Burunche’s Blog

2 Kings 2:15 – 25 “When the sons of the prophets who were facing him from Jericho saw what had happened, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him.

 “Look now,” they said to Elisha, “we your servants have fifty valiant men. Please let them go and search for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and put him on one of the mountains or in one of the valleys.”

“Do not send them,” Elisha replied.

But when they pressed him to the point of embarrassment, he said, “Send them.”

And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find Elijah.

When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please note, our lord, that the city’s location is good, as you can see. But the water is bad and the land is unfruitful.”

“Bring me a new bowl,” he replied, “and put some salt in it.”

So they brought it to him, and Elisha went out to the spring, cast the salt into it, and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will it cause death or unfruitfulness.’ ” And the waters there have been healthy to this day, according to the word spoken by Elisha.

From there, Elisha went up to Bethel, and as he was walking up the road, a group of boys (insignificant young men) came out of the city and jeered at him, chanting, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”

Then he turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Suddenly two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. And Elisha went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

Elisha has just watched Elijah being swept up into heaven, riding in a chariot of fire. Even before Elijah and Elisha crossed the Jordan, Elisha knew that Elijah was leaving the earth that day; he simply didn’t know how it would happen. The sons of the prophets were watching from the west side of the Jordan near Jericho and may even have seen the chariot of fire; certainly, they watched as Elisha struck the waters of Jordan with Elijah’s cloak and crossed on dry land. But the sons of the prophets had very little faith, so they imagined that God had simply picked Elijah up and transported him someplace else. When the sons of the prophets demanded to search for Elijah, Elisha probably just shrugged his shoulders and let them go at it, knowing that Elijah was no longer on the earth.

When Joshua destroyed the city of Jericho, he cursed anyone who would rebuild it. During the reign of wicked King Ahab, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho at the cost of his eldest son and his youngest son. These boys may have been slaughtered and their bodies buried before the walls and gates were established. Little wonder then, if there was a curse on the land and the water was foul. But Elisha had received a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, and he was prepared. The use of a new bowl with salt served as a symbolic gesture of God’s healing of the land and the water. That spring still exists today, and the land around Jericho remains highly productive.

“Elisha’s Spring (also called the Prophet’s Fountain and Elisha’s Fountain) is a freshwater spring near the archaeological mound of Tel Jericho where remains of settlements were found dating back to about 8,000 BC.

” (https://www.beinharimtours.com)

Evidently, from time immemorial, there were always bunches of young men hanging around to see what kind of trouble they could cause.  But one gang got a horrible shock. After leaving Jericho, Elisha was walking toward Bethel when these fellows began mocking him for his baldness. Although the name Elijah is generally translated as “Yahweh is my God,” another translation is “lord of the hair,” perhaps indicating that Elijah had flowing locks. At that time, baldness was considered as a type of physical deformity, so these hoodlums felt that they had found someone they could pick on. Bad move! Elisha called down a curse from the Lord, and two female bears rushed out of the woods and mauled forty – two gang members. From Bethel, Elijah went on to Mount Carmel and then back to Samaria.

Why did God allow forty – two young men to be mauled by bears? Perhaps the Bible only gives us a sanitized version of what actually took place. Perhaps this gang actually planned to attack and kill Elisha. At any rate, the message would have gone out throughout the land: don’t mess with God’s prophet!

APPLICATION: In the days of vaudeville shows, there were certain slots on the program that were undesirable. Performers never wanted to follow a very popular act because the audience was likely to take a break and go for refreshments when that act ended, leaving the next performers with a shrunken audience. People loved to watch acts involving trained dogs or trained ponies or a combination of the two, hence the name “dog and pony act.” The worst place on the program was the slot following the dog and pony act, because to be able to keep the audience’s attention after that meant that you had to have something very special.

Elisha succeeded Elijah and received a double portion of his spirit; however, Elisha was also in the position of following an incredibly successful mentor. After all, Elijah not only called down fire from heaven to consume his sacrifice on Mount Carmel, but he also called that same fire down on two different companies of soldiers when they came to arrest him. Perhaps God allowed the miracle at Jericho and the deliverance from this gang both to emphasize His approval of Elisha and also to encourage Elisha.

God’s calling and anointing on Elisha was no weaker than His calling and anointing on Elijah. But God called Elisha to a different ministry. One of the biggest mistakes one can make is to compare oneself to a highly successful predecessor. Each of us is unique with our own abilities and talents. God knows us far better than we know ourselves and calls us to work that is particularly suited to the gifts He has given or will give. But one thing we must remember: we can only accomplish things by God’s power, not by our own. 2 Corinthians 4:7 tells us, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

Today, if you are feeling overwhelmed at the tasks before you, why not ask God for the strength and courage to complete those tasks? If God is calling you to a work, He will certainly provide the energy and the vision for you to complete it.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust that where You guide, You will provide and that You will give us the strength to complete the work to which You are calling us. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 2:1 – 14 “Shortly before the LORD took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal, and Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel.”

But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

So they went down to Bethel. Then the sons of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”

And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to Jericho.”

But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

So they went to Jericho.

Then the sons of the prophets at Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”

And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.”

But Elisha replied, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.”

So the two of them went on.

Then a company of fifty of the sons of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing Elijah and Elisha as the two of them stood by the Jordan. And Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and to the left, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken away from you?”

“Please, let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

“You have requested a difficult thing,” said Elijah. “Nevertheless, if you see me as I am taken from you, it will be yours. But if not, then it will not be so.”

As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire with horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind.

As Elisha watched, he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And he saw Elijah no more. So taking hold of his own clothes, he tore them in two.

Elisha also picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah, and he went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.  Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. And when he had struck the waters, they parted to the right and to the left, and Elisha crossed over.

Both Elijah and Elisha KNEW that God was taking Elijah away that day. Neither of them anticipated what might happen. All that Elisha knew was that the man he had followed, his mentor and the man who had taken his father’s place, was about to leave him alone. Little wonder then, that when Elijah began heading toward the Jordan, Elisha refused to remain behind. From Gilgal to Bethel to Jericho to the ford of the Jordan east of Jericho – Elisha stuck to Elijah like a cockle burr. Three times Elijah attempts to get Elisha to remain behind and three times Elisha refuses. The two men cross the Jordan on dry ground after Elijah strikes the water with his mantle.

When Elijah sees that Elisha is truly determined to stay with him until God moves, Elijah asks Elisha what final thing he can do for Elisha. “Give me a double portion of your spirit!” says Elisha. Elisha is wise enough to recognize that in himself, he is not adequate. While this is a difficult thing, Elijah assures Elisha that if Elisha sees Elijah as he is being taken away, Elisha will definitely receive a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. (We know that Elijah has been moving in the power of the Holy Spirit.) Suddenly, a chariot of fire with horses of fire sweeps Elijah up into heaven. As Elijah is ascending, he drops his cloak, and Elisha retrieves it. Elisha has received the blessing that he craved. Tearing his own clothes apart, Elisha drapes himself in Elijah’s mantle until he reaches the Jordan. Striking the waters, Elisha cries out, “Where is the God of Elijah?” The river waters part, and Elisha crosses on dry ground, assured that God has answered his prayer.

APPLICATION: This is a magnificent story! Anyone who has been criticizing Elijah for a lack of faith must consider his ascension into heaven. Why does Elijah test Eisha three times? Elijah knows that his time is short and that Elisha must succeed him. Even though God has assured Elijah that Elisha will take his place, Elijah is probably anxious to see if Elisha will really stay the course. Elisha’s refusal to stay back and his willingness to accompany Elijah to the end are the signs Elijah is searching for.

Why does Elisha tear his clothes? Torn clothes are a sign of grief, and Elisha is grieving for the loss of his friend, even as he stands amazed at the miracle God has just performed. At the same time, Elisha is also putting off the clothes of his old life and taking up the mantle of Elijah. Elisha has stood the test; he has watched Elijah being taken up into heaven and now has inherited a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. Will Elisha have an easy life? Absolutely not! Elisha is going to face all kinds of difficulties. But Elisha has received the anointing that he wanted and he is trusting God to go before him. That’s why Elisha strikes the water of the Jordan and crosses on dry ground.

Psalm 116:15 tells us “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” No matter how God’s saints die or when, God is right there, sweeping them up into heaven. Even when there are no chariots of fire, God is still there and His Holy Spirit still ministers. When my mother was dying, I was at her bedside. Suddenly in my spirit, I could see my mother and a figure in a robe walking away from me toward a stream in a beautiful meadow. Coming toward across the stream was Jesus. And as Jesus took my mother into his arms, she died. One year later, I told that story at a church in Charleston, WV, only to have a lady in the group come up afterwards and tell me that she had seen something nearly identical when her beloved husband died.

The love of God for His saints is passionate and beautiful beyond all imagining. Whether we are taken up in fiery chariots or gathered up in God’s arms, He is always there for us, just as He has been our entire lives. Such love demands our devotion in return. Let us worship this loving Father by dedicating our lives to Him!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to realize just how deep Your love is for us and to love You in return. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

2 Kings 1:1 – 18 “After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers and instructed them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.”

But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are on your way to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ Therefore, this is what the LORD says: ‘You will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.’ ” So Elijah departed.

When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you returned?”

They replied, “A man came up to meet us and said, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him that this is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending these men to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore, you will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.’ ”

The king asked them, “What sort of man came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?”

“He was a hairy man,” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.”

“It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.

Then King Ahaziah sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. So the captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down!’ ”

Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.”

And fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men. So the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. And the captain said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down at once!’ ”

Again Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.”

And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.

So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. And the third captain went up, fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, “Man of God, may my life and the lives of these fifty servants please be precious in your sight.  Behold, fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty, with all their men. But now may my life be precious in your sight.”

Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Do not be afraid of him.”

So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.

And Elijah said to King Ahaziah, “This is what the LORD says: Is there really no God in Israel for you to inquire of His word? Is that why you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.”

So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. And since he had no son, Jehoram (Ahaziah’s brother) succeeded him in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat over Judah.

As for the rest of the acts of Ahaziah, along with his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?”

Remember God’s curses on King Ahab in 1 Kings 21:21 – 22? “‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’”

King Ahaziah, the son of King Ahab, has fallen through the lattice at his palace, suffering severe injury. A true son of Ahab and Jezebel, Ahaziah tries to consult Jezebel’s god Baal – zebub to see if he will recover. But God sends the prophet Elijah to confront Ahaziah’s messengers, sending them back with a stern question: ‘”Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are on your way to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘You will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.”

Ahaziah is foolish enough to send a company of fifty soldiers plus a captain to arrest Elijah. Bad move! Elijah calls down fire from heaven that consumes the captain and his fifty men, leaving only scorch marks. Ahaziah is a slow learner, so he dispatches another company of fifty soldiers with a captain, only for those men to also be consumed by heavenly fire. But when Ahaziah insists on sending a third company of fifty soldiers, their captain is smart enough to beg for his life and the lives of his men.

God gives Elijah the go – ahead to accompany this captain and his soldiers. Elijah proceeds to Ahaziah’s bedside, where he personally delivers his message from the Lord. Ahaziah dies, and because he has no son, Jehoram, Ahaziah’s brother, succeeds Ahaziah.

APPLICATION: God is not Santa Claus! King Ahab narrowly escaped having his body eaten by dogs after his death, although the dogs did lick up his blood from the place where his servants washed his chariot. But God through Elijah has pronounced curses on every member of Ahab’s family, swearing that every male belonging to that family, whether slave or free, will be cut off. As we continue to study 2 Kings, we will see what happens to Ahab’s other sons.

We are fond of claiming that God keeps his positive promises; however, we may choose to ignore the fact that God also keeps his Word when He has pronounced curses over someone. In God’s Word, He has pronounced blessings on those who keep His Word but He also has pronounced curses on those who flout His commandments.

“But I don’t believe in God,” you might say. Fine, your choice. But God’s Word is still there and His commandments still stand whether or not you choose to believe in Him or to accept His commandments.

How can we know what God wants us to do with our lives? Read God’s Word, the Bible, carefully. Pray and ask God to help you understand His Word and apply it to your life. Let us pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, please teach us Your commandments and Your Will for our lives so that we may please You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 22:41 – 53 “In the fourth year of Ahab’s reign over Israel, Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah. Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

And Jehoshaphat walked in all the ways of his father Asa; he did not turn away from them, but did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however, were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? He banished from the land the male shrine prostitutes who remained from the days of his father Asa. And there was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king.

Jehoshaphat built ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail, because they were wrecked at Ezion-geber. At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants sail with your servants,” but Jehoshaphat refused. And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And his son Jehoram reigned in his place.

In the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria two years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father and mother and of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. Ahaziah served and worshiped Baal, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done.”

Consider Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat did a great deal of good, following in the ways of his father King Asa, and banishing the male shrine prostitutes, something Asa had failed to do. But….the high places still remained, and people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. Jehoshaphat also made peace with King Ahab, even going to war with him and attempting a joint sea venture to secure gold from Ophir.

What were these “high places?” The citizens of Judah and Israel had adapted all the pagan religions forbidden to them by the Lord and had established shrines on the tops of mountains and hills and in places where there were unusually large trees. Even though Jehoshaphat succeeded in getting rid of the male shrine prostitutes, he did not tackle these high places. Why didn’t Jehoshaphat eliminate the high places while he was at it? Perhaps Jehoshaphat feared that if he attempted to close down all these shrines, the people of Judah would rebel and join the people of Israel, the Northern Kingdom.

Did Jehoshaphat ever really make those shrines a matter of earnest prayer? Doubtful! Those shrines were not God’s will for Israel, and God would certainly have helped Jehoshaphat to get rid of them, had Jehoshaphat asked. Jehoshaphat himself worshiped the Lord; however, he failed to encourage others to do so as he might have. JEHOSHAPHAT NEVER TOOK A STAND AGAINST THE HIGH PLACES, AND HIS KINGDOM SUFFERED AS A RESULT.

What was the point of Jehoshaphat making peace with Ahab and even going to war with him and attempting a cooperative venture with him? While it was true that the Northern Kingdom was larger than Judah, it is equally true that Judah did quite well for itself. Perhaps Jehoshaphat wanted to consider himself as a diplomat and therefore made a peace treaty with Ahab. But when Jehoshaphat failed to heed the warnings of the prophet Micaiah, he nearly paid for that mistake with his life. The picture we get of King Jehoshaphat is of someone with good intentions who accomplished quite a lot but who ultimately failed to dedicate his life to the Lord completely.

Oswald Chambers in his book My Utmost for His Highest describes many of us as having spiritual measles – we look great if you look at the right spots, but our commitment is spotty at best.

Why did God wreck those ships before they could ever set sail? Well, consider what might have happened had that venture succeeded, bringing back gold. Gold didn’t help Solomon and Jehoshaphat might have been drawn completely away from God, had he gotten lots of gold.

APPLICATION: How many high places do we have in our lives? Do we exercise self – control in some areas, only to fail completely in others? Do we fail to exercise, over – eat, watch programs online or on TV that will drag us down spiritually? One problem with bad habits is that they are very easy to form and very tough to break. And we all have pet sins that we overlook by making excuses for ourselves. But all of these things are “high places” and do not lead us closer to God.

May God help us to search our hearts and confess these pet sins. When we do so, God will help us get rid of those high places.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, open our eyes to see our pet sins that are dragging us away from you. Help us to recognize these things and to confess them so that You can help us get rid of them forever. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 22:29 – 42 “So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”

When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely this is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!”

The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. And the blood from his wound ran out onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died. As the sun was setting, the cry rang out in the army:

“Every man to his own city, and every man to his own land!”

So the king died and was brought to Samaria, where they buried him. And the chariot was washed at the pool of Samaria where the prostitutes bathed, and the dogs licked up Ahab’s blood, according to the word that the LORD had spoken. 

As for the rest of the acts of Ahab, along with all his accomplishments and the ivory palace and all the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? And Ahab rested with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah reigned in his place.”

Jehoshaphat must be a special kind of stupid! Not only has Jehoshaphat entered into an alliance with Ahab, not only has Jehoshaphat totally ignored God’s warning that this battle will end in disaster, but Jehoshaphat agrees to wear his royal robes into battle while Ahab disguises himself. At this point, Jehoshaphat’s pride is putting him in jeopardy of getting killed. The king of Aram, that is, Syria, has ordered his men to only attack Ahab. Naturally, the Syrian soldiers assume that Jehoshaphat must be Ahab; however, when he cries out, they realize their mistake and back off. But one Syrian soldier looses off an arrow at a whim, and that arrow pierces Ahab through the joints in his armor, severely wounding him.

Ahab has his charioteer take him out of the battle but prop him up so he can watch. All this time, Ahab’s blood is pouring onto the chariot floor. Finally, Ahab dies at evening. When the word goes out to the Israelite soldiers, they desert the battle, returning to their homes, just as Micaiah has predicted. Meanwhile, Ahab’s men have brought his body in his chariot back to Samaria. Ahab’s body is buried; however, when Ahab’s servants send the chariot to be washed at the pool of Samaria, the dogs lick up Ahab’s blood. God’s judgment on Ahab has come to pass.

APPLICATION: When I was growing up on a Midwestern farm, we raised chickens that were truly free range. One of my jobs in the summertime was to take a long pole and encourage the chickens roosting on the low – lying branches of the trees to leave the trees and return to the chicken house for the night. We used to have a saying that if someone had acted foolishly and was now suffering the consequences of their actions, their chickens were coming home to roost. My mother expanded that saying, “Beware when your chickens come home to roost, because they might turn out to be turkey buzzards!” Mom meant that sometimes you think the consequences of your actions will be quite mild; meanwhile, they are far worse than you could possibly anticipate.

Ahab has wasted his life in demon worship, in sexual perversion, in indulging his whims and his passions. Archaeologists have found traces of shattered ivory in digs at Samaria, the remnants of Ahab’s ivory palace. https://armstronginstitute.org/394-samaria-ivories-proof-of-the-bible tells us “In a series of excavations from 1908 to 1935, archaeologists unearthed over 12,000 ivory pieces in the ancient Israelite capital city of Samaria. While there is some debate over the precise age of the artifacts, most scholars agree that they date to the eighth or ninth century b.c.e., most likely around the time of Israelite King Ahab (circa 870–850 b.c.e.)

Even after Ahab has repented, his heart has not really changed. If Ahab has a change of heart, he will heed Micaiah’s warnings, abandon the attack on Ramoth – gilead, and stay home. Ahab dies because some nameless Syrian soldier shoots a random arrow and God guides that arrow through the joints of Ahab’s armor. Although Ahab’s body is preserved for burial, the dogs still lick up his blood when his chariot is sent for washing. Truly, Ahab’s chickens have come home to roost and they really are turkey buzzards!

Ahab is remembered as one of the most wicked kings ever to rule Israel. Raised without any spiritual background whatsoever, Ahab then allied himself with a Sidonian priestess of Baal who imported all kinds of perversions. Ahab would stop at nothing when he craved something; hence, Ahab’s seizure of Naboth’s vineyard. At the end of everything, all that is left of Ahab is a horrible reputation, a deplorable example, and 12,000 ivory shards that might be from his palace room.

Actions have consequences. The Bible tells us, “But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23) Ahab mis – spent his entire life and only dodged having his body being eaten by dogs because of a late repentance. What about us? Do we realize how much our own actions affect us or do we blunder on, assuming that our actions are fine and that at the end God will give us a pass for being nice people?

No matter how good we have bee, we will only have salvation from our sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. Let us not make Ahab’s mistake but trust Jesus today.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust in Your gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

1 Kings 22:1 – 28 “Then three years passed without war between Aram and Israel. However, in the third year, Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel, who said to his servants, “Do you not know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, but we have failed to take it from the hand of the king of Aram?”

So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth-gilead?”

Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.” But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”

So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.” But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”

The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

“The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.

So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”

Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.

Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’ ”

And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold now, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”

But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever the LORD tells me.”

When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?”

“Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.”

But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the LORD?”

So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’ ”

Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”

Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left. And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that. Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.

And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’

‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’

So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”

Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”

Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.”

And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’ ”

But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!”

Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, is a righteous man. Why should Jehoshaphat would have anything to do with Ahab in the first place? Ahab has a very unsavory reputation and Jehoshaphat worships the God of Israel. But here is Jehoshaphat allying himself with Ahab.

The one intelligent thing Jehoshaphat does is to request that Ahab and he inquire from the Lord. Ahab has four hundred prophets hanging around the palace; however, we have no idea the origin of these prophets or their spiritual loyalties. From the ensuing dialogue it seems that these prophets are more interested in telling Ahab what he wants to hear than they are in really representing the Lord. It’s entirely possible that none of those prophets has ever actually encountered God in any fashion but that they have been dealing with demonic spirits instead. Despite the glib answers from these prophets, Jehoshaphat is ill at ease; he knows fake prophets when he hears them. Jehoshaphat asks if there is a true prophet of the Lord from which they can inquire.

Amazingly, Ahab admits that indeed, there is one true prophet of the Lord, Micaiah; however, Ahab hates Micaiah because he tells Ahab harsh truths. When Micaiah arrives, he initially tries to dodge the question by shrugging his shoulders and telling Ahab to go on up to Ramoth – gilead. But amazingly, Ahab realizes this is not a word from the Lord and charges Micaiah to tell the truth. Micaiah then tells Ahab that God is allowing Ahab to be deceived by the lying spirit in the mouths of Ahab’s prophets so that Ahab will go to Ramoth – gilead and be killed. Predictably, Ahab gets offended and order Micaiah to be thrown into prison, to be fed only bread and water until Ahab returns safely. Micaiah advises everyone present that if Ahab returns safely, then he, Micaiah, has not spoken the word of the Lord.

APPLICATION: Ahab is one confused dude! On the one hand, Ahab realizes that he has been feeding and accommodating four hundred yes – men disguising themselves as prophets. Ahab actually recognizes that Micaiah is a true prophet of the Lord and demands that Micaiah tell him the truth; yet, when Micaiah does exactly that, Ahab begins to puff and blow and becomes offended. Even now, if Ahab were to heed Micaiah, he would abandon the attempt to regain Ramoth – gilead and would simply stay home. But Ahab is already fancying himself as the conquering hero, a true son of his father Omri, who was the army commander. And Ahab has already made an alliance with Jehoshaphat. For Ahab to back off now would mean an enormous loss of face. The fact that Ahab might die doesn’t even enter into his mind. Truly, the lying spirit in the mouths of those four hundred prophets is succeeding.

One wonders why when Jehoshaphat hears this prediction, he doesn’t urge Ahab to abandon the idea of attacking Ramoth – gilead. But Jehoshaphat has also made sweeping statements, “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”  Now it’s Jehoshaphat’s turn to refuse to back off, even after he hears the word of the Lord from Micaiah.

We read this story and wonder how or why Jehoshaphat has ever gotten himself mixed up with Ahab in the first place and why Jehoshaphat fails to heed the warning of the Lord when Micaiah gives it. Jehoshaphat has made several mistakes:

1. Jehoshaphat should never have visited Ahab. What has light to do with darkness?
2. Jehoshaphat has made foolishly conceived but grand – sounding promises and now feels obligated to fulfill them.
3. Even when Jehoshaphat pushes Ahab until a true prophet of God speaks, Jehoshaphat fails to listen to the warning from God as well. Perhaps Jehoshaphat is treasuring some notion that if Ahab dies in battle, he, Jehoshaphat, will be able to save the day, conquer Ramoth – gilead, and perhaps even re-unite the northern and southern kingdoms.
4. Jehoshaphat refuses to listen when Micaiah says, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’ ”

Bad companions, hasty promises, delusions of grandeur, and a failure to listen to the Lord – these are Jehoshaphat’s mistakes, and they can easily become ours as well. May we remain humble and close to the Lord, so that when He speaks, we will hear and obey!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to work with those who truly love You and who will listen to Your voice. Help us not to wander off, enticed by our own imaginations. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.   

1 Kings 21:25 – 28 “(Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel. He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.)

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.

Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity during his days, but I will bring it upon his house in the days of his son.”

What can we say about Ahab? This meme summarizes Ahab’s character quite adequately. After marrying a priestess of Baal from Sidonia, Ahab was completely dominated by this evil wife. Ahab shirked royal responsibility, enjoying childish things and being petulant beyond belief. When God led Elijah to pronounce doom for Ahab, it was no more than Ahab deserved!

“This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’

And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.”

 Ahab’s track record was atrocious. After all this, you would be waiting to learn that these terrible prophecies came true for Ahab and that Ahab died a miserable death. Jezebel did die exactly as Elijah predicted, and the dogs ravaged her body. But for once in Ahab’s life, he finally did something right. When Elijah pronounced doom on Ahab, Ahab repented! Let’s say that again: AHAB REPENTED!  That’s right. This weak – minded character whose wife led him by the nose into every unspeakable practice imaginable truly and completely repented. And what’s equally amazing is that God ACCEPTED that repentance!

APPLICATION: People are fond of pointing to the example of the thief who repented while dying on a cross next to Jesus as they were both being crucified. Truly, that man did repent and Jesus acknowledged that repentance and promised him a place in paradise. But hundreds of years before the thief on the cross took his decision, Ahab humbled himself and repented, and God honored that repentance as coming from Ahab’s heart.

Will we see Ahab in heaven? Only God knows; however, when Ahab repented, he was throwing himself on God’s mercy. But what about us? It’s tempting to read the story of Ahab and Jezebel and to feel pretty smug. After all, we have never offered sacrifices to idols, nor have we indulged in fertility rites or burned babies in the arms of a statue of Molech. But what are the images that play in our minds? What movies do we watch? What TV shows? These days, reality TV continues to descend to new depths in search of sensational topics that will capture the imagination of the viewing audience. The recent controversy over the Supreme Court decision has revealed a large number of people who are more interested in their own selfish interests than in the sanctity of life.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism states that “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” What is our mode of dress? The outfits worn by many people attending churches are so immodest that people of other faiths, such as Islam, find them offensive. Recently in Ghana, one Christian musician stopped singing solos during the offering because the ladies who were dancing forward to put in their money were so scantily clad that he found it distracted him from concentrating on God. Ahab repented and wore coarse scratchy sack cloth. How many of us are willing to give up our right to dress provocatively so that we will honor God rather than advertising ourselves?

DO WE REALLY HAVE TO REPENT OF OUR SINS? Jeremiah 17:9 says “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (New Living Translation) Romans 3:21 – 25 tells us, “But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Wicked King Ahab never knew about Jesus, but he knew enough to throw himself on God’s mercy. God honored that repentance and spared Ahab from a terrible fate. We too must repent. We must ask God to open our eyes to those things in our hearts that offend Him. Once God shows us those things, we must repent, turning away from them completely and never going back to them. God wants us to live lives filled with “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” But God can’t fill our lives with His goodness until we confess our sins so that He can clean us up and get rid of those sins.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have done many wrong things and that we continue to do so. By ourselves, there is nothing we can do to earn Your forgiveness. But You are the same God who forgave King Ahab, and You are the One who sent Jesus to die for our sins. Lord, forgive our sins and graciously help us to turn away from them completely and to follow You closely. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 21:1 – 24 “Some time later, Naboth the Jezreelite happened to own a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. So Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, since it is next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place—or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.”

But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”

So Ahab went to his palace, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had told him, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and refused to eat.

Soon his wife Jezebel came in and asked, “Why are you so sullen that you refuse to eat?”

Ahab answered, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ And he replied, ‘I will not give you my vineyard!’ ”

But his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. In the letters she wrote: “Proclaim a fast and give Naboth a seat of honor among the people. But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify, ‘You have cursed both God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”

So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel had instructed in the letters she had written to them. They proclaimed a fast and gave Naboth a seat of honor among the people. And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth, and these men testified against him before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king!”

So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, who refused to give it to you for silver. For Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.”

And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Get up and go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria. See, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, of which he has gone to take possession.

Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’

Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’ ”

When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.”

He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel,

both slave and free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’

And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.”

In Israel, the land had been given out by lot and was a precious inheritance from generation to generation. Naboth had a magnificent vineyard that had been bearing for many years. It’s likely that the vineyard was older than Ahab. The vineyard might even have been there when Omri bought the hill from Shemer to build Samaria. But Ahab felt entitled and had no regard for the Law of Moses or the customs of Israel; moreover, Ahab was married to a Sidonian who knew nothing about Israelite customs and cared even less.

Ahab took a whim that he needed a vegetable garden next to the palace, never mind that the land he coveted was Naboth’s ancestral land. Vegetables were re – planted annually, while vineyards could last for hundreds of years. When Naboth courteously refused to give up his vineyard, Ahab withdrew to the palace and sulked, refusing to eat. Jezebel then concocted a horrible plot to falsely accuse Naboth, murder him, and seize his vineyard. Fearing Jezebel’s wrath, the city elders went along with the plot, despite its evil intent. But by instigating this horrific act, Jezebel sealed her fate. The shedding of innocent blood brings curses on a land, and Jezebel had already murdered so many of God’s prophets. Now she was plotting the murder of a righteous man who had done nothing to deserve death.

Elijah confronted Ahab and pronounced a spine – chilling judgment over both Ahab and Jezebel. “This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’

And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.”

You have to feel sorry for Ahab’s slaves and other servants! Even though these poor people had no say in anything, they too were to bear the curses for Ahab and Jezebel’s evil deeds.

To the Israelites, dogs were unclean animals, and vultures were just as bad. It was anathema if there were no body to bury. Even if only part of a body was left to bury, it was still better. (https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/ancient-burial-practices)  “To give a decent burial to a stranger ranks with giving bread to the hungry and garments to the naked (Tob. 1:17 – 18)” A common Mesopotamian curse was “may the earth not receive your body!” To sleep with one’s fathers, i.e., to be buried with them, was also considered an enormous blessing. When King David offered Barzillai the chance to accompany him to Jerusalem, Barzillai refused, stating that he wished to be buried with his father and mother.

APPLICATION: Do God’s promises and God’s curses still work? Yes! God has not changed. In Numbers 23:19 God put His words into the mouth of Balaam the pagan prophet. “God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” We make a tragic mistake when we assume that God’s purity and His Holiness have somehow slipped over the years and that He is willing to overlook our pet sins. God is still calling out to us through environmental disasters, through political upheavals, and through so many other cataclysmic events. If we will repent of our sins and turn to God, God will heal us and will heal our countries and the land and waters in them.

There are no deeds that we can perform that are good enough for us to earn our way into heaven. If each of us is honest, we know that we are not perfect and that our minds are full of all kinds of angry evil thoughts many times a day. This is why Jesus, God’s only Son, had to come to earth to live as a man and to die on the cross at Calvary, giving up his blood and his life as a perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. But a sacrifice only works if you believe in it. Paul and Silas told the jailor at Philippi, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31)

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us, even though we do so many wrong things each day. Lord, we acknowledge that nothing we do can possibly gain us a place with You in heaven. Thank You for sending Jesus to die for our sins. Lord, we believe that Jesus has come, that he has died, and that he has risen from the dead, conquering death and the grave. We now trust that You will forgive our sins because of that sacrifice Jesus has made for us. Thank You for forgiving us. Help us to love You and to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 20:26 – 43 “In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. The Israelites also mobilized, gathered supplies, and marched out to meet them.

The Israelites camped before them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.

Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ”

For seven days the armies camped opposite each other, and on the seventh day the battle ensued, and the Israelites struck down the Arameans—a hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day.

The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.

Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”

So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’ ”

And the king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, and they quickly grasped at this word and replied, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.”

“Go and get him!” said the king.

Then Ben-hadad came out, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot.

Ben-hadad said to him, “I will restore the cities my father took from your father; you may set up your own marketplaces in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.”

“By this treaty I release you,” Ahab replied. So he made a treaty with him and sent him away.

Meanwhile, by the word of the LORD, one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me, please!”

But the man refused to strike him.

Then the prophet said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, as soon as you depart from me a lion will kill you.”

And when he left, a lion found him and killed him.

Then the prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please!”

So the man struck him and wounded him, and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.

As the king passed by, he cried out to the king: “Your servant had marched out into the middle of the battle, when suddenly a man came over with a captive and told me, ‘Guard this man! If he goes missing for any reason, your life will be exchanged for his life, or you will weigh out a talent of silver. But while your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.”

And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you have pronounced it on yourself.”

Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. And the prophet said to the king, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have let slip from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life will be exchanged for his life, and your people for his people.’ ”

Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went home to Samaria.”

Well, the Syrians are at it again! Believing that the God of Israel must be a God of the hills, the Syrians have chosen to attack on the plains. Bad move! God empowers the Israelites, and they slaughter 100,000 Syrian soldiers. When the Syrians retreat to the city of Aphek, a wall collapses, killing another 27,000 men. At this point, Ben – hadad is desperate, and approaches Ahab wearing sackcloth around his waist with ropes on his head rather than a crown. Puffed up by a victory in which he has had only a small part and blinded by his own sense of importance, Ahab magnanimously makes a treaty with Ben – hadad, calling him his brother. Ben – hadad makes promises to Ahab and then returns to Damascus a free man.

Ahab has really blown it this time! God wanted Ahab’s forces to destroy Ben – hadad; however, Ahab has allowed his ego to overshadow common sense and has released Ben – hadad, even making a treaty with him. God cannot allow this tragic mistake to pass without notice.  

One of the prophets orders a man to wound him. When that man refuses, the prophet predicts that the man will be killed by a lion and this promptly happens. The prophet orders another man to wound him, and that man obeys – obviously, he doesn’t want to become lion bait. The prophet covers his face with a bandage and then approaches Ahab with a story about being charged to watch a prisoner. The prophet claims that the man who gave the prisoner into his care threatened that if the prisoner escaped, the prophet would pay with his life. Now the prophet is complaining that “as your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.”

From the height of his chariot, Ahab grandly proclaims that the prophet has pronounced judgement on himself and that he should die for failing to guard the prisoner carefully. At this point, the prophet whips the bandage off his head and turns on Ahab, telling Ahab that Ahab has made a tragic mistake. God wanted Ahab and his forces to completely annihilate Ben – hadad and all of his men; instead, Ahab has entered into a short – sighted treaty that leaves Israel open to attack from Syria in the future. After all, it was Ben – hadad who demanded that Ahab hand over all the gold, silver, and even his favorite wives and children. Why in the name of common sense would anybody be foolish enough to trust such a man? Ahab’s failure to eliminate Ben – hadad will eventually result in the death of Ahab and his people. “‘Because you have let slip from your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, your life will be exchanged for his life, and your people for his people.’ ”

What might Ahab do at this point? If Ahab were to repent before the Lord, things might be different. Ahab should immediately beg the prophet of the Lord for advice to see if there is anything he can do to save the situation. If ever there were a time when Ahab needs to humble himself and ask for God’s help, this is it. But Ahab does nothing of the sort; instead, Ahab becomes offended, sticks out his lower lip and pouts all the way back to Samaria.

APPLICATION: Viewed from the vantage point of nearly three thousand years, we can readily see how foolish Ahab has been. Ahab is the king of a relatively small country with a few thousand troops while Syria has massed at least one hundred twenty – seven thousand or more men. Only divine intervention has protected Ahab and his people from being completely wiped out. Ahab should recognize that God is the One who has saved Israel and he should ask the prophet for guidance when Ben – hadad and his men appear in sack cloth. But Ahab is a creature of passion; logic and faith play little or no part in his thinking.

One key statement that echoes down through the centuries is the excuse. “And as your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.” Totally unaware of God’s purpose for this battle, Ahab has been busy “here and there” and has allowed Ben – hadad to escape. Ahab has failed to ask God for guidance, and the results are disastrous. But how many of us occupy ourselves with things that don’t really matter, failing to realize that God has called us to some particular work? When God has called us to preach the Gospel, are we settling for light shows? Are we offering God our good works and our plans in the hopes that He will rubber stamp them and overlook our failure to fulfill His perfect Will for our lives?  May God send His Holy Spirit to convict us, so that we don’t respond like Ahab and go off and pout.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to truly seek Your Will for our lives and not to become distracted or to try to offer You something less or something else. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

1 Kings 20:1 -25 “Now Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he marched up, besieged Samaria, and waged war against it. Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, saying, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and your best wives and children are mine!’ ”

And the king of Israel replied, “Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have.”

 The messengers came back and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent to you to demand your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.  But about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to search your palace and the houses of your servants. They will seize and carry away all that is precious to you.’ ”

Then the king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said, “Please take note and see that this man is looking for trouble, for when he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, I did not deny him.”

And the elders and the people all said, “Do not listen to him or consent to his terms.”

So Ahab answered the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you demanded of your servant the first time I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’ ”

So the messengers departed and relayed the message to Ben-hadad.

Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”

And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’ ”

Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’ ”

“By whom?” Ahab asked.

And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’ ”

“Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab.

“You will,” answered the prophet. So Ahab assembled the young officers of the district governors, and there were 232 men. And after them, he assembled the rest of the Israelite troops, 7,000 in all.

They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk. And the young officers of the district governors marched out first.

Now Ben-hadad had sent out scouts, who reported to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.”

“If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”

Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city, with the army behind them, and each one struck down his opponent. So the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with the cavalry.

Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.

Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.”

Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail. So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers. And you must raise an army like the one you have lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight the Israelites on the plain, where we will surely prevail.”

And the king approved their plan and acted accordingly.”

The King of Syria, Ben – hadad, assembles a huge army with 32 other kings and all their soldiers and chariots to besiege Samaria. When Ben – hadad first demands that the people of Samaria hand over their silver and gold and their best wives and children, Ahab is such a wimp that he agrees! But then Ben – hadad increases his demands, and the city elders all advise Ahab to resist. Ben – hadad sends Ahab an arrogant message, but for once, Ahab says the right thing. “Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”

And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’ ”

Go, Ahab!

While the Syrians are lining up against Samaria, a prophet of the Lord tells Ahab that God is going to destroy the Syrian army. Ahab not only listens, but takes advice from the prophet, sending the 232 young governors of the provinces to lead his 7,000 soldiers into battle. With the Lord’s help, the Israelites massacre the Syrian troops and their horses; however, Ben – hadad manages to escape. The same prophet of the Lord warns Ahab to begin planning because the Syrians are going to regroup and attack again in the spring. The Syrians fail to realize that they are fighting the One True Living God, so they think that if they can fight on the plains instead of the hills, the God of Israel will be powerless.

APPLICATION: This is an amazing story for many reasons. Jezebel has tried to kill all the prophets of the Lord; yet, this man has come and is advising Ahab. The first miracle is that Ahab actually listens and follows God’s advice. The result is a resounding victory. The second miracle is that for a brief moment in time, Ahab actually speaks like a man of faith, advising Ben – hadad not to boast until the battle is over. And the third miracle is that when the prophet of God returns, Ahab again listens to him.

What has made the difference for Ahab? The encounter on Mount Carmel has just taken place and the demonic power of the Baals and the Asherah has been broken, leaving Ahab open to godly influence. The results are obvious; a relatively small Israelite force defeats a huge army, shredding them. Is Jezebel still around? Oh yes! Are there still people in Israel worshiping demons? Most likely. But God through Elijah has sovereignly moved, and it’s likely that those righteous ones left in Israel have taken courage and are praying as they never have before.

We are living in a day when flood tides of evil appear to be engulfing many countries. Economic conditions are deplorable, environmental disasters threaten, and there are a host of other problems. But we can take heart from this story. Ahab is not a believer; however, the prayers of Elijah and others and the breaking of demonic power have left this ruler open to godly influence. St. Paul repeatedly urged those to whom he wrote to pray for all those in authority. God told Elijah on Mount Horeb that there were 7,000 men in Israel who believed in Him. God always has a remnant who pray. Rather than whining and complaining, let us become part of that prayer force! Who knows how much the course of history might be changed if we pray seriously?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to pray rather than to complain. Help us to trust that when we pray, You will act to change the course of history for entire nations. You are the God of heaven and earth and nothing is too difficult for You. Let us trust in that fact and worship You as Savior and Lord and King. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.