2 Kings 2:9-10 – Stay through to the end

Elisha stayed close to Elijah and followed him all the way to Jordan. When they had crossed over, 2 Kings 2:9 said that Elijah was prompted to ask his protégé what he could do for him before he was taken away. Immediately Elisha’s responded saying, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 

What triggered Elijah to ask the junior prophet that question? Elijah knew that his challenges would soon be over, but Elisha’s was just about to begin. We surmise that having faced so many challenges in his prophetic ministry, he knew deeply that for Elisha to continue the work, he would need further assurance. On Elisha’s part, having stayed so close to his mentor, he must have seen how much Elijah had to face and how he had accomplished it only with divine assistance. He wanted to be sure that he would be succeeding in his ministry. So his one request was to know if he was going to succeed Elijah. Elisha knew that God had called him into the prophetic ministry, but he wanted to be sure that he was to inherit Elijah’s ministry.

From Elisha’s request, we can see his heart. For there were other things that he could have requested from Elijah. He could ask for his mentor to remain a bit longer and delay his departure. He could even ask to go with him on his glorious departure from earth. But he did not. All because he valued the ministry and what God had assigned him to do. So in asking for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit he was in effect asking for Elijah to authenticate that he would be his successor. He was not asking to be greater that his mentor. He was asking for the same passion that had dominated Elijah’s ministry throughout. He saw how he was so passionate and zealous for God. He wanted the same fervency that he saw in his mentor.

Asking to be given a double portion of Elijah’s spirit was his way of asking his mentor to authenticate if he could be his successor. This we deduced from the answer that he received from his mentor. Elijah’s answer to him in 2 Kings 2:10 was “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” Elijah was in effect saying, “It is hard to say if you will be my successor, but you will know when you stay through with me till the moment I am taken up.”

To do the work of God calls for commitment. This was seen in  Elisha’s life. He was not easily dissuaded from following his heart. He was prepared to pay the price. Then we see that he was also not presumptuous, when asked by his mentor what he could do for him, he only wanted confirmation that he would succeed him. He was not asking to be greater than Elijah. When told that he had to stay through to the end, he was willing and prepared to do so. Like Elisha, we must not be presumptuous, instead, we must seek to clarify and once we are sure we must stay through to the end. How wonderful it will be if we can inspire such devotion!

 

 

 

2 Kings 2:6-8 - Forward with God

Refusing to stay at Gilgal, Elisha followed Elijah to Bethel. There the sons of the prophets asked Elisha if he knew that the Lord would be taking his mentor Elijah to heaven soon. His response was “Yes, I know; be still.” When Elijah heard how he responded, he added that he should stay at Bethel for God was sending him to  Jericho. But Elisha was adamant about following him. Firmly, he told Elijah in 2 Kings 2:4, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they continued their journey to Jericho.  

The same thing happened at Jericho, the sons of the prophet from there asked the same question as those in Bethel. In 2 Kings 2:5, they asked him “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” Adamantly, Elisha’s response was the same as what he had given at Bethel, “Yes, I know; be still.”

On hearing how he responded to the sons of the prophets at Jericho, Elijah again tried to dissuade him from following him and to remain in Jericho. In verse 6, he said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” Here he also got the same resolute response from Elisha. Again he told Elijah, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they proceeded toward Jordan.

When they arrived at Jordan, 2 Kings 2:7 said that as they stood by the Jordan, fifty sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance. Elijah then took his mantle, folded it together, and struck the water of the river. Immediately, the water of Jordan was divided so that both could cross to the other side on dry land. This was reminiscence of how God had parted the Jordon for the children of Israel to cross over into the promised land.

 Jordan was a signal of the end of Israel’s wilderness wandering. Jordan had been a picture of death. It was here that all their wandering stopped as they arrived home and entered the promised land. Jordan would also be the end of Elijah’s journey as he would soon be taken gloriously home.

We saw how resolute Elisha was. He refused to be dissuaded from following Elijah three times. Nothing moved him. Neither opposition nor opportunity nor obstacle moved him. He was bent on seeing his mission through to the very end. How about us? Are we as resolute about fulfilling our mission?  Elisha’s resolve leaves us a model to follow. Like him and the Apostle Paul, we must press on towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. Like them, we also need to leave our achievements and regrets behind and move forward with God.  We need to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow our Lord and become true disciples of Christ. The cost is high, but the rewards are higher!                   

 

 

 

 

2 Kings 2:4-5 – Dealing with strongholds that hinder our progress

God was about to take Elijah to heaven in a whirlwind. So with Elisha, they were traveling from Gilgal to Jordan. Right from the start at Gilgal, Elijah had tried to dissuade Elisha from following him to test his resolve. He also did the same at Bethel. Judging from the latter’s resolve, we know he was not one who would abort his assignment halfway. He was bent on going with his mentor and God all the way.

Second Kings 2:4 tells us that at Bethel, Elijah told him to remain there saying that the Lord was sending him to Jericho. Hear the response of Elisha, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they journeyed together to Jericho. And when they arrived at Jericho, some sons of the prophets, like those at Bethel approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” His response to them remained the same. “Yes, I know; be still.”

What do we remember about Jericho? It was the first place that the Israelites conquered when they entered the promised land. It was a well-structured, walled city. Apparently, it was well protected by two layers of massive stone walls. The outer wall was about 6 feet thick and 20 feet high and the inner wall was about 12 feet thick and 30 feet high. Built between the two walls was a guarded walkway. So, the city, in a sense, was impenetrable. The walls posed two barriers - a physical as well as a psychological barrier - that the children of Israel needed to overcome if they ever hope to penetrate deeper into Canaan. Unless this formidable city was conquered, there was no way they could move deeper into Canaan. It stood between Israel and their promised land.

These two walls are likened to the deeply entrenched habits of our lives that can prevent us from a deeper walk with God. To deal with one bad habit is already difficult enough, what more the many we often will have to deal with. Dealing with a habit is tough. When we take the letter “h” from the word “habit” there is still “a bit.” When we take away the letter “a” from “a bit”, there is still the “bit.” When you take away the letter “b” from “bit” there is still the “it”. It is only until we remove the “I” from the “it” that we come to the “t”, or the cross of it. It is only through the cross that we overcome a habit. Each one of us probably needs to deal with more than one habit that will hinder our walk with God. They are the walls that can prevent us from experiencing a victorious walk.

What could be some of the habits in our life that are preventing us from experiencing inner peace with God? It could be our unwillingness to let go of hurts we have allowed to turn into a bitter root. It could even be an issue of unforgiveness that has become a deep resentment. Our walls could be some attitudes that we have adopted, and they are preventing us from having a joyful walk with God. It could even be some people or things we treasure more than God. They could be one’s wife, sweetheart, a special friend, career, hobby, etc that have become bigger than God in our eye. All these could have become strongholds in our lives, and we can move no further with God. We need to honestly deal with them. These are just a few of the walls of negativism that have become strongholds that needed to be overcome. They are like the two walls of Jericho that Joshua and the Israelites brought down.

Absolute surrender and submission to God are two critical steps we need to experience an overcoming life. We need to have an unhindered trust in God. What God wants to do in our lives requires that we develop absolute trust in Him. The victory we will experience is not found so much in our plan but in absolute trust. What God is asking from us is unconditional surrender. Can we trust God absolutely and yield to Him completely?

 

 

2 Kings 2:2-3 – Don’t stay stagnant in our spiritual journey

Directed by God, Elijah appointed Elisha, his successor, who was ably prepared to take over. The Bible is silent about the duration of the mentoring. But we know from 2 Kings 2:1 that the time for Elijah to leave for heaven was nearing and God was about to launch Elisha into the ministry. Gilgal was the first place that they began their journey toward Jordan. Gilgal, we have established, speaks of a new beginning. It was here that the second generation of Israelites who were born in the wilderness were circumcised, and their covenant with God renewed. It was here that God rolled away the reproach of Egypt from them. Like Elisha, our spiritual journey starts at our Gilgal. To us believers, Gilgal represents Calvary where our Lord Jesus died for us, to roll away the reproach of our sin. It is here that we have entered a covenant with our Lord and given a fresh start to life.

To be saved is an exhilarating experience for every believer but we must continue to make the journey with the Lord. Like Elisha, we must refuse to stay contented in Gilgal. We must make progress in our spiritual journey. And to progress is a personal decision. Although Elijah told Elisha to remain in Gilgal, he refused. For he had made a choice to follow through with his journey. Some people after giving their lives to the Lord, choose not to progress. Hence, they become stagnated in their salvation experience. Like the Shulamite maid in the Song of Solomon 2:14, they are contented to rest in their salvation or the cleft of the rock experience and not progress with the lover of their souls. But Elisha was not such a person. He turned down Elijah’s advice to remain in Gilgal.

So he followed Elijah to Bethel, which had a rich history. It was at Bethel that God made Himself known to the patriarchs years ago. Before Abram’s name was changed to Abraham, he was at Bethel. Genesis 12:8 said that he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. Then again in Genesis 28, we are told that at Bethel Jacob had the remarkable dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder from heaven. Details can be found in Genesis 28:16-17. This is what Jacob said of Bethel, “…Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it … How awesome is this place.… This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” The original name of Bethel was Luz and it was renamed Bethel by Jacob after that experience. Bethel means the house of God. It is a place of revelation. It should be a place where we believers must come to reflect on the Lord.

Second Kings 2:3 tells us that here some prophets told Elisha, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.” Elisha, like his mentor, must have known that God was going to take Elijah back to heaven. While he was aware, he refused to let that knowledge trouble him. He just stayed still, trusting the Lord. Gilgal speaks of a new beginning, and Bethel speaks of walking, trusting, and growing toward maturity in the Lord. It is a call for us to depend on Him in our daily walk and be a victorious Christian. We are not expected to experience a life of stagnation but a life of progression. To ensure progress, we need to come to our Bethel where God will reveal more of Himself to us, to shape, transform and mature us. It is a call to press toward the mark of the high calling of God. Let’s do it with all diligence!

2 Kings 2:1 – Our spiritual journey begins with total surrender

Elijah had diligently fulfilled what he was called to do. Though he had to endure some harrowing times from the wicked Ahab and his evil wife Jezebel, he came through with the help of God. Through it all God was with him to sustain him. The truth is this: God never leaves us to do His work without staying close to help us accomplish the task. We saw how closely He stayed with Elijah. And we can be assured that He will never forsake us. Remember God is with us all the time and His empowerment is just one prayer away.

Earlier in 1 Kings 19:16, one of the three people Elijah was told to anoint was Elisha, who was to succeed him in the ministry. Apart from anointing Elisha, Elijah was also to anoint Hazael as king over Aram and Jehu as king over Israel. Since the recruitment of Elisha, nothing much has been said about his transition. We were only told how Elisha responded to the call. In 1 Kings 19: 21, we were told that he slaughtered a pair of oxen, boiled their flesh using his plow as firewood, and then gave them to the people, as he arose to follow Elijah. His was a total commitment to the call of service to God. The Bible did not say much of what took place since his recruitment. We can only guess that in the interim, Elijah ably mentored him. Now in 2 Kings 2, we sense that it was time for Elisha to begin the work, for God was about to take Elijah to heaven.      

Second Kings 2:1  said that “And it came about when the Lord was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven.” In this chapter, we will catch a glimpse of Elijah’s last moment on earth before he was triumphantly and wondrously translated to heaven via a whirlwind. In this verse, we are told that both Elijah and his protégé Elisha began their journey from Gilgal. This was the place the Israelites first celebrated the Passover in the promised land after Joshua took them across the Jordan. It was here that the second generation of the Israelites who were born in the wilderness wandering were circumcised, and the covenant with God was renewed. It was here that God rolled back the reproach of Egypt from his people.  This was a place of a new beginning.

Our journey with Christ also began with our spiritual Gilgal. Our life with Christ began at the altar of sacrifice where we lay down our life in sweet abandon and total surrender to Him. Lay down our lives is only the beginning of the journey. We must be determined to go with Him all the way resiliently. As the saying goes, the ending is more important than the beginning! Let us end well and hear these wondrous words of Jesus, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”

 

2 Kings 1:13-18 – God alone has the answer to life

For Ahaziah to send the third platoon to apprehend Elijah shows us how wicked his heart was. It revealed how defiant he was to God. Despite the death of two platoons of soldiers, 2 Kings 1:13-18 reveal that he refused to back down. He stubbornly sent the third platoon to bring Elijah to him. These verses show us the approach of the third platoon leader and the outcome.

The platoon commander came and bowed down on his knees before Elijah, and begged him saying, “O man of God, please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. Behold fire came down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.” 

The angel of the Lord directed Elijah, telling him not to be afraid but to go down to meet this third platoon of soldiers sent by Ahaziah. So the prophet went down with the platoon leader to meet the king. Once before Ahaziah, Elijah boldly declared God’s words to him. He said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron — is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word? —therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.’”

The word of God through Elijah came to pass and Ahaziah did not recover but died. Because he had no son, the throne was succeeded by Jehoram, his brother. The other Jehoram mentioned in verse 17 was the son of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah who shared the same name as him. It was in the second year of the latter’s reign that Jehoram the king of Israel succeeded his brother. Ahaziah did not achieve much except that he was as idolatrous as his parents. However, what he did was written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.  

God vindicated himself and Elijah his prophet. Apart from Yahweh, no other god can predict an outcome so accurately. It is true that God will always vindicate His own servant who followed His direction just as He did for Elijah. Like Elijah, we need not fear what men can do to us if God is on our side. He is for us not against us. Ahaziah’s experience leaves a message for us to never seek an answer to life in the wrong place. It is a waste of time to seek answers to life elsewhere. We will never get the correct answer. Only in God can the right answers to life be found. Be wise!

 

2 Kings 1:9-12 – Our confession and conviction must align

Instead of repenting and aligning, Ahaziah was offended. Isn’t it true that how a person evaluates the situation will determine how we will act? Ahaziah’s assessment of the situation was that Elijah was against him. With that mindset he wouldn’t be able to rightly appraise the situation. So in 2 Kings 1:9-12, he took action to have Elijah apprehended and punished.

He sent for the captain of his fifty and his men to arrest Elijah. In military formation, 50 soldiers would usually form a platoon comprising of two squads or sections. What Ahaziah did was he sent his first platoon to Elijah who was sitting on the hill. The platoon leader told the prophet saying, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’”  Instead of coming down, Elijah’s response to him was, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Elijah had learned his lesson. Previously at the words of Jezebel, he ran into hiding. This time he refused to be cowed. As soon as he had finished speaking to that platoon leader, fire came down from heaven and consumed that platoon. Apparently, Ahaziah was slow to learn. He sent another platoon who confronted Elijah with the order of the king for him to “Come down quickly.” His response was still the same and again fire came down and consumed the second platoon.

Ahaziah and his men had shown how incongruent they were. If they truly believed that Elijah was a man of God, they would not have ordered him around. The way they treated him showed that they did not believe what their mouth had said. So Elijah set out to authenticate that he indeed was a man of God and that his allegiance was to God alone. So God affirmed his calling by sending fire to consume both the two platoons. The lesson here is on being congruent in our profession. Our confession and our actions in life must align. Be sure that our conviction and our confession are in alignment. It’s useless to say one thing and do exactly the opposite!

 

2 Kings 1:5-8 – God has the answer we need in life

Second Kings 1:5-8 look like the messengers of Ahaziah did not manage to complete their mission. Midway to Baal-Zebub, they were accosted by Elijah. When they returned to the king who was surprised that they should turn back so quickly. So in 2 King 1:6, they explained that they were met by a man on the way to inquire of Baal-Zebub, and were told to return to the king with a message. So they repeated the exact words of Elijah, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.’” 

Ahaziah wanted to know more about the man whom they met. So he asked his messengers, “What kind of man was he who came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?” And they described Elijah, saying that he was a hairy man with a leather girdle bound about his loin. At once Ahaziah knew that he was none other than Elijah the Tishbite.

The incident shows that even when in trouble, Ahaziah would rather turn to inquire of his false god than the true God of Israel. This reveals the state of his heart. As the king who was set over Israel, his heart was no longer with God. Even in his condition, he would rather go to his false god for answers. Know it or not, there are still wishy-washy believers who would rather consult medium or fortune tellers to know the outcome when they are facing an adverse circumstance. In seeking solutions to life’s problems, let us always turn to God. Make Him our first option and not our last resort. For only He has all the answers!

 

2 Kings 1:1-4 – Only truth can set us free

In the concluding verses of 1 Kings chapter 22, we were introduced to the reign of Ahaziah, the son of Ahab who succeeded him. Ahab and Jezebel we learned had failed in their parental duties. Ahaziah who came to the throne was as idolatrous as his parents.

Second Kings 2:1-8 narrated two problems that plagued Ahaziah at this time. Firstly, he encountered the rebellion of Moab against Israel after his father’s death. More details of Moab’s rebellion would be described in 2 Kings chapter 3. Secondly, we are told that he had an accident at home. He fell through the upper porch of his palace and was seriously injured.  Second Kings 1:1-4 deal more with how Ahaziah went to the wrong place to seek to know what the outcome of his fall would be when the answer lay in Israel’s covenant God.

Instead of seeking the Lord, he sent his messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub. He wanted to know if he would recover from his injury. Baal-Zebub literally means “lord of the flies.” How could a false god help? Ahaziah falsely believed that this god of the Ekron could tell him the truth. Hence, he sent his messengers to inquire of him. That was a gross mistake. He failed to realize that only Israel’s covenant God would tell him the truth. Sadly, he was just as dense as his father Ahab.    

In verse 3 we are told that the angel of the Lord was sent to Elijah to confront the messengers of the king with a clear message from God to Ahaziah. The message to him was, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ Now therefore thus says the Lord, ‘You shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” After giving the message to Ahaziah’s messenger Elijah departed, saying nothing further.  

Why did Ahaziah inquire of Baal-Zebub, instead of the true God of Israel concerning his healing? It’s an indication of how far he had departed from the Lord. In seeking Baal-Zebub, Ahaziah was not seeking to know the truth, he was seeking what he wanted to hear. In life, it is better to hear the truth than to hear what we want to hear. Unfortunately, men would go for what would tickle their ears even if those are deceptions. But we must go for the truth, for it is by knowing the truth that we will be set free. Even if the truth is not what we would like to hear!    

1 Kings 22:51-53 – Set godly examples for our children

First Kings 22:51-53 briefly describe for us the reign of Ahaziah, the son of Ahab. He came to the throne over Israel in Samaria in the 17^th year of Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah. His rule was short for verse 51 said he only reigned for two years. Nothing good was said about his reign.

Verse 52 summed up all the evil he had done in that one verse. He did evil in the sight of the Lord. How? He walked in the way of Ahab and Jezebel, his father and mother. Ahaziah was said to have also walked in the way of Jeroboam, the first king of Israel who caused the division of Israel. He was the one who caused Israel to turn to worship the golden calves that he made, and placed in Samaria and Dan. Since then Israel had pivoted to worship many other false Canaanite gods.   

Like his parent, verse 53 made in no uncertain term that “he served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.” Parents have a key role in shaping the future of their children. Without a doubt, Ahaziah was greatly influenced by his parents. What had become of Ahaziah was largely the failure of his parents. This underscores for us the importance of raising our children in the fear and nurture of the LORD. Home is such an important institution for it is the place where our children’s education in godliness begins. Parents, how are we living our lives? Are we placing God first, and modeling godliness so that our children can be rightly shaped and influenced? These three verses bring us back to our calling as parent to model rightly for our children.

Remember the child is the father of the man. Our children’s habits and attitudes are shaped when they are young. As parents, what we do will help to shape them. One good question to ask ourselves is, “do we want our children to walk in our footsteps?” If I want, how then must I live my life now? Don’t live like an Ahab or Jezebel if we don’t want our children to end up like Ahaziah, rejected and denounced by the LORD. Instead, be like Eunice, the mother of Timothy whom Paul commended in 2 Timothy 1:5 saying, "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well."  

 

  

  

 

 

1 Kings 22:41-50 – Be consistent, start well, and finish strong

First Kings 22:41-50 take us back to the Kingdom of Judah. Here in these verses, we are given a glimpse into the life and reign of Jehoshaphat who succeeded Asa, his father at age 35. His mother, not as well-known as his father, was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. Verse 41 said that he ascended the throne during the fourth year of Ahab’s reign in Israel and ruled Judah for 25 years.

The positive side of him was that he emulated his father Asa by living a life that was consistent like his father. He walked in his ways and did what was right in the sight of the LORD. However, there were two areas he could have done better. Firstly, he failed to remove the high places and shrines that were dedicated to Baal. As a result, the people continued to sacrifice in those high places and burnt incense there. Secondly, he was not wise to ally himself with Israel, first with Ahab then with his son Ahaziah.

However, we are told in 2 Chronicles 17 that he did take positive steps to reform Judah. He sent priests, Levites, and officials to teach the people the law of God. He also fortified the country with a strong army so that other nations would seek their friendship and take them seriously. Second Chronicles 19 described how he instituted and established a good judicial system in Judah. And in 2 Chronicles 20, we saw how he rallied the nation to a time of national fast, and with God’s help defeated a coalition of enemies (comprising Moabites, Ammonites, and a group of ancient people, who resided around the south of Judah known as the Meunites). First Kings 22:46 had this to say of him, “The remnant of the sodomites who remained in the days of his father Asa, he expelled from the land.” Verse 49 recorded for us one last wise thing that he did. He finally refused to continue his collaboration with wicked Ahaziah, the king of Israel.

We are told that Jehoshaphat’s other deeds were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah. When he died, he was buried with his fathers in the city of David and was succeeded by his son, Jehoram. By and large, Jehoshaphat was deemed to be a good and godly king. However, he did make some errors of judgment. One lesson from his life that we must have a firm grasp on is consistency. We must start our journey well but be very sure to end strong. To do that we need to be watchful throughout our journey, pausing regularly to evaluate and to make adjustments and realign with God. Aim to be like Paul, fight the good fight of faith, finish the course, and keep faith with God. Ending well is vital to our eternal destiny!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Kings 22:37-40 – Seek truth not approval

Ahab thought he was safe with his disguise. But an archer’s arrow shot randomly hit the joint of his armor and mortally wounded him. This was not a coincidence. God had ordained it. It was Ahab’s divine judgment waiting to happen. He had been warned first by Elijah in 1 Kings 21:18 and again by Micaiah in 1 Kings 22:28. But he chose to ignore them both. He failed to understand that what God had ordained would always come to pass. Nothing ever escapes His sight. God sees through all our disguises and pretense. That’s why it is important that we worship God in spirit and in truth, meaning with the right attitude and with honesty. Remember, blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile. 

Although Ahab was shot and wounded, 1 Kings 22:35 said that the battle continued to rage on, and he was propped up in his chariot in front of the Arameans. Sadly he died in the evening, and the blood from his wound ran into the bottom of the chariot. By the time they returned to Samaria, he had died. First Kings 22:38 said that they washed away the blood in the chariot by the pool of Samaria. As the Lord had predicted, the dogs came and licked up the blood. Ahab, however, did build the ivory house and cities and they were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. So Ahab died, was buried with his fathers and his son Ahaziah succeeded him on the throne.

Materially speaking, Ahab did have a measure of success. But spiritually speaking, he was way off the mark. He was complicit in the murder of Naboth and insensitive to God's grace by not heeding the words of Elijah. He also refused to listen to Micaiah whose last words to him were, “If you indeed return safely the Lord has not spoken by me.” Just imagine these words kept ringing in his ears as his men struggled to get him back to Samaria before he died. With every dying breath he took, he must have regretted not listening to the prophet. How Ahab responded to Micaiah tells us that he was a person who did not want to listen to the truth. He just wanted men’s approval and affirmation. Be careful to go for the truth in life. Don’t just seek men's approval or affirmation. Let our prayer always be, “Lord, teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom!”   

 

1 Kings 22:29-36 – We reap what we sow

Ahab was bent on proving Micaiah wrong. Ignoring what the true prophet of God had told them, 1 Kings 22:29-33 describe how he took Jehoshaphat and went out to battle at Ramoth-gilead. Wanting to out-maneuver Micaiah, Ahab went out to war incognito. But he made Jehoshaphat go out to battle dressed in his royal apparel. How conniving could he be? He wanted to use Jehoshaphat as a decoy. How heartless could he get?  

Meanwhile, verse 31 tells us that Ben-hadad instructed the 32 captains of his fighting force to concentrate on getting Ahab. They were commanded not to engage either the officers or the men of Israel’s army but to focus on getting their king. At first, the Syrian army mistook Jehoshaphat for Ahab because he was dressed in his royal robe, whereas the latter went into battle in disguise. But when they drew near to him, Jehoshaphat cried out. That was then that they realized that they had pursued the wrong man, so they stopped hounding him.

However, Ahab might have his plan, but the LORD’s will was ultimately done. First Kings 22:34-36 describe how a soldier shot an arrow randomly into the air. Although he did not aim at Ahab, the arrow struck him in the joint of his armor. With God there is no coincidence. So in verse 34, he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the fight; for I am severely wounded.” Ahab was defeated and verse 35 said, “The battle raged that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot in front of the Arameans, and died at evening, and the blood from the wound ran into the bottom of the chariot.” As the sun was setting, an order was given for every man in the army of Israel to return to their home and to their city.

Psalm 1 tells us that the LORD knows the way of both the righteous and the wicked. The former will be greatly blessed, and the latter  will perish. Everything God says will come to pass. Nothing happens to us by chance. We always reap what we sow. Like  Ahab, we will inherit a storm if we sow to a whirlwind. So if we don’t want to reap disaster, be sure to sow righteously. Take heed to the Word of God!

 

1 Kings 22:24-28 – The need to discern the truth

Micaiah’s words affected the professional prophets of Ahab, especially Zedekiah who was probably the leader of the pack. It could well be that he was threatened by Micaiah’s genuine ministry. Isn’t this what would happen when a person knows that his own ministry is spurious?  He would always be afraid that someone would come to expose his falsehood. That explains why he did what he did in 1 King 22:24. He approached Micaiah and struck him on the cheek saying, “How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?” He was subtly insinuating that Micaiah’s words were not from the Lord. His aim was to intimidate the latter, but what he did was pointless.

Instead of being intimidated, Micaiah was even more emboldened. He responded to him challengingly, saying in 1 Kings 22:25, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you enter an inner room to hide yourself.”  What he meant was that there would be no room where he could hide when the truth of what he had said came true. Micaiah was so certain that he was speaking on behalf of Yahweh. He was confident that God would bring his prophetic words to pass.

At this point, King Ahab commanded that Micaiah be handed to Ammon, the governor of the city, and Joash, one of his own sons for incarceration. He was to be fed sparingly with water and bread only. So Micaiah was to be thrown into prison till Ahab’s return. He presumed that he would succeed in his expedition and return safely. Before he was dragged to prison, Micaiah probably hollered out loudly saying, “If you indeed return safely the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Listen, all you people.”

The church today is also filled with preachers asserting that they are preaching the truth. Of course most of them are. And we can be confident that what God has said will always come to pass. However, there is still a need for us to prayerfully discern every message that we hear so that we will not fall prey to a false prophet and his message. None of us wants to fall hook, line, and sinker to a false message. So be sure to check every message we hear with the Word of God. Be like the Bereans. In Acts 17:11, we are told that after they had heard Paul’s preaching, “…they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

1 Kings 22:18-23 – Don’t be deceived

In 1 Kings 22:17, Micaiah prophesied seriously announcing that Israel would be defeated, and the people dispersed all over the mountain. In the battle, Israel would be like a flock of sheep left without a shepherd. Furthermore, he said that they would be left with no master, implying that their king would be defeated and killed. So he plainly told them to return to their home peacefully now. Seizing the moment to prove his point, Ahab in verse 18 then turned to Jehoshaphat saying, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

Continuing with his account in 1 Kings 22:19-23, Micaiah went on to recount a vision of a dramatic but tragic scene of a conference between the LORD and His angels. It was intended to expose the lie of Ahab’s 400 prophets. Micaiah was pointing out that the false prophets would be used by a deceiving spirit to prophesy falsely to the king. Disturbing as the account might be, it was shaped firstly, to denounce the false and insincere prophets of Ahab. Secondly, it was meant to warn Ahab against the false prophets and to discourage him from going into battle to try and retake Ramoth-gilead. The passage shows God’s sovereignty and that everything would happen within His jurisdiction.

However, this account shows us the power of deception. When a person closes his mind to truth, he becomes susceptible to deception. Like Ahab, people are more susceptible to deception when they are prideful. When a prideful person’s mind is already made up, he or she is not willing to listen to an honest evaluation. Such a person would rather listen to a lie than humbly acknowledge that he or she could be wrong. We all need the voice of truth. Always stay humble and discerning. It is wise that we take to heart the words of 1 Corinthians 10:12,  “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” Stay pliable to the Spirit of God and we will be less susceptible to deception. 

 

1 Kings 22:13-17 – Let’s be true to our conviction

When Micaiah finally arrived, he was warned to speak a message that would concur with the rest of Ahab’s professional prophets. In 1 King 22:13, he was told to simply regurgitate what they had said. He was expected not to speak what was laid on his heart by Yahweh. But Micaiah retorted them with sarcasm saying, “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I shall speak.”

So 1 Kings 22:15 said that when he came before King Ahab and was asked the question, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” Knowing that everyone expected him to concur what them, Micaiah first played along. He derisively said, “Go up and succeed, and the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” However, Ahab saw through his mocked answer. He knew that the prophet would never have replied that way unless he was coerced. Perhaps, he wanted to test if this time Micaiah was willing to play along. It appeared as if Ahab saw through Micaiah's mockery, so he angrily asked, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” Ahab had miscalculated. He had unwittingly opened an opportunity for him to speak his heart. So in verse 17, Micaiah spoke the truth that was in his heart. He said:

“I saw all Israel
Scattered on the mountains,
Like sheep which have no shepherd.
And the Lord said, ‘These have no master.
Let each of them return to his house in peace.’”

Although Micaiah was alone standing for the truth, he remained fearless. Though he was one against 400, he chose not to run with the crowd. That’s what God also expects each of us his true disciple to do. Uniformity is what most people would want to see in the church. Unfortunately, uniformity almost always means conformity. And conformity in turn always minimizes true conviction. While God wants us to get along with each another, he wants us to remain solidly committed to the truth uncompromisingly. Wish the church today would have more Micaiah, who dare to stand alone in his conviction for God even though none would stand with him. A true conviction that can stand the test of God’s Word, must be our standard for truth and practice. Anything less is not worthy of Him! 

1 Kings 22:5-12 – Living with integrity

Though Jehoshaphat had agreed to help Ahab in his attempt to take back Ramoth-gilead from the Syrians, he was wise to want to be sure that they had the approval of God. So in 1 Kings 22:5, he said, “Please inquire first for the word of the Lord.” This of course was the right move.  So Ahab had the professional prophets gathered from his court, about 4oo of them. They were asked the question by the king of Israel, “Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle or shall I refrain?” In unison, they all echoed only, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” But can what they said to be trusted? Of course not! Why? it was apparent that they were all pandering to the fancy of Ahab. Even King Jehoshaphat couldn’t trust their words. He suspiciously asked if there was another prophet whose words could be trusted.

Immediately, Ahab said there was one named Micaiah the son of Imlah, whom they could yet inquire of the word of the LORD. But the wicked king was reluctant to use him because this prophet never prophesied anything favorable concerning him. Words from him to Ahab had always been evil. Hence, he hated him intensely. Jehoshaphat however, cautioned the king of Israel to be careful what he said and then requested for Micaiah to be sent. So the only true prophet, Micaiah was asked to be fetched to the court.

Verse 10 tells us that both Ahab, “…the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.” Before the arrival of Micaiah, Ahab’s leading professional prophet named Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, dramatically prophesied. Equipped with horns of iron he falsely proclaimed, “Thus says the Lord, ‘With these, you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed.’” The other prophets of the court echoed saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

Three principles to adopt in life. Firstly, truths that divide are to be preferred over lies that unite. Secondly, truths that hurt but heal are to be preferred to lies that soothe but kill. Thirdly, to speak the truth and be loved by God is to be preferred to lie and be loved by our enemy. The truth will always prevail!

1 Kings 22:1-4 – Be careful who we run with

First King 22:1-4 tell us that three years had elapsed since Ahab had the peace treaty with Ben-hadad. The Syrians did not trouble Israel during that period and peace was experienced in those three years. Then Ahab had the intention to wrestle Ramoth-gilead back from the Syrians. For since the treaty that city was under the control of the Syrians.

So when Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came to visit Ahab, the latter connived to solicit his help to annex Ramoth-gilead. It looked like he deliberately asked his servants loudly in the hearing of Jehoshaphat saying, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we are still doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?” With that question, he immediately turned to Jehoshaphat and asked if he would help him in what he intended to do. Pointedly he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” Without hesitation, Jehoshaphat responded in the affirmative. Verses 4 said he told Ahab, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

Why was Jehoshaphat so willing to help Ahab? It was because they were in-laws. Jehoram, his son was married to Athaliah, Ahab’s daughter. Through that marriage, Judah and Israel were now in an alliance. So Jehoshaphat was obliged to assist Ahab in his attempt to take back Ramoth-gilead. We can sense that Ahab took advantage of the situation to get the help of Jehoshaphat. While we try to understand Jehoshaphat’s needs for alliance, but why the ungodly Ahab? This leaves us wondering why he would entangle himself with the evil man. Instead of being helped, he was drawn into the sin of Ahab. Unwittingly he was made to participate in the evil expedition of Ahab.

We all need friends who can walk with us in our spiritual journey. Good friendships should be forged so that we can strengthen each other. But we must be watchful of who we are running with. In seeking such friends, we need to be prayerful and discerning. If we sleep with stray dogs, do expect to have fleas. Be sure to have good friends but don’t let them come in between us and our walk with God. We must not allow anyone to build a fence between God and us or we will live to regret it. Be discerning who we choose to be our bosom friends!

1 Kings 21:17-29 – Nothing escapes God

As Ahab abetted by his wife went to possess Naboth’s vineyard, Elijah was sent by God to meet him. First Kings 21:17-19 tell us that God instructed the prophet to go meet him in the vineyard of Naboth in Jezreel in Samaria. Elijah met Ahad and pronounced God’s judgment on him. He first asked a rhetorical question, “Have you murdered and also taken possession?” Then he went on to tell Ahab that “In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth the dogs will lick up your blood, even yours.” In other words, Ahab would not only pay with his own life but whoever was his would also have to suffer the same outcome.  For God saw everything. What Elijah told him left the king without any excuse.

Ahab's first response when he met Elijah was in a question. Calling Elijah his enemy, he asked, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” The implication of his question essentially was to ask the prophet why he was pursuing him. Elijah’s response was straightforward. Not mincing any words, he told Ahab that he was pursuing him because of all the evil he had done in the sight of the Lord. He then went on to pronounce the judgment of God that would come upon him. Here Elijah told him what would happen to him, Jezebel his wife, his family, and Israel.

God warned him that his family would end up like Jeroboam son of  Nabat and Baasha, son of Ahijah. Like them, Ahab had provoked the Lord to anger by making all of Israel sin. Furthermore Jezebel his wife would be eaten up by dogs in the district of Jezreel. God also warned him that none of his family members would escape the impending judgment. There would be no place where they could go to avoid the punishment. Those who died in the city dogs would eat up, and for those who died in the field, the birds of the air would consume them.    

God further highlighted the wickedness of Ahab in listening to his wicked wife Jezebel. In 1 Kings 21:25-26, Ahab was said to have been more wicked than anyone. For he had allowed his wife to influence him to venerate those abominate Amorite idols which the Lord had cast out before the sons of Israel. On hearing the impending judgment, Ahab unexpectedly humbled himself and repented. Verse 27 said that “…he tore his clothes, …put on sackcloth, …fasted, …lay in sackcloth, and went about despondently.” He did the right thing here and the magnanimous God forgave him and postponed the punishment. The judgment would take place on his family in the era of his sons.

Here are a few thoughts for application. Firstly, the ill-gotten gain may bring temporary pleasure but will cause us to lose our peace forever. Any happiness that we derive from covetous gain will never last. It will bring temporary delight, not everlasting peace and joy. Secondly, know that sin will render us incapable of recognizing who are our true friends. Like Ahab, his sin had rendered him incapable of seeing Elijah as a friend. He only saw him as his enemy when he was his true friend. Remember Proverbs 27:6?  We are told that “Faithful are the wounds of a friend but deceptive are the kisses of an enemy.” Thirdly, bear in mind that no sin escapes the notice of God. He is all-seeing and all-knowing. Take heed to the warning that Moses gave to the Reubenites who had sinned against the  Lord. He told them in Numbers 32:23 saying “…be sure our sin will find us out.” Finally, we learn that God is gracious, even when the worst of sinners repents, God will have mercy. What a marvelous God! Truly there is none like Him!

 

1 Kings 21:11-16 – What happen when God is not regarded

Assuming the role of Ahab, Jezebel sent a letter in his name, affixed with his seal to the elders and nobles in Naboth’s hometown. She asked for two false witnesses to be arranged to accuse Naboth of blasphemy against God and treason against the king. When the letter reached the hands of the officials, her order was swiftly carried out without any question. From this, we get a sense of how corrupt the officials were that they could be so easily bribed. It tells us how lawless Ahab’s regime was.   

So 1 Kings 21:11-16 describe the execution of Jezebel’s order by the elders and the nobles in the city. They did everything that she had ordered them to do in the letter. Verses 12-13 said, “They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. Then the two worthless men came in and sat before him; and the worthless men testified against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones.”

After the execution, the corrupt officials sent word to Jezebel saying “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.” On receiving the news, Jezebel commanded Ahab to take possession of the murdered man’s vineyard. Ahab submissively obeyed her order. So on top of his sin against God by pivoting to Baalism, Ahab added to it a whole repertoire of other sins. He not only broke the tenth commandment but also the sixth, eighth and ninth commandments. He coveted Naboth’s property, had him maligned, then killed him and stole his property.  

For Naboth, his vineyard was a sacred trust. So he was not afraid to stand up against the unreasonable demand of a wicked king. Ahab and Jezebel on the other hand had no respect for God. Hence, they had no respect for the stipulated laws. On this account of Naboth’s vineyard, Ahab had broken the two great Commandments. He failed to love God and his neighbor. Our view of God will determine how we will view and steward life. When we have respect for God, we will have respect for others. This evidently was not seen in Ahab’s life. Let us make loving God our priority in life, then loving others as ourselves will not be as hard a thing to do. Take note that one sin will lead to another. It seldom stands alone!     

1 Kings 21:5-10 – Who is influencing you?

Like a spoiled child, the immature Ahab went to his room, lay on his bed, sulked, and refused to eat. All because Naboth valued his possession and refused to accede to his demand to have his vineyard. First Kings 21:5 indicates that before long, his despair was noticed by Jezebel his wife, who asked why he was so disheartened. Whiningly, like a pampered child, Ahab said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you a vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” 

The unscrupulous Jezebel was not going to stand watching her husband in that condition. Her anger was almost palpable by her sarcasm. So in 1 Kings 21:7 she insinuated that Ahab was a weakling. She asked Ahab “Do you now reign over Israel?” And then went on to order that he “Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be joyful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

Like the ruthless Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Jezebel took matters into her own hands. What Ahab lacked the courage to do, the unscrupulous Jezebel did. In 1 Kings 21:8-10, we are told she wrote a letter in Ahab’s name and affixed it with his seal, to all the elders and nobles living with Naboth in the city. The letter demanded that they proclaimed a fast and had Naboth seated at the head of the table, sandwiched between two false witnesses. They would then accuse Naboth of blaspheming against God and the king, and have him executed and stoned to death.

Ahab was a weakling who lacked resolve. What made it worst was his marriage to Jezebel. Through her, he became deeply entrenched in Baal worship. Slowly but surely, his morals were being chiseled off. Lacking a sound moral compass, he was quietly giving in to her wicked influence, and unwittingly was careening down the slope of disaster.  This account underscores the need to be alert to our influence in life. Ahab would be better served if he had taken heed to what God was saying to him through Elijah. So here is the lesson, be careful who influences us in life. We must surround ourselves with people who can make us better!   

1 Kings 21:1-4 – Don’t be covetous

Everything King Ahab did was in contradiction with the will of God. Whether in religion, trade, military, or foreign policy, he had never had the interest of God or his subject in mind. In 1 Kings 21:1-4, Ahab showed himself to have no regard for what God said concerning not coveting a neighbor’s property. The Tenth Commandment in Exodus 20:17 states that one …shall not covet his neighbor’s house; … wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to one’s neighbor.

In the account, we are told that Naboth had a vineyard that was located next to Ahab’s palace in Jezreel in Samaria. This king eyed that vineyard for he wanted to turn it into a vegetable garden for himself. But to Naboth, the property he had inherited from his forefathers was his treasured possession. The law concerning land that had been allotted to a person should remain in the possession of the family. In difficult circumstances, a person could use it to alleviate his hard times within his clan. In essence, there should be no sales of ancestral land. But in this case, Ahab coveted his land which was in violation of the tenth commandment.

In verse 2 Ahab told Naboth saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if you like, I will give you the price of it in money.” The latter refused to give up the land. He said, “The Lord forbid me that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” Naboth’s refusal to let him have the land drove Ahab into acting like a spoiled and immature child. He went home and lay on his bed, sulking and refusing to take any food.

One lesson we take away from these four verses is not to be covetous. Know it or not, covetousness has a ferocious and insatiable appetite. Simply put, covetousness always makes one crave for the wealth or possession that belongs to another inordinately. Take heed to what Jesus said in Luke 12:16 concerning covetousness. He  said, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” Paul said that godliness with contentment is great gain! One way to counter this ill is to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. In everything remember to give thanks. A thankful heart will keep you contented!

1 Kings 20:35-43 – Obedience matters to God

1 Kings 20:35-43 – Absolute obedience

There is a proverb that urges one to strike while the iron is hot. It is a call to seize a given opportunity when it presents itself. Evidently, Ahab did not. He should have known better. Because he did not capitalize on his God-given opportunity to destroy Ben-hadad and the Syrians once and for all, this troublesome enemy would come back and bring untold sorrow to Israel.  

1 Kings 20:33-43 describe a dramatized prophecy acted out to inform Ahab concerning what his future would look like for failing to finish off Ben-hadad. Two scenes addressing Ahab were played out by an unnamed prophet. The first scene detailed the prophet ordering a fellow prophet to strike him. Because the latter refused to listen to the LORD’s word given through him, he was told by the former that a lion would kill him on his way out. And it happened as he was told. This was by way of a saying that it is needful to obey the word of God or face the consequence. In the second scene, another prophet was seen to oblige and strike the prophet, wounding him. The injured prophet then went out and disguised himself as a wounded soldier with a bandage over his eye. This was a dramatized message for King Ahab.

On meeting Ahab, verse 39 said that he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if for any reason he is missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’” He added by saying that in his busyness, he had allowed the prisoner to escape. Not knowing that the message was about him, he told the prophet that he deserved the judgment for being careless. The way Ahab reacted was like how David had reacted when told of his adultery by the prophet Nathan. He virtually prescribed his own judgment.

With what Ahab said, the prophet then removed his bandage and the king immediately recognized him as one of the prophets. Unapologetically, the prophet then went on to pronounce what would happen to Ahab for his failure in letting Ben-hadad go. Upon hearing the pronouncement, Ahab returned to Samaria sulking and confounded and agitated.

The whole dramatized message was to let Ahab know how he had failed in his role as the king of Israel. He was insensitive to the LORD, thus failing to take advantage of the God-granted opportunity to get rid of their troublesome enemy of Israel. He sidestepped the will of God because it was something that was unpleasant or inconvenient to do. Hence, he had to pay dearly for not doing what he should have done. This is something that can also happen to us. We must take care to do what God wants us to do. It is better to be obedient to God and avoid His displeasure than save our own skin and incur His displeasure. Don’t let the fear of men prevent us from being obedient to Him. Disobedience brings disastrous consequences!

 

1 Kings 20:31-34 – Seizing every God-given moment

First Kings 20:31-34 describe another misstep of Ahab. He failed to capitalize on the opportunity to finish off Ben-hadad and free Israel from the oppression of the Syrians. It was obvious that God had granted him success by providing the messengers to help him deal with Ben-hadad’s aggression. Ahab managed to subdue Ben-hadad who was at his mercy.

However, Ben-hadad had shrewd advisors who taught him how to exploit the inept Ahab. They told Ben-hadad in verse 31 saying, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings, please let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save your life.” Accordingly, they went ahead with their plan. So Verse 32 said they acted by girding on … sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” What Ahad did next was inexplicable. He asked Ben-hadad’s servants, “Is he still alive?” He added by acknowledging Ben-hadad as his brother and asked that he be brought to him.

When Ben-hadad was brought to him, Ahab received him into his chariot. The Syrian king then agreed to return the territory Syria had seized from Israel previously. Thinking that it was advantageous for him, Ahab agreed to a needless treaty with Ben-hadad. Unwittingly, he had again put himself at a disadvantage by not trusting God who had granted him the recent victory. It showed how insensitive he was to God who was stretching His hand toward him. Ahab’s insensitivity would eventually exact an unnecessary price from him.

Ahab had the opportunity to deal a serious blow to Ben-hadad and end the oppression the latter had brought to him and Israel. Clearly, it was God who had engineered the moment for him. God’s purpose and Israel’s security were placed in Ahab’s hand, but he squandered the opportunity. Here we see how misplaced his magnanimity was. It would become a thing that he would live to regret. Often times God would also grant us moments to deal with what seems to be hampering our progress with Him. When that moment comes, we must be quick to seize it with courage and deal with it wisely and decisively. Why? Because the same opportunity may not come again. There is a season for everything. Don’t let any God-moment go to waste. Seize it!

   

1 Kings 20:26-30 – With God we won’t lose

Ben-hadad believed the counselor's mistaken ideas about the gods of Israel being the gods of the hills. So mustering the Arameans, Ben-hadad went up to war against Israel at Aphek at the turn of the year. The children of Israel on their end also rallied together. Equipped and well provisioned, they were ready for the battle. Unlike the Arameans who filled the plain, the people of Israel with a lesser force assembled themselves like two little flocks of goats.

Again Israel was reassured of victory, through the words of a man of God. Their covenant once again stated the reason why they were going to experience victory. First Kings 20:28 reveals what that man of God said, to reassure them. He said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” God intends to debunk the Aramean’s false and foolish notion as well as to prove to the people of Israel that He alone is their Lord. He did not want them to buy into the foolish thinking of Ben-hadad’s counselors.  

Verse 29 said that they camped facing each other for seven days and on the seventh day they were locked in battle. In the conflict, 100,000 of the Aramean’s foot soldiers were devastated and killed in one day by the sons of Israel. A remaining force of 27,000 fled from the battlefield to Aphek. There they too met their end, as the wall of the city fell and killed them. Ben-hadad, however, managed to escape by fleeing into the inner chamber of the city. Once again Yahweh delivered His people and debunked the foolish thinking of the Arameans.

All that had happened should have awakened Ahab to Yahweh and caused him to return to Him. But none of that happened. He remained as clueless and stubborn as he was. It is so true that there is none so blind as one who refuses to see. The wayward king once again missed another opportunity to return to God.

Bear in mind that victory is not always determined by the number, it is determined by who we have with us. If God is on our side, there is no force too big or too strong that we cannot overcome. No one can ever come against the purpose of God and walk away victorious. With God on our side, we will always be the majority, regardless of the size. No matter how outnumbered we may feel we are, with our God victory is already secured!