Threats and Defeat

1 Kings 20:1-22
    1 Now Ben-Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his forces together; thirty-two kings were with him, with horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Samaria, and made war against it. 2 Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, and said to him, "Thus says Ben-Hadad: 3 'Your silver and your gold are mine; your loveliest wives and children are mine.'"  4 And the king of Israel answered and said, "My lord, O king, just as you say, I and all that I have are yours."
    5 Then the messengers came back and said, "Thus speaks Ben-Hadad, saying, 'Indeed I have sent to you, saying, "You shall deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children"; 6 but I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants. And it shall be, that whatever is pleasant in your eyes, they will put it in their hands and take it.'"
    7 So the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, "Notice, please, and see how this man seeks trouble, for he sent to me for my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold; and I did not deny him."  8 And all the elders and all the people said to him, "Do not listen or consent."  9 Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, "Tell my lord the king, 'All that you sent for to your servant the first time I will do, but this thing I cannot do.'"  And the messengers departed and brought back word to him.
    10 Then Ben-Hadad sent to him and said, "The gods do so to me, and more also, if enough dust is left of Samaria for a handful for each of the people who follow me."  11 So the king of Israel answered and said, "Tell him, 'Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.'"
    12 And it happened when Ben-Hadad heard this message, as he and the kings were drinking at the command post, that he said to his servants, "Get ready." And they got ready to attack the city.  13 Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, "Thus says the LORD: 'Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD.'"  14 So Ahab said, "By whom?"  And he said, "Thus says the LORD: 'By the young leaders of the provinces.'"  Then he said, "Who will set the battle in order?"  And he answered, "You."  15 Then he mustered the young leaders of the provinces, and there were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he mustered all the people, all the children of Israel—seven thousand.
    16 So they went out at noon. Meanwhile Ben-Hadad and the thirty-two kings helping him were getting drunk at the command post. 17 The young leaders of the provinces went out first. And Ben-Hadad sent out a patrol, and they told him, saying, "Men are coming out of Samaria!" 18 So he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; and if they have come out for war, take them alive."
    19 Then these young leaders of the provinces went out of the city with the army which followed them. 20 And each one killed his man; so the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them; and Ben-Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with the cavalry. 21 Then the king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.
    22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, "Go, strengthen yourself; take note, and see what you should do, for in the spring of the year the king of Syria will come up against you."

Ben-Hadad the king of Syria threatened God’s people through king Ahab by first attacking Samaria, the city his father built (1 Kings 16:24, 28).  Then the threats to invade Israel and take whatever the Syrians desired from Ahab as if they reigned over them came.  The elders encouraged Ahab to resist the invaders and Ahab listened.  He answered the threats with a bold defiance in an analogy of boasting to win a war not yet begun by not suited up and equipped even to start it.  This is when a prophet came to Ahab to bring the LORD’s deliverance of victory over the enemy in the battle not yet begun; God would equip Israel with the ability of the armor of His protection as they fought.  This was no boast of man, but a promise of God.  God put Ahab in charge of rallying the province leaders and people to attack the overconfident drunken Syrians with the thirty-two kings alongside Ben-Hadad.  The arrogance of Ben-Hadad sent men out to the approaching rabble to capture them or accept their surrender, but they attacked and scattered Ben-Hadad and the others with him.  It was a slaughter.  Finally, the prophet came again to warn that the war was not settled quite yet, but that it would resume on the spring.  This was the beginning of their resistance to the invading Syrian enemy.  We find a parallel in our spiritual battles against unseen and visible evil set against the kingdom of God in Christ.  The adversary is defeated, but continues to rattle sabers and threatens to take all we have and hold dear.  Our victory is in Christ and His gospel, knowing that the final battle will bring judgment and heavenly justice to all in the end.  We are on the winning side against all those against us (Romans 8:31-32, 1 Corinthians 15:57, Romans 8:37, 1 John 5:4, Hebrews 2:14-15), but none are truly so in light of our King of kings reigning sovereignly in heaven and on earth.  He wins the final battle as He won the war upon the cross and out of the grave of His resurrection (Revelation 17:14, 19:16)!  We are therefore victorious in Him in the midst of threats and defeat.