James 5:17-18 Ěliyahu was a man with feelings like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain. And it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the land brought forth its fruit.

A brief history of the Northern Kingdom also known as the House of Israel

Jeroboam was the first king, he was from the tribe of Ephraim, he reigned for 22 years. (1 Kings 14:20)
Nadab son of Jeroboam reigned for 2 years. (1 Kings 15:25)
Baasa who was from the tribe of Issacar reigned for For 24 years. (1 Kings 15:33)
Elah son of Baasa reigned for 2 year. (1 Kings 16:8)
Zimri reigned for 7 days. (1 Kings 16:15)
Omri, commander of the army, reigned for 12 years (1 Kings 16:23)
Ahab, son of Omri, is now the king. He eventually will reign for 22 years. (1 Kings 16:29)

All the above kings had one thing in common, they all walked in the ways of Jeroboam.

Ahab was more wicked than any of his predecessors, he also took for his wife, Jezabel, daughter of king Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians. (1 Kings 16:30-31)

Ahab served and worshipped Baal, erected an alter in the temple of Baal which he had built in Samaria. also made an Asherah pole. (1 Kings 16:30-32)

Jezabel brought her own priests, prophets, and style of worship.

She was killing off the prophets of YHWH. (1 Kings 18:4)

1 Kings 17:1 And Ěliyahu the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gil‛aḏ, said to Aḥaḇ, “As יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ěl lives, before whom I stand, there shall be no dew or rain these years, except at my word.”

It was a crucial time in Israel’s history when Eliyahu suddenly appears. He was not the first prophet to bring a message from YHWH to a king of Israel. YHWH even spoke to Jeroboam directly. But Israel would not listen, they would continue in their ways.

Eliyahu let Ahab know YHWH Elohim/God of Israel is alive not dead in spite of popular belief.

Ahab may be king, by questionable means, but YHWH is The King of kings

Deuteronomy 11:16-17 Take care so that your heart is not easily deceived, and you turn away, and you serve other gods, and you bow down to them. And then the anger of Yahweh will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, and there shall not be rain, and so the ground will not give its produce, and you will perish quickly from the good land that Yahweh is giving to you.