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!”