2 Kings 2:1-18 - Should I Stay or Should I Go?

2 Kings 2:1-18

Elijah Ascends to Heaven

1 And it came to pass, when the LORD was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel.

3 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?”

And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”

4 Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Jericho.”

But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they came to Jericho.

5 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?”

So he answered, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.”

But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So the two of them went on. 7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”

Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

10 So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him. 16 Then they said to him, “Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, lest perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.”

And he said, “You shall not send anyone.”

17 But when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, “Send them!” Therefore they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him. 18 And when they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

Should I stay or should I go?  That was the dilemma facing Elisha when Elijah was called away to Bethel to be taken up to heaven without facing the normal dying process we all do.  The prophets came to tell Elisha that the LORD would be taking his mentor home, but twice he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!” to them as he did not want to part from Elijah who he had been following to serve God together.  He also told Elijah three times that he would not leave him as if his life depended on it.  Then Elijah rolled his mantle and struck the water, and it was divided like the Red Sea and Jordan by Israel on the way to the promised land before to allow them to cross over on dry ground.  Elijah was about to cross the Jordan both literally and figuratively through death’s current taken away to not yet taste death.  Elijah promised to honor anything Elisha asked of him before he left and Elisha asked for a double portion of the Spirit of God that was on Elijah to be on him to serve the LORD well after his departure from this world.  Elijah promised it as long as his apprentice was able to see him leave for heaven.  As they walked on, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they were separated as Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind into heaven as prophetically promised.  Elisha saw it before his eyes and exclaimed, “the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” as he acknowledged God had taken his master to Himself.  He then took up the mantle of his mentor and parted the waters again to return to the others who acknowledged the Spirit who was on Elijah was now on Elisha according to the promise.  We also have the Spirit of God by divine promise (John 14:16-17, Galatians 4:6, Romans 8:9, Acts 1:8, 2:4, 17) after having seen the Lord Jesus taken into heaven (Luke 24:49, 51) as resurrected from death to life, knowing we will be equipped for the gospel work until we cross the figurative Jordan into glory as symbolized by Christian crossing the river in Pilgrim’s Progress.  The prophets before Elisha witnessed the Spirit on him and glorified God as having that of Elijah before him; likewise, we have witnesses seeing God’s Spirit change our lives as the apostles and multitudes throughout history before us since that day of Pentecost, to enable us to minister the gospel to the world (Acts 1:8) as they set the example for us until we cross the Jordan ourselves.  The prophets looked for Elijah who ascended into heaven, and some may still look for Jesus or another prophet to speak to them or take them to heaven here, not yet understanding that He has ascended to heaven in the presence of the Father.  We now anticipate the day when we are taken up to be with Him who was proclaimed by Elijah (Malachi 4:5, Matthew 11:14, 17:12) long ago!  Should I stay or should I go?  We should not stay away from Jesus, but follow to go with Him as others lead us that we may one day cross the river separating life and death to enter into His presence of glory. 

2 Kings 1:1-18 - Seeking other Gods?

2 Kings 1:1-18

God Judges Ahaziah

1 Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.

2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria, and was injured; so he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.” 3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 4 Now therefore, thus says the LORD: ‘You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” So Elijah departed.

5 And when the messengers returned to him, he said to them, “Why have you come back?”

6 So they said to him, “A man came up to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you, and say to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’”’”

7 Then he said to them, “What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?”

8 So they answered him, “A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.”
And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him; and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: “Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come down!’”

10 So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men.

And he answered and said to him: “Man of God, thus has the king said, ‘Come down quickly!’”

12 So Elijah answered and said to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

13 Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. 14 Look, fire has come down from heaven and burned up the first two captains of fifties with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in your sight.”

15 And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king. 16 Then he said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’”

17 So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. Because he had no son, Jehoram became king in his place, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Are there other gods to seek?  Is there no God among His people already?  These questions accused Ahaziah from the mouth of the LORD’s messenger Elijah when the king ignored the LORD and asked for guidance and help from a lifeless idol named Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron.  That non-existent being could not give the king of Israel any assurance or answers for his recovery from a nasty fall.  Only the Living God in heaven (Romans 9:26), the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Matthew 22:31-32, Acts 14:15) could answer him or any of us with true authority and power.  No imaginary god carved by the hand of man or by his reasoning can have any power or influence on us; only the self-existing Living God whose name is I AM WHO I AM (Exodus 3:14, 15) has any answers for us (2 Corinthians 6:16, 1 Thessalonians 1:9) as for Ahaziah who ignored and rejected Him.  May we never follow that erroneous example of Ahaziah’s disbelief in any way or seek help anywhere but from who is real, but trust and obey to worship Him only and not seek answers elsewhere that have no response or help.  When Ahaziah sent messengers to inquire of a lifeless idol non-entity, the LORD sent an angel to Elijah to intercept them, asking why they believed there was no God in Israel among them all along.  He then pronounced the wages of sin (Romans 6:23) on Ahaziah, namely death for his sin of idolatry gleaned from his parents before him.  Ahaziah was so angry that he sent a force to capture the prophet and bring him back for daring to deny him access to an idol and receive the healing he felt he could obtain from out of a powerless source in defiance of the God of his people.  The LORD sent fire from heaven to eradicate those opposed to His messenger not once, but twice, until the third captain humbled himself before God and was spared.  Elijah went and pronounced judgment on the king denying the LORD and putting another before Him as he broke the first commandment.  This time there was no heir for Ahaziah to pass on his idolatry to so Jehoram took the throne of Israel.  We learn from this passage that there is no source for our help and for living but the Lord who loves forever, and that rejecting Him is fatal to both body and soul.  Why then should we ever be seeking help from other gods of our own making such as philosophers and false religions do?

1 Kings 22:41-53 - Following God-Pleasing Examples

1 Kings 22:41-53

Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah (2 Chronicles 20:31—21:1)

41 Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 43 And he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. 44 Also Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 46 And the rest of the perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land. 47 There was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king.

48 Jehoshaphat made merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber. 49 Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not.

50 And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.

Ahaziah Reigns in Israel

51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. 52 He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; 53 for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.

The reign of kings in Judah and Israel diverged again between good and evil; in Judah, Jehoshaphat reigned in doing good as his father Asa (1 Kings 15:14) did in God’s eyes before him, while in Israel Ahaziah the son of Ahab ruled in the same evil idolatrous manner taught by his father and mother Jezebel before him.  Jehoshaphat even made peace with the king of Israel (Romans 12:18) on his part while still stopping the same kinds of things offensive to the LORD which Ahaziah did not do.  The king of Judah set the example for us to do our part to make peace while not compromising the Lord as we do what is right in the eyes of God.  He did draw the line at engaging in a business with Israel be of the rampant sins of idolatry and others, even though the venture was shipwrecked before it took off.  When Jehoshaphat died, he was remembered for righteous service, while Ahaziah was remembered as a worshipper of Baal and one rejecting the word of God and provoked the LORD’s wrath and made the people imitate his sin as his parents had taught him and not imitate the righteous ones.  We are called to imitate those who live for the Lord as Paul gave us his own life example after that of Jehoshaphat, calling us to imitate him (1 Corinthians 11:1, Ephesians 5:1, Philippians 3:17, 1 Thessalonians 1:6) just as he imitated and pleased the Lord in living for Him.  We need to tear down the idols in our lives faster than we set them up and we must avoid immorality of all kinds with the same effort that we may be pleasing to the Lord and godly examples to disciple others ( 2 Timothy 2:2), following God-pleasing examples. 

1 Kings 22:29-40 - Listen to God’s Word and Choose Life!

1 Kings 22:29-40

Ahab Dies in Battle (2 Chronicles 18:28–34)

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 30 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

31 Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.” 32 So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 And it happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 34 Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”

35 The battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot. 36 Then, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!”

37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. 38 Then someone washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood while the harlots bathed, according to the word of the LORD which He had spoken.

39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, the ivory house which he built and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 40 So Ahab rested with his fathers. Then Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

Here Ahab finally was killed in battle and the prophetic end of his blood being licked up by dogs (1 Kings 21:19) in recompense for slandering and having his neighbor blood shed so he could steal his vineyard.  The prophet Micaiah had warned him he would die in battle and the people of Israel scattered as shepherdless sheep afterwards if he attacked the Syrians, but he locked up the word of God and went anyway.  A random Syrian arrow ended him as his blood ran out onto the field of battle and later the rest of it was consumed by dogs in Samaria when it was washed from his chariot there.  Even though the enemy army first thought the king of Judah was him, they still did not target Ahab because he was disguised and the seemingly random bow did him in as promised in retribution for his sins to include murder and theft along with blatant idolatry in disregard for the word of God.  He built an ivory house and many cities, but they were for himself and not to honor the LORD, so it all was left behind in the hands of his son Ahaziah who also pursued evil (1 Kings 22:52-53) like Ahab and Jezebel who raised him in that way and served the lifeless idol Baal instead of the living God of Israel.  How a man, especially a leader and more importantly a leader of God’s people, how this man lives for the Lord or rejects Him and serves himself or other manmade idols determines the outcome of his deeds.  The price to pay for rejecting the Lord is more than facing death by a seemingly random means such as an arrow, but is the highest price for a living soul, the judgment leading to an eternal torment (Hebrews 9:27-28, 1 John 4:18, Revelation 20:10, 14) for rejecting the word of the Lord made more evident now that the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ, has come for us to receive or reject as God’s final word (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 1 Peter 4:17) on retribution for sin (Romans 3:23, 6:23), with the aim for forgiveness of sin to find redemption and reconciliation.  May we heed the word of the Lord and not worship any other, listening to the gospel words of life (John 6:68, Acts 5:20) and finding eternal peace with God (Romans 5:1) in knowing and following Him into the battle He chooses and not as we are led to like Ahab chose to do.  When faced with death, listen to God’s word and choose life!

1 Kings 22:1-28 - Sheep Needing a Shepherd

1 Kings 22:1-28

Micaiah Warns Ahab (2 Chronicles 18:1–27)

1 Now three years passed without war between Syria and Israel. 2 Then it came to pass, in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel.

3 And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?” 4 So he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead?”

Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 5 Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of the LORD today.”

6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?”

So they said, “Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

7 And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him?”

8 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”

And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”

9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly!”

10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 11 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’” 12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the king’s hand.”

13 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”

14 And Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, whatever the LORD says to me, that I will speak.”

15 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?”

And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king!”

16 So the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?”

17 Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’”

18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

19 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. 20 And the LORD said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ 22 The LORD said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the LORD said, You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ 23 Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you.”

24 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the spirit from the LORD go from me to speak to you?”

25 And Micaiah said, “Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!”

26 So the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; 27 and say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.”’”

28 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!”

After three years of peace between Syria and Israel, Judah and Israel combined forces to attack Syria and reclaim lost territory.  Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to fight their enemy at Ramoth Gilead but first asked for God’s word from Israel, which is interesting since Jerusalem and the temple were in Judah.  The prophets came in droves to assure victory for this endeavor, but Jehoshaphat did not trust them with their unanimous approval among all four hundred of them.  He asked if there was still a faithful and true voice of God in the multitude who would speak the straight truth for whether they should engage the enemy in battle as they both were prepared to fight for the right.  The king of Israel, Ahab, told the king of Judah that there was one, Micaiah, but that he only prophesied evil against Ahab and not good.  That should have been an indication to the king that it was not the prophet but the LORD opposing him.  They even sent a messenger to the prophet to urge him to agree with the other four hundred, yet the faith voice of God told him that whatever the LORD said to him, that he would speak for the LORD.  At first he mocking answered the same false advice to go to battle because the LORD would deliver the enemy into their hands.  The king knew he was not serious and asked again for the truth.  He prophesied the word of God by telling them that the people have no master and should return to their houses in peace.  He also explained why in that all Israel was seen to be scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd, an immediate truth with a future-looking deeper need for a Shepherd in the Messiah to come (Matthew 9:36), Jesus the Christ.  All God’s people, Israel, Judah, and from all nations promised to Abraham (Galatians 3:8), all need this Shepherd (John 10:14) and King to rule and lead them to still waters (Psalm 23:2, John 4:14, Isaiah 55:1, Revelation 7:17) for true satisfaction and deliverance.  May we all find our rest and victory in Him who is the truth we seek and the divine Ruler over us all in His lovingkindness for eternity.  Sheep need a Shepherd and those who tell the message at all costs to escape the wrath of God on our sins and find peace (Romans 5:1) with Him.  No earthly ruler can protect or provide for us but Him.

1 Kings 21:1-29 - Breaking Commandments and Repentance

1 Kings 21:1-29

Naboth Is Murdered for His Vineyard

1 And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.”

3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The LORD forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!”

4 So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no food. 5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, “Why is your spirit so sullen that you eat no food?”

6 He said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”

7 Then Jezebel his wife said to him, “You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

8 And she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth. 9 She wrote in the letters, saying,

Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; 10 and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, “You have blasphemed God and the king.” Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die.

11 So the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were inhabitants of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast, and seated Naboth with high honor among the people. 13 And two men, scoundrels, came in and sat before him; and the scoundrels witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has blasphemed God and the king!” Then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”

15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” 16 So it was, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

The LORD Condemns Ahab

17 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who lives in Samaria. There he is, in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it. 19 You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Have you murdered and also taken possession?“‘ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs shall lick your blood, even yours.”’”

20 So Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?”

And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD: 21 ‘Behold, I will bring calamity on you. I will take away your posterity, and will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both bond and free. 22 I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and made Israel sin.’ 23 And concerning Jezebel the LORD also spoke, saying, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ 24 The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field.”

25 But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. 26 And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

27 So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning.

28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 “See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house.”

Ahab coveted his next-door neighbor Naboth’s vineyard but was refused the purchase by the owner who valued his possession as his rightful inheritance and refused to sell it.  His wife Jezebel (whose name now carries a very unpleasant meaning) saw his plight of depression and told him she would arrange it so that her husband as dictatorial king over all could have it.  She connived a slander campaign by sending for a witness tribunal of sorts to pretend to honor the landowner but set him up with false accusations of paid witnesses.  These scoundrels were paid to say Naboth had blasphemed the LORD and the king, as if a leader could be blasphemed at the same level as God.  She then urged the elders gathered there to stone the innocent accused to death that her husband could take the land for himself!  Because of this dastardly act, the word of the LORD was given to Elijah the Tishbite to bring a condemning accusation to Ahab for plotting murder and theft.  Because they murdered an innocent man and allowed the dogs to lick up his blood while his body lay in the street in dishonor, the prophetic proclamation against Ahab and Jezebel promised the same end for him (1 Kings 22:37-38) for following the plot of his evil wife (2 Kings 9:33, 36, 37) Jezebel whose blood was also required, and the resulting excrement of her body was left by the same dogs who consumed her in judgment.  The prophecy by the mouth of Elijah accused Ahab of mercenary conduct against the LORD for personal gain while breaking the commandments of covetousness and murder; such ungodly actions earned him the wrath of God by offending Him and misleading His people.  The words here sum it up best, “there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up.”  Ahab was accused of the same evil as the ungodly nations Israel had been commanded to drive out of the presence of God in the promised land such as the Amorites, and of worse evil than even Jeroboam and Baasha before him.  But as Ahab was faced with the seriousness of these true accusations, he repented in humble mourning and God relented from passing an immediate sentence on him, delaying the calamitous consequences until the time of his son Ahaziah after his passing.  Though his blood would be licked up by dogs as promised, it was only after dying in battle when his chariot was washed (1 Kings 22:38) afterwards, not the same as that of Jezebel who died from being thrown out a window and left in the street to be licked up and consumed by the dogs.  She did not repent and suffered a worse end.  This leads us to learn not only to treat others as the second greatest commandment summarizes for us (Mark 12:30, 31) in areas such as hate for murder and stealing for covetousness, but also to move us to repentance when we do stumble, breaking these commandments and losing love for our neighbors, and fall under God’s grace and mercy in order to humbly turn from our sin (1 John 1:9) to go on to follow Him and treat others as we desire to be treated by them and the Lord. 

1 Kings 20:31-43 - Beware Misplaced Mercy

1 Kings 20:31-43

Ahab’s Treaty with Ben-Hadad

31 Then his servants said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please, let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will spare your life.” 32 So they wore sackcloth around their waists and put ropes around their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-Hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’”

And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

33 Now the men were watching closely to see whether any sign of mercy would come from him; and they quickly grasped at this word and said, “Your brother Ben-Hadad.”

So he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-Hadad came out to him; and he had him come up into the chariot.

34 So Ben-Hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore; and you may set up marketplaces for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.”

Then Ahab said, “I will send you away with this treaty.” So he made a treaty with him and sent him away.

Ahab Condemned

35 Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of the LORD, “Strike me, please.” And the man refused to strike him. 36 Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, surely, as soon as you depart from me, a lion shall kill you.” And as soon as he left him, a lion found him and killed him.

37 And he found another man, and said, “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him, inflicting a wound. 38 Then the prophet departed and waited for the king by the road, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39 Now as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and there, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ 40 While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.”

Then the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.”

41 And he hastened to take the bandage away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 42 Then he said to him, “Thus says the LORD: Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’”

43 So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and displeased, and came to Samaria.

Ahab displayed misplaced mercy to the enemy of God and His people, Ben-Hadad the king of Syria.  This enemy had attacked Israel, taken cities, and defied the armies of the living God.  The LORD had appointed Ahab for utter destruction, a word used for a dedicated object that was doomed, this one for its idolatry and opposition to God.  Ahab had misplaced his loyalty for God on this enemy of the state and of his own God, treating him as a friend when God had ordered him to be destroyed (1 Kings 20:13, 28) just as He did for all the idolatrous and immoral peoples when Israel entered the promised land of Canaan.  Ahab trusted friendship with the world more than the command of God who raises kings (Daniel 2:21) and brings them down, using leaders like Ahab as instruments of His will.  Ahab chose his own affections instead and it was revealed to him by a prophet along the road in disguise who told a parable as if he had been wounded in battle, entrusted to guard a prisoner, and let him get away while he was busy elsewhere.  He then revealed himself as God’s messenger and confronted Ahab with letting Ben-Hadad free with a treaty when he was given charge by the LORD for his complete destruction as judgment for the sins of Syria against His people.  Ahab and Israel were therefore to pay the price that Ahab and his were owed, death and defeat.  We must learn who is opposed to the gospel and not befriend them, ending up supporting their enmity against us and the Lord like the one Paul encountered (1 Timothy 1:19-20, 2 Timothy 4:14-15, Acts 13:8, 9-10) in his ministry.  Discernment is now needed, however, lest we stand against other sincere believers as enemies who are not joined with us (Mark 9:38, 39-40) but still proclaiming the truth of the gospel and who are our true friends and brothers in Christ fighting on the same side of the Lord for His Kingdom and people.  We need mercy with discernment to test all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21), not misplaced spiritually naive mercy to allow the enemy to infiltrate and make treaties and share in the sins of those proclaiming another gospel based on a human rather than divine Christ, as many imitation religions do while posing as true denominations.