The Energy of Prayer and the Quantity Seven (1 Kings 18.42)

Elijah went as much as the highest of Carmel; there he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees.

Background

Following his profitable contest with the clergymen of Ba’al, Elijah tells King Ahab to go up on Mount Carmel and eat, for “there’s a sound of dashing rain.” The years-long drought is about to finish. Elijah then climbs to the height together with his servant. He kneels, bows his head, and prays. The author doesn’t inform us what he stated within the prayer, however we will make a basic guess. (The truth is, the author doesn’t even say that Elijah prayed, although his actions make clear that’s what he was doing).

After a time, he tells his servant to go and look out in direction of the ocean. The servant studies that he sees nothing: simply empty sky. We have no idea what time of yr it was, although winter in that space would have been the wet season (besides that the three-year drought had been in impact). It was normally fairly dry within the summers. Throughout regular instances, particularly within the fall, rains virtually at all times got here out of the west from over the ocean, and will seem rapidly. That is what Elijah is on the lookout for.

Six instances Elijah prays, six instances the servant returns with the identical reply. However the seventh time, the servant says that he sees a small cloud out over the ocean. So small that, if he held his fist up in entrance of it, he couldn’t see it.

The sight of the little cloud is sufficient for Elijah to know his prayer has been answered. He orders his servant to ask Ahab to get in his chariot and hurry to his winter palace in Jezreel earlier than a deluge makes it unimaginable to journey. Certain sufficient, the sky is quickly darkish with black clouds and the rain pours down.

That means

There’s loads of symbolism on this passage. Elijah, Ahab, and others climb the mountain to share a meal, simply as Moses, Aaron, and the seventy elders of Israel did the identical for a covenant meal in Exod 24.9–14. Elijah ascends to the crest of the mountain, with a servant, simply as Moses did, to talk with God. Elijah prayed seven instances, and the servant checked the sky seven instances. In that tradition, “seven” was an emblem for completeness or achievement. The small cloud, over the ocean, reminds us of the cloud of God which was with the Israelites within the desert.

Utility

What will we study prayer from this quick passage? After all, the main themes are that God, because the sovereign Creator, controls the sky, the wind, the clouds, and rain. He can carry a drought; He can finish a drought. The prayer, and its reply, emphasize that God by no means offers up, and is at all times prepared with grace and mercy. Regardless of the unfaithfulness or selfishness of his youngsters, even their worship of issues other than Him, He retains guarantees.

The prayer passage additionally confirms that Elijah is the authoritative messenger of God. In 17.1, Elijah informed Ahab that the rain wouldn’t come again till he stated it could. In 18.41, he stated to him, “there’s the sound of dashing rain.” Absolutely, Ahab would imagine now? (Alas, no.)

These are themes we will at all times think about after we pray. God controls all the pieces, He’s at all times prepared to supply mercy and style, and He retains His guarantees.

We would additionally be aware Elijah’s fidelity in prayer. He believed God would finish the drought; he didn’t simply pray as soon as, or twice, or 3 times. He prayed till it was answered. Not solely that, however he continued to imagine, irrespective of how lengthy God was silent.

This week, in your prayers, use the thought of fidelity by adopting the symbolism from this passage. You could possibly additionally make use of the symbolism of “seven,” for this can be a quantity that God’s individuals have thought of a particular quantity for hundreds of years. It needn’t be that there’s something “magical” about seven (or three), however that it’s a quantity that connects you with all of the individuals of God as they’ve prayed everywhere in the world by way of all time.

Select a subject of prayer; maybe a petition about one thing you’re involved about, or an intercession for another person’s scenario. Pray for that difficulty seven instances, with a quick break in between. Or maybe you intend to wish seven instances a day for seven days, or as soon as for seven days in a row.

Write in regards to the expertise of utilizing these themes and symbols in prayer.