Elijah and John the Baptist both lived to see the hand of God send the rains and end the drought

Part 6…1 Kings 18:41-46 

Christ Jesus said, “And if you are willing to receive it, [John the Baptist] is Elijah who is to come.” Matthew 11:14

In the previous post of Part 5, God sent the fire to consume the sacrifice offered by Elijah, but the god of the false prophets could not send the fire. This gave the God of Elijah the victory over the god of the false prophets. In this post, Elijah says to Ahab, the wicked king of Israel and supporter of the false prophets, to “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” To eat and drink is to eat from the abundance of the Bread of Life and to drink from the eternal fountain of the Water of Life. Jesus Christ is the Bread and Water of Life. This was also the spirit of John the Baptist when he said to the corrupt leaders of Israel “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:2

Elijah was waiting for the drought to end and looking for the rain to come, so he sent his servant to see if there was any sign of the coming rain. The servant went seven times to look for the rain, and the seventh time the servant brought news to Elijah that there was a cloud rising out of the sea. Like Eilijah, John the Baptist also sent messengers to look for the coming rain, which was to look for the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. “And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ ” And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame  walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Luke 7:19-23

Elijah then sent his servant to tell the wicked Ahab to go down to the city of Jezreel before the rain prevents him from doing so, as quoted, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’” Meanwhile, the skies became very black, with winds blowing, and heavy rain. The black clouds, winds, and heavy rain represent the judgment of God that comes through His Son Jesus Christ. Like Elijah, John the Baptist warned of the judgment of God coming through Jesus Christ against the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes, as quoted, “And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire… His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Mathhew 3:10, 12

While Ahab was on his way to Jezreel, the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah, and Elijah ran ahead of Ahab and made it to Jezreel first. Like Elijah, John the Baptist was not following the leadership of the corrupt Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes. John the Baptist led the way in the will of God by pointing to Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God and living by the fire of the Holy Spirit. This is written of John, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins…” Luke 1:76-77

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“Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink.

And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!”

So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’” Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.”

1 Kings 18:41-46