Eliyahu’s meeting with Ovadya prior to meeting Ahav is intended to show Ahav that Eliyahu is not capitulating to Ahav, and strengthen the God fearing presence of Ovadya in Ahav’s house. Eliyahu’s miraculous disappearance over the past years makes Ovadya think that Eliyahu’s intention is to provoke Ahav and to continue his disappearance.

Courtesy of the Virtual Beit Midrash, Yeshivat Har Etzion