Meditating 1 Kings 20-22 (Feb 2)

Respect God to Finish Well

If you expect a climactic finish
to the book of 1 Kings You will be
disappointed. Today you will read
about the conclusion of Ahab’s
wicked reign in Israel & take a brief
look at Jehoshaphat’s righteous
reign in Judah. Ahab’s life is one
long illustration of a man with no
heart for God. In spite of God’s
powerful display on Mount Carmel,
and two heaven-sent victories
over the Syrians, Ahab shows utter
disregard for God’s commands.

Fighting against God is dangerous.
Ahab tried it and it cost him his life.
God made Himself known to Ahab
many times. Patiently & persistently,
He showed Israel’s king that the
God of heaven rules in the affairs of
men. But in spite of fire from heaven,
two divinely victories over superior
foes, and the ringing declaration
of the prophets, Ahab would not
be swayed from his wicked ways.
Disregard for God’s commands
prophetically finally ends his life.
Lord, we will Follow Your Instruction;
Lord, we will Obey Your Law; and
Lord, we will Seek Yr Counsel. Amen

Lord, we will Follow Your Instruction:
Then a man of God spoke to the king
of Israel: 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…
So on the seventh day…Israel killed
100,000 Syrian soldiers(IK20:28-29)
Ben-Hadad said: The cities which
my father took from your father I will
restore… Then Ahad said: I will send
you away with this treaty (v34).
Thus says the Lord: Because you
have let slip out of your hand a man
I appointed to utter destruction,
so your life shall go for his life (v42)
Lord, cause us to remember Your
might and faithfulness so that we
will put our trust in You, carry out
Your instructions and not take
matters into our own hand. Amen.

Lord, we will Obey Your Law:
Ahab said to Naboth: Let me have
your vineyard… I will pay you what-
ever it is worth. But Naboth replied:
The Lord forbid that I should give
you the Inheritance of my ancestors.
So Ahab went home sullen & angry…
Jezebel… said… I will get you the
vineyard of Naboth… So she wrote
letters in Ahab’s name… she wrote:
… seat Naboth in a prominent place…
But seat two scoundrels opposite him
and have them testify that he has
cursed both God and the king…
So they took him outside the city
and stoned him to death… Jezebel
… said to Ahab… take possession
of the vineyard (1 Kings 21:2-15).
Lord, Jezebel had no regard for
God’s law and needs of the poor.
And Ahab listened too readily to
the advice of his unrighteous wife.
Help us avoid those who will tell us
what we want to hear and look for
those who tell us what’s right. Amen

Lord, we will Seek Your Counsel:
Ahab turned to Jehoshaphat and
asked: Will you join me in fighting
against Ramoth-gilead? And
Jehoshaphat replied: Of course!
You and I are brothers… But first
let’s find out what the Lord says. So
King Ahab summoned his prophets…
They all replied: Go ahead! The Lord
will give you a glorious victory. But
Jehoshaphat asked: Isn’t there a
prophet of the Lord too? King Ahab
replied: There is still one…but I hate
him. He never prophesies anything
but bad news (1 Kings 22:4-9).
Lord, cause us not to be like Ahab
who was reluctant to seek Your
guidance and resentful when Your
Word was given. Gear us instead
to be like Jehoshaphat who seek
Your Counsel. And cause us to be
sensitive & obedient to Your voice
and to turn to You for help. Amen.