Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Kings 18:41-46.

“Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink;  for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.”  So Ahab went up to eat and drink.  But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel;  and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees.  He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.”  So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.”  And he said, “Go back” seven times.  It came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.”  And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’”  In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower.  And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.  Then the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.”  1 Kings 18:41-46. 

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Elijah had that “hope against hope” type faith which Abraham had.  Let us read about that “hope against hope” faith that Abraham had.

“In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.”  Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb;  yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.”  Romans 4:18-21. 

First, like Abraham, Elijah fixed his hope on the promise of God.  “Now it happened after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth.”  1 Kings 18:1.

So, that hope in the promise of God is the first hope of “hope against hope”.

What was against hope?

For Abraham, the “against hope” was “he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb”.

For Elijah, the “against hope” was a sunny day without any clouds.  For most people, that is a good day.  For Elijah and the rest of Israel who were experiencing a severe famine and who desperately needed rain, it was just another bad day, and it was “against hope”. 

So, what did Elijah do in response to this “against hope”?

“…  But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel;  and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees.”  Verse 45.

Elijah regained hope as he turned his eyes away from the sunny and cloudless sky and most likely closed his eyes and prayed and meditated on the promise of God that it would rain.

But, “against hope” followed the hope. We can infer that even though Elijah was crouched down with his face between his knees and could not see anything to discourage him, he noticed that he did not feel any rain and he did not hear any rain.  

So, what did Elijah do in response to this “against hope”?

“He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.”  So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.”  And he said, “Go back” seven times.  It came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.”  Verses 43-44.  And, Elijah had hope again!

The righteous live by faith.  This is a summary of our life!  By the grace of God, we have that “hope against hope” faith that our fathers according to the faith had.  

“For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope;  for who hopes for what he already sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”  Romans 8:24-25.