The fact that God shows up when we have given up is proof that He hasn’t given up on us!
At Carmel, the prophets of Baal had been exposed for the criminal co-conspirators they were, and were executed beside the Brook Kishon. Seeing the evidence of the crater before them where the altar, wood, sacrifice, water, and dust had been only moments before, the people “fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!’” (1 Ki 18:39). This was an echo of the fearless prophet’s name: El is Jah, or “God is the Lord.” These four words, “The Lord is God” or “Jehovah is the El,” encapsulate the Old Testament, just as “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Php 2:11) epitomize the New. In fact, the Jehovah of the Old IS the Jesus of the New! But back to our story. As surely as Elijah’s faith convinced him of three years’ drought, so it revealed to him “the sound of abundance of rain” (v 41), as he told Ahab. But the falling fire wasn’t magic—it came in answer to prayer. The falling rain would come the same way. Ahab might “eat and drink,” but Elijah “bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees” (v 42). This passage doesn’t specifically say he prayed, but those who have read to the end of the story know “he prayed again” (Jas 5:18). After seven attempts, a token cloud was seen, and Elijah told the king he better hurry to Jezreel to beat the storm. But the prophet passed his chariot on foot, impelled by God’s hand! Sadly, Jezebel nipped the revival in the bud, threatening Elijah’s life. Note, “when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba…and…went a day’s journey into the wilderness” (1 Ki 19:3-4). It wasn’t what he heard, but what “he saw”—the revival being so short-lived and superficial— that disheartened him. But, just like us when we despair, God was waiting for him there!