Elijah’s Faith: 100% Precipitation

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I Kings 18:41-46

Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and he bent down to the earth and put his face between his knees. And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, but he said, “There is nothing.” Yet Elijah said, “Go back” seven times. And when he returned the seventh time, he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a person’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And Elijah said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Harness your chariot horses and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’” Meanwhile, the sky became dark with clouds, and wind came up, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he belted his cloak around his waist and outran Ahab to Jezreel.

WHEN YOU PRAY, WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DO YOU PRAY FOR?

DO YOU EVER PRAY FOR WHAT YOU KNOW YOU WILL ALREADY GET?

THAT’S WHAT ELIJAH PRAYED FOR. WATCH WHAT ELIJAH PRAYED FOR.

BACKGROUND

This short passage at the end of I Kings 18 focuses on Elijah’s faith and prayer. Elijah had instructions from the Lord about going to meet Ahab, challenging the false prophets of Baal, and bringing rain. Everything Elijah does in the next six verses Elijah does by faith in what God has revealed to him—including his prayer. Let’s recap where we’ve come from so far in our study.

In I Kings 17 Elijah arrives on the scene with no introduction, announcing to Ahab that there would be no rain except at his word. Then he flees to hide at the brook Cherith. He probably hid there for up to a year where God had ravens supply him with bread and meat and he drank from the brook until it dried up.

Then the Lord had Elijah go the Zarepheth in Sidon, Jezebel’s home country, to hide with a widow and her son. Elijah tells her that God would supply her with flour and oil miraculously to sustain them. The widow’s faith was challenged when her son died unexpectedly. She was embittered against Elijah because of this. But things turned around miraculously when Elijah raised her son from the dead after he prayed for him. If God can raise the dead from a simple prayer, imagine what he could do with a drought.

Elijah probably stayed with the widow and her son for at least two years. Making it over three years since Elijah first confronted Ahab. Then, the Lord spoke to Elijah and told him to return to Israel and challenge Ahab again, but this time he would restore the rain.

In all of this drama, Elijah is demonstrating that the false God of Baal is no God at all. It was believed that Baal controlled the rains, being a storm God. But God was demonstrating that only he was the true God and he controlled all of nature, not Baal. This came to a head when Elijah met Ahab’s governor, Obadiah, a godly man who saved 100 prophets from Jezebel’s murderous hand. After Obadiah announced Elijah’s return, Elijah challenged Ahab to assemble Israel and the false prophets of Baal to a contest to see who was the true God of Israel, Yahweh or Baal.

Once again, through prayer, God demonstrates who he is and consumes an offering with fire from heaven. The people assembled proclaim, “The Lord, he is God!” And under orders from Elijah the false prophets of Baal are slaughtered according to the Mosaic law in Deuteronomy 18:20.

This brings us to where we are now, with Elijah telling Ahab that the Lord is about to restore the rain. And he would do it through Elijah’s faith and prayer. In fact, noticed how each major change in Elijah’s life and ministry was orchestrated through prayer.

God spoke to Elijah about confronting Ahab. God speaking is a part of prayer. Elijah moved from the brook to Sidon at God’s word. When the widow’s son died, God restored his life through Elijah’s prayer. Elijah called down fire from heaven with a 15-second prayer. Then Elijah prayed and the rains were restored.

Elijah’s faith in God’s word and his prayers according to that word, were the foundation of his ministry. The Apostle John related this principle to us in I John 5:14-15, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”

This part of the story of Elijah’s life is thus about faith and prayer. Four hundred and fifty false prophets of a false God prayed to that false God for hours on end and saw no result. But Elijah prayed for 15 seconds and their whole world changed.

Not only did prayer make a difference, but obedience brought about the answer to their prayers. We’ll touch on obedience later.

HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT GOD WILL ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS? WHAT EVIDENCE IS THERE FOR YOUR FAITH?

EXAMINATION

(V.41) Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.”

Why would Elijah tell Ahab to eat and drink before the rain came? One commentator believes this was a reference to a covenant renewal meal where Ahab would have celebrated God’s favor in sending rain and repented before him. But I think this is unlikely. We have no indication that Ahab was repentant at any time. Rather, Elijah says this in faith of what God is about to do. Rejoice, the rain is about to return.

Elijah tells Ahab about the coming rain because God already told him he was going to restore rain to the land. He said this in verse one, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will provide rain on the face of the earth.” Elijah wasn’t doing or saying anything under his own power as if he had some special ability or magical power. He was simply obeying what God had already indicated to Him.

Remember James 5:17-18, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayedearnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.” By saying he was a man with a nature like ours James is saying that there was nothing unusual about him, or special, other than he was a righteous man. If God can use Elijah’s prayers so dramatically, imagine what God will do through us who have his Holy Spirit living in us and the redemption of Christ.

(V.42) So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and he bent down to the earth and put his face between his knees.

Notice the difference between the two men. One goes to eat, the other goes to pray. If Ahab had gone to pray with Elijah then maybe we could say he was repentant. Instead, following Elijah’s instruction, he goes to eat. Meanwhile, Elijah fulfills his ministry, praying to the Lord to bring rain.

Elijah puts his face between his knees. This is the posture of humility. Again, there is nothing special about Elijah. He doesn’t wave his hand over the sky or make a big show. He doesn’t gather an audience. He does nothing more than pray in humility.

Remember also that Elijah is praying for what God has already revealed to him to be his will. He promised in verse 41 that he would send rain. So Elijah prayed for rain. Who else prayed like this? Daniel in Daniel 9:2,16-19. Daniel read the book of Jeremiah, which said God would revisit his people after 70 years of punishment. And since 70 years had passed, Daniel began to pray for that forgiveness. He was praying about what God previously promised.

Abraham also prayed for what was already promised. In Genesis 15 he prayed for the son God promised him in Genesis 12.

IF GOD IS ALL POWERFUL AND ALWAYS HEARS OUR PRAYERS, THEN WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO SOMETIMES REPEAT THE SAME PRAYERS TO HIM OVER AND OVER?

(V.43) And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, but he said, “There is nothing.” Yet Elijah said, “Go back” seven times.

What is Elijah doing here by asking his servant to go look at the sky overlooking the beach? He is checking for the answer to his prayers.

Having his servant look toward the Mediterranean was normal. That’s where storms normally form that cover Israel.

This was not a long distance. Mount Carmel was about a mile from the Mediterranean. The servant would not have to walk long to see what he was looking for. He may have only walked a short distance to see over a hill.

Why seven times? In the Bible, seven is a number of completion and rest. After three years of trouble with the drought, Elijah’s servant looks to the sky seven times to see a cloud forming. God was completing the work he began with the drought to draw Israel back to him.

(V.44) And when he returned the seventh time, he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a person’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And Elijah said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Harness your chariot horses and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’”

WHY DO YOU THINK ELIJAH SENT HIS SERVANT TO AHAB INSTEAD OF TELLING HIM HIMSELF?

Sometimes great things come from the smallest beginnings. The cloud began the size of a hand and grew to cover the whole land.

Ahab must have still been nearby for Elijah to send his servant to him. Once Elijah sees the beginning of the answer to his prayer, then, in faith, he tells Ahab the shower is coming. In fact, he tells Ahab twice. Once before he prayed and once after. Elijah is demonstrating great faith in what the Lord previously told him.

Elijah may have sent his servant to Ahab because he did not trust him to go himself. Ahab was a wicked king and Elijah knew this. Yet, he held out hope for Ahab. We can surmise this because in the whole episode with the fire and sacrifice and now the rain, Elijah did not rebuke Ahab for anything. Perhaps Ahab was responding positively to what took place?

(V.45) Meanwhile the sky became dark with clouds, and wind came up, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.

A normal rain would not stop Ahab’s horses any more than it would stop our cars from traveling. But we’ve all experienced a rain so heavy and thick that we slow down or even pull our cars off to the side of the road because the rain is so thick. This is the kind of rain Elijah is talking about. Probably one where you can barely see two feet in front of you. This is a remarkable answer to prayer. God is not just restoring rain to the land, he is supplying it in abundance.

Here’s what makes this rain interesting. What happened before the rain? God sent a fire of judgment, burning up Elijah’s sacrifice. What was sacrificed? An ox. An ox was sometimes used as a sin offering. For God to rain fire on the ox was to vent his judgment for sin. Then the prophets of Baal were all killed in judgment. God’s justice was satisfied. He forgave the people through sacrifice, judged the false prophets, and then came the rain. Rain is about blessing and grace. To rain on the land is to say that God’s anger is past. Notice also, the tie-in to the widow when her son died. After death comes resurrection. God is gracious, restoring life, and he does so with the rain.

(V.46) Then the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he belted his cloak around his waist and outran Ahab to Jezreel.

JEZEBEL WAS LOCATED IN JEZREEL. SHE WAS ELIJAH’S ENEMY. SHE WAS KNOWN FOR KILLING PROPHETS. WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD ELIJAH RUN BACK TO JEZREEL, WHERE HIS ENEMY WAS LOCATED?

Some interpreters note that it was an honor for a person or a servant to run before a king’s chariot. This would show an attitude of humility on Elijah’s part. Running before the king would portray him as a servant of the king. And prophets did serve kings. Nathan served David in his court. Elisha had a servant who testified for him in the king’s court. But there is more going on. For Elijah arrived in Jezreel ahead of Ahab. He carried the news of what God did to the people. But Ahab carried the news to Jezebel.

Jezreel was Ahab’s winter capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. It was about 15-20 miles from Mount Carmel. For Elijah to outrun Ahab’s horses to the capital demonstrates the miraculous nature of what God was doing. But it was also dangerous. Jezreel was where Jezebel lived and Elijah had just killed her 450 false prophets of Baal. As we’ll see in the next lesson, Jezebel knew Elijah was nearby and wanted to make an attempt on his life.

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

Prayer must be according to God’s will for a positive answer.

Prayer must conform to God’s word.

Prayer must be earnest and honest for God to respond.

Prayer must sometimes be hard work, like Elijah praying seven times for rain.

INTERPRETATION

What is the author’s big idea?

God speaking to us, and us speaking to him, and obedience, are foundational to our life and ministry.

We can break up Elijah’s life at this point into three principles or actions.

God speaks

Elijah prays

People obey

Let’s focus for a moment on obedience. Thirteen times in this passage the text says to go up, went up, or go back. When something is repeated in scripture we should pay attention. Especially if it’s repeated 13 times in six verses! In each time there is action taken based on God’s word through Elijah. In each case of going in this passage, someone is obeying instruction by Elijah. Ahab obeys. Elijah’s servant obeys. Elijah obeys. Even nature obeys.

While God speaking and man praying are foundational to the spiritual life, in the end it all comes down to obedience. Without obedience, God speaks to no avail. Without obedience our prayers amount to nothing. Obedience is therefore critical to the Christian life. We obey God by repenting of our sin. We obey God by surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ. We obey God by keeping and obeying his word.

God speaking, prayer, and obedience are all tied together. God has revealed himself through his word in the scriptures. To experience a full Christian life we obey that word. Also, in response, we pray to God for a variety of things and people. Prayer itself is also an act of obedience. God moves and changes and matures us through obedient prayer. Then, however God moves us in prayer, we obey his prompting.

The Christian life is like a three-legged stool. The legs are scripture, prayer, and obedience. Remove just one leg and the stool falls over.

APPLICATION

Do a spiritual inventory of your life.

Has God spoken to you through his word?

The Bible is God’s written account of his self-revelation. Without the scripture we cannot know God’s character, what he is like, or his will for the world and for us. If we claim to know God, but do not obey scripture, then we do not know God at all. Here’s my favorite verse from Deuteronomy 32:47. “This is not an idle word for you, indeed, it is your life.” What place does scripture have in your life?

Are you a person of prayer or becoming a person of prayer?

Prayer is two-way communication with God. Prayer does not have to be lofty, but it must be honest. We bring to God not only our intercession for others, but also our hopes, desires, dreams, struggles, dissatisfaction, and our sin. God wants to hear all of it. And he wants to respond. But God never reveals the deep things of the Spirit to the person who just drops by for a little chat. Prayer should be a daily priority if we want to experience an abundant Christian life.

Is your life marked by obedience to Christ?

Without obedience our prayers fall short. Obedience today equips us for tomorrow. We must obey God’s word in the Bible. We must obey the Holy Spirit’s prompting through prayer. And we must obey those in authority over us, whether natural or spiritual. Obedience is the mark of true prayer and understanding of God.