Welcome to Week Eighteen of Desiring the Kingdom and to both the end of 1st Kings and the beginning of 2nd Kings. That’s a lot of Bible real estate, so we’re going to tackle things in a survey mode this week. If there are details in the story that you’re curious about, send an email to outofwater@riovistachurch.com and ask Pastor Sam to address your question on this week’s podcast.
Index to Days 2 through 5
Day 1
King vs. King, Good vs. Bad
Observe
Meet Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. We’ll see that he turns out to be a good king (one of the few!), but right now all we know is that he seems willing, almost eager, to help Ahab reclaim some territory Syria took from Israel.
1 Kings 22:1-12
22 For three years Syria and Israel continued without war. 2 But in the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 3 And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we keep quiet and do not take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?” 4 And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
5 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the Lord.” 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” 7 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?” 8 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” 9 Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.” 10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed.’” 12 And all the prophets prophesied so and said, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”
What separates a good, godly king from a bad, selfish king? One difference shows up right away: Jehoshaphat wanted to inquire first for the word of the Lord. Baal-worshiping Ahab would’ve lined up his chariots and launched, but the good king, showing wisdom, wants to know God’s will before he acts. So Ahab drags in 400 of his pet prophets (these were probably not prophets of the Lord, Ahab didn’t have many of those around, perhaps prophets of Baal who were pretending to be prophets of the Lord, but they were certainly false prophets). Jehoshaphat saw through the subterfuge and asked if there wasn’t another prophet of the Lord they could inquire with. Ahab’s answer is telling. Yes, there was one, but Ahab hated him…why? Because this prophet never told Ahab what he wanted to hear, choosing instead to speak the word of the Lord as it came to him.
- We don’t have prophets with whom we can inquire for the word of the Lord today, so how do you find it when you’re needing to make an important decision?
- What examples can you share where God has given you his word on something?
God, we thank you that you are not silent like Baal. You want to communicate with us and lead us. Forgive us for not seeking your word more often before we launch into battle. Open the eyes of our spirit, Lord, through the power of your Spirit, so we will recognize your word for us when we receive it. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Day 2
Ignoring The Flashing Signs
Observe
Much as Ahab predicted, the prophet Micaiah had nothing cheerful to say about the outcome of the upcoming battle. There is a very interesting exchange regarding what the Bible calls a “lying spirit” that God puts in the mouths of the other prophets. The entire exchange is reminiscent of watching a card trick while having someone explain to you how it’s done. If you’re still fooled by the trick, it’s not the fault of the person handling the cards. God provided Ahab with yet another chance to turn away from Baal and back to him, but Ahab ignored the warning.
1 Kings 22:13-28
13 And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” 14 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I will speak.” 15 And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go up and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” 16 But the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” 17 And 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 home in peace.’” 18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” 19 And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; 20 and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ 23 Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.”
24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “How did the Spirit of the Lord go from me to speak to you?” 25 And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.” 26 And the king of Israel said, “Seize Micaiah, and take him back 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 meager rations of bread and water, until I come in peace.”’” 28 And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!”
Micaiah was warned in advance that Ahab wanted a positive answer to his question about the battle, so he sarcastically provided one. No one was fooled, though, and Ahab demanded that Micaiah speak the word of the Lord, which he then did. The part about the lying spirit may be odd, but consider these three things: (a.) these are false prophets, (b.) Ahab was going to make the wrong choice anyway, and (c.) Micaiah explained the entire process to Ahab, giving him a chance to believe the prophet of the Lord and avoid this deception. When the Bible speaks about God “hardening hearts” or stirring people up to do something that leads to their destruction, we must remember that God does not change someone’s mind and force them to do evil. He accelerates or intensifies their natural tendencies to accomplish his plan. God’s plan for Ahab was for Ahab to be killed in this battle, so permitting this deceitful message to come through these false prophets was simply allowing God’s true prophet (Micaiah) to look all the better when the word of the Lord given through Micaiah turned out to be true.
- Why do you think people ignore warnings?
- What examples can you share where God has warned you about something?
Heavenly Father, thank you for your care for us. Thank you for your warnings to us. Through your word, through your Spirit, or through other believers, you warn us of things that will displease you and often end in disaster. Grant us the wisdom to know when a warning is from you, and keep us safe from our own bad ideas. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Day 3
A Predictable Outcome
Observe
Israel and Judah go to war with Syria to reclaim the territory of Ramoth-gilead and, as predicted, things do not go well. Ahab not only shows cowardice in disguising himself, but it seems he wants to use Jehoshaphat as a decoy. (With friends like Ahab, you save on needing enemies.) Ahab’s deception seems to work, but an arrow fired randomly into the air will find its mark, and the word of the Lord will turn out to be true. We also read of Jehoshaphat’s end, which is a very different tale. Jehoshaphat tried to do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and although he didn’t do it perfectly, it’s clear he was a good king for 25 years and his eventual end was peaceful.
1 Kings 22:29-50
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 wear your robes.” And 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, “Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel.” 32 And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is surely the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 And when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. 34 But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” 35 And the battle continued that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, until at evening he died. And the blood of the wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot. 36 And about sunset a cry went through the army, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!”
37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. 38 And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it, according to the word of the Lord that he had spoken. 39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did, and the ivory house that 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 slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.
Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah
41 Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 43 He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. Yet the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. 44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.
45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he warred, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 46 And from the land he exterminated the remnant of the male cult prostitutes who remained in the days of his father Asa.
47 There was no king in Edom; a deputy was king. 48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go, 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 was not willing. 50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place.
Ahab’s end was violent and stained by cowardice. His wealth, the castle made of ivory, even his ruthless wife Jezebel couldn’t save him when the Lord decided it was time for the arrow to find its mark. Jehoshaphat, on the other hand, went on to have a peaceful reign, albeit a far from perfect one. His repeated entanglements with Israel (such as allowing his son to marry Ahab’s daughter) would eventually spell disaster for Judah. Still, the Bible records that he tried to honor the Lord and commends him for that. God is not mocked. The way our lives end and the legacies we leave are determined in large part by how faithfully we follow the Lord. (Note: this does not mean all of God’s followers are guaranteed to die peacefully in their sleep. We suffer just as all human beings suffer. However, the manner in which a devoted follower of Christ meets that end, especially when it’s hard, is often uplifting despite the circumstances.)
- How do you hope your life on earth will end?
- How can you find comfort, should it turn out to be a hard journey?
Dear Lord, your word tells us that the death of your saints is precious in your eyes, and that as soon as we are absent from our bodies we are present with you. What a blessed future! We long for the day when we shed these frail and flawed shells, and we can become what you have already seen us to be. Strengthen us as we seek to be faithful even when the journey home is hard. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 4
The Apple Didn’t Fall Far
Observe
Meet Ahaziah, the ne’er-do-well son of Ahab, who becomes king after his father’s death. Ahaziah doesn’t last long, his reign was just two short years. There are multiple reasons for this, such as Ahaziah continuing his father and mother’s wicked ways and worship of Baal, not to mention the Lord’s declaration in 1 Kings 21:29 that he would delay bringing disaster upon the house of Ahab until “his son’s days” (that is, when his son reigned as king). Some commentators suggest that Ahaziah’s fall through the lattice in his upper chamber was due to some drunken stumbling, which would not have been out of character, but if that’s so it isn’t recorded in the Bible. What we do see is Ahaziah’s reaction to his life-threatening injuries. Does he seek the word of the Lord regarding whether he will recover, or does the cycle of his fathers continue and send him to the prophets of Baal? (Three guesses! First two don’t count!)
1 Kings 22:51 – 2 Kings 1:8
51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel. 52 He did what was 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 made Israel to sin. 53 He served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger in every way that his father had done.
Elijah Denounces Ahaziah
1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel.
2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” 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 went.
5 The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” 6 And they said to him, “There came a man to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go back 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 He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?” 8 They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
Ahaziah was surely a witness to many of the things that happened during his father’s reign. If he hadn’t witnessed the drought and seen the Lord demonstrate his power over Baal, he’d heard about it. Similarly, if he hadn’t seen the demonstration of God’s power on Mt. Carmel, he’d no doubt heard the stories. If anyone in Israel should have the knowledge needed to turn away from Baal and turn back to the Lord, it should be this man. All it would require is the common sense of a garden slug (which is precious little). But he doesn’t. The Bible records that he walked in the way of his father, his mother, and his ancestor Jeroboam, who first led Israel into sin. Ahaziah did nothing to break the cycle of wickedness and disobedience in his family, and the Lord brought him to an abrupt end.
- Why do you think it is difficult to break cycles of unhealthy behavior that are handed down between generations?
- What examples can you share where God has helped you break free of unhealthy cycles of behavior?
God, we confess that we are often slow to learn our lesson. We continue to make the same mistakes that we see others make and we’re somehow surprised when the outcome isn’t good. Break us free from these cycles that repeat far too often, let us throw aside the shackles of the past, of bad memories or bad habits, and be able to live in the freedom that only you provide. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Day 5
Dangerous Disrespect
Observe
Elijah intercepted the messengers Ahaziah sent to inquire of Baal and returned them to the king with a sarcastic question and a dire pronouncement. The word of the Lord through the prophet Elijah was that Ahaziah would die from his injuries and the phrase “Now therefore thus says the Lord” might indicate that God’s decision for Ahaziah to die at this time was in response to Ahaziah’s seeking answers from a false god instead of the Lord. Ahaziah doesn’t take this lying down (well, he might have, since he was bedridden, but metaphorically speaking anyway). He wants to say his piece to the Lord through Elijah, so he disrespectfully sends a show of military force to drag Elijah before him. The Lord protects Elijah, and 102 men die because of Ahaziah’s foolishness. The third captain takes a different approach, so God tells Elijah to go with him.
2 Kings 1:9-18
11 Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king’s order, ‘Come down quickly!’” 12 But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
13 Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.” 15 Then 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 and 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 he died according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
Those soldiers were obeying orders. I mean, it’s not as though they could have said no to Ahaziah (not while keeping their heads attached to their shoulders, anyway). But the third captain shows us that it’s possible to obey even a lousy order in a way that honors God. We often can’t control who winds up in authority over us, whether an employer or an elected official. We can control how we conduct ourselves when doing the things we have no choice but to do. The third captain obeyed the king; he went to Elijah as ordered. But he feared the Lord and carried out his orders in a way that showed reverence. Even when something we have to do shows no respect (or even disrespect) for God, we can find a way to honor him in how we conduct ourselves.
- What are some examples of modern day things we have no real choice but to do that seem to show no respect for God?
- How could we do them in a way that still honors God?
Heavenly Father, we live in a fallen and broken world. Oftentimes the ones who wind up in authority over us have no regard for you and we are tasked with things that clearly don’t reflect your love and grace. Give us the patience to endure this, the wisdom to see how we might still find ways to honor you, and bless our efforts as we seek every day to conduct ourselves in a way that brings glory to your name. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.