Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from 1 Kings 20. 35 and following. Indeed, it is sad to find in Ahab no sense of gratitude for the double victory that Jehovah has bestowed upon him. Unfortunately, most men are like that. God’s grace leaves them insensitive. By despising it, they outrage God and make their own misfortune. For Christ defeated for us an Enemy infinitely more powerful and cruel than Ben-Hadad and his armies. Have we all ever thanked Him for this glorious deliverance? Not only do we not see Ahab turning to Jehovah, but he shows guilty indulgence in sparing the enemy of God and His people. Worse than that, he calls her his brother. God intervenes and sends him another prophet, but this time the voice of grace gives way to that of judgment.
Like Ahab, we sometimes forget that the world is the enemy of God and His people. But mankind is divided into only two families: God’s and the devil’s (John 8:38-45). They cannot be confused. If we are fortunate enough to be part of the great family of which God is the Father, our brothers and sisters are all God’s children, but they alone.
Thus, since Ben-Hadad, king of Syria, had lent a hand to Asa, king of Judah, against Baisha, king of Israel, he had remained the enemy of the latter, had taken cities from him and had even acquired, by conquest, certain rights over Samaria, capital of the kingdom. His son, with the same name as him, went up against Ahab and besieged Samaria. Claiming his father’s rights, he sent the king an insolent summons: “Your money and gold are mine, and your wives, and your sons, the most beautiful, are mine.” For hazael’s son is also named Ben-Hadad (2 Kings 13:3, 25).
What does Ahab do? He, before whose eyes the scenes of chapter 18 had just unfolded, who had heard his entire people cry out in his ears: “The Lord is He who is God!” he did not even have a thought for this God who had just raised, by his power, his worship, to which Ahab had substituted that of Baal! (16:31, 32). Ahab does not consult the Lord, does not give him his cause, and, moreover, had he ever humbled himself before Him? Had he tried to stop Jezebel’s arm, seeking to put Elijah to death? No, this evil and weak heart “had sold itself to do evil, and his wife Jezebel was pushing it.” Showing that God is alien to him, acting as if he did not exist, he accepts the humiliation inflicted on him by the kind monarch: “According to your word, O king, my lord, I am yours, me and all that I have.” What could he do, indeed against Ben-Hadad at the head of all his strength, and accompanied by thirty-two kings?
Thus reason those who do not know God. But what good is his humiliation before the enemy of Israel? The latter took the opportunity to add to the harshness the outrage: “You will give me your money and your gold, and your wives, and your sons; but tomorrow at this hour I will send my servants to you, and they will search your house and the houses of your servants, and they will put in their hands all that is desirable in your eyes, and will prevail.” Again, Ahab does not return to God; it is more important for him to summon and consult the elders of the country. They are for resistance, he to accept the first conditions and to refuse the second. To this response, Ben-Hadad’s rage knows no bounds. Ahab proudly replies, “Let him who surrounds himself not boast as the one who unties his belt,” but God still has nothing to do with it.
And the Word also says that Ahab was “irritated.” The king’s sadness was not the one that leads to repentance, but to irritation. Against whom? Against God. So would the king find God in his way at all times? Come, says the world, to tell us about god’s love, when he takes away our health, or our loved ones, or our fortune. Oh, really. Wouldn’t it be better to do evil like others, instead of seeking to behave well, since God treats us so unfairly? It is one of the thousand forms of this irritation that fills the hearts of men against God. But when there is a certain knowledge of the Word, as in Ahab, one can no longer be dizzy by doing evil. It was easy, in times past, before the appearance of Elijah who came to “disturb Israel.” Now the Word is there; it cannot be shaken; it eats away at the heart, does not leave it rest.
This word of the prophet lifted the veil of the future. Maybe nothing will come of it… but who can know? It is a fact that in the life of the monarch this Word was constantly fulfilled and so often in undeserved blessings that he did not pay attention to. Will the threats be fulfilled? The prophet said, “Your life will be for his life.” He didn’t say when. What if it was today? or tomorrow? Couldn’t he leave me alone? There is plenty to be “sad and irritated”. The rodent worm is there; he began his work, the worm that does not die! “Because you have let out of your hands the man whom I had devoted by forbidden, your life will answer with his life, and your people with his people. »
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
A prophet denounces Ahab’s fault:
- Punishment for Disobedience
Dt 11:28 the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of Jehovah your God, and turn away from the way I prescribe for you on this day, to go after other gods whom you do not know. 1 Sam 12:15 But if you do not obey the voice of Jehovah, and if you are rebellious to the word of Jehovah, jehovah’s hand will be against you, as it has been against your fathers. 1 Kings 13:21 And he cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah: Thus saith Jehovah: Because you have been rebellious to the command of Jehovah, and have not kept the commandment that Jehovah your God had given you; 2 Thess 1:8 in the midst of a flame of fire, to punish those who do not know God and those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Hb 2:2-3 For if the word announced by angels has had its effect, and if every transgression and disobedience has received just retribution, 3 how shall we escape by neglecting such a great salvation, which, first announced by the Lord, has been confirmed to us by those who have heard it,
- Punishment of sin, physical or spiritual death
Gen 2:17, but you will not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for the day you eat it, you will die. Gen 3:19 It is by the sweat of your face that you will eat bread, until you return to the earth, from where you were taken; for you are dust, and you will return to the dust. 1 Ch 10:13 Saul died because he was guilty of infidelity to the Lord, whose word he did not observe, and because he questioned and consulted those who spoke of the dead. Pr 11:19 Thus justice leads to life, but he who pursues evil finds death. Rom 5:12 Therefore, as through one man sin entered the world, and through sin death, and thus death spread over all men, because all have sinned,… Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but God’s free gift is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Disguises, examples
Gen 38:14 Then she took off her widow’s clothes, covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself, and sat down at the entrance of Enaïm, on the way to Thimna; for she saw that Shela had become great, and that she was not given to him as a woman. 1 S 28:8 Then Saul disguised himself and took other clothes, and he left with two men. They arrived at night at the woman’s house. Saul said to him: Predict the future for me by evoking a dead man, and make me mount the one I will tell you. 1 Kings 14:2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Get up, I beg you, and disguise yourself so that it is not known that you are Jeroboam’s wife, and go to Silo. Behold, there is Achija, the prophet; it was he who told me that I would be king of this people. 1 Kings 20:38 The prophet went in the king’s way, and he disguised himself with a blindfold. 1 Kings 22:30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: I want to disguise myself to go to battle; but you put on your clothes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into battle. 2 Ch 35:22 But Josiah did not turn away from him, and he disguised himself to attack him, without listening to Neco’s words, which came from the mouth of God. He advanced to fight in the Valley of Meguiddo.
- Opportunity lost through indifference or neglect
2 Kings 13:19 The man of God became angry with him, and said, “It was necessary to strike five or six times; then you would have beaten the Syrians until they were exterminated; now you will beat them three times. Jer 9:20 Women, listen to the word of the Lord, and let your ear grasp what his mouth says! Teach your daughters gloomy songs, Teach each other laments! Mt 25:10:26-27 While they were about to buy some, the bridegroom arrived; those who were ready entered the wedding hall with him, and the door was closed. 26 His master replied: Wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and that I amasse where I have not vanished; 27 so you had to hand over my money to the bankers, and, on my return, I would have withdrawn what is mine with interest. Mt 25:44-45 They will also answer: Lord, when have we seen you hungry, or thirsty, or stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and have we not assisted you? 45 And He will answer them: I tell you in truth, whenever you have not done these things to one of these least, you have not done them to me. Mt 26:40-41 And he came to the disciples, whom he found asleep, and said to Peter: So you could not watch an hour with me! 41 Watch and pray, that you may not fall into temptation; the spirit is well disposed, but the flesh is weak. Luke 19:41-42 As he approached the city, Jesus, seeing it, wept over it, and said: 42 If you too, at least on this day that is given to you, knew the things that belong to your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. John 20:24 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
From all of the above, we note that there is never joy in the path of disobedience and revolt against God. The Christian alone can truly experience joy, and “accomplished joy.” The Word, the Lord Himself, tells us where it is: in obedience to His commandments, which is itself His fulfilled love (John 15:9-14); in dependence, the fruit of the new nature we hold from Him; in the assurance that the knowledge of our union with Him gives us (John 17:11-13); and finally, in communion with the Father and with the Son (1 John 1:3-4). How much all these things were missing from this miserable man who had believed he could follow his own thoughts in spite of God’s word. No matter how ungodly Ahab was, God judged him according to the favored position in which he had been placed. It is customary in Christendom to reason about the fate reserved by divine justice to the poor idolaters. It is certain that they will be judged according to the testimonies they have received and by which they could know God; but we do not hear the Christian world reasoning about what awaits it itself. Ahab’s fate is more terrible than Ben-Hadad’s. He has not been able to dominer false principles. May the Lord guard us all and strengthen our obedience and fear.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to react to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “the parable of links and yokes. »
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.