The story is familiar to many of us. Elijah prays in a mountain cave because he thinks God's covenant is in danger of failing because all of God's faithful people but he have been destroyed. Then he listens for God and is at last rewarded by hearing a whisper (sometimes translated as a "still, small voice").

When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

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."

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. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 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. Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."

— 1 Kings 19.9b-18

There is a very clear difference in the story between Elijah's account of the prospects of God's people ("I am the only one left") and God's ("I reserve seven thousand in Israel"). Elijah feels persecuted and alone. He has "been very zealous" in fighting against the idols that most people in Israel worship. Perhaps it is for that reason that he feels so alone.

Indeed, this passage suggests that pride is one cause of loneliness; if we feel that all the weight of gospel work is on our shoulders it is no surprise if we also feel over-burdened and alone.

Let me close with a poem that tries to express some of the comfort and the criticism of 1 Kings 19:

In loneliness he wept amidst the din
Then whisper-thin a voice came cutting in
"You are not all my strength, though I am yours
And when you lift yourself to heaven's doors,
Be not surprised to find yourself alone.
My other servants kneel before my throne."