The Lord Sends Rain

1 Kings 18:41-46

July 16, 2021

The Lord Sends Rain

And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.”   So, Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees.   And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times.   And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’”   And in a little while, the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.   And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

 

If you had not read anything up to now you might think Elijah was in charge and Ahab was under his authority.  If you were to think that you would be 100% correct in that it was Elijah that was giving the orders, though Ahab was the king.  Have no doubt the king may have believed he was in charge, but Ahab was taking orders from God’s prophet, and Elijah was doing only what God had told him to do.  Elijah's servant went seven times to check out the sea, and six-time he came back and reported not a cloud in the sky, but the seven-time his report changed, he had seen a cloud the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea,  Now with that information, Elijah told his servant to go Ahab and tell him the following: “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’”

 

As we end chapter 18, we find God all over Elijah, we see him running ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.  It was a great day. The false prophets of Baal are dead, and the nation's people have once more come to the understanding that only God is true and all the little gods people trust in have no authority, cannot see or hear much less sent fire from heaven.  And the land is once more being blessed with rain.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice