1 Kings 18:42
So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
While Ahab went up to feast and drink, Elijah went up to the top of Carmel to pray for rain for penitent Israel, casting himself down upon the earth with his face between his knees in lowly, earnest prayer. He did this after God had withheld rain for three years by his word, then honored him with fire from heaven, the overthrow of idolatry and the slaying of the idolatrous priests, and Israel's confession of sin. He prayed in faith in God's promise of abundance of rain though he saw no visible sign, pleading seven times without impatience or discouragement while outward appearance was against him. When only a little cloud like a man's hand appeared, he trusted it as God's token and acted upon it by warning Ahab, and the answer came in heavens black with clouds and wind and great rain. His humbling of self and unyielding persistence that would not let go is the condition on which God hears prayer and the pattern for secret prayer that must precede work for souls.
Elijah's Prayer on Carmel
While Ahab went up to eat and to drink and to feast, Elijah went up to the top and summit of Mount Carmel to pray, remaining there at nightfall as Ahab prepared for the descent to Jezreel. This was after heaven's treasures had been withheld for three years by his word through three years and a half of famine. It was after God had honored him by sending fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice, after the overthrow of idolatry by faith and the judging and slaying of the idolatrous pagan priests, and after Israel had confessed its sin. His faith on Carmel was thus connected with both the overthrow of idolatry and the coming rain as the sign of blessings awaiting Israel.
His having acted as God's instrument in doing God's will in slaying the priests did not unfit him for solemn prayer. After he had done what he could to remove the cause of Israel's apostasy, he could do no more and then interceded. He cast himself down upon the earth with his face between his knees, humbling himself on the ground in a lowly posture. It was a most painful, humiliating position, bowed low in strong, earnest, secret prayer.
He prayed for rain on behalf of sinning, apostate, penitent Israel. He asked God to send the promised rain that would withdraw the curse of drought and end it. In sending it God would renew the land's blessings.
Faith That Holds On
Elijah prayed in faith in God's promise and word of coming abundance of rain, though he saw no outward or visible sign that it was coming. His faith was sorely tried and tested while he waited, for six earnest prayers brought no visible sign and outward appearance was against him. Yet he continued pleading earnestly without impatience, faithlessness, or discouragement, sending his servant time after time to look for a sign until seven prayers had been offered.
When at the seventh time the servant reported a little cloud out of the sea like a man's hand, he did not refuse that evidence or wait till the heavens gathered blackness. He trusted it as God's token, ventured all upon it, and acted on that faith by sending word to Ahab of the sound of abundance of rain to leave before the rain stopped him. The answer came in heaven black with clouds and wind and great rain. If he had stopped praying in discouragement the answer would not have come, showing that persevering, unyielding faith that takes hold and will not let go is part of faith.
He was a man subject to ordinary human passions like others, yet heaven heard him when he prayed that rain might cease and there was no rain and when he prayed again for rain and rain was sent. So God can still be entreated in behalf of His people today with such faith that will take hold and will not let go. God granted every request he made, both fire from heaven and rain, proving God is the same all-powerful and pitiful God. Yet he later forgot this when threatened by Jezebel and fled as a fugitive instead of trusting God to protect him as before.
He humbled himself until he would not take the glory for himself, and this humility is the condition in which God hears prayer so that praise for the answer goes to God. His unyielding persistence in secret prayer is the pattern for personal effort for souls, showing that much secret prayer must precede work for others. That means communing with God at the throne of heavenly grace with a heart breaking with longing for the living God and claiming all God has promised, asking and receiving. It gives preparation and wisdom for ministering and saving souls, for great wisdom is required to understand the science of saving souls.
His steady, abiding faith that holds on and stands trial seven times without giving up is needed now when time is very short and deliverance is coming. This requires watching against Satan's wiles and holding to faith whatever feelings are. The prayer of faith brings the dew of heaven to water the soul and hides God's people under His cloak in the time of trouble. Though signally honored in public ministry, he still acknowledged wicked Ahab as Israel's king and, strengthened by God's power, humbly ran before the royal chariot through darkness and blinding rain to guide him to the entrance of the city. This teaches all who claim to be servants of God not to be exalted in their own estimation or refuse menial service.