When God Speaks

I have been doing some reading in 1 &2 Kings and found an interesting set of stories in Chapter 20 of 1 Kings. King Ahab, one of the worst ever kings of Israel, was challenged by Ben Haddad, king of Syria.  With some resistance verbally, Ben Haddad said he would reduce Israel to dust (I am shortening the story).  King Ahab replied, "Let not the soldier who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes his armor off."  That was a clever retort, but one that Ahab could not back up....except with God's help.  In this case, the Lord sent word to Ahab that He would deliver Syria into Israel's hands.  This happened and Israel triumphed. 

After a little time, Ben Haddad's advisors said that the God of Israel must be a god of the mountains, but not of the plains.  If they fight on the plains Syria will win.  From the story, one would conclude that God did not favor Ahab much because the king was so evil.  But God was not going to put up with being called a God of the mountains only.  So God sent word to Ahab that he would deliver him again; and he did just that.

But a problem develops.  After Ben Haddad has been utterly defeated, he puts on sackcloth and ashes as do his remaining survivors, and he sends word to Ahab asking for a treaty.  King Ahab agrees to spare Ben Haddad.  It is at this point in the story that another inside story is inserted. 

We read of a man who is the son of the prophets who approached a neighbor and said "strike me."  The man said no way. The first man put a curse on him and he was killed by a lion.  Then he asked another man to strike him.  He did....and now the man places his bloody body beside the road.  The king Ahab passes by and the man says he was in the war, was supposed to watch over a captive, his life for his life, and suddenly the man vanished.  The injured man said to the king, now what do I do?  The king said, basically, that is your problem; you created it.  This final story ends with the man saying to the king, paraphrased here, just as I did wrong in the army, you did wrong in sparing the king Ben Haddad, not following the wishes of the Lord. 

This last story seems a bit strange, but it makes the point that we are to follow the word of God no matter what.  What He commands we must do.  And God means business; He means what He says.  We know that He is the Lord, the Creator, the God of all, the one we must follow. 

Thanks for reading.  Have a great week.