And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
After the idolatrous priests are judged and Israel confesses sin and acknowledges God, Elijah tells Ahab to go up and feast because the withering drought is to be withdrawn and the land refreshed again with abundant rain after years of famine. He speaks with confident assurance of the promised answer before anything is visible, while the heavens are still clear and brassy. While Ahab goes to feast, he goes to the top of Carmel to intercede for apostate Israel, bowed down with his face between his knees, and prays humbly, earnestly and importunately, refusing to waver until the request is obtained. His faith is sorely tried by outward appearances against him, yet without impatience or discouragement he sends his servant again and again, seven times in all, then ventures all upon the small cloud like a man's hand rising from the sea and acts at once, and the heavens grow black with wind and great rain. It proves that heaven hears the prayer of a man subject to like passions who prayed that rain would cease and prayed for rain and was granted every request, and that the same unwavering prayer of faith still brings heaven's blessing and must hold on now when time is very short and deliverance is coming.
Context and Promise
The word is spoken after the idolatrous priests have been judged at the brook Kishon and Israel has confessed sin and acknowledged God, so that the withering curse of drought is to be withdrawn and God will again bless the people by refreshing the land with dew and rain. Elijah tells Ahab to go up to eat and drink and feast because abundant rain is coming after the prolonged drought and years of famine, with renewed blessing to the land following Israel's repentance. The sound of abundance of rain is his confident assurance of God's promised answer before anything is visible in the sky, while the heavens are still clear and brassy.
While Ahab goes up to feast, Elijah goes up to the top of Carmel to intercede for apostate Israel, casting himself down upon the earth with his face between his knees in a painful, humiliating, bowed position. After six discouraging reports of no sign, the seventh report of a little cloud about the size of a man's hand rising out of the sea over the water satisfies his faith without waiting for the sky to gather blackness. He at once sends word for Ahab to prepare his chariot and leave so the rain will not stop him, followed by heaven black with clouds and wind and great rain as night gathers about Carmel, with Ahab riding to Jezreel through darkness and blinding rain. The rain follows Elijah standing alone for God on Carmel after bearing a heavy burden for Israel, faithfully warning against national idolatry and watching through three and a half years of famine for a token of repentance, when through faith idolatry is cast down and the rain testifies to the showers of blessing ready to be poured out and to the people's opportunity for repentance and blessing.
After the granting of rain, Elijah, though strengthened by God's power and having that day humiliated Ahab and overseen the slaying of the idolatrous prophets, still acknowledges Ahab as king and as an act of homage runs before the royal chariot to guide him to the entrance of Jezreel. This shows that even after signal triumphs by his word in withholding heaven's treasure for three years, fire from heaven consuming the sacrifice, execution of judgment, and rain, God's servant remains willing to do menial service and not be exalted or feel above lowly duty. After this display of fire when he prayed for fire and rain when he prayed for rain, Elijah expected Israel to become true and faithful, Jezebel to lose influence over Ahab, and a general revolution. But when Jezebel's threatening message came he forgot God, did not wait for the Lord to speak or warn him, and fled rashly as a fugitive, though God would have shielded him and given another victory through judgments upon Jezebel if he had waited with faith and patience.
Persevering Faith and Prayer
Elijah first spoke of coming rain by faith, saying what the Spirit moved him to say though he saw no clouds or other outward sign, showing confidence in God's promise before he prayed for its fulfillment. His announcement came before any visible sign in the sky, while the heavens were still clear, and he then went to pray humbly and persistently for what God had promised. That prayer was strong and earnest, offered in a painful, humiliating bowed position with face between the knees, firm and importunate in believing God would bless and refusing to waver or let go until the request was obtained.
His faith was sorely tried and had to stand trial, for outward appearance was against him and yet he continued without impatience or discouragement rather than giving up. He sent his servant time after time to look for rain and saw nothing, sending again and again, seven times in all. It was unyielding faith that takes hold and will not let go, steady and abiding under trial. He did not stand back or wait until the heavens gathered blackness, but ventured all upon the small token of a little cloud out of the sea like a man's hand and acted at once. He took that small cloud rising over the sea as enough evidence to trust that abundant rain was coming, his faith acting before the sky grew dark. Answered prayer thus follows persevering faith that ventures on God's promise.
The verse shows that heaven hears the prayer of a man subject to like passions as others, who prayed that rain would cease and there was no rain, and prayed for rain and rain was sent. God granted every request he made, sending fire when he prayed for fire and rain when he prayed for rain, proving Him all-powerful and pitiful and the same God still. The Lord can still be entreated in the same way in behalf of His people today. The prayer of faith still brings heaven's blessing, pictured as dew watering the soul, so all who ask for greater blessings are to pray in the same firm, importunate, unwavering way and hold on whatever feelings say. Such holding-on faith is needed now when time is very short and deliverance is coming, while Satan works in great power and restraint is taken off the wicked before Jesus steps out from between the Father and man, that God's people may be covered by the cloak of Almighty God and hidden in the time of trouble.
After the idolatrous priests are judged and Israel confesses sin and acknowledges God, Elijah tells Ahab to go up and feast because the withering drought is to be withdrawn and the land refreshed again with abundant rain after years of famine. He speaks with confident assurance of the promised answer before anything is visible, while the heavens are still clear and brassy. While Ahab goes to feast, he goes to the top of Carmel to intercede for apostate Israel, bowed down with his face between his knees, and prays humbly, earnestly and importunately, refusing to waver until the request is obtained. His faith is sorely tried by outward appearances against him, yet without impatience or discouragement he sends his servant again and again, seven times in all, then ventures all upon the small cloud like a man's hand rising from the sea and acts at once, and the heavens grow black with wind and great rain. It proves that heaven hears the prayer of a man subject to like passions who prayed that rain would cease and prayed for rain and was granted every request, and that the same unwavering prayer of faith still brings heaven's blessing and must hold on now when time is very short and deliverance is coming.
Context and Promise
The word is spoken after the idolatrous priests have been judged at the brook Kishon and Israel has confessed sin and acknowledged God, so that the withering curse of drought is to be withdrawn and God will again bless the people by refreshing the land with dew and rain. Elijah tells Ahab to go up to eat and drink and feast because abundant rain is coming after the prolonged drought and years of famine, with renewed blessing to the land following Israel's repentance. The sound of abundance of rain is his confident assurance of God's promised answer before anything is visible in the sky, while the heavens are still clear and brassy.
While Ahab goes up to feast, Elijah goes up to the top of Carmel to intercede for apostate Israel, casting himself down upon the earth with his face between his knees in a painful, humiliating, bowed position. After six discouraging reports of no sign, the seventh report of a little cloud about the size of a man's hand rising out of the sea over the water satisfies his faith without waiting for the sky to gather blackness. He at once sends word for Ahab to prepare his chariot and leave so the rain will not stop him, followed by heaven black with clouds and wind and great rain as night gathers about Carmel, with Ahab riding to Jezreel through darkness and blinding rain. The rain follows Elijah standing alone for God on Carmel after bearing a heavy burden for Israel, faithfully warning against national idolatry and watching through three and a half years of famine for a token of repentance, when through faith idolatry is cast down and the rain testifies to the showers of blessing ready to be poured out and to the people's opportunity for repentance and blessing.
After the granting of rain, Elijah, though strengthened by God's power and having that day humiliated Ahab and overseen the slaying of the idolatrous prophets, still acknowledges Ahab as king and as an act of homage runs before the royal chariot to guide him to the entrance of Jezreel. This shows that even after signal triumphs by his word in withholding heaven's treasure for three years, fire from heaven consuming the sacrifice, execution of judgment, and rain, God's servant remains willing to do menial service and not be exalted or feel above lowly duty. After this display of fire when he prayed for fire and rain when he prayed for rain, Elijah expected Israel to become true and faithful, Jezebel to lose influence over Ahab, and a general revolution. But when Jezebel's threatening message came he forgot God, did not wait for the Lord to speak or warn him, and fled rashly as a fugitive, though God would have shielded him and given another victory through judgments upon Jezebel if he had waited with faith and patience.
Persevering Faith and Prayer
Elijah first spoke of coming rain by faith, saying what the Spirit moved him to say though he saw no clouds or other outward sign, showing confidence in God's promise before he prayed for its fulfillment. His announcement came before any visible sign in the sky, while the heavens were still clear, and he then went to pray humbly and persistently for what God had promised. That prayer was strong and earnest, offered in a painful, humiliating bowed position with face between the knees, firm and importunate in believing God would bless and refusing to waver or let go until the request was obtained.
His faith was sorely tried and had to stand trial, for outward appearance was against him and yet he continued without impatience or discouragement rather than giving up. He sent his servant time after time to look for rain and saw nothing, sending again and again, seven times in all. It was unyielding faith that takes hold and will not let go, steady and abiding under trial. He did not stand back or wait until the heavens gathered blackness, but ventured all upon the small token of a little cloud out of the sea like a man's hand and acted at once. He took that small cloud rising over the sea as enough evidence to trust that abundant rain was coming, his faith acting before the sky grew dark. Answered prayer thus follows persevering faith that ventures on God's promise.
The verse shows that heaven hears the prayer of a man subject to like passions as others, who prayed that rain would cease and there was no rain, and prayed for rain and rain was sent. God granted every request he made, sending fire when he prayed for fire and rain when he prayed for rain, proving Him all-powerful and pitiful and the same God still. The Lord can still be entreated in the same way in behalf of His people today. The prayer of faith still brings heaven's blessing, pictured as dew watering the soul, so all who ask for greater blessings are to pray in the same firm, importunate, unwavering way and hold on whatever feelings say. Such holding-on faith is needed now when time is very short and deliverance is coming, while Satan works in great power and restraint is taken off the wicked before Jesus steps out from between the Father and man, that God's people may be covered by the cloak of Almighty God and hidden in the time of trouble.