1 Kings Chapter 20

This chapter is another sad example of the blundering actions of king Ahab… even when God is there to help.

It starts off with how the Syrians, led by Ben-Hadad, came with 32 other kings in a big show of force to take over Israel The Syrians were arrogant and bent on wholesale destruction.

But God intervened.

Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”

~ 1 Kings 20:13 ~

The Syrian alliance was soundly defeated by Ahab. The Bible called it a great slaughter.

Undeterred, Ben-Hadad decided to try again, ‘encouraged’ by the words of his servants who said that the gods of Israel are the gods of the mountains and that explains their defeat. Now if the battle were to be fought in the plains – where the gods of Israel is not strong there – they will surely be victorious.

And when that battle happened, Israel was like 2 little flocks of sheep, swamped all around in the plains by the Syrian army (vs 27).

Again, God sent his prophet to Ahab and said:

²⁸ Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,” therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ ” 

~ 1 Kings 20:28 ~

With this proclamation, I am sure you know the end result. Ben-Hadad and his armies were severely defeated. To escape death, Ben-Hadad pleaded for the mercy of Ahab.

And Ahab, is his act of folly or ego, decided to have a treaty with Ben-Hadad – even calling him his brother! (vs 32)

This sealed Ahab’s fate. One of the prophets got another to wound him and with his bandages, he called out to Ahab…

³⁹ Now as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and there, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall ^[g]pay a talent of silver.’ ⁴⁰ While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.”

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

~ 1 Kings 20: 39-40 ~

Ahab knew what this meant and went away sullen.

It is important to understand what transpired to see how this applies to us today.

God had shown mercy to Ahab and Israel by giving them victory over their enemies. And the purpose of delivering the great multitude into Ahab’s hands is so that the Syrians (and all other enemies) can know that God is the Lord.

But … Ahab chose to do something completely opposite. He forgave the enemy that wanted to destroy them. He called the enemy his brother. He even made a treaty with the enemy.

In so doing, he made a mockery of God and His salvation.

What about us?

We know the Word of God. We have heard it and read it.

Do we do the Word and act on it? Do we obey the voice of God?

Ahab was the instrument chosen by God to get rid of the Syrians. But Ahab chose not to.

God uses human instruments to do His work. But at times, the human instruments are not faithful and stubborn.

We can choose to do our own things, go our own way and fail to do God’s will. It is our choice.

But that does not mean God cannot use another human instrument to do His will and work.

But it does mean that we have lost the opportunity to be part of God’s work.

That is why Paul said these words:

1 Timothy 6:12
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to
which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the
presence of many witnesses.

2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I
have kept the faith.

It is a fight until the very end to do what God wants us to do.

What matters is at the end.

Ahab failed (not for the first time). But this time, God’s final judgement was pronounced on him.

For us, what do we choose?

We can have experiences of victory where we rejoice greatly. But watch out that in the rejoicing that it does not turn to sadness and sorrow… because our failure to obey God completely.

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