God showed His mighty power to Ahab and all of the prophets of Baal. God came through as only God can do. Fire from heaven consumed the watery altar and licked up every drop of WATER. Keep in mind. They are in a severe drought!! But the one who burned up the water on the altar is the same one who gives the water from the rain. As the verses continue on in 1 Kings 18:41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!” 42 So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees. 43 Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.”
The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.”
Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. 44 Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.” Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’”45 And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel. 46 Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel.
This is the power of God! God burned up the water from the altar and then opened up the heavens and poured out rain to end the drought. Elijah knew it was coming and prayed with his head between his knees and he told his servant to go look out toward the sea. Elijah knew which direction to look for the rain and God brought the rain. Elijah had to tell his servant to look seven times and the scripture says "Finally" The seventh time his servant told him he saw a small cloud the shape of a man's hand rising from the sea. I think we all know whose hand that was and in my way of thinking "it was the hand of God."
Elijah knew that His God had come through again and the joy he felt was seen in the special strength God gave him so that he ran ahead of Ahab's chariot all the way to Jezreel. He ran in the middle of that rainstorm and I believe every drop was a reminder that God had come through again. The distance from Mount Carmel to Jezreel is approximately 29 miles. Wow!! Surely if God can give Elijah that kind of strength in response to Him answering prayers for rain, how much more strength can the church find when one lost soul is saved from hell? Oh the power of the salvation of God. God is Here! Pray He will move and pour out his rain into the drought of our unbelief and make it rain and when it happens may we run the race set before us until Jesus comes again!
The Pilgrimage Continues.
David Warren
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