Bible Talks: 1 Kings 21:21-22:3.

Listen from:
• BibleTruthPublishers.com
Elijah then pronounced solemn judgment upon Ahab and his household for what he had done, even to the cutting off of his posterity from Israel. He told him too what would happen to his wicked wife Jezebel, for she was the one who stirred him up in his evil ways. Her name is used in Scripture as the figure of evil in the name of religion (Rev. 2:2020Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. (Revelation 2:20)), and just as a terrible judgment fell upon her, so God’s awful judgment will fall upon that great religious system which persecutes the true children of God. (Revelation 18.) Like Jezebel who did evil in king Ahab’s name, so we see a great religious system around us which works through the government in many places, to hinder the servants of the Lord in the spread of His Word and truth. What a day of reaping awaits that religious system, more terrible indeed than that which came upon Jezebel.
When Ahab heard the words of the Lord through Elijah, he humbled himself and fasted. This is good to see, for when the sinner is warned of judgment, the right place for him to take is repentance before God. The Lord was pleased with this repentance and sent a message through Elijah saying that because Ahab had taken the humble place, He would not bring the evil He had pronounced in his days. If there is an unsaved one reading these lines, we would plead with you to take the low place in repentance before God. It is the place of blessing for you. If you will acknowledge your lost condition before God, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as the One who accomplished redemption for you at Calvary, you will be saved. Ahab was delivered from the judgment of God upon him during his lifetime, but you will be delivered from eternal hell, if you will accept Christ as your Saviour today. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Cor. 6:22(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2).
The twenty-second chapter presents to us a sad picture of a true believer forming friendships with the world. Jehoshaphat the king of Judah was a godly king, but he came down to Ahab, the wicked king of Israel. Notice he “came down,” for the world never comes up to the believer’s level; we can come down to the world, and do, if we are not careful. This coming down was the first step in departure which soon led Jehoshaphat farther away, for how can we be faithful when we have chosen the company of those from whom we ought to be separate? How can we count on the Lord to keep us from the evil of the world, when we have chosen its company? Oh let us watch the first steps of departure from the Lord!
King Ahab decided to make good use of Jehoshaphat, for the world always wants a person for what it can get from him, not for what it can give to him. The world is selfish and really has nothing to give. Ahab asked Jehoshphat to help him get back Ramoth-gilead which was in the hands of the king of Syria, though it belonged to Israel. We might remark here that this was the result of the mistaken kindness Ahab had shown to Ben-hadad, king of Syria. How soon Ben-hadad had forgotten the promises he had made to Ahab such a short time before (1 Kings 20:34-4334And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away. 35And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbor in the word of the Lord, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him. 36Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him. 37Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him. 38So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face. 39And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. 40And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it. 41And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. 42And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people. 43And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria. (1 Kings 20:34‑43))! It is also instructive to notice that Ramoth-gilead was on the wilderness side of Jordan where the two and a half tribes settled, and it was the first to fall into the hands of the enemy. We learn from this that if we do not walk in ALL the truth of God, the enemy soon robs us of the truth we have.
ML 08/05/1956