The Prophet Elijah stood tall among the heroes of the Bible when he fought the evils of idol worship. We’re told “Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!” (James 5:17 NLT)
Elijah showed great faith in God. He waited for direction and he obeyed. He was faithful. You might think, “That doesn’t sound just like me. I have plenty of failings.” But there came a time when Elijah’s humanity was on full display.
Surprisingly, this happened immediately after a great victory.
After three and a half years of drought, Elijah told King Ahab to bring all of Israel to Mount Carmel. There, the people witnessed a great miracle of fire and rain. Yahweh showed His power and that Elijah was His servant. (1 Kings 17, 18)
Exhilarated, Elijah ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot to the city of Jezreel, where Queen Jezebel waited to hear what happened between her priests and Elijah. The Bible says “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.” (1 Kings 18:46 NLT)
Meanwhile, back at the palace …
JEZEBEL AWOKE TO THE SOUND OF thunder.
She snatched a torch from its bracket, called for her guards, and ran up the stairs to the palace roof. Though morning approached, clouds darkened the sky, and she was pelted with rain.
Rain!
She laughed as the torch hissed, sputtered, and drowned. Her guards took positions at the corners of the roof, discreetly turning away while their queen swayed in the rain as if to music. Indeed, the rain sang a victory dance, for she had won.
Embracing herself, Jezebel whirled to gaze once more upon the black clouds surrounding Carmel. She was glad they’d traveled to Jezreel, glad to watch the storm god’s triumph.
How arrogant Elijah had been, summoning Ahab as though he were a servant rather than a king, ordering him to gather the people. And Ahab—he seemed to fear the so-called prophet. If she’d only been there when they met, she’d have killed the imposter then and there.
Well, it was over. At last.
But how had it happened? She yearned for Ahab to return and tell her everything. Her prophets had been an impressive sight as they marched from the city, six across, row after row, clad in brilliant scarlet. Sulonen and his chief priests came behind, riding in a bronze cart pulled by white oxen. What a sight it must have been, the resplendent priests of Ba’al-Melqart, the prince of the city against that disheveled old man.
Finally. All she’d worked for would come to pass. Israel would know who’d caused the drought and who ended it. The people would turn to Melqart, and she’d stamp out any last vestiges of Yahweh worship. Suddenly giddy, Jezebel whirled around, arms stretched wide in the pelting rain. When she finally stopped, feeling a little dizzy, she steadied herself on a pillar, touching her fingers to the smile on her lips.
The soldier who stood at the southwest corner shouted. “A runner!”
—Excerpt from RAIN by Dana McNeely
When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”
—1 Kings 19:1-2 (NLT)
Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done. The Lord’s servant, who with God’s help had just won a great victory over hundreds of false prophets, looked to the Lord for instruction. Then Elijah faced down the evil queen and told her …
No, although in the past, he had waited until “the Word of the Lord came,” this time Elijah did not wait. He deserted his post. His mind was no longer fixed on Yahweh, and he was overcome by fear.
Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
—1 Kings 19:1-4 (NLT)
Have you ever failed, not only yourself but others? What despondency falls on us when we fall beneath our own expectations, let alone those of our friends or loved ones. Yet, how do we ever stand? It is by the Lord’s grace, which was evidenced in all the events in Elijah’s life prior to this time.
God did not leave Elijah in the depths of despair.
In 1 Kings 19:5-18 we’re told:
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- God had Elijah take a couple of naps and fixed him heavenly snacks.
- Strengthened by this, Elijah walked forty days and nights to meet with God on another mountain – Mount Sinai, where God once met with Moses.
- The Lord asked Elijah why he was there in the first place and listened to his excuses, which were a bit whiny.
- Then God gave Elijah an object lesson involving a mighty windstorm, an earthquake, and a fire. God passed by, but he was not in the windstorm, earthquake, or fire. He revealed Himself with a gentle whisper.
- Elijah wrapped his face in his cloak and listened.
- God told Elijah he wasn’t the only faithful believer left in Israel. God had set apart seven thousand. He told Elijah help was on the way. Elisha would be his protege and successor. Two enemies of Israel would become God’s unlikely instruments to bring judgment.
Reading this passage in the Bible should encourage us. Maybe all we need is a little rest, some healthy food, and a word from the Lord. Regarding the last, let me share ~
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.
—Psalm 46:1-2 (NLT)
Inspired by the Bible story of Elijah raising the widow’s son from the dead, author Dana McNeely wondered what became of the boy. She began research for her novel, “Rain,” which tells the story of the three-and-a-half-year drought from his perspective. No stranger to drought, Dana lives in an Arizona oasis with her hubby the constant gardener, two good dogs, an antisocial cat, and migrating butterflies.
In 2021 RAIN became a finalist in The Christy Award (use the registered mark) and was also a finalist in the 2022 ACFW Carol Award® and was also a finalist in the 2022 ACFW Carol Award.
WHIRLWIND, the second novel in the “Whispers on the Wind” series, tells the story of a king’s downfall and a love that transcends war.
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Thanks Dana — LOVE this!!! And isn’t it true that often when we are discouraged Scripture HELPS. Psalm 46, 64 and 91 are THE Psalms I read almost EVERY day!!
Scripture is often the ONLY help! Or singing the old hymns. I, too, read the Psalms every day. Love Psalm 91!