1 Kings 18:42
So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the summit of Carmel, bent down on the ground, and put his face between his knees.
So Ahab went up to eat and drink
This phrase marks a stark contrast between King Ahab and the prophet Elijah. Ahab, having witnessed the miraculous defeat of the prophets of Baal, returns to his worldly pursuits of eating and drinking. The Hebrew root for "eat" (אָכַל, 'akal) and "drink" (שָׁתָה, shatah) often denote not just physical consumption but also indulgence in earthly pleasures. Historically, this reflects Ahab's character as a king more concerned with temporal satisfaction than spiritual matters, a theme consistent throughout his reign. This moment underscores the spiritual blindness and complacency of Ahab, who fails to recognize the gravity of the divine intervention he has just witnessed.

but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel
Elijah's ascent to Mount Carmel is symbolic of his spiritual journey and dedication. The Hebrew word for "climbed" (עָלָה, 'alah) implies an upward movement, both physically and spiritually. Mount Carmel, a significant site in Israel's geography, was a place of divine encounter and revelation. Archaeologically, Carmel was known for its lush vegetation and strategic height, making it a fitting location for Elijah's prayerful intercession. Elijah's choice to ascend the mountain signifies his role as a mediator between God and Israel, seeking divine favor and intervention.

bent down on the ground
Elijah's posture of bending down is a profound act of humility and submission. The Hebrew verb "bent" (גָּהַר, gaher) conveys a sense of bowing or crouching, indicative of deep reverence and earnest supplication. This physical act is emblematic of Elijah's spiritual posture before God, acknowledging his dependence on divine power. In the broader scriptural context, such a posture is often associated with intense prayer and intercession, reflecting Elijah's fervent desire for God's will to be accomplished.

and put his face between his knees
This phrase describes an unusual and intense posture of prayer, highlighting Elijah's earnestness and focus. The act of placing his face between his knees suggests a deep concentration and fervency in prayer, possibly to shut out distractions and focus solely on God. This posture is not commonly mentioned in scripture, emphasizing the extraordinary nature of Elijah's intercession. It reflects a total surrender and a profound sense of urgency, as Elijah seeks God's intervention to end the drought and demonstrate His sovereignty to Israel.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ahab
The king of Israel, known for his idolatry and marriage to Jezebel, which led Israel into sin.

2. Elijah
A prophet of God who challenged the prophets of Baal and demonstrated God's power on Mount Carmel.

3. Mount Carmel
A significant location in Israel where Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal and prayed for rain.

4. The Drought
A three-year drought in Israel, a judgment from God due to the nation's idolatry.

5. The Prayer for Rain
Elijah's act of faith and intercession for the end of the drought, demonstrating reliance on God.
Teaching Points
The Power of Humble Prayer
Elijah's posture of prayer, with his face between his knees, signifies humility and earnestness. This teaches us the importance of approaching God with a humble heart.

Faith in God's Promises
Despite the absence of immediate evidence, Elijah prayed with faith, trusting in God's promise to send rain. We are encouraged to trust in God's promises even when circumstances seem unchanged.

Contrast of Priorities
Ahab's focus on eating and drinking contrasts with Elijah's dedication to prayer. This challenges us to prioritize spiritual matters over physical comforts.

Perseverance in Prayer
Elijah's persistent prayer, as he sent his servant seven times to look for rain, illustrates the need for perseverance in our prayer life.

God's Sovereignty and Timing
The eventual rain demonstrates God's control over nature and His perfect timing. We are reminded to trust in God's sovereignty over our lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Elijah's posture in prayer reflect his attitude towards God, and how can we apply this in our own prayer life?

2. In what ways does Elijah's faith in God's promise challenge us to trust God in our current circumstances?

3. How does the contrast between Ahab's actions and Elijah's actions speak to our own priorities in life?

4. What can we learn from Elijah's perseverance in prayer, and how can this be applied to a situation you are currently facing?

5. How does the account of Elijah on Mount Carmel encourage us to trust in God's timing and sovereignty, and what other biblical examples support this trust?
Connections to Other Scriptures
James 5:17-18
This passage references Elijah's fervent prayer and its effectiveness, highlighting the power of righteous prayer.

1 Kings 17:1
Introduces the drought as a direct result of Elijah's prophecy, setting the stage for the events on Mount Carmel.

2 Chronicles 7:14
Emphasizes the importance of humility and prayer in seeking God's intervention and healing for the land.
Elijah and the Prophets of BaalE. De Pressense 1 Kings 18:1-46
Elijah an Example of the True Spirit of PrayerR. P. Buddicom, B. A.1 Kings 18:41-46
Persevering PrayerSpurgeon, Charles Haddon1 Kings 18:41-46
Prayers for Fire and for WaterJ. Parker, D. D.1 Kings 18:41-46
Rain At LastF. B. Meyer, M. A.1 Kings 18:41-46
The Coming RainW. H. Hutchings, M. A.1 Kings 18:41-46
The Conquest of FaithPreacher's Analyst1 Kings 18:41-46
The Prayer of FaithHomiletic Magazine1 Kings 18:41-46
The RainThomas Carr.1 Kings 18:41-46
The Return of BlessingJ. Urquhart 1 Kings 18:41-46
The Rustling and the RainF. S. Webster, M. A.1 Kings 18:41-46
The Sound of RainJ.A. Macdonald 1 Kings 18:41-46
People
Ahab, Elijah, Isaac, Jacob, Jezebel, Jezreel, Obadiah
Places
Jezreel, Kishon River, Mount Carmel, Samaria, Zarephath
Topics
Ahab, Bent, Bowed, Carmel, Cast, Climbed, Crouched, Drink, Eat, Elijah, Eli'jah, Face, Ground, Knees, Placeth, Putting, Stretcheth
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Kings 18:42

     5143   climbing
     5150   face

1 Kings 18:36-44

     8613   prayer, persistence

1 Kings 18:36-46

     4816   drought, physical

1 Kings 18:41-44

     4854   weather, God's sovereignty

1 Kings 18:41-46

     8618   prayerfulness

Library
Obadiah
To the Young '... I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth.--1 KINGS xviii.12. This Obadiah is one of the obscurer figures in the Old Testament. We never hear of him again, for there is no reason to accept the Jewish tradition which alleges that he was Obadiah the prophet. And yet how distinctly he stands out from the canvas, though he is only sketched with a few bold outlines! He is the 'governor over Ahab's house,' a kind of mayor of the palace, and probably the second man in the kingdom. But
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Trial by Fire
'And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose yon one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. 26. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. 27. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Elijah's Appeal to the Undecided
Now, we have these three classes here this morning. We have, I hope, a very large number who are on Jehovah's side, who fear God and serve him; we have a number who are on the side of the evil one, who make no profession of religion, and do not observe even the outward symptoms of it; because they are both inwardly and outwardly the servants of the evil one. But the great mass of my hearers belong to the third class--the waverers. Like empty clouds they are driven hither and thither by the wind;
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Obadiah; Or, Early Piety Eminent Piety
The Lord does not love that his servants, however great they are, should think lightly of their lesser comrades, and it occurs to me that he so arranged matters that Obadiah became important to Elijah when he had to face the wrathful king of Israel. The prophet is bidden to go and show himself to Ahab, and he does so; but he judges it better to begin by showing himself to the governor of his palace, that he may break the news to his master, and prepare him for the interview. Ahab was exasperated
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 30: 1884

The Prophet Hosea.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. That the kingdom of Israel was the object of the prophet's ministry is so evident, that upon this point all are, and cannot but be, agreed. But there is a difference of opinion as to whether the prophet was a fellow-countryman of those to whom he preached, or was called by God out of the kingdom of Judah. The latter has been asserted with great confidence by Maurer, among others, in his Observ. in Hos., in the Commentat. Theol. ii. i. p. 293. But the arguments
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

But Some one Will Say, Does He not Know Without a Monitor Both what Our...
But some one will say, Does he not know without a monitor both what our difficulties are, and what is meet for our interest, so that it seems in some measure superfluous to solicit him by our prayers, as if he were winking, or even sleeping, until aroused by the sound of our voice? [1] Those who argue thus attend not to the end for which the Lord taught us to pray. It was not so much for his sake as for ours. He wills indeed, as is just, that due honour be paid him by acknowledging that all which
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of Faith

Selfishness and Prayer. A Contrast.
"So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees."--1 KINGS xviii. 42. WHAT A CONTRAST! And yet, both men were perfectly consistent. It is in each case what you would expect, and yet how differently it might have been. What a different story it would have been if only Ahab had listened to the teaching of God! How often we see men having chances of turning round and beginning a new
Thomas Champness—Broken Bread

The West Coast of Galilee-Carmel.
The people of Issachar had "Carmel and the river for their bounds in length": the people of Zabulon, "Carmel and the sea." Carmel was not so much one mountain as a mountainous country, containing almost the whole breadth of the land of Issachar, and a great part of that of Zabulon. It was, as it seems, a certain famous peak among many other mountain tops, known by the same name, lifted up and advanced above the rest. The promontory Carmel, in Pliny, and in the mountain a town of the same name, heretofore
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Ninth Sunday after Trinity. How Long Halt Ye Between Two Opinions? if the Lord be God, Follow Him; but if Baal, Then Follow Him.
How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him. Was kinket ihr betrognen Seelen [106]Lehr. 1733. trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1855 Why halt thus, O deluded heart, Why waver longer in thy choice? Is it so hard to choose the part Offered by Heaven's entreating voice? Oh look with clearer eyes again, Nor strive to enter in, in vain. Press on! Remember, 'tis not Caesar's throne, Nor earthly honour, wealth or might Whereby God's favour shall be
Catherine Winkworth—Lyra Germanica: The Christian Year

Fall of the Western Empire (Ad 451-476)
The empire of the West was now fast sinking. One weak prince was at the head of it after another, and the spirit of the old Romans, who had conquered the world, had quite died out. Immense hosts of barbarous nations poured in from the North. The Goths, under Alaric, who took Rome by siege, in the reign of Honorius, have been already mentioned (p 93). Forty years later, Attila, king of the Huns, who was called "The scourge of God," kept both the East and the West in terror. In the year 451, he advanced
J. C. Roberston—Sketches of Church History, from AD 33 to the Reformation

Will the Knowledge that Some of Our Own are Lost, Mar Our Happiness in Heaven?
This is a difficult question to answer satisfactorily, on account of our instinctive feelings of natural affection, which arise, and, like a mist, obscure our judgment. Nevertheless, the difficulty is much lessened, and even entirely removed from some minds, at hast, by the following considerations. 1. Our happiness, even in this world, does not depend on the happiness of those who are bound to us by the ties of kindred or of friendship. This is especially the case when their unhappiness proceeds
F. J. Boudreaux—The Happiness of Heaven

Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits Derived from It.
1. A general summary of what is contained in the previous part of the work. A transition to the doctrine of prayer. Its connection with the subject of faith. 2. Prayer defined. Its necessity and use. 3. Objection, that prayer seems useless, because God already knows our wants. Answer, from the institution and end of prayer. Confirmation by example. Its necessity and propriety. Perpetually reminds us of our duty, and leads to meditation on divine providence. Conclusion. Prayer a most useful exercise.
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

This was Antony's First Struggle against the Devil...
7. This was Antony's first struggle against the devil, or rather this victory was the Saviour's work in Antony [1005] , Who condemned sin in the flesh that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.' But neither did Antony, although the evil one had fallen, henceforth relax his care and despise him; nor did the enemy as though conquered cease to lay snares for him. For again he went round as a lion seeking some occasion against him. But Antony
Athanasius—Select Works and Letters or Athanasius

Upon Our Lord's SermonOn the Mount
Discourse 7 "Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: And thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." Matthew 6:16-18. 1. It has been the endeavour of Satan, from the beginning of the world,
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

Subterraneous Places. Mines. Caves.
Thus having taken some notice of the superficies of the land, let us a little search into its bowels. You may divide the subterraneous country into three parts: the metal mines, the caves, and the places of burial. This land was eminently noted for metal mines, so that "its stones," in very many places, "were iron, and out of its hills was digged brass," Deuteronomy 8:9. From these gain accrued to the Jews: but to the Christians, not seldom slavery and misery; being frequently condemned hither by
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The First Commandment
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' Exod 20: 3. Why is the commandment in the second person singular, Thou? Why does not God say, You shall have no other gods? Because the commandment concerns every one, and God would have each one take it as spoken to him by name. Though we are forward to take privileges to ourselves, yet we are apt to shift off duties from ourselves to others; therefore the commandment is in the second person, Thou and Thou, that every one may know that it is spoken to him,
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Prayer
But I give myself unto prayer.' Psa 109: 4. I shall not here expatiate upon prayer, as it will be considered more fully in the Lord's prayer. It is one thing to pray, and another thing to be given to prayer: he who prays frequently, is said to be given to prayer; as he who often distributes alms, is said to be given to charity. Prayer is a glorious ordinance, it is the soul's trading with heaven. God comes down to us by his Spirit, and we go up to him by prayer. What is prayer? It is an offering
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Of Passages from the Holy Scriptures, and from the Apocrypha, which are Quoted, or Incidentally Illustrated, in the Institutes.
TO THE AUTHORS QUOTED IN THE INSTITUTES PREFATORY ADDRESS TO HIS MOST CHRISTIAN MAJESTY, THE MOST MIGHTY AND ILLUSTRIOUS MONARCH, FRANCIS, KING OF THE FRENCH, HIS SOVEREIGN; [1] JOHN CALVIN PRAYS PEACE AND SALVATION IN CHRIST. [2] Sire,--When I first engaged in this work, nothing was farther from my thoughts than to write what should afterwards be presented to your Majesty. My intention was only to furnish a kind of rudiments, by which those who feel some interest in religion might be trained to
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

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