INTERESTING FACTS : "I HAVE EXAMINED ALL RELIGIONS, AND THE RESULT IS THAT THE BIBLE IS THE BEST BOOK IN THE WORLD." JOHN ADAMS

 

DAILY READING : 1 KINGS 21 - 22

 

TEXT : 1Ki 21:27  And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. 1Ki 21:28  And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 1Ki 21:29  Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evi l in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

 

THEME : MERCY

 

Without a doubt, Ahab is one of the most wicked kings of Israel as the Scripture says. "But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up." [1Ki 21:25] Here, the Bible indicates two things. First, he "sold" himself to do wickedness before God meaning he was wholly given to commit horrible sins in the sight of God without restraint. Second, his wife was a manipulative woman that was a prevailing and controlling influence on him. Together they made a threefold cord - Aha b, Jezebel, and Satan, that was not easily broken.

 

So ungodly is Jezebel that she frames Naboth in order to falsely accuse him and arrange his death so her brooding husband, languishing in self-pity when Naboth turned him away from buying the land, can get take it from him. After Naboth's death, Ahab is free to possess what was not his, and would not have been his had not Jezebel done to Naboth so viciously.

 

"When, instead of a help meet, a man has an agent for Satan, in the form of an artful, unprincipled, yet beloved wife, fatal effects may be expected. Never were more wicked orders given by any prince, than those Jezebel sent to the rulers of Jezreel. Naboth must be murdered under colour of religion. There is no wickedness so vile, so horrid, but religion has sometimes been made a cover for it. Also, it must be done under colour of justice, and with the formalities of legal process. Let us, from this sad story, be amazed at the wickedness of the wicked, and the power o f Satan in the children of disobedience. Let us commit the keeping of our lives and comforts to God, for innocence will not always be our security; and let us rejoice in the knowledge that all will be set to rights in the great day." [Matthew Henry]

 

In chapter 21, judgment is finally pronounced on Ahab by the prophet Micaiah. His death is foretold by Micaiah who, like Elijah, is one of the few true Men of God left in the land. What is strange in this chapter is the alliance of Jehoshaphat - the godly king of Judah, with Ahab. It may be Jehoshaphat was interested in protecting Israel [as the possession of God] rather than his having a personal affinity or empathy toward Ahab. Still, it is notable that Jehoshaphat allies himself with such a blatantly wicked king.

 

It is also peculiar that after success is announced by the false prophets to king Ahab concerning his upcoming campaign with Syria at Ramothgilead  that Ahab calls for Micaiah whom he knows will not give a good word. It is clear Jehoshaphat did not trust Ahab's prophets or their prophecies.

 

"Jehoshaphat was dissatisfied. These men - creatures of Ahab, tainted with the worship of calves if not with Baal-worship - had promised victory, but not in the name of Yahweh. Jehoshaphat, therefore, asked, "Is there not here a true prophet of Yahweh besides these 400 professed prophets?" [Albert Barnes]

 

"And Jehoshaphat said, is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him? He suspected these to be false prophets, though he would not call them so; nor suggest that they were not the prophets of the Lord, because he would not affront Ahab, who had an opinion of them; and therefore asks, if there were no other that went under the character of a prophet of the Lord, that he might inquire of him for his further satisfaction." [John Gill]

 

By his own testimony, we know Ahab hates Micaiah because he speaks the truth, which - in all instances, does not favor Ahab. "And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so." [1Ki 22:8] Still, he wants to hear what Micaiah has to say.

 

From this, we gather that men, even the most wicked, know who speaks the truth and who does not. This is clear with Ahab. Although he knows Micaiah will not speak favorably of Him, Ahab nevertheless allows him to prophecy. Like Herod, who feared John the Baptist, he will not kill Micaiah because he knows he is a Man of God. We are assured that men know the difference between right and wrong through the vehicle of conscience as well as the revealed Word of God. Thus, Ahab has a morbid attraction to the truth, though in the end he "sells" himself - as a prostitute would, to do evil before the Lord. He is man of unsettled co nviction that is driven, incited, and encouraged by his evil wife. He knows right from wrong as all men do, but chose evil. In the end, this will be the frightful judgment pronounced on all who reject Christ and His Gospel.

 

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: "[Rom 1:18 - 20]

 

"Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?    Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?    But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;    Who will render to every man according to his deeds:    To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:    But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:    For there is no respect of persons with God.    For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;    (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.    For when the Genti les, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:    Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." [Rom 2:1 -16]

 

What is engaging concerning the death of Ahab is not the prophecy as much as the means. First, God permits Ahab's prophets to lie to him. "And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee." [1Ki 22:21 - 23]

 

Then, God executes judgment in such a way that only God could have done it. For as we have read, the Syrians thought Jehoshaphat was Ahab and they went after him. Yet, a man draws his bow without any specific target in mind and it strikes Ahab in the back until he dies of his wound. Surely, God is in complete control of His creation - including Man, and none can stop His hand. No one can say to Him - "What are You doing?" The Potter has full power over the clay!

 

TRUTH FOR TODAY : THERE IS NO HOPELESS SINNER!

 

However, what is most striking in the case of Ahab is the incredible mercy of God. God's mercy is beyond comprehension as much as His intelligence and sovereignty is beyond human sagacity. Truly, as high as the heavens are above the earth, so are His ways above ours. There is no searching of His understanding. Further, with respect to God's ineffable holiness and our repulsive sinfulness, His mercy encourages us to appeal to Him when we fail.

 

"The penitent heart ever meets the merciful eye of God; repentance is highly esteemed by the Father of compassion, even where it is comparatively shallow and short-lived. Any measure of godly sorrow has a proportionate measure of God's regard; where it is deep and lasting, the heart of God is set upon it. He that mourns shall be comforted; thus hath God spoken, and though repentance for our past sins can purchase no favor, yet without it God will not grant us his salvat ion." [Adam Clarke]

 

"Blessed Paul complains that he was sold under sin, Rom_7:14, as a poor captive against his will; but Ahab was willing, he sold himself to sin; of choice, and as his own act and deed, he loved the dominion of sin. Jezebel his wife stirred him up to do wickedly. Ahab is reproved, and his sin set before his eyes, by Elijah. That man's condition is very miserable, who has made the word of God his enemy; and very desperate, who reckons the ministers of that word his enemies, because they tell him the truth. Ahab put on the garb and guise of a penitent, yet his heart was unhumbled and unchanged. Ahab's repentance was only what might be seen of men; it was outward only. Let this encourage all that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe the holy gospel, that if a pretending partial penitent shall go to his house reprieved, doubtless, a sincere believing penitent shall go to his house justified." [ Matthew Henry]

 

The Apostle Paul stated he was the "chief of sinners." "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting." [1Ti 1:15]

 

"The apostle knew that he would justly have perished, if the Lord had been extreme to mark what was amiss; and also if his grace and mercy had not been abundant to him when dead in sin, working faith and love to Christ in his heart. This is a faithful saying; these are true and faithful words, which may be depended on, That the Son of God came into the world, willingly and purposely to save sinners. No man, with Paul's example before him, can question the love and power of Christ to save him, if he really desires to trust in him as the Son of God, who once died on the cross, and now reigns upon the throne of glory, to save all that come to God through him. Let us then admire and praise the grace of God our Saviour; and ascribe to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three Persons in the unit y of the Godhead, the glory of all done in, by, and for us." [Matthew Henry]

 

Further, Paul states God established a "pattern" [an outline, sketch, example; Thayer] in him. If we take both examples - Ahab and Paul, even the worst offender before God can be encouraged in the willingness of God to expunge their sin. If Ahab - a man who sinned willingly, and Paul - a man who persecuted the Church and a murderer, can find forgiveness, then we can say there is no such person ever born who is a hopeless sinner. With Christ, there is always hope of forgiveness and receiving the gift of eternal life. Even the thief next to Christ on the cross found mercy and eternal life merely by asking. It was the last minute of his life, and indeed the thief's life was a wasted one, but God forgave him and accepted him into His kingdom.

 

Therefore, we can take heart in our frailty and weakness. God is tenderhearted. He is longsuffering. The Lord does not take delight in punishing even the most wicked of sinners. "Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" [Eze_33:11]

 

Take courage - there is no hopeless sinner!