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1 Kings 21:25-29 Lessons From Ahab’s Woes

By Mary Fairchild

Clovermap

1581 Bunting Clover Leaf Map; Israel in the center.

1 Kings 21:25-29: THE MERCY OF GOD ENDURETH TO ALL GENERATIONS.

LESSONS FROM AHAB’S WOES:

1. AHAB BECAME FRIENDS WITH THOSE WHO HATED THE LORD. We are to win unbelievers to Christ, but we are not to become their close friends (1 Cor. 5:11).

2. AHAB MARRIED AN UNBELIEVER. Ahab could not influence his wicked wife because he had disobeyed the Lord in marrying her (2 Cor. 6:14-16).
3. AHAB WAS WEAK AGAINST EVIL. Without the encouragement of the elders of Israel, he would have surrendered to Ben-hadad (20:8). Can you stand alone against wrong ideas?
4. AHAB WAS RELUCTANT TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY. He had to be told that he was to take command of the army (20:14). If God would use your life, you must learn to take responsibility and
to be dependable in fulfilling that responsibility.
5. AHAB COVETED. (21:2) Coveting is wanting something so bad that it upsets your inner peace. Coveting causes some people to steal. God condemns coveting in the Tenth Commandment, “Thou shalt not covet.” The New Testament also condemns coveting in Luke 12:15.  Our happiness and contentment should not depend on things we have, or the
friends we have, or a boyfriend or a girlfriend; it should depend only upon God.  Coveting is called idolatry in the Bible (Col. 3:5). God calls coveting idolatry because, in reality, we make things our god, instead of the true God of the
universe.
6. AHAB BECAME A THIEF. (21:16) Coveting is a root sin which eventually may lead to lying, stealing, and murder. Many people begin to lie and steal because they do not confess and turn from the sin of coveting. Of course murder is the worst form of stealing since it is stealing someone’s life. Ahab permitted Jezebel to lie to Naboth; then he allowed her to have Naboth murdered ; and later he stole Naboth’s vineyard.

Once again, Ahab considered himself an enemy with Syria and wanted to recapture the city of Ramoth-gilead from Syria. He asked his southern neighbor, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to join him in the battle against Ben-hadad I. Jehoshaphat advised Ahab to inquire of the Lord and Ahab’s 400 prophets said, “Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.” (22:6)

Then Jehoshaphat asked for a true prophet of the Lord to be brought to him. The only true prophet of the Lord that Ahab knew was Micaiah whom he hated. He considered him his personal enemy and was not in the habit of believing the Lord. He was not concerned about God’s will even in this matter, nor would he have consulted any prophets if Jehoshaphat had not asked concerning the true will of God. The messenger who brought Micaiah into Ahab’s presence tried to persuade Micaiah that he should change his message to conform to the message of the 400 other prophets, Micaiah, not influenced by the majority opinion, responded definitely, “As sure as God lives, I will speak what He (God) say to me.”

Micaiah warned that Ahab would die in the battle and he also described a scene before the throne of God in which a lying spirit was given permission to fill the mouths of Ahab’s prophets. Ahab’s prophet Zedekiah struck the prophet Micaiah on the cheek and ridiculed him. Micaiah’s response was simply that when the prophecy came true, Zedikiah would understand from his hiding place. Then Ahab commanded that Micaiah be put in prison and punished. During the battle Ahab disguises himself, yet has Jehoshaphat wears his kingly robes. Ben-hadad instructed his soldiers to try to kill the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat is nearly killed as he is mistaken for Ahab. By chance Ahab is shot by an arrow and dies that evening. Later his chariot and armor were washed in the pool of Samaria, and dogs licked up his blood. This was a fulfillment of Elijah’s words, “Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?…In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine” (1 Kings 21:19).

Ahab’s ivory house is mentioned in 1 Kings 22: 39. When a Harvard University expedition found the ruins of this house just about the ruins of Omri’s palace, they discovered that the walls were faced with ivory. They also found thousands of pieces of exquisitely carved and inlaid ivory panels, as well as plaques, cabinets, and couches of ivory. An inscription of Shalmaneser III, King of ssyria (860-825 B.C.), mentions Ahab: “I destroyed…two thousand chariots and ten thousand men of Ahab, King of Israel.”

MORE LESSONS FROM AHAB’S LIFE

1. THE MAJORITY SPOKE A LIE. Ahab’s 400 prophets spoke a lie. Most often in life, the majority opinion is wrong. Today, media’s opinion polls often seek to influence our thinking; therefore, we must be careful to listen to the Word of God to form our opinions.
2. AHAB HATED MICAIAH. How do you respond to those who encourage you by pointing out your sin?
3. AHAB DID NOT HEAR HIS LIFE-AND–DEATH INSTRUCTIONS. God does not force truth upon us if we do not want to hear it. What is your response to truth?
4. MICAIAH STOOD ALONE, SUFFERED PUNISHMENT, AND WOULD NOT JOIN THE MAJORITY. Do you dare to stand alone with God? When we do what is right in the small things we are better able to stand when big temptations come.
5. AN ARROW THAT WAS AIMED AT NOTHING IN PARTICULAR STRUCK AHAB’S CHEST AND KILLED HIM. Just so, our sins will find us out (Num. 32:23). Remember, sin closes our minds and our hearts to God; therefore, our response to truth is a life-and-death matter.

WORKS CITED

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