Main news for 18 October 2014

Elijah's experience proves as clearly as anything that God has something analogous to what people call a sense of humor. Or perhaps, knowing His servant well, He decided to acquaint Elijah with a certain side of His person previously unknown to him. Traditionally, beginning with the age of Moses and perhaps earlier, lightning, usually called heavenly fire, storm, and earthquake were perceived as manifestations of God's power. For Elijah's nature such manifestations must undoubtedly have been very close: for him God is above all the implacable Judge who punishes apostates and destroys pagans who dare encroach upon His prerogatives. He destroys them, if necessary, by the hands of His servants, as Elijah himself once destroyed the pagan priests. And now God reveals Himself precisely to Elijah not in the storm, not in the fire, and not in the earthquake, but in the voice of thin silence, so in the Hebrew text; "the sound of a gentle wind" is the Septuagint, the Greek translation, which sometimes differs from the original not only in style but also in meaning. The revelation was important, although all its importance may not have been grasped at once, and not by Elijah himself. Previously God's presence was connected with the Tabernacle, with the Temple, with the altar. God was there, in the place He Himself had indicated, and there was no need to seek a meeting with Him anywhere else. The exception was the prophets with their specific spiritual and religious experience. God spoke with them, they heard His voice, saw the visions He sent, and in this way knew that God was near. But to Elijah, it seems, it was revealed for the first time that God is near not only when He speaks, but also when He is silent. Through the thin, transparent silence one senses the presence of the One who can speak at any moment. But now He is silent. Yet this does not mean He is far away, has turned away, or has forgotten. He is here. And when the time comes, He will speak and make Himself known. But even when He is silent, He is still near. This is the main thing.