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!