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God's small whisper to Elijah. Why?

Bruce Waltke has shared the importance of using the parallelism in the text of 1 Kings 19:9-18. What is the point of the small whisper to Elijah?

Using the table below, we can see the parallels within the text.



There he came to a cave and lodged in it.  (v9) And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. (v13a)
And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (v9b) And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (v13b)
He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” (v10) He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” (v14)
 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. (v11-12) And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. (v16-17)
And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. (v12) Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (v18)

The parallels help us to see what is the point of the wind, the earthquake and the fire.

The wind represents the judgment of God via Hazael.
The earthquake represents the judgment of God via Jehu.
And the fire represents the judgment of God via Elisha.

What then to make of the small whisper?

It tells us that God is there. And this represents the 7000 who did not bow to Baal.

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