1. Title: Elijah‘s Mountain Top Experience Text: 1 Kings Kings 19:11-12 (NIV84) 11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” 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. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. By: Pastor Micah Adamson May 14, 2017
1 Kings 19:11-12 (NIV84)
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2. Introduction: 1 Peter: Persecution from the outside the church.
2 Peter: False teachers inside the church.
To understand 2 Peter 1:
We’re going to need to understand the story of Jesus’ transfiguration from Matthew 17, Mark 9, & Luke 9.
We’re going to need to understand Moses and Elijah’s mountain top experiences in Exodus & 1 Kings 19.
Last week: Moses’s mountain top experience (Exodus & Luke 9).
This week: Elijah’s mountain top experience (1 Kings 19 & Matt. 17).
Next weeks: Peter’s mountain top experience (2 Peter 1 & Mark 9).

3. 2 Peter 1:15-19 (NIV84)
15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. 16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

4. The Transfiguration:
Is found in all three of the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke).
Shortly after disciples return from a mission trip when John the Baptist died, and Jesus fed the 5,000.
Is the story immediately following Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ (about a week later).
Is introduced by a promise from Jesus that some would see the kingdom of God before they die.

5. Matthew 16:28, 17:1-13 (NIV84) [1 of 2]
28 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” 1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6. Matthew 16:28, 17:1-13 (NIV84) [2 of 2]
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” 10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” 11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

7. Reminders of Elijah’s Mountain Top Experience at Jesus’ transfiguration:
The disciples and Elijah heard God speak to them out loud and hid their faces (1 Kings 19).
Luke 9:51-54 = Disciples want to call down fire from heaven on enemies like Elijah (2 Kings 1).
Matthew 17 and Mark 9 = Jesus says that John the Baptist is Elijah.
Matthew 11:14 (NIV84)
14 And if you are willing to accept it, [John the Baptist] is the Elijah who was to come.

8. Reminders of Elijah’s Mountain Top Experience at Jesus’ transfiguration:
2 Kings 2:9b-12a (NIV84) 9 …“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. 10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise not.” 11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this…

9. Reminders of Elijah’s Mountain Top Experience at Jesus’ transfiguration:
Malachi 4:4-6 (NIV84) 4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

10. Reminders of Elijah’s Mountain Top Experience at Jesus’ transfiguration:
Luke 1:16-17 (NIV84) 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” John 1:21a (NIV84) 21 They asked [John the Baptist], “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.”

11. Old Testament Outline:
Genesis = Creation, Fall, Flood, Babel/Nations
Genesis = Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/Canaan, & Joseph/Egypt
Exodus = Exodus/Egypt
Exodus-Leviticus = Law/Wilderness
Numbers-Deuteronomy = Wandering/Wilderness
Joshua = Conquest/Canaan
Judges = Judges
1 Samuel – 1 Kings, Psalms.-S.O.S. = United Kingdom
2 Kings – 2 Chron., Is.-Ezek., Hos.-Zeph.= Divided Kingdoms
Ester, Daniel = Exile
Ezra-Nehemiah = Return/New Temple
Haggai-Malachi = Waiting/No New King

12. 1-2 Kings Outline:
1 Kings 1-11 = Solomon (From the Temple to Idolatry)
1 Kings 12-14a = Division of Israel & Judah (2 Golden Calves setup in Israel)
1 Kings 14b-16 = 3 Generations from Solomon in Judah/3 Dynasty changes in Israel
1 Kings 17-22, 2 Kings 1-2 = Ahab King of Israel/Jehoshaphat King of Judah (Elijah is prophet)
2 Kings 2-12 = Ahab’s family killed by Jehu King of Israel (Elisha is prophet)
2 Kings = Decline to Exile of Israel
2 Kings = Decline to Exile of Judah

13. Elijah Outline: [1 of 2]
1 Kings 16b = Ahab King of Israel for 22 years (Married to Jezebel from Sidon/Baal worshiper)
1 Kings 17 = Elijah announces a 3-year famine/drought in Israel – About 16 years into Ahab’s reign
1 Kings 18a = Elijah returns to announce the end of the famine/drought in Israel
1 Kings 18b = God sends fire from heaven to burn up Elijah’s sacrifice
1 Kings 18c = God sends rain/wind to end the famine/drought

14. Elijah Outline: [2 of 2]
1 Kings 19a = Jezebel says she’ll kill Elijah, Elijah runs 3 days into the desert and asks God to kill him
1 Kings 19b = Elijah talks to God on Mt. Horeb
1 Kings 19c = Elijah anoints Elisha to succeed him as prophet
1 Kings 20 = God delivers Aram into Ahab’s hands in battles during 1 year
1 Kings 21 = Ahab kills Naboth and steals his vineyard
1 Kings 22a = Ahab killed fighting Aram after 3 years
1 Kings 22b = Ahab’s son Ahaziah was king for 1 year.
2 Kings 1 = Elijah lives through Ahab and Ahaziah’s deaths
2 Kings 2a = Elijah goes to heaven in a chariot of fire/whirlwind

15. Elisha Outline: 2 Kings 2b = Elisha takes over for Elijah
2 Kings 3-8a = Elisha does more miracles than Elijah over the 12 years Ahab’s son Joram is king
2 Kings 8b = Elijah finally tells Hazael he will be king of Aram
2 Kings 9-11 = Elijah finally has another prophet anoint Jehu king of Israel

16. Elijah’s Mount Top Experience:
1 Kings 19:8-9a (NIV84)
8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
Mt. Horeb “Desert” (Exodus 3:1, 17:6, 33:6) = Mt. Sinai “Thorny” (Exodus 19:1,11, 34:2)
Forty Days = Length of time Moses was on the mountain.

17. Elijah’s Mount Top Experience:
1 Kings 19:9b-10 (NIV84)
And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
Moses and Elijah both went up the mountain in response to the Israelites idolatry.

18. Elijah’s Mount Top Experience:
1 Kings 19:11-13a (NIV84)
11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
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. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Wind/storm/clouds, Earthquakes, Fire = signs of God’s:
Judgment = 2 Kings 1, Ex. 24, Matt , 2 Peter 3
Presence = 1 Kings 18, 2 Kings 2, Ex., 3, 14, 24, 33-34, 40, Matt

19. Elijah’s Mount Top Experience:
1 Kings 19:13a-14 (NIV84)
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
Moses brought a request for mercy, Elijah continued to bring a request for justice.
Elijah wanted God to respond with wind, earthquakes, and fire, not a whisper.

20. Elijah’s Mount Top Experience:
1 Kings 19:15-18 (NIV84)
15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”
God gave Elijah some of what he wants, but also told Elijah he was wrong.
God is both gracious and just like He told Moses (Exodus 34).
We should be grateful that God acts in whispers (2 Peter 3:9).

21. The supremacy of the word:
When Elijah wanted to see God’s power, God was in the soft-spoken word not the flashy stuff.
When the disciples were distracted by Moses and Elijah, God told them to listen to Jesus.
If you want to see God’s glory, start by listening to God’s word by reading the Bible.

22. The sufficiency of the whisper:
John the Baptist struggled with weakness of his ministry (Matt. 11).
Pharisees asked Jesus to do a “miraculous sign” and Jesus said the only “sign” He would do is die and rise again after three days like Jonah (Matt. 12).
Pharisees returned asking Jesus to do a “sign from heaven” and Jesus said the only “miraculous sign” He would do is die and rise like Jonah (Matt. 16).
Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ, but argued when Jesus said the Christ would die (Matt. 16).
Disciples didn’t understand how John the Baptist could be Elijah since he died, any more than Jesus could be a dying Christ (Matt. 17).
Jesus commanded the disciples not to believe false prophets claiming to do “signs and miracles” (Matt. 24).

23. Summary of Matthew on Signs and Wonders:
When they’re absent, don’t get discouraged by the lack of signs and wonders! (Matt. 11)
When they’re not what you expect, don’t demand the right signs and wonders! (Matt. 12, 16)
When they’re real, don’t get distracted by signs and wonders and miss God’s word! (Matt. 17)
When they’re fake, don’t get deceived by signs and wonders! (Matt. 24)

24. Trusting God in the whisper:
Elijah, John the Baptist, and Jesus’ disciples had the same questions about why God worked so often through soft whispers instead of signs and wonders.
Most Biblical metaphors for Christian life are slow but steady plant or building growth.
Fires, winds, and earthquakes make fast changes, but unless you are starting over from scratch, you don’t want them coming through your vineyard or your house.
Moses, Elijah, Jesus and the Apostles, all did signs and wonders in their day. But, people still struggled with faith in God.
We need to learn to trust God in the whisper.
Remember that God still “reserves” a people for Himself who will only bow to Him.