History – 1 Kings 19-22

Today we continue to read the final 4 chapters of 1Kings. In these 4 chapters, the recorder of history penned down a bit more about Ahab’s evil and selfish life, and his end. Prophet Elijah only appeared in today’s first chapter, 19 and in chapter 21 where he came to pronounce God’s judgment against Ahab for his injustice, and then we hear no more of Elijah until the beginning of 2Kings.

Bible Passage: 1 Kings 19 to 22

A quick glance of each chapter for today, we can gather the following:

Chapter 19: Ahab related the incident on Mount Carmel and how Elijah executed the prophets of Baal to his wife Jezebel, she was furious and put herself under a curse that she would kill Elijah within 24 hours.

This message to Elijah made the prophet flee into the wilderness and asked God to end his life. But God continued to take care of his livelihood, feeding him and strengthening him so that he journeyed 40 days and 40 nights to Mount Horeb where God revealed to him in a small still voice.

Elijah was commanded by God to anoint Hazael as king over Syria, Jehu as king over Israel, and to anoint Elisha as the prophet in Elijah’s place. God also revealed to Elijah that He had reserved 7000 in Israel who were still faithful to Him.

Chapter 20: Ben-Hadad, king of Syria mustered his army, accompanied by 32 kings, came to besiege Samaria and demanded Ahab for all his treasures and even wives and children. Ahab could accept this demand but when Ben-Hadad demanded for more, ie everything and anything that were of value in the king’s house, Ahab and his elders decided to resist.

God sent a prophet to assure Ahab that He would deliver Ben-Hadad and his allies into his hands, and the word of God came to pass, the army of Israel killed 100,000 of their foot soldiers and the remaining 27, 000 escaped to the city of Aphek where the wall fell on them and killed them.

Ben-Hadad was defeated and he hid himself in an inner chamber in the city, his officials encouraged him to surrender and ask for mercy from Ahab as they heard that the kings of Israel were merciful. He heeded the advice and went forward to surrender to Ahab, and Ahab freed him under the condition, which Ben-Hadad had offered, to take back the cities which were taken by Ben-Hadad’s predecessors.

A treaty was made and Ahab freed Ben-Hadad, but after that a prophet brought the judgment of God to Ahab, for he had disobeyed the command of God to eliminate Ben-Hadad.

Chapter 21: A certain man, Naboth, possessed a vineyard near to the king’s palace. Ahab desired that land for his vegetable cultivation, so he wanted to buy the land from Naboth but he refused. Ahab was troubled by this and it came to the knowledge of Jezebel who then came up with a conspiracy to put Naboth to death. She had the city elders to proclaim a fast, and when the city gathered for the occasion, they had 2 scoundrels to accuse Naboth for cursing God and the king, and they took him out to be stoned to death.

God sent Elijah to pronounce the sentence to Ahab, who did much evil in the sight of God. Ahab was remorseful and he humbled himself in sackcloth and fasted, God saw his heart and promised not to bring the disaster which He had pronounced upon Ahab in his days, but would bring it upon the days of his son.

Chapter 22: Ahab wanted to take back Ramoth Gilead from Syria as he claimed that Ramoth Gilead belonged to Israel and Judah. So he collaborated with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to fight against Ramoth Gilead to claim it back. But Jehoshaphat suggested to Ahab to seek the counsel of the Lord before they carried out their mission, and Ahab summoned the prophets, who then prophesied favorably to their plan of attacking Ramoth Gilead.

Jehoshaphat doubted the prophets summoned by Ahab and he requested for a second opinion. Ahab reluctantly summoned Prophet Micaiah, for he knew Micaiah would not prophesy anything in his favor. Micaiah initially sarcastically mimicked the favorable prophecies of the prophets of Ahab, but later he revealed what God had put in his mouth, that Israel would be scattered like sheep without a shepherd.

Ahab was furious of what Micaiah said and he put him in prison, and both kings went ahead to go up to Ramoth Gilead. Later Ahab died of a fatal wound caused by a random arrow, and he was brought back to Samaria to be buried.

Jehoshaphat continued to reign in Judah, and he did what was right in the eyes of God but he did not remove the high places and the people continued to burnt sacrifices there. Whereas in Israel, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah, became king and he also did evil in the sight of God like his fathers.

Something for us to ponder

I believe many of us are familiar with Prophet Elijah. Many sermon speakers use him as an example to tell us that even a man greatly used by God could feel weak in faith at times. Some of us may feel that the prophets in the Old Testament were like some kind of super human beings, their faith could never be shaken and they could perform miracles as and when they like it, for God always spoke to them concerning the Laws and things to come.

There is no doubt that God spoke through His prophets to the people of Israel, but we must also remember that God did not speak to them daily, and the prophets would only do things when they were commanded by God. Through reading the experiences of Elijah in chapter 19, we can see that he was as human as you and I.

As a prophet, he did his utmost to bring the message of God to the evil king and the people in an atmosphere where Baal worship was prevalent, and other evil practices.

Today, the Bible tells us that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own special people, that WE may PROCLAIM the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2: 9). Yes, we all do feel much honored to be called priests, not just ordinary priests, but royal priests in the eyes of God!

Now let’s ask ourselves, “What are we supposed to do with such great honor?” The answer is, to proclaim the Name of Christ to the people who are lost and without hope in the world.

We in Singapore are not persecuted like how Elijah was being pursued by Jezebel for his life, so we have peace and freedom to preach the gospel to those who have yet to come to know our loving God. So we as royal priests must not let God down, emulate Elijah’s steadfastness in his calling as a prophet of God, enduring hardships to accomplish the will of God.

Furthermore, as believers in the End Times, we have the Spirit of God abiding in us, directing and strengthening us like the still small voice heard by Elijah at Mount Horeb. The Holy Spirit will not force us like how earthquakes and fire intimidate people to fear and tremble, but if we are willing to submit and be led by the Holy Spirit’s still small voice, we can hear His love and guidance in the midst of the turmoil within and without.

In chapter 21, we see something strange but amazing happened, and that is Ahab’s repentance in sackcloth and fasted. Even though Ahab was an evil doer, he could still fear the word of God. Whether he repented due to the fear of God or out of the fear of the impending calamity that would befall his family, we do not know, but what we do know is that God relented from bringing the calamity in the days of Ahab, for God saw the repentance of Ahab (1 Kings 21: 29).

Ahab may not be a good example in repentance because in is final part of his life; he went against the word of God again. From this incident, I learn that God listens and values our repentance that is from our HEARTS. We must remember how we have repented and not to return to our old sins again.

I feel that Ahab’s resistance to Micaiah’s unfavorable prophecies can also remind us of something. Have you ever such experience that after listening to a sermon, you felt that the speaker was directing his finger at you and felt being rebuked?

I had this feeling of resisting what was spoken several times in the past. I reasoned to myself that the speaker was just making a general statement; I do not really have to mend my ways or to be bothered by it.

But it was through some reflections and prayers that I realized that God could be speaking and rebuking me through the sermon. The truth can sometimes hurt, it is not because the truth is bad, but it is because of the darkness of sin in us that make us feel hurt.

Just like after spending a few hours in a dark room, and we suddenly emerge into the brightness of the sun light, we will feel the pain in our eyes inevitably. So my point is not to resist the chastening of God through his Word. Heb 12:5 – 7

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

“My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,

Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;

Nor whom the LORD loves He chastens,

And scourges every son whom He receives.”

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?

Therefore, rely on the Holy Spirit to submit to the word of God, and grow from the nutrients that the Word provides for our spiritual health.

So we must put in effort to submit to the Holy Spirit, Rom 8:1 – 2

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.