Elijah addresses Ahab: “Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.” While Ahab went up to feast, Elijah went up from the fearful sacrifice to the top of Mount Carmel to pray. His work of slaying the pagan priests had not unfitted him for the solemn exercise of prayer. He had performed the will of God. After he had, as God’s instrument, done what he could to remove the cause of Israel’s apostasy by slaying the idolatrous priests, he could do no more. He then intercedes in behalf of sinning, apostate Israel. In the most painful position, his face bowed between his knees, he most earnestly supplicates God to send rain. Six times in succession he sends his servant to see if there is any visible token that God has heard his prayer. He does not become impatient and faithless because the Lord does not immediately give the token that his prayer is heard. He continues in earnest prayer, sending his servant seven times to see if God has granted any signal. His servant returns the sixth time from his outlook toward the sea with the discouraging report that there is no sign of clouds forming in the brassy heavens. The seventh time he informs Elijah that there is a small cloud to be seen, about the size of a man’s hand. This is enough to satisfy the faith of Elijah. He does not wait for the heavens to gather blackness, to make the matter sure. In that small, rising cloud his faith hears the sound of abundance of rain. His works are in accordance with his faith. He sends a message to Ahab by his servant: “Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.” {3T 286.2}

Elias henvender sig til Akab: »Gå op og spis og drik, thi der høres susen af regn.« Medens Akab går op for at feste, går Elias op fra det frygtelige offer til Karmelsbjergets top for at bede. Hans gerning med at ihjelslå hedenske præster har ikke gjort han uegnet for den højtidelige tilbedelse. Han har udført Guds vilje. Efter at han, som Guds redskab, har gjort hvad han kunne for at fjerne forbandelsen fra Israels frafald, ved at slå afgudepræsterne ihjel, kunne han ikke gøre mere. Han gik da i forbøn for det syndige, frafaldne Israel. I den smerteligste stilling, med hans ansigt bøjet mellem hans knæ, beder han alvorligst Gud om at sende regn. Seks gange i rækkefølge sender han sin tjener for at se om der er noget synligt tegn på om Gud har hørt hans bøn. Han bliver ikke utålmodig eller troløs fordi Herren ikke straks giver tegn på at hans bøn høres. Han fortsætter i alvorlig bøn, sender sin tjener syv gange for at se om Gud har givet noget tegn. Hans tjener vender tilbage den sjette gang, efter at have set ud over havet med den skuffende meddelelse at der ikke er tegn på skydannelser på den messingagtige himmel. Den syvende gang fortæller han Elias at der er en lille sky at se, på størrelse med en mands hånd. Dette er nok til at tilfredsstille Elias tro. Han venter ikke på at himlene skal samle sorte skyer for at være sikker. Ved denne lille sky der er på vej op hører hans tro lyden af regnens overflod. Hans gerninger er i overensstemmelse med hans tro. Han sender et budskab til Akab, ved sin tjener: »Spænd for og kør hjem, at du ikke skal blive opholdt af regnen!«