The specter of death walked the land of Israel. After three years without rain, streams ran dry and wells became mud. Crops failed and food supplies dwindled. The effects of the drought gripped nearly everyone, from the poorest laborer to the king and queen in their palace. But in Zarephath, a Canaanite city far away, three people lived surrounded by God’s comfort. The prophet Elijah, the widow, and her son. And then …
… 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!” So Elijah went to appear before Ahab.
Meanwhile, the famine had become very severe in Samaria. So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Obadiah was a devoted follower of the Lord. Once when Jezebel had tried to kill all the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had hidden 100 of them in two caves. He put fifty prophets in each cave and supplied them with food and water.)
Ahab said to Obadiah, “We must check every spring and valley in the land to see if we can find enough grass to save at least some of my horses and mules.” ~ from I Kings 18:1-5 New Living Translation
It’s hard to imagine facing such a disaster. Hardship and deprivation strip away a person’s defenses and reveal who they are underneath. Here we see different ways one might handle times of drought.
Bold obedience
When God sent Elijah to announce the coming drought, he fearlessly strode into the king’s presence and told him the consequences of Ba’al worship. When the Lord sent the prophet to the brook, he waited there patiently until he was told to go stay with the widow and her son. With the never-empty flask of oil and jar of flour, the three lived in comfort while the rest of the country suffered. Yet, when Elijah heard the Lord’s voice again, he immediately left this haven in search of the king, walking miles across cracked earth, past rotting carcasses, breathing the stench of decay.
Quietly doing the right thing
While Elijah was a more in-your-face kind of guy, Obadiah worked behind the scenes. He served the king faithfully but not when that service was contrary to God’s principles. At great risk, he hid some of the prophets the queen was intent on killing off.
Later, while assisting the king in his search for grass for his horses and mules, Obadiah unexpectedly met Elijah.
As Obadiah was walking along, he suddenly saw Elijah coming toward him. Obadiah recognized him at once and bowed low to the ground before him. “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?” he asked.
“Yes, it is,” Elijah replied. “Now go and tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’”
“Oh, sir,” Obadiah protested, “what harm have I done to you that you are sending me to my death at the hands of Ahab? For I swear by the Lord your God that the king has searched every nation and kingdom on earth from end to end to find you. And each time he was told, ‘Elijah isn’t here,’ King Ahab forced the king of that nation to swear to the truth of his claim. And now you say, ‘Go and tell your master, “Elijah is here.”’ But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you away to who knows where. When Ahab comes and cannot find you, he will kill me. Yet I have been a true servant of the Lord all my life. Has no one told you, my lord, about the time when Jezebel was trying to kill the Lord’s prophets? I hid 100 of them in two caves and supplied them with food and water. And now you say, ‘Go and tell your master, “Elijah is here.”’ Sir, if I do that, Ahab will certainly kill me.”
But Elijah said, “I swear by the Lord Almighty, in whose presence I stand, that I will present myself to Ahab this very day.” ~ I Kings 18:7-15 New Living Translation
We feel Obadiah’s panic and listen to Elijah’s calm reassurance. But his response to the arrogant King Ahab takes a more imperious tone.
So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come, and Ahab went out to meet Elijah. When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?”
“I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead. Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who are supported by Jezebel.” ~ 1 Kings 18:16-19 New Living Translation
Angry Defiance
The king and queen refused to accept any responsibility for the devastating drought, although the prophet clearly told them it was because they abandoned the Lord and worshipped other gods. But instead of humbling themselves and turning from their sin, they blamed Elijah. And when they couldn’t lay hands on him, they turned to killing other prophets in retribution.
Despite seeing the Lord’s power in bringing and ending the drought, King Ahab and Queen Jezebel continued to defy Him throughout the rest of their lives, until they each met a violent end.
Thoughts to Ponder
- James 5:17 says Elijah was a man like any other, and that his earnest prayers brought about God’s will. Elijah seems a hero of epic proportions, standing up to the rulers and idolatry. Have you met a bold crusader like Elijah?
- Obadiah “flew beneath the radar”. He saved a hundred prophets, but the king and queen never knew about it. Do you think we need to be bold, to do the right thing?
- We might want to blame someone else when calamity strikes, but remember Ahab and Jezebel’s mistakes. Turn away from anger or bitterness. Instead, turn to God for help. He will give you what you need to get through hardships.
Dana McNeely dreamed of living in a world teeming with adventure, danger, and romance, but she had a problem—she also needed a lot of peace and quiet. She learned to visit that dream world by stepping into a book. Soon, she began writing her own stories, fact and fiction.
Inspired by the Bible stories of Elijah, Dana wondered why the prophet came to stay with the widow of Zarephath and her son. Who were they? What was their life, before? How did the boy change after he died, saw the other world—and came back? Those questions led to Dana writing RAIN, in which she built her dream world of adventure, danger, and romance. Peace and quiet, however, have remained elusive.
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.
Her upcoming novel RAIN spins the tale of a mysterious prophet, a desperate youth, and a relentless queen during Israel’s great drought. Look for RAIN March 2021 from Mountain Brook Ink. While you wait, subscribe to Dana’s newsletter for updates and a FREE Novelette, “The Eyes of the Lord.”
A young widow must choose between honoring her father or following her heart . . .
In 894 BC, Hadassah, a young widow, struggles to make a living for her father and herself, while facing an unwanted marriage and her father’s recent strange behavior. Nathaniel, a mysterious new neighbor, engages her feelings in more ways than one. Meanwhile, the king of the war-torn southern kingdom makes an unwise alliance that will change their lives.
