hadn't really noted about Jezebel's was that her main interest was killing the prophets of God. She was particularly interested in killing our friend Elijah (and perhaps with good reason. I mean, a drought for 3 1/2 years might put anyone a little bit "on the edge" ;)... but seriously, it was really not nice to try to kill Elijah...). Not too surprisingly, Elijah was terrified of Jezebel - so much so that he ran out into the desert, sat under a tree, and asked God to take his life. But that is another part of the story. We'll get to that in a minute.
Interestingly enough, Jezebel makes another appearance in the New Testament. She is specifically mentioned in Revelation 2:18. In this part of Revelation, Jesus is speaking to seven different churches. In his message to the church of Thyatira (don't even ask me how to pronounce that), He says:
Jezebel vs. the Prophet
So let's talk about Jezebel a second. Let's go back all the way to the time of 1 Kings in the Old Testament. Back to the time when the great prophets we remember from Sunday school were around. Specifically, let's go back to the time of Elijah. Elijah, if you remember, was the one who called fire down from heaven, who told the rulers of Israel there would be no more rain (and incidently started 3 1/2 year drought), and survived in the wilderness by being fed by ravens. It was during this time that Jezebel was Queen. Evil Queen Jezebel. Seductive, manipulative, down-right awful, Jezebel.
One thing I hadn't really noted about Jezebel's was that her main interest was killing the prophets of God. She was particularly interested in killing our friend Elijah (and perhaps with good reason. I mean, a drought for 3 1/2 years might put anyone a little bit "on the edge" ;)... but seriously, it was really not nice to try to kill Elijah...). Not too surprisingly, Elijah was terrified of Jezebel - so much so that he ran out into the desert, sat under a tree, and asked God to take his life. But that is another part of the story. We'll get to that in a minute.
Interestingly enough, Jezebel makes another appearance in the New Testament. She is specifically mentioned in Revelation 2:18. In this part of Revelation, Jesus is speaking to seven different churches. In his message to the church of Thyatira (don't even ask me how to pronounce that), He says:
“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star. Whoever has ears, let them hearwhat the Spirit says to the churches." ~ Rev. 2:18-28
"...That woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess..." Wait... what? Jezebel kills prophets, right? Yes, she certainly did. But this verse tells us that she also calls herself a prophet. Interesting. Now, on a side note, there are a lot of different directions you could go with this specific reference to Jezebel. I have heard that Jezebel was an actual person in the Thyatira church who was creating confusion and disorder among the church, but the nice thing about the Word is that it was written for all of us - meaning, it is prophetic in nature. It carries a message that is applicable for all of humanity: every era and every people group in the world (and this passage concerning Jezebel, is simply my interpretation). This being said, if Queen Jezebel from 1 Kings was dead and long gone in the time of the churches of Revelation (not to mention in our time as well) why does Jesus bring her up again?
And this question, is where it all started for me. I mentioned to you earlier that the problem I've had with listening has really been a problem of listening to my own negative self-talk (let's just say it has definitely required some adjustments over the last few years). But what if that condemning, negative voice I hear in the back of my mind isn't actually my voice? I know it certainly isn't the voice of the Lord, but then who could it be? In this passage, Jesus refers to Jezebel as "one who calls herself a prophetess," A prophet (or prophetess, in this case) is simply "someone who speaks on behalf of another."So if Jezebel is masquerading around as a "prophetess," that means she is speaking on behalf of someone else to someone.
So who exactly is Jezebel speaking to? As you have probably suspected, I think there is a definite connection between my negative self-talk and Jezebel. The thing is, the prophet-killing spirit of Jezebel didn't necessarily die with the wicked queen herself a couple thousand-and-some-odd years ago. No, quite the contrary. The voice that threatened the prophets and drove them into the desert to vehemently wish for death is still around today and is still speaking. The voice that fuels Jezebel's twisted prophecies must be none-other-than the devil himself: the prophet-killing voice of the kingdom of darkness. The voice who longs to crush all those who would speak on behalf of the Lord. It's the Jezebel voice that is still attempting to deceive the servants of Jesus today: prophesying defeat and condemnation rather than the victory of the ressurection and eternal life.
I listened to the prophet-killing voice for a long time, "That woman Jezebel," the horrible, crushing, and debilitating voice of the enemy that speaks doubts, defeat, and condemnation. And I know it's not just me who has struggled with this. Anyone who wishes to serve Jesus, who loves Him, and who loves others is a considered a threat the the kingdom of darkness, and the Jezebel spirit will say anything in attempt to deflect the call of God on their lives.
When calling fire down from heaven isn't enough....
"....Jezebel sent a message to Elijah. She said, “You can be sure that I will kill you, just as I killed the other prophets. I’ll do it by this time tomorrow. If I don’t, may the gods punish me greatly.”
Elijah was afraid. So he ran for his life. He came to Beersheba in Judah. He left his servant there.
Then he traveled for one day into the desert. He came to a small tree. He sat down under it. He prayed that he would die. “Lord, I’ve had enough,” he said. “Take my life. I’m no better than my people of long ago.” 5 Then he lay down under the tree. And he fell asleep.
Suddenly an angel touched him. The angel said, “Get up and eat.” Elijah looked around. Near his head he saw a flat cake of bread. It had been baked over hot coals. A jar of water was also there. So Elijah ate and drank. Then he lay down again.
The angel of the Lord came to him a second time. He touched him and said, “Get up and eat. Your journey will be long and hard.”
So he got up. He ate and drank. The food gave him new strength. He traveled for 40 days and 40 nights. He kept going until he arrived at Horeb. It was the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night.
He replied, “Lord God who rules over all, I’ve been very committed to you. The people of Israel have turned their backs on your covenant. They have torn down your altars. They’ve put your prophets to death with their swords. I’m the only one left. And they are trying to kill me.”
The Lord said, “Go out. Stand on the mountain in front of me. I am going to pass by.”
As the Lord approached, a very powerful wind tore the mountains apart. It broke up the rocks. But the Lord wasn’t in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake. But the Lord wasn’t in the earthquake.
After the earthquake a fire came. But the Lord wasn’t in the fire.
And after the fire there was only a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his coat over his face. He went out and stood at the entrance to the cave...."
I can relate to Elijah so well. I mean, not that I've ever called fire down from heaven (not yet anyways), but so many of the times after I do something for the Lord, I let the voice of condemnation ruin my joy. I don't listen to the still small voice, but the voice of Jezebel - that vehement, screaming, overwhelmingly salient voice that delights in crippling the prophets of God.
I love how much the kindness of God is illustrated in this story. He wants so desperately for Elijah to learn how to hear His voice, He takes Him far away to this mountain and shows Him so plainly what it means to listen. It's not the earthquakes. It's not the tornadoes. It's not the fire storms. It's not that voice in the back of your head that tries so earnestly to convince you that God is not able and that you are alone. No. It's the "still small voice" that is the true voice, and it's only one that matters. That is the voice of God.
Listen to the voice that matters (And also, can we have a Snow Day?)
So, in saying all that, that's truly why I love snowy days: they are a reminder to me that the voice of the Lord is still and small, and the raging storm of doubts in my head are not true. Not a single. one. It reminds me that God speaks in the whisper, and when I calm myself and listen carefully, I can hear Him. He is the One who moves among the lamp stands, and He says to me I am jealous for you. My eyes are afire. My feet are burnished. See who I am and know Me.
So whether we get a snow day before I leave for Thailand or not, I want to carry with me the snow-day-attitude of stillness and quiet reflection. Listen to what the Lord says, no matter how much racket the enemy tries to make to distract you from your calling. Jesus promises "to the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
And that, dear friends, is more than enough motivation for me. :)
