The Weatherman Sayeth

And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” 1 Kings 17:1

We speak of the weather a lot. I imagine that people around the planet do so in much the same way. The weather remains a force that we can do little about and it affects us daily. Now, if you want people to talk about you, imagine having the authority to declare a total drought.

Elijah shows up on the scene before Ahab, that king we spoke disparagingly of the other day, and declares that the heavenly tap will be shut off except at his word. That is quite the thing to say to a king! And his popularity with the local farmers could go either way depending upon what he says and whether Elijah can back up that statement.

Imagine with us for a bit as Elijah goes away for some alone with the Lord time. After a year or so, Elijah travels back to the court passing dried river beds, crops withered in the field, and some ground wells producing water by the cupful with just a hint of dust in the flavor. The prophet struggles to remain strong until the king repents as he passes thirsty little kids with their big sad eyes.

"Good morning! King Ahab," Elijah calls out a cheerful greeting to the monarch of the land.

"Why you... you sorry Tishbite..." the king growls. "Off with his head!" Soldiers charge toward Elijah with murder in their eyes.

"My dead body cannot speak to bring the rains back," Elijah says quietly. The smell of overheated boot leather drifts across the room as the soldiers screech to a stop mere feet from causing a permanent drought.

"Oh yeah, prove it!" Ahab hollers as he capers about on his throne, cheated of a bloody execution.

"Rain!" Elijah commands.

The deluge overflows the gutters, people dance in the streets with their mouths open to the heavens, the cisterns fill to the brim, and a little dog floats forlornly toward the sea on a piece of bark caught in the rushing stream.

"Stop," Elijah says amid the tumult.

The sun comes out; crops gasp, choke and fall over into the mud, the people start to feel thirsty again, and the little dog runs aground on a sandbar.

"Ready to give it up for the Lord, King?"

"I know of know god but that wife of mine," the king sneers. "Coincidence, that's all that was."

"See you next year, King Dustbowl" Elijah disappears back to the wilderness once more.

The power of the Lord is great and awesome. Scarcely do we pay attention to His mercy in allowing the rains to come and the snow to fall. Even today with our irrigation systems and electric wells to pump water from the ground, a drought causes worry, fear, and suffering. Should an Elijah shut off the rains for years, we would seek him out in the wilderness and ask what we should do to cause the rain to fall once again. He would of course tell us to seek God, return to Him, and walk in His way. And that, my friends is what the Revelation is all about - pouring out the judgments to get fallen people to repent and seek out their God.

Rejoice in His mercy!
Bucky