October 17
1 Kings 20; 1 Thessalonians 3; Daniel 2; Psalm 106
1 Kings 20
One detail from the prior chapter that is easily missed is God promising Elijah that Elijah would anoint a new king over Syria, a pagan country and the oft-enemy of Israel. That new king Hazael would serve as an instrument of God’s judgment, but then God would use another to judge him, and Elisha will take care of the rest (17). It’s convoluted, as geopolitics often are. But God’s ways are not ours, and He is sovereign over all of it.
His sovereignty becomes evident in chapter 20. The present king of Syria, Ben-hadad, comes up against King Ahab. Several times throughout the passage, a nameless prophet appears and speaks to Ahab. In my view, he is actually writing this account and therefore - as was the ancient custom - does not name himself out of humility. Twice Ahab defeats Ben-hadad by following the prophet’s instructions. Perhaps he obeys the prophet in desperation, but whatever the reason, it’s good.
Yet Ahab’s purposes and God’s are different. Ahab wants his own reign secure, but God is no two-bit regional god who gives success if you stroke Him right. He is the LORD. Thus God gives Ahab success so that Ahab would “see that I am the LORD” (13). And thus God gives Syria defeat when they say that the LORD is only in charge of the hills but not the plains (23-25, 28). Ahab does not deserve this victory; he is no more righteous than Ben-hadad. It comes only because of God’s sovereign purposes.
God desires Ahab to end Ben-hadad, but Ahab is transactional, not obedient. He lets Ben-hadad go (34).
Once again the nameless prophet enters the picture, first asking another prophet to strike him. He refuses and is mauled by a lion for refusing - a symbol of what God will do to Ahab for refusing to obey (35-36). He then creates a scenario where Ahab is drawn in and then learns his fate: because he took God’s command so glibly, God will require himself in the place of Ben-hadad, and his people for the Syrians (43).
And Ahab went home vexed (43) - what kind of God is this? He is a sovereign God, One to be obeyed by faith, even and especially when we don’t understand.