The seventh time, the servant said, “Now there’s a cloud coming up out of the sea, no bigger than a man’s hand.” Eliyahu said, “Go up, and say to Ach’av, ‘Prepare your chariot, and get down the mountain before the rain stops you!”
The context here is that there had been a drought for 3 years as a sign of HaShem’s primacy. The account of the burnt offering to HaShem being accepted comes just before this. Eliyahu asked the HaShem let it be known that day that He is G-d. The two-pronged demonstration served well to show the power and the grace of HaShem. Yes He can destroy, but He can also give life. He shut up the heavens previously, but now He is opening them up again. The exchange with Eliyahu’s servant where he has him go to look at the ocean 7 times speaks to me of persistence and faithfulness. We know G-d is good, but sometimes we have to find the blessing, even pursue it, that is living out faith.
