I Kings 19

Elijah beat Ahab back to Jezreel but does not talk to him. So, maybe the supernatural running speed was to avoid the torrential rainstorms.

Ahab tells Jezebel what happens and Jezebel sends word to Elijah that he will die if she catches him. This has the desired effect and he flees, this time to Judah. After all that happened, Elijah is afraid of Jezebel. Fire fell from the sky when he prayed, he stopped rain for 3 years, he had supernatural running speed - and he is afraid of Jezebel. Let that sink in....Elijah, one of the most powerful prophets in all in the Bible, is afraid of Jezebel finding and killing him.

His fear of Jezebel gets a really strong hold of him and it turns to depression. He thinks his life is worthless and even prays for God to kill him.

He falls asleep in the wilderness when an angel wakes him and gives him bread and water. He eats, lays down, and the angel again wakes him up and tells him to eat. The angelic food and water powers him for a 40 day walk to Mount Sinai.

There on Mount Sinai, Elijah is hiding in a cave when the Lord passed by and a mighty windstorm occurred, but God was not in it. This was followed by a mighty earthquake and then a great fire, but God was not in either. Finally, God spoke with a gentle whisper. We have seen God speak before in a mighty wind (Job) and in fire (burning bush before Moses). I don't remember God speaking in an earthquake thus far.

So, why a gentle whisper now? I'm not entirely sure. But I think it was unexpected for Elijah. Elijah had seen God doing these massive miracles involving nature (drought, fire from sky, followed by a torrential rainstorm). He probably wished for a massive miracle to strike down Jezebel. But here, God was speaking with a gentle whisper.

Elijah wraps his head with his cloak (probably to prevent seeing God's face) and goes outside. God twice asks him what he is doing there to which Elijah complains about his situation - Jezebel wants to kill.

God's response is to give Elijah a new mission. Elijah is very obedient to God. He just needs an order and he will carry it out. He might even lose his fear when he has marching orders from God. He is to anoint the next king of Aram in Damascus, the next king of Israel, and his successor as prophet (Elisha).

Elisha is working the fields with his oxen when Elijah comes and puts his cloak over him. This signals to Elisha to come and follow, which Elisha does after giving his oxen as food to the local community. I suspect that Elisha may have been one of 100 prophets that Obadiah had protected from Jezebel.