David Faces Yahweh; Punch Back; David’s Secret for Service; Hounds of Hell

The hounds of hell will always show up to bite and devour us. All of the Elohim’s prophets fought the cerberus or garmr, the dogs of Hades. Yet Yahweh Elohim makes a way through the attack for us to have a victory.  One hundred and forty four years before Elijah met Yahweh Elohim on Horeb, David met Yahweh Elohim. The events in both cases were spectacular. We live in a strange culture where our manmade technologies are used to spy/collect data on us. We are not told who is flying in the skies above us, watching us on cameras, or listening to us on our own devices. Besides our manmade technologies we have angels, demons, principalities, and powers. So our heavens and earthly atmosphere are more crowded than we realize. Of course the super-secret technology programs would rather we think aliens are visiting us. But any and every being that exists in the universe is a son of the Elohim. Some are serving the Elohim and some have fallen. Yet today it is the Messiah in us, and the Holy Spirit residing in us, and it is less likely that Yahweh needs to show up to every one of his servants like he did with Elijah and David. David was in a bind and Yahweh showed up and scattered David’s enemies. David has a secret to his service. David’s secret came from his foundation of meeting with Yahweh. David not only learned how to fight lions and bears, he learned how to fight hybrids and perverted genos, both physically and spiritually. 

https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2022/06/naked-saul-david-meets-yahweh-elohims.html

David and Yahweh Face to Face

We all wish that we could have a career that would allow us to do nothing but praise and worship Yahweh everyday all the time. David, as a young man, had that career. It wasn’t a long career, shepherding his fathers flocks, but it certainly gave him plenty of quiet time with Yahweh. While moving his fathers flocks from pasture to pasture he had the time to develop a personal relationship with Yahweh. That all changed after he was anointed king. It seems that David did not have the peace and quiet in his adult years that he had as a young man. His anointing was like a signal for the enemy to have free rein to hound him. For David it was like the gates of Hades opened and let out the dogs. This happens to us as well. When we accept Yahweh’s plans we are then hunted by fallen spiritual beings.  

Why do we become persecuted by demons, principalities, and powers? Why does the ruler of darkness, the god of this world, want to make us miserable? Every time we step up or step out we find ourselves persecuted by spiritual wickedness that works through humans, in order to keep us from serving Yahweh. Once we take a stand, we will have to learn to push back, punch back, and wrestle our way though these encounters. Satanas wants us to stop serving Yahweh, and wants us to stop leading others to Yahweh. Let’s look at Psalm 18.

Now imagine David. He was minding his own business, tending his father’s flocks and playing music to Yahweh in the fields at night by himself. One day his brothers call him home. When he gets there, a guy with a horn of oil pours it over his head. No discussions as to whether he wants to be king, just a decision that he would be the next king. Now Saul is trying to kill David, and David’s other enemies are trying to kill him as well. David did not make these enemies himself. These people became his enemies because he was chosen by Yahweh to lead Israel. These people hated David without apparent cause. David runs to Samuel, trying to figure out if he did something wrong and why Saul was hunting him. The Spirit of the Elohim puts a barrier around David and no one can harm David. During this tumultuous time David meets Yahweh and then writes a song about it.

Psalm 18:0 G1519 To G3588 the G5056 director; G3588 to the G3816 servant G2962 of the lord; G3588 to G* David; G3739 what G2980 he spoke G3588 to the G2962 lord; G3588 the G3056 words G3588   G5603 of this ode, G3778   G1722 in G2250 the day G3739 in which G4506 [³rescued G1473 ⁴him G3588 ¹the G2962 ² lord] G1537 from out of G5495 the hand G3956 of all G3588   G2190 his enemies, G1473   G2532 and G1537 from out of G5495 the hand G* of Saul. G2532 And G2036 he said;

This is a Psalm into the fulfillment, the end of the age, telos. David spoke these words when Yahweh delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, including Saul. David refers to himself as a “child servant”, so this tells us that the time was when David was young and not yet king. 

This Psalm into the fulfillment, “the end of the age”, tells us that David’s words are applicable to us. What can we learn from David and the song he wrote?

Psalm 18:1 G25 I shall love G1473 you, G2962 O lord, G2479 of my strength. G1473  

  2 G2962 The lord G4733 is my firmament, G1473   G2532 and G2707.1 my refuge, G1473   G2532 and G4511.1 my rescuer. G1473   G3588 My God G2316   G1473   G998 is my helper, G1473   G2532 and G1679 I will hope G1909 upon G1473 him; G5231.5 my defender G1473   G2532 and G2768 horn G4991 of my deliverance, G1473   G2532 and G483.1 my shielder. G1473  

“Yahweh my foundation and my downward escape and my deliverer, the Elohim my helper and hope on him, my defender and horn of my salvation and my perceiver.”

David starts out by saying that Yahweh is his foundation. Yahweh was David’s foundation and object of David’s worship. Was there anyone else in all of Israel who simply praised and worshiped Yahweh as David did? This is why Yahweh brought a downward escape or an escape from heaven to earth for David. David was now confident that Yahweh watched over him. Keep in mind that David says he had an escape from heaven. 

Psalm 18:3 G134 In praising, G1941 I will call upon G3588 the G2962 lord; G2532 and G1537 from G3588   G2190 my enemies G1473   G4982 I shall be delivered.

“Praise call on the Yahweh and from out of my hateful enemy save.”

David called on Yahweh with praise. Praise is a very valuable tool in our warfare arsenal.

David’s secret to serving is to fight against the enemy with praise. We can praise Yahweh too. We can turn our homes into a fortress of praise and worship. Turn on the music, or dust off the piano, and sing to Yahweh.

Psalm 18:4 G4023 [³compassed G1473 ⁴me G5604 ¹Pangs G2288 ²of death], G2532 and G5493 rushing streams G458 of lawlessness G1613 disturbed G1473 me.

“Hold all around severe agony death and winter torrent illegality disturb me wholly.”

David uses very colorful language here. He feels death embracing him. He feels the sinful coming after him. David had been anointed as king. He was not unaware of his future. Yet in this time of his life, being king did not seem like it would ever really happen. Imagine Samuel the prophet anointing David, and then instead of David being celebrated David was attacked by Saul, as well as the regular enemies of Israel. It does not look like Samuel’s prophecy would come to pass. 

It seems like the hounds of hell are snarling at David. He seems to think that he is about to be killed. 

Psalm 18:5 G5604 Pangs G86 of Hades G4033 surrounded G1473 me; G4399 [³anticipated G1473 ⁴me G3803 ¹snares G2288 ²of death].

“Severe agony Hades blockade me completely anticipate me trap death.”

Hades was anticipating David’s arrival. How could that be if David was to be king? This is what was happening in the physical realm, but in the spiritual realm something else was going on. 

Psalm 18:6 G2532 And G1722 in G3588   G2346 my being afflicted G1473   G1941 I called upon G3588 the G2962 lord, G2532 and G4314 to G3588   G2316 my God G1473   G2896 I cried out. G191 He heard G1537 [²from out of G3485 ⁴temple G39 ³his holy G1473   G5456 ¹my voice], G1473   G2532 and G3588   G2906 my cry G1473   G1799 before G1473 him G1525 shall enter G1519 into G3588   G3775 his ears. G1473  

“And in the squeeze I invoke the Yahweh and forward to the Elohim I scream. Hear from out of his temple holy my sound and the my outcry before the face of him enter into the his ears.”

David invoked Yahweh Elohim. What else could he do? It was looking like Yahweh’s prophecy was not coming to pass. Is it possible to imagine ourselves in this position? We feel that Yahweh has given us a destiny, yet we are fighting all hell to get to it? Exactly.  

If we are interested in serving Yahweh then we have to become tough. We have to learn to fight, not melt, when the enemy squeezes. Yet even when we are fighting for our own selves, we sometimes question why things have to be so hard. David did. It wasn’t his idea to become king, yet he accepted the offer, and then had to learn to fight people. David had previously fought animals, but now he had to learn the ways that men and hybrids hunted him and how to survive. 

David can’t see beyond what he feels is happening. He feels Hades is opening its gates for him. David cannot see around corners, so he cries out to Yahweh Elohim. This is part of our fight as well. Yahweh directs us to do something, and our world becomes chaotic and it looks as if evil is going to win. We feel the squeeze. 

Psalm 18:7 G2532 And G4531 it was shaken; G2532 and G1790 trembling G1096 took place G3588 on the G1093 earth; G2532 and G3588 the G2310 foundations G3588 of the G3735 mountains G5015 were disturbed G2532 and G4531 shaken; G3754 for G3710 [²was provoked to anger G1473 ³by them G3588   G2316 ¹God].

“And oscillating and trembling came into being  the earth and the substruction the mountains agitating and oscillating because they enraged the Elohim.”   

It seems that when Yahweh shows up the normally stable mountains turn into jello. The earth shakes and quakes when Yahweh comes into our dimension. It would seem that Yahweh functions in more dimensions than we can understand and our earth can bear. Yahweh was mad at David’s enemies, but that is not why the earth shook, it shook upon His arrival. 

The Elohim was provoked to anger by David’s enemies and by Saul. Saul used David in a few ways. First, Saul wanted David to soothe him with music, which were all praises to Yahweh. Then Saul allowed David to challenge Goliath. It worked out well for Israel, but then the Philistines were after David. Next, Saul wanted David to serve him with music again, and David did. Saul also gave his daughter to David to try to keep the kingdom in Saul’s family, but first David had to accept Saul’s challenge of Philistine foreskin. Saul was then using David as a son-in-law. Then Saul became increasingly jealous and attempted to murder David. Saul knew the prophecy that David would be king. Yahweh chose David because Saul lied and disobeyed Yahweh. Samuel told Saul that the kingdom was going to be removed from his house. So while Saul was using David to depopulate the Philistines, he was also scheming in other ways to kill David.

Remember when Saul tried to get David killed by sending David to gather foreskins of the Philistines that he had killed. Josephus records that David returned to Saul with six hundred foreskins, while other Bible versions say two hundred or one hundred foreskins. No matter, David had many foreskins for Saul, and Saul was not happy.

https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2019/08/goliath-david-giant-slayer-gibeons.html

When Yahweh showed up David recorded his arrival as causing the foundations of earth to oscillate, tremble, and agitate. This is a similar to Elijah’s description, however David is writing this event in general for a song.

Because David invoked Yahweh Elohim, Yahweh came to help David. David records this as smoke, fire. 

Psalm 18:8 G305 [²ascended G2586 ¹Smoke] G1722 in G3709 his anger, G1473   G2532 and G4442 fire G575 from G4383 in front G1473 of him. G2705.2 [²shall be ignited G440 ¹Coals]; G381 they were lit G575 by G1473 him.

  9 G2532 And G2827 he leaned G3772 the heavens, G2532 and G2597 came down, G2532 and G1105 dimness G5259 was under G3588   G4228 his feet. G1473  

“Mount up smoke in his wrath and fire away from his face downward on fire live coals kindled away from him. And made to bend the heavens and step down and gloom from under his feet.”

David records Yahweh’s coming as Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel also experienced. We tend to think that David was writing allegorically, but instead he had a face to face meeting with Yahweh as Elijah and Abraham did. 

https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2022/01/run-to-yahweh-false-hope-in-dead-things.html

As with Elijah, there is smoke and fire. Yahweh reclines the heavens or bends them to come to David. Everything underneath Yahweh’s feet looks like gloom and darkness, but he comes with live coals and fire.   

 

Psalm 18:10 G2532 And G1910 he mounted G1909 upon G5502 cherubim, G2532 and G4070.3 he spread out; G4070.3 he spread out G1909 upon G4420 wings G417 of winds.

“And boarded on cherubim and flew, flew on wings winds.”

The idea of mounting or boarding is that Yahweh stepped upon cherubim. The picture is that Yahweh boarded cherubim like boarding an airplane. Yahweh is coming to meet with David. Yahweh walked with Abraham as a friend, Yahweh met with Elijah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and others as well. Yahweh is making the trip to earth to encourage David. 

Ezekiel sees the Glory of the Lord, the Holy Spirit, leaving the temple. What came to earth was cherubim and ophanim to take the Glory away. Ezekiel describes these beings well. Similarly David sees Yahweh boarding the cherubim. 

When Elijah describes his meeting with Yahweh on Horeb, there was a wind, a sonic boom, falling rocks that were crushed, and lightning. It was a big commotion.

There is a lot going on when Yahweh or the Holy Spirit show up or leave. These encounters were necessary for the people experiencing them for many reasons, but mostly it was for a growing of their faith. None of the people who met with Yahweh had an easy time after the meeting, in fact most often, their lives became more complicated and they were hunted by fallen beings even more. 

Psalm 18:11 G2532 And G5087 he established G4655 darkness G613.1 for his concealment. G1473   G2945 Round about G1473 him G3588   G4633 was his tent; G1473   G4652 dark G5204 water G1722 in G3507 clouds G109 of air.

“And placed darkness occultic his circle he the his tent dark water in lower air.”

David sees something similar to Elijah and Ezekiel, which he describes as Yahweh riding something. There is darkness around the thing that Yahweh boards and it is an occultic or supernatural circle. The word αποκρυφήν literally translates “occult”, but could be understood as “supernatural”. It is a word that Samuel used, as well as Moses when writing the Book of Job. The circle has a tent or dwelling that looks like dark water in the lower air. We could understand this as out of the dark something mystic or supernatural that has an interior dwelling and it radiates heat waves that look like water moving in the lower air. 

https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2021/04/elijah-yahweh-passes-by-jehu-hazael.html

https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/04/ophanim-ezekiels-wheels-enochs.html

https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2018/01/as-in-heaven-merkabah-chariot-throne.html

Psalm 18:12 G575 From G3588 the G5080.3 radiance G1799 of his presence G1473   G3588 the G3507 clouds G1330 went by; G5464 hail G2532 and G440 coals G4442 of fire.

“Away from the shaking before the face of him the clouds pass through hail and burning coals fire.”

David sees the entire heavens reacting to Yahweh’s coming. 

This sounds like a big commotion. The lower heavens react to the presence of Yahweh. The clouds in the lower atmosphere are a part of Yahweh’s coming. His entering into the atmosphere is like coming in a cloud. We see this with planes breaking the sound barrier. But wait there is more. There is hail, which is ice mixed with dirt/dust particles. There is also coals of fire. Fire and ice together? How can they co-exist? But yet the clouds seem to cause a reaction in the atmosphere of fire and ice. Planes can have ice build up on them from clouds as they fly while their engines combust. Rockets can have ice and fire as well. 

Psalm 18:13 G2532 And G1026.2 [²thundered G1537 ³from out of G3772 ⁴heaven G2962 ¹ the lord], G2532 and G3588 the G5310 highest G1325 uttered G5456 his voice. G1473  

“And Yahweh from out of heavens thunders and the Highest gives his sound.”

Yahweh sounds like thunder, and he speaks to David. 

Psalm 18:14 G2532 And G1821 he sent out G956 arrows, G2532 and G4650 dispersed G1473 them; G2532 and G796 [²lightnings G4129 ¹he multiplied], G2532 and G4928.4 disturbed them. G1473  

“And send forth jacio/missles/javelins and scatter them and multiply flash of lightning and disturbed them."

When Yahweh came he scattered David’s enemies. He scattered evil spirits and principalities as well. There might have been some type of lightning shooting towards David’s enemies on the ground that kept them away from David. It may have seemed as if David had a large army with him. 

We know that David was doing Yahweh’s will. This is why David was being protected and his enemies scattered. It wasn’t just a storm. It wasn’t just some lightning, it was Yahweh coming to earth. 

Remember how demons always shouted and testified of Jesus? Remember how they knew the rules that they were not to be sent to the abyss yet? While Satanas uses demons to afflict humans, believers in Jesus as Lord and Messiah have the Messiah in them. What damage might we do daily to Satanas’ kingdom here on earth? Aren’t we made in the image and likeness of the Elohim with the Messiah in us? Yahweh doesn’t need to make a special trip, he’s already here. 

Psalm 18:15 G2532 And G3708 appeared G3588 the G4077 springs G3588   G5204 of waters; G2532 and G343 [⁵were uncovered G3588 ¹the G2310 ²foundations G3588 ³of the G3611 ⁴inhabitable world] G575 from G2008.1 your reproach, G1473   G2962 O lord, G575 from G1708.2 the blasting G4151 breath G3709 of your anger. G1473  

“And look upon the fountains the water and the foundation stone occupy unveiled away from your appreciation Yahweh away from inspiration Spirit your passion.”

Who was in the beginning, creating as an architect, alongside Yahweh? The Holy Spirit, Proverbs 8. David is seeing the fountains of the deep, the foundation stone. David is getting a download from Yahweh. David’s mind is taking in everything that is going on and now he is trying to describe it all. He sees the beginning. He sees creation of the heavens and the earth. 

Psalm 18:16 G1821 He sent G1537 from G5311 the height, G2532 and G2983 he took G1473 me; G4355 he took me to himself G1473   G1537 from out of G5204 [²waters G4183 ¹many].

“Despatch from out of elevation, and received me, received me near from out of many waters. 

David says that Yahweh came out of the heavens and received him, meaning he took David up to him. Yahweh received David near. David mentioned a downward escape, meaning an escape from heaven to earth, in verse one, and here it is. Now we know what David meant. Now David knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that Yahweh will rescue him. 

After traveling over four hundred miles south to meet with Yahweh on Horeb, Elijah traveled over four hundred miles north to do the things that Yahweh asked him to do. Elijah did not doubt that Yahweh would take him up. David did not doubt that Yahweh would always rescue him. 

Psalm 18:17 G4506 He will rescue G1473 me G1537 from G2190 [³enemies G1473 ¹my G1415 ²mighty], G2532 and G1537 from G3588 the ones G3404 detesting G1473 me; G3754 for G4732 they are more solidified G5228 than G1473 me.

 18 G4399 They went before G1473 me G1722 in G2250 the day G2561 of my ill-treatment, G1473   G2532 and G1096 the lord became G2962   G496.5 my support. G1473  

“Rescue me from out of hateful my strong and from out of the detest me that establish over me. Outrun me in day my affliction and came into being Yahweh my support.”

Have you ever known of someone who hates you? Have you ever had someone establish themselves over you or try to dominate you? Have you ever felt someone was trying to push you out of something? David’s enemies out ran him or got ahead of him. Don’t these things happen at every work place in the world? But Yahweh showed up. 

David knows that his enemies were strengthened against him, and he received their ill-treatment or affliction. Imagine playing music for Saul and having a spear thrown at your head. That would be ill-treatment.

Psalm 18:19 G2532 And G1806 he brought G1473 me G1519 into G4116.1 an enlargement. G4506 He shall rescue G1473 me, G3754 for G2309 he wanted G1473 me.

“And lead me forth into platform rescue me because desires me.”

The word πλατυσμόν, translated “enlargement” here is better translated as  “platform”. Wherever David went, when Yahweh received David near, it was on a platform. David sings as to why Yahweh rescues him. 

We know Yahweh will rescue us, as he did David, when we are doing his will. He will put us on a platform above those who put themselves ahead of us. He knows how to rescue us. Whether hornets or missiles, Yahweh is engaged with his servants. Imagine the hounds of hell barking while Yahweh puts you high above them. 

What can we learn from David? David was taking on the entire Philistine civilization. He was ensuring Israel’s future would not be exterminated. David didn’t ask for this job. Previously his life was rather easy, moving his father’s flocks from place to place, singing and playing music to Yahweh, and talking to Him. Once David was anointed king, his life changed drastically. This is a pattern that we see in the Bible that is comparable to our own lives. Once we step up, all hell fights against us. But notice what David did. He did something that he was good at. He made the time to write songs and sing praises to Yahweh Elohim, even when he thought that he was going to die. Even when he was surrounded. Now we can learn the secret to serving Yahweh from David. We need to praise our way through hell on earth. The hounds of hell be damned, we have a song to sing about our awesome Lord and Savior.

Deeper; Breaking the Sound Barrier; Face to Face; A Light Aura

In this new year, the direction of the Holy Spirit to us, at least for a while, is “deeper”. With twelve years of studies behind us for reference it seems that now we are going to work on the personal side of our spiritual walk to get the words of the Holy Spirit deeper into our heart.

I would like to share how the twelve years of Bible Study blogs that I have written came to be. I was working for a Christian organization back then and the Lord said that it was time to leave. He told me to write a blog and I immediately agreed. I thought it would be a happy, lively, one or two paragraph summation on Jesus and life. What I didn’t know at the time was that this was not what Jesus had in mind. Maybe I should have asked questions before agreeing. A few months after I left my job I started writing about the Bible, archeology, history, astronomy, and science. As time went on I learned more about the actual texts. I dove into the best and oldest translations that we have and found many Masoretic alterations and translators errors. I made sure that I was using open source materials so that anyone who wanted to could dig into this as well.

I love exploring the Bible. I am often amazed at what is actually written and the extreme divide that exists between the commercial Christian religious corporations teaching, statements of faith, etc. and the actual text that was given to us by the Holy Spirit. The conclusion is that the commercial Christian religious corporations have sold themselves out to easy doctrine. As an example of this, does anyone teach about David being a giant slayer? Or why were there genetically modified beings for David to slay? How many Philistine foreskins did David cut off? Who is Satanas and who is Drakōn? With the answers written in the text, we have no excuse as to keeping this information a secret. Is history intentionally distorted? How many children did Abraham have? Why did Jesus read Isaiah 61 in a Nazareth synagogue, including ‘recovery of site to the blind’, yet that phrase does not appear in our Masoretic translated text of Isaiah 61? How is it that there are so many seminary graduates who do not teach with accuracy and integrity? Do people sell out to a paycheck? Therefore we see that we are up against the corporate “dumbing down” of biblical text and the fear that many individuals have of teaching the truth. 

Another issue we face is that people are “stiff necked”. They do not want their beliefs challenged. They do not want to know what the text says, but will rely on someone who does not know the text to teach them. They trust an uneducated person more than the Holy Spirit. That seems as silly as people who say that they worship satan. Do the satan worshippers actually know who or what they worship? Does satan look like a goat headed man? When people use their little hand gestures to show their allegiance to their cult it makes me laugh. There really is no difference between what they are doing and what people did in the old Israel days after entering the promised land. People make up their own gods so that they can be god. Does any human really have the power to create the heavens and the earth? Can a figure carved by man give a man power to create a new heaven or earth?

As you notice, I do not monetize, or accept any money or donations. Why? It was Jesus’ idea. I am not owned by a denomination, or a church, or a group of people who want me to teach the way that they believe. Sadly I have seen great teachers turn away from teaching unimpeded, for money. When someone earns a living from teaching or preaching they are concerned about offending people and they preach to gain popularity, sensationalizing their own ideas. I don’t care if I’m popular or not. I don’t really care how many people read and study this Bible Study blog. I suppose I can offend everyone without concern. 

With that said, I do know many of my readers are pastors and teachers. The research is free of charge and anyone can teach it in their own congregations or study groups. Anyone can reproduce the study with the open source materials. This is why I cite the text, the definitions, and the breakdown of the words. It is laborious to read and there is no shortcut, but that takes the disagreement out of the mix. People sometimes ask if I have to use the AP text and put in the definitions, I always say yes. This way it is not a matter of trusting me. I am not building a team of followers who trust me so to speak, I am exposing the words of the Holy Spirit. Trust the Holy Spirit. There is no secret hidden knowledge that I have that I am not sharing, it is all in the Biblical text. The goal is to have this knowledge in common and to be able to go out and teach others also. Salvation is always first and foremost, but we have an enemy who knows how to distort scripture and history, and how to promote falsehoods to the masses. 

This is the how and why this weekly study came into being. While I have no great insights into life or formulas for success, the secret is always Jesus Christ, Lord and Creator of all. Let’s go deeper. 

Elijah at Horeb

https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-zadok-priest-no-rain-out-from.html

https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2021/04/elijah-yahweh-passes-by-jehu-hazael.html

https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2021/04/fire-fall-letter-from-elijah-lord-of.html

https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2022/01/run-to-yahweh-false-hope-in-dead-things.html

Ruminating on Elijah’s intense desire to hear from Yahweh we have to wonder if we ourselves would we be willing to run 400 miles? He wasn’t wearing Nikes. How desperate was Elijah? Elijah was hearing from Yahweh his whole life. We have to wonder if Elijah felt that he had accomplished everything he was supposed to or if he felt he had reached the pinnacle of his life’s service. Elijah was a priest, a Zadok priest from out of the city of priests, Heshbon. Our Sunday School flannel-graphs do not portray the depth of Elijah’s life. Elijah didn’t simply just show up one day to challenge the spiritual decay in the northern kingdom, he had been preparing his whole life to serve the Lord where Yahweh needed him. 

We should realize that Elijah had a great desire to do what Yahweh wanted him to do no matter how uncomfortable it would be. Do we react the same way or do we stop ourselves when doing something hard? What is our thought process when we hesitate on God’s direction? These are questions we can ask ourselves so that we can be better at our walk with Yahweh. If Yahweh can trust us in doing small things for Him, then he will be able to trust us in doing big things for Him. So many people promote themselves as top dog of their denomination/ministry/organization, but many do not have the fortitude to be faithful in the direction Yahweh gives. People easily sell out.

It must have been uncomfortable to kill the prophets of Baal. Why would Elijah be asked to do that? We can see that when a corrupt government took over the northern kingdom they brought their corrupt spiritual advisors. The contest of fire was an expose’ of the lack of spiritual power that the prophets of Baal had. Yet even with their apparent lack of spiritual power, they seem to have amassed followers. People trusted the prophets of Baal to teach them and to sacrifice for them. But Elijah exposed them all. Even though the kingdom stayed under the power and authority of Ahab and Jezebel, the people were awake. It took time for the news to travel but once it did it woke people up to the fact that Ahab and Jezebel were corrupt.

The saddest part of this whole account is the way preachers teach Elijah’s experience on Horeb. Almost everyone focuses on the mistranslated part of the verse claiming “God is in the still small voice”. This is incorrect. In fact the voice of Yahweh is not what the sound is. But preachers neglect to tell the whole story. Elijah and his servant, the boy that he raised from the dead, ran together, then Elijah sends the boy home and he continues into the wilderness alone where an angel feeds Elijah. Elijah speaks with Yahweh when he gets to Horeb and then Yahweh tells him to come out and meet him. Preachers leave out the fact that Yahweh says the same thing to Elijah both times. Let’s focus on this.

Once he gets to Horeb he goes into a cave and rests. Horeb makes up the entire region of Mount Sinai, Jebel Musa, the mountain of Moses. Why did he go there? Was Elijah thinking that Yahweh would speak to him there? If the ten commandments were given there could Yahweh visit again?

Mount Horeb was known in the days of Moses as the “Mountain of the Elohim”. The people of that region believed that God resided there. Certainly if Moses visited with Yahweh face to face then Elijah could also visit with Yahweh face to face.

1 Kings 19:9 G2532 And G1525 he entered G1563 there G1519 into G3588 the G4693 cave, G2532 and G2647 rested up G1563 there. G2532 And G2400 behold, G4487 a word G2962 of the lord G4314 came to G1473 him. G2532 And G2036 he said, G5100 Why are G1473 you G1778.2 here, G* Elijah? 

Elijah received a rhēma, an utterance, from Yahweh. He was right, Yahweh was speaking to him there. Yahweh wants to know why he is at mount Horeb. Apparently Yahweh didn’t tell him to go there. Yahweh will ask him again after some surprising commotions. 

1 Kings 19:10 G2532 And G2036 Elijah said, G*   G2206 Being zealous, G2206 I am zealous G3588 for the G2962 lord G3841 almighty, G3754 for G1459 [⁴abandoned G1473 ⁵you G3588 ¹the G5207 ²sons G* ³of Israel]. G3588   G2379 Your altar G1473   G2679 they razed, G2532 and G3588   G4396 your prophets G1473   G615 they killed G1722 by G4501 the broadsword, G2532 and G5275 [³am left G1473 ¹I G3441 ²alone], G2532 and G2212 they seek G3588   G5590 my life G1473   G2983 to take G1473 it. 

Elijah says “Zealous zealous Yahweh Pantokratōr”. Pantokratōr is a compound word meaning “all” and “mighty”. Elijah went to Horeb because he is zealous or excited about Yahweh All Mighty. It must have seemed to Elijah as if Moses received the commandments there then Elijah could hear from Yahweh too. Elijah tells Yahweh that Israel abandoned Him, Yahweh. He believes that he himself is all alone because Elijah thinks that Jezebel killed all of the prophets of Yahweh. Yahweh has directions for Elijah.

Elijah believes that he is the only prophet left in the northern kingdom. He doesn’t think the Israelite people are behind him because he exposed the false prophets. He knows that the government is corrupt. What does Elijah think the future holds for the northern kingdom? Yahweh is going to meet with Elijah face to face. Yahweh is already talking to Elijah, without a still small voice, but now Elijah will see Yahweh. Or will he? 

1 Kings 19:11 G2532 And G2036 he said, G1831 You shall go forth G2532 and G2476 stand G1799 before G2962 the lord G1722 in G3588 the G3735 mountain! G2532 and G2400 behold, G2962 the lord G3928 will go by… 

Elijah is to “come out” and “stand”, histēmi, “before the face of”, enōpion, Yahweh in the mountain. Yahweh told him to come out to the front of the cave to stand in the face of Yahweh because Yahweh was coming for a visit. Yahweh will pass by. Yahweh is already talking to Elijah, but now Yahweh is going to come in person. When Yahweh shows up it is unmistakable.

...G2532 And G4151 [³wind G3173 ¹ there was a great G2900 ²strong] G1262 parting G3735 the mountains, G2532 and G4937 breaking G4073 rocks G1799 before G2962 the lord; G3756 [² was not G1722 ³in G3588 ⁴the G4151 ⁵wind G2962 ¹ but the lord]. G2532 And G3326 after G3588 the G4151 wind G4952.2 a rumbling; G3756 [² was not G1722 ³in G3588 ⁴the G4952.2 ⁵rumbling G2962 ¹ but the lord]. 

There was a wind so strong that it dispersed the mountains and crushed rocks or was it actually the Holy Spirit? The words megas krataios pneuma can be a great powerful wind or a great powerful spirit. The Holy Spirit came and dispersed mountains and crushed rocks before the face of Yahweh. The word “before”, enōpion, means “in the face” or “before the face of” or “in the presence of”. The wind came before the presence of the Lord. Read this as the time or the sequence of the event, the wind came before the face of Yahweh was seen. Yahweh was not in the wind, the Holy Spirit was. 

The next thing that happened was a rumbling or a concussion, sysseismón. This is not quite the word for earthquake, seismos, it was something more, like a violent convulsion in the atmosphere. The rumbling was not coming from the earth. This rumbling happened to David when he battled the Philistines. When David heard the sound he was to go down and engage the Philistines and Yahweh would go before them.

2 Samuel 5:24 G2532 And G1510.8.3 it will be G1722 in G3588   G191 your hearing G1473   G3588 the G5456 sound G3588 of the G4952.2 rumbling G575 from out of G3588 the G251.1 Grove G3588 of the G2805.1 Weeping, G5119 then G2597 you shall go down G4314 to G1473 them; G3754 for G5119 then G1831 the lord shall go forth G2962   G1715 in front of G1473 you G5180 to strike G1722 in G3588 the G4171 battle G3588 of the G246 Philistines. 

Later Elijah and Elisha heard this rumbling, sysseismón, when Elijah was taken up to heaven. 

1 Kings 2:1 G2532 And G1096 it came to pass G1722 in G3588 the G321 lord to lead G2962   G3588   G* Elijah G1722 in G4952.2 a rumbling G5613 as G1519 into G3588 the G3772 heaven, G2532 that G4198 [⁴went G* ¹Elijah G2532 ²and G* ³Elisha] G1537 from out of G* Gilgal. 

2 Kings 2:11 G2532 And G1096 it came to pass G1473 of their going G4198   G2532 and G2980 speaking, G2532 that G2400 behold, G716 a chariot G4442 of fire, G2532 and G2462 horses G4442 of fire, G2532 and G1291 they drew apart G303.1 between G297 both; G2532 and G353 Elijah was taken up G*   G1722 in G4952.2 a rumbling G2193 unto G1519 into G3588 the G3772 heaven. 

Because Elijah had heard this sound before then he would not have been alarmed when he heard it again. It was common knowledge that when Yahweh shows up there is rumbling, sysseismón. 

Jeremiah 23:19 G2400 Behold, G4578 a quaking G3844 by G2962 the lord, G2532 and G3709 anger G1607 shall go forth G1519 in G4952.2 a rumbling. G4962 [²contracting G1909 ³upon G3588 ⁴the G765 ⁵impious G2240 ¹It shall come]. 

Nahum 1:3 G2962 The lord G3115.1 is lenient, G2532 and G3173 great is G3588   G2479 his strength; G1473   G2532 and G121 [⁴ one as innocent G3756 ²will not G121.1 ³acquit G2962 ¹ the lord]; G1722 [² is by G4930 ³consummation G2532 ⁴and G1722 ⁵by G4952.2 ⁶a rumbling G3588   G3598 ¹his way], G1473   G2532 and G3507 the clouds G2868 are the dust G4228 of his feet; G1473   

Because the Greek is very specific, they differentiate sysseismón from an actual earthquake. It is the sound and the violent convulsing coming from heaven not from within the earth. It comes from above the ground, not from below the earth’s surface up to the surface of the earth. The rumbling is a sonic boom. A sonic boom is a shock wave from something traveling through air faster than the speed of sound. Think lightning. When Yahweh and the military show up they travel faster than the speed of sound. Yahweh was not in the sonic boom. Elijah is saying that he saw the effects of the wind, but did not see Yahweh. He heard the sonic boom, but did not see Yahweh. 

Yahweh travels to earth faster than the speed of sound. When Yahweh shows up it is loud. He breaks the sound barrier. When airplanes break the sound barrier there is a visible effect as well, as the air is pushed out of the way by the plane. There is a rippling effect in the air similar to a rippling effect of a stick drawn through water, although the ripples are much closer together and dense. This causes a smoke/cloud like appearance around the plane. Have we ever learned about Yahweh entering the atmosphere breaking the sound barrier in our churches? Elijah does a great job of explaining this event. Today we have the words and the understanding to put it together. In Elijah’s time all he could do was simply explain it, so that later Jeremiah would record it, and eventually we would have the technological understanding of a sonic boom.

Imagine, somewhere around 918 BCE, before there were cars, planes, computers, or indoor plumbing, Elijah was explaining the breaking of the sound barrier. Even the understanding of lightning and thunder was not enough to explain how Yahweh enters our atmosphere. But seeing how this idea is used several times in scripture, we can understand there is something sinister here. We have not been taught this correctly, nor have we had this translated correctly. Why? Why would someone want to hide the truth from us? Why make Yahweh obscure and hard to see? 

1 Kings 19:12 G2532 And G3326 after G3588 the G4952.2 rumbling G4442 a fire; G3756 [² was not G1722 ³in G3588 ⁴the G4442 ⁵fire G2962 ¹ but the lord]. G2532 And G3326 after G3588 the G4442 fire G5456 a sound G838.1 [²breeze G3016 ¹of a fine] -- G1563 there was G2962 the lord . 

Yahweh was not in the noise of a sonic boom, he travels ahead of the speed of sound. The cracking of the atmosphere around him is like a bolt of lightning striking a tree. After the rumbling there was a fire or lightning. Yahweh was not in the fire. Elijah did not see Yahweh as the lightning was striking. 

Then there was a voice or sound of a light aura, not a breeze, an aura. Late middle English used the word aura as a “breeze” or “breath”. We could think of it as spirit like pneuma, an apparition with no form, just light or color. It would look like an incorporeal being, air, aether, fire, or light. The tone, phōnē, of a small aura in that place was Yahweh.

If we think of the way that this might be portrayed in a movie we would see things blowing in the wind and rocks shattering. We would hear roar of the sonic boom, see fire, but then things would calm down. Yahweh would be present as the atmosphere around him would quiet to angels singing in the light behind him. Or we could make our movie to depict the wind blowing, the rocks shattering, the sonic boom, the fire, and then a bit of steam sizzling as cold temperatures from outer space warm up in the mountain sun. None of these events were still, and none were small, and none were a voice. Yahweh came after these things, he was not in these things. 

The writer who told of these events is trying to express the exactness of Yahweh’s passing by. There was a wind, but that was not Yahweh; there was a sonic boom, but that was not Yahweh; there was lightning, but that was not Yahweh; then finally there was a light sounding aura, then there was Yahweh. The point is not that Yahweh is a small light aura, but that after the big commotion everything settled down, and that is when Yahweh was seen.

We have tried to be philosophical about this chain of events, but let’s put them together literally. First there was a mega-strong Spirit that moved and crushed rocks, a sonic boom, lightning, and a light sound aura. It sounds more like something broke into the atmosphere displacing the rocks and the mountains, it created a sonic boom as it entered and was heard after it entered, and it had fire, like the lightning chariots, and then everything calmed down and there was sound or language from a small aura or a glow. And “there”, “in that place”, “yonder”, “tither”, ekei, was Yahweh. There was no “still small voice”, there was a loud sound-barrier shaking and quaking with lightning, and then a distinctive tone in the atmosphere, and then Yahweh was perceived. It was Yahweh meeting with Elijah face to face.  

If we want to hide the events of Elijah meeting Yahweh face to face we might simply claim Yahweh was a still small voice. However Yahweh enters earth’s atmosphere so fast he creates a sonic boom. The entire area reacts to his coming. There is nothing quiet about this. But keep in mind Elijah received a rhēma first. So Yahweh is already talking to Elijah. Elijah is there because he needs a face to face meeting. Why would he want to meet Yahweh face to face? We don’t understand the need to meet face to face, but it might be because there was a prophecy about Elijah from the days of Heshbon that said Yahweh would take Elijah up. Elijah may have thought he was done here on earth. 

Elijah is ready to meet Yahweh so he does something rather odd. Elijah covers his face with his sheepskin, not a veil that he could see through, but a dense leathery and woolen covering. 

1 Kings 19:13 G2532 And G1096 it came to pass G5613 as G191 Elijah heard, G*   G2532 that G1943 he covered over G3588   G4383 his face G1473   G1722 with G3588   G3374 his sheepskin, G1473   G2532 and G1831 he went forth G2532 and G2476 stood G3844 by G3588 the G4693 cave. G2532 And G2400 behold, G4314 before G1473 him G5456 was a voice, G2532 and G2036 he said, G5100 Why are G1473 you G1778.2 here, G* Elijah? 

As Elijah comprehends what is going on he covers his face and went out and stood alongside of the cave. Coming towards Elijah was a sound/voice/tone/language that said “Why you here Elijah?” It’s kind of comical. Yahweh was already talking to Elijah and had asked why he was there at Horeb. Then he told Elijah that he would pass by. Yahweh shows up after a violent commotion and asks Elijah why he is there. It’s funny. Elijah says nearly the same thing that he had said before. He has two additions.

Elijah wants a face to face meeting, but he puts a sheepskin coat on his head. What could Elijah see that way? He could probably only see the ground that he himself stood on and his own feet. Maybe that was enough because the brightness of Yahweh’s glory would have been visible on the ground. Elijah wanted a meeting but was also humble enough to realize he wasn’t worthy. 

Yahweh asking the same question twice is really a big key for us. Whether we see him or hear him, he is still asking the same things. We may question whether we are hearing Yahweh correctly, but we probably are. We can also laugh about what happened here because it is rather funny. Yahweh asks via rhēma why Elijah is there on the mountain of Elohim, and then when Elijah is standing there with a leather sheepskin over his head, Yahweh asks Elijah why he is there. Elijah told him why he was there the first time. So what does Elijah do the second time? He basically repeats himself, with a couple of changes. 

1 Kings 19:14 G2532 And G2036 Elijah said, G*   G2206 Being zealous, G2206 I am zealous G3588 for the G2962 lord G2316 God G3841 almighty, G3754 for G1459 [⁴abandoned G3588   G1242 ⁵your covenant G1473   G3588 ¹the G5207 ²sons G* ³of Israel], G3588   G2379 your altars G1473   G2679 they razed, G2532 and G3588   G4396 your prophets G1473   G615 they killed G1722 by G4501 the broadsword, G2532 and G5275 [³am left G1473 ¹I G3441 ²alone], G2532 and G2212 they seek G3588   G5590 my life G1473   G2983 to take G1473 it. 

Elijah says “Zealous zealous Yahweh Elohim Pantokratōr”. Elijah adds Elohim to Yahweh’s title. Then Elijah says that Israel abandoned Yahweh’s covenant, instead of what he said before, that Israel abandoned Him. Maybe it made more sense in the presence of Yahweh to clarify that it was the covenant and not Yahweh being rejected personally. Elijah again explains that the Israelites destroyed the altars of sacrifice. Remember the temple was in Judah, not in the northern kingdom. Elijah believes that all the prophets were murdered. He believes that he is alone and they are going to kill him. Yahweh gives Elijah an assignment. 

Elijah adds the word Elohim. In person Yahweh is called Yahweh Elohim All Mighty. Instead of saying that the Israelites abandoned Yahweh, when Yahweh is actually standing before him Elijah says that they abandoned the covenant. I would imagine that it would be hard to tell Yahweh face to face that people reject him. However they do reject him and his covenant. 

1 Kings 19:15 G2532 And G2036 the lord said G2962   G4314 to G1473 him, G4198 Go, G390 return G1519 to G3588   G3598 your journey! G1473   G2532 And G2240 you shall come G1519 unto G3588 the G3598 way G2048 of the wilderness G* of Damascus, G2532 and G5548 you shall anoint G3588   G* Hazael G1519 as G935 king G1909 over G* Syria. 

Yahweh says “travel, return, or turn around, into the road, and you come into the deserted road to Damascus”. Elijah is now going through the wilderness of Jordan to Damascus, Syria, which is around 415 miles distance. Hopefully he hitched a ride with merchants or traders. He is told to anoint Hazael as king over Syria.

https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2021/04/elijah-yahweh-passes-by-jehu-hazael.html

This face to face meeting is very significant because we do not see too many people meeting Yahweh face to face. We can learn that Yahweh is the same in person as he is in rhēma. He has an amusing personality. Elijah was so zealous for Yahweh that he ran 411 miles, then had to turn around and travel 415 miles. We see a Zadok priest from out of the city of priests who did miracles to show the power of Yahweh. He also showed the error of Ahab and Jezebel, and explains that Yahweh comes to earth breaking the sound barrier. Isn’t this why Elijah was taken up in a chariot of fire instead of dying on the earth? Wouldn’t it be because of his holiness and zealousness just like Enoch, that Elijah could be trusted to be taken, and then one day come back to the earth as one of the two witnesses? It is not the miracles that Elijah preformed, it was his zealous desire to know Yahweh. 

We can guess that Yahweh spoke to Elijah about several things including anointing Hazel, Elisha, and Jehu. Yahweh may have spoken about taking Elijah up in a chariot of fire. It seemed that Elijah knew what was going to happen when he was trying to leave Elisha by the river. 

How would we react to meeting Yahweh Jesus Messiah face to face? We all will meet him in the air, face to face. Would we bow? Would we cover our face? Would we be fearful? Think about meeting our Lord and Savior. We do not know how long we have on this earth but but we do know that when we are done here we will meet Yahweh Jesus Messiah face to face.