These faithful ones, the overcomers, were still standing with God. Eventually, God punished Israel by sending Israel away from their fathers’ land as captives (2 Kings chs. 24—25). Later, it was the overcomers among the captives who brought Israel back. One of these overcomers, Daniel, prayed with his window open toward Jerusalem (Dan. 6:10). Through his gracious prayer God brought Israel back to their fathers’ land.

The fact that God spoke to Elijah in a gentle, quiet voice indicates that God was ushering Elijah into the New Testament age, in which God speaks to His people not by thundering but gently and quietly (cf. 1 John 2:27).