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Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 20:1-43; 1 Kings 21; 1 Kings 22:1-50
In this message we will continue to consider the reign of Ahab over Israel and then consider the reign of Jehoshaphat over Judah.
In chapter twenty we have an account of Ahab's dealing with Ben-hadad king of Syria.
Ben-hadad assembled all his army together and besieged Samaria and fought against it (v. 1). Then he issued an insulting challenge to Ahab (vv. 2-6).
Ahab called for all the elders of the land, and through their encouragement he rejected Ben-hadad (vv. 7-12).
A certain prophet approached Ahab and said, "Thus says Jehovah, Have you seen all this great multitude? I am now delivering it into your hand today, and you will know that I am Jehovah" (v. 13). Encouraged by God's promise through the prophet, Ahab waged a war against Ben-hadad and won it (vv. 14-21).
Ahab was warned by a prophet that Ben-hadad king of Syria would come back to attack him the next year (v. 22).
Ben-hadad reorganized his army and changed his strategy to fight with Israel in the plain instead of on the mountains. Ben-hadad then came to attack Ahab, but he lost the battle and surrendered to Ahab to save his life. Ahab made a treaty with him and released him (vv. 23-34).
Ahab was rebuked by a prophet in disguise because he had released a man whom God had devoted to destruction. God had decided to destroy Ben-hadad, but Ahab released him without inquiring of God. Because of that, Ahab's life would be for that man's life and Ahab's people for that man's people (vv. 35-42).
After Ahab was rebuked by the prophet, he went to his house sullen and vexed (v. 43).
Chapter twenty-one shows us that Ahab took Naboth's vineyard by force in injustice.
Naboth had a vineyard close to Ahab's residence. Coveting this vineyard, Ahab told Naboth to give it to him that he might have it for a vegetable garden. Naboth, not afraid of the king, refused to give the inheritance of his fathers to Ahab (vv. 1-4).
In verses 5 through 16 we read of Jezebel's evil plot to get rib of Naboth through the elders and nobles and to take possession of his inheritance.
Jehovah sent Elijah to condemn Ahab, saying that because of the evil he did to Naboth, in the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, the dogs would lick up Ahab's blood also (vv. 17-19). Elijah went on to tell Ahab that all his posterity would be cut off and that the dogs and birds would eat them because Ahab had sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of Jehovah through Jezebel's inciting (vv. 20-26).
Ahab repented and humbled himself before God. Because of this, God said that He would not bring the evil upon him in his days but would bring the evil upon his house in his son's days (vv. 27-29). Here we see that to some extent God was merciful even to such a man as Ahab.
First Kings 22:1-40 describes Ahab's miserable ending.
After three years of peace between Syria and Israel, Ahab wanted to fight against the king of Syria for Ramoth-gilead. Regarding this, the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, was in alliance with Ahab (vv. 1-4).
Jehoshaphat proposed to Ahab that they ask for the word of Jehovah (v. 5). Ahab assembled about four hundred prophets and asked them if he should go against Ramoth-gilead to battle or refrain. These false prophets lied to him, saying that he should go ahead and that God would deliver the city into his hand. However, Micaiah, a real prophet of God, prophesied that all Israel would be scattered upon the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd, and told Ahab that Jehovah had put a lying spirit into his prophets and had spoken evil concerning him. Then Micaiah was imprisoned by Ahab (vv. 6-28). Ahab refused to listen to the real prophet but listened instead to the false prophets.
Ahab and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went into battle. Ahab disguised himself so that others would not recognize him, but he was still defeated and killed in the battle (vv. 29-36). Ahab could hide from people, but he could not hide from God, who saw where he was and what he was doing. Nothing can be hidden from the eyes of God.
Ahab was buried in Samaria. Someone washed Ahab's blood from his chariot in the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked his blood, according to what God had spoken (vv. 37-40a).
The way God dealt with Ahab shows how righteous and how merciful He is. On the one hand, God is kind; on the other hand, He is severe. We need to fear Him and to be serious with Him. We also need to be ready to reap what we have sown.
Verses 41 through 50 tell us about the reign of Jehoshaphat over Judah.
Jehoshaphat began to reign in Judah at the age of thirty-five and reigned for twenty-five years (vv. 41-42).
Jehoshaphat walked in all the ways of Asa his father and did what was right in the sight of Jehovah (v. 43).
Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel (vv. 44, 47-49).
The remainder of the male cult prostitutes, which were left in the days of his father Asa, Jehoshaphat put away from the holy land (v. 46).
Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of David (v. 50).
