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The Mercy of God

Let There Be Rain!

As the servant went out to tell Ahab the good news, the sky had begun to grow black, windy and cloudy; then came the heavy rain. After seeing this, Ahab immediately rides off in his chariot, heading back to Jezreel as quick as he can.

Bible Study Article Covers : 1 Kings 18:41-46; 19:1-18

Elijah Gives Thanks

In the last article we'd learned that the Baal prophets and the storm god they were serving, came up short, when it came to the fire contest that Elijah had challenge them to. The Sacred Record revealed that the Baal prophets, weren't able to get their false deity to rain down fire, from the sky, like Elijah's God, the Holy One of Israel had done. And because of this, in front of everybody, they, and the storm god they'd served, were proven to be frauds. Now after this had happened, Elijah would have the people round up all the Baal prophets. And it would be at this time, Elijah would get revenge for what Jezebel was attempting to do, when it came to seeking out to destroy, the Lord's very own prophets.

For we must remember, Jezebel was upset at the fact, God had unleashed a three-and-a-half year famine upon the land, and kingdom, she and her husband Ahab were ruling.

And because of this, when it came to the Lord's prophets, she set out, to have as many as she could, martyred.

This is why I hold true to the notion, the order that Elijah had given, when it came to having Jezebel's Baal prophets executed, had something to do with what she was trying to do, when it came to executing the Lord's prophets.

Nevertheless, after all of this happened, when it came to the execution of the Baal's prophets.

We find Elijah telling Ahab, it would be best for him to go and find something to eat and drink; for there is the sound of heavy rain approaching. Now a short time later, Elijah had retired himself, by heading up to the top of Mount Carmel. But as he neared the top, Elijah would take a break. And it would be at this time, he would fall on his knees praying, as he gave thanks to the Lord.

For the prophet wanted to show his gratitude, for what the Lord had just done, when it came to the fire contest that had just taken place, between Him and the Baal prophets.

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Looking For A Natural Sign

Be that as it may, soon after, we find Elijah sending his servant up to the very top of the mountain. The prophet did this, so that his servant could have a clear view of the Mediterranean Sea; for he also wanted his servant to see, if there were any type of sign, that indicated if rain was finally approaching. Now make no mistake, up to this point, Elijah was simply going on his faith, when it came to what the Lord had told him what would happen, after he had meet with Ahab:

"After many months passed, in the third year of the drought, the Lord said to Elijah: 'Go and present yourself to King Ahab. Tell him that I will soon send rain!'" -- 1 Kings 18:1

Nevertheless, Elijah wanted a natural sign, not necessarily for himself, but for the people. For you see, he needed something that would be a visible confirmation, that showed, the rain was actually nearing. And it's for this reason, Elijah had sent his servant up to the top of the mountain, not once, but six different times. But unfortunately for Elijah, each trip would end with no natural signs, that would've indicated that rain was finally coming.

Be that as it may, Elijah would send his servant out again for the seventh time, and it would be during this time, the servant would finally be able to bring some good news to the prophet. For you see, there was a very small cloud that had formed. The cloud had risen from the sea, and it was about the size of a man's hand.

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Jezebel Gets Bad News

Now after hearing this report, Elijah tells his servant to quickly send word to Ahab. The prophet also instructs his servant, to tell the king that it would be best, he should quickly head back to Jezreel. Elijah wanted Ahab to head out, before the rain started. For if he hadn't, the rain would have made the king's travel far more difficult; or even worse, simply impossible to venture out in. So the servant did as he was told, and he headed out to tell Ahab the good news. And as soon as he had told the king that the rain was finally nearing, the sky had begun to grow black, windy, and cloudy. Soon after, heavy rain began to fall. Now after seeing this, Ahab immediately rides off in his chariot, heading back to Jezreel as quick as he could.

As for Elijah, we find that once again, the spirit of the Lord had fallen upon him. And by this happening, he was able to run the six miles it took, to get back quickly to Jezreel. And being that the prophet would be operating with the fullness of the Spirit of the Lord, he was actually able to arrive on foot, ahead of the king. Nonetheless, after Ahab had finally made it back to Jezreel, he meets up with his wife Jezebel. Now it would be at this time, Ahab starts to tell her, all that Elijah had done.

For he told her about the fire contest, that had taken place between Elijah and the Baal prophets. And Ahab also told Jezebel, about what had taken place between them afterwards. For the king told Jezebel, how Elijah had the people round up all the Baal prophets, and how he had them all executed by the sword afterwards.

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Elijah You Are As Good As Dead !

Needless-to-say, after hearing these things, Jezebel becomes very angry. She quickly sends word by messenger, to Elijah: "The gods will get you for this, and I'll get even with you! By this time tomorrow you'll be just as dead, as any one of those prophets that you had killed." Nonetheless, after hearing this, Elijah had became very afraid. So he fled from the area, as he ran for his life. Elijah ended up traveling 150 miles to the southern Palestine city that was known as Beer-sheba.

When Elijah made it to Beer-Sheba, he decides to leave his servant there. However, Elijah continues onward. The prophet would travel for an extra day into the desert. Understand, Elijah was so determined to get away from Ahab and Jezebel, he would not rest until his body had became completely exhausted.

After this had happened, Elijah decides to rest under a juniper tree. Now while he was under the tree, he starts praying to God. But this wouldn't be no ordinary prayer, for you see, Elijah was basically telling the Lord that he had enough. Elijah would take it upon himself to remind the Lord, he was no better than his ancestors. And actually, the prophet wanted God to take his life, for he was now giving up on his calling.

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Touched By An Angel

Be that as it may, after Elijah had prayed his prayer, he would soon fall asleep. Now as he slept, a short while later, an angel comes to visit him. The angel ends up touching Elijah, and after doing so, he tells the prophet to get up and eat. So Elijah awakens, and after doing so, he'd looked around. And it would be at this time, he'd saw that the angel had brought him a loaf of hot bread, and a jar of water. And being that Elijah was so exhausted and famished, he would eat what the angel had brought him. However, not surprisingly, after he had done so, he would laid back down and fall back to sleep.

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Twice Touched By An Angel

Afterwards, the angel would come back for a second time, and once again, he'd touched Elijah. "Get up and eat," the angel ordered. But this time around, the angel goes a little farther with his instruction, by telling the prophet, he would need to eat for the journey that he was about to take. For if Elijah did not eat, the journey would've been too much for him to bear.

So Elijah, for the second time, would awaken. And just like before, the prophet would eat, and drink a little bit more. And because of this, this time around, he would be able to gain the much needed strength, to be able to make the journey that the Lord had set before him. Now when it came to this journey, know that it would take the prophet forty days and forty nights to complete. Elijah would also learn that God was directing him to a place that was known as Horeb. For this was the name of a mountain that was also known as "The Mountain of God." 

And make no mistake, the mountain's reputation had been well earned, being that this was also the mountain, where Moses had first presented the Law (Ten Commandments) to the Hebrew people. Nevertheless, after arriving at the mountain, Elijah was still battling his state of discouragement. So he went into a cave, and rested there, for the night.

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Elijah Gets A Visitor

Now while Elijah was resting in the cave, the Lord visited the prophet, and while there, asked him a question: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" Now after hearing this, Elijah answers the Lord by saying: "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. However, the Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death by the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

So after hearing this, God tells Elijah to go out, and stand at the entrance of the mountain, for He was about to pass by. However, Elijah didn't get up and go to the entrance of the cave, like the Lord had instructed, for he was still resting in the cave. So when He'd saw that Elijah hadn't done what He had asked, the Lord immediately sent a mighty wind that was so strong, it started shattering the rocks, and literally began to tear the mountain apart.

But in spite of all this, Elijah still wouldn't get up from his slumber, for he continued to lay rested in the cave. And after God had continued to see this, He then sent an earthquake, and this was followed by fire. But when it came to Elijah, he still stayed rested from within the cave.

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A Gentle Whisper

But when the prophet heard a gentle whisper, then he gets up, and pulls his cloak over his head, as he went to go and stand at the mountains entrance, just like the Lord had instructed him to do earlier. Then a voice said to him again: "What are you doing here Elijah?" Then Elijah repeated his earlier reply: "I have been very zealous for you Lord, my God Almighty. However, the Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death by the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

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God Promises Elijah Help

Now after hearing Elijah's reasoning for wanting to give up, the Lord replied by saying: "Go back the way you came, and go to the desert Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also anoint Jehu son of Nimshi, king over Israel; and anoint Elisha, the son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah, to succeed you as prophet. Know that Jehu will put to death, any who escapes the sword of Hazael; and Elisha will also put to death, any who escape the sword of Jehu."

So as you see, God addresses Elijah's concern, when it came to him being the last of His prophets. And after letting Elijah know that Israel will still suffer further punishment, when it came to their idolatrous and sinful ways. God continues to tell the prophet that He's not alone when it comes to his faith and servitude towards Him: "Yet I've reserved seven thousand in Israel, who have not bowed down, nor kissed Baal."

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In The Next Upcoming Article:

Now that we've learned that God has reassured Elijah that he wasn't alone, when it came to his faith and servitude. Will the prophet finally become encouraged enough, to continue forward with his ministry? And what about Elijah's successor that the Lord had promised him? Will he be obedient to the Lord, and leave everything he knows, in order to go away with a stranger he never met? Well in the next article, we shall see. 

May God blessings be upon you, and thank you for your support

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Elisha the Apprentice

Elisha the Master Prophet

Family Dynasties Unite

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Biblical Prophets - Bible Study Online

02) Obadiah and the Caves of Refuge

03) The Fire Contest Between God & Baal

04) <-CURRENT BIBLICAL PROPHETS PAGE->

05) Elisha The Prophet Apprentice

06) The Thirty Two Kings of Mass Destruction

07) Ben-Hadad The Drunken King

08) The Vineyard of Envy

09) The Prophets of the Groves

10) Micaiah The One True Prophet

11) The Demise of King Ahab

12) The Cursed Seed of Ahab

13) Elijah and the Chariot of Fire

14) Elisha the Miracle Prophet