Bible Studies
“You Shall Know that I Am the LORD” (1 Kings 20:13)
Series: Studies in First KingsIntroduction:
1. The LORD God is not one to withhold evidence of His presence and power. 2. He had already presented overwhelming evidence to Ahab.a. There was the evidence of fulfilled prophecy. When Hiel rebuilt Jericho, during Ahab’s reign he had lost both his sons, one when he laid the foundation and one when he set up its gates, just as God had said through Joshua.
b. Then there was the evidence of the 3.5 year drought predicted by Elijah.
1) Elijah spoke directly to Ahab.
2) Not only did God send rain, but he sent fire from heaven to consume Elijah’s sacrifice.
3) These were evidences that could not be ignored!
c. And, as if these were not enough, God would deliver Benhadad, the king of Aram, into the hand of Ahab.
3. The force of this evidence cannot be understood without consideration of the circumstances.Discussion:
I. Ahab faced a military force more powerful than his own (20:1-12).A. Benhadad, king of Aram (the region known today as Syria), was allied with 32 kings, with chariots and horses.
B. He besieged Samaria, Ahab’s capital.
1. Picture Ahab trapped inside the city.
2. Benhadad’s forces are camped all around.
3. No one can go in or out. All business with those outside the city has stopped. Agricultural production has ceased. The situation is tense!
C. Benhadad would reduce Ahab to vassal status.
1. His message to Ahab, “Your silver and your gold are mine; your most beautiful wives and children are also mine.” Ahab agrees.
2. Benhadad’s second message, “I will send my servants. They will search your house and the houses of your servants; and whatever is desirable in your eyes, they will take in their hand and carry away.” That is, “We will invade your houses and take whatever we want.”
3. Ahab appealed to his people. They said, “Do not do it.”
a. Ahab told Benhadad he would only go along with the first agreement.
b. Benhadad’s response, “May the gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria will suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me.” Translation: We are coming and the dust from Samaria will not be enough to satisfy us.
c. Ahab’s response: “Let not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off.”
d. Benhadad prepared for an attack.
II. God intervened in the situation (20:13ff).A. God sent a prophet to Ahab.
1. His message was “Have you seen all this multitude? Behold, I will deliver them into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
2. God said that he would deliver them “by the young men of the rulers of the provinces.” There were 232 of them.
3. They went out at noon. It appears to be an odd move. They leave the protection of the city. When Benhadad learned this he said to take them alive. I suppose he was thinking that since his forces were in the majority this would not be a problem.
4. Ahab had also mustered 7,000 additional.
5. The Israelites slaughtered the Arameans. They fled before Israel and they struck the horses and chariots. Benhadad escaped on a horse with horsemen.
B. God sent the prophet back to Ahab.
1. His message was that Israel should strengthen themselves because at the turn of the year (spring) Benhadad would return.
2. The Arameans reasoning is described in 20:23-25.
3. Israel and the Arameans met in Aphek. When Israel camped before them they were like two little flocks of goats, while the Arameans filled the country.
C. “A man of God” spoke to the king of Israel.
1. “Because the Arameans have said, ‘The LORD is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,’ therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand and you shall know that I am the Lord.’”
2. When the battle occurred Israel killed 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. The rest fled to the city of Aphek. There the wall fell on 27,000 men who were left. Benhadad fled into the city of Aphek.
3. His counselors advised him to appeal to the mercy of the king of Israel (31ff). Ahab made a covenant with him.
a. Benhadad would give back the cities his father had taken.
b. Israel would establish bazaars in Damascus.
c. Israel would be released from the vassalage that had been imposed.
D. “A certain man of the sons of the prophets” came to Ahab.
1. His message: “Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.” Cf. Achan’s taking things under the ban (Josh. 7:16ff). Is Ahab motivated by his desire for wealth? We will learn later something about his coveting Naboth’s vineyard.
2. Ahab returned to Samaria “sullen and vexed.”In some ways he is like Saul. Even though blessed by God he refuses to submit to the Lord.
E. On four occasions in this episode God has sent a prophet to Ahab. God has twice delivered Ahab from Benhadad.
III. Three years passed without war with Aram. Ahab then decided to engage them to take back Ramath-gilead.A. He allied himself with king Jehoshaphat of Judah.
B. Jehoshaphat demanded an inquiry from God.
C. Ahab gathered 400 prophets and all of them said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” Evidently all of these were prophets of the idols.
D. Jehoshaphat demanded inquiry from the LORD God.
1. Ahab acknowledged that Micaiah was such a prophet, but he always prophesied negatively. Was Ahab wanting to hear what he wanted to hear?
2. So they were dressed in their kingly robes and the prophets were prophesying.
a. One of them named Zedekiah made horns of iron and said, “With these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed.”
b. When the messenger reached Micaiah the messenger advised a positive message.
c. Micaiah said, “Go and succeed, and the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” But his tone must have been off because the king said, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth?”
d. Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep which have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.” The prophecy is actually an indictment of Ahab’s leadership.
e. Micaiah continued (read vs. 19-28).
3. Even though he disguised himself in the battle Ahab was struck by a random arrow and bled out in the bottom of his chariot and died that evening. They washed the blood from the chariot and the dogs licked up his blood.Just as God had said! See 1 Kings 21:19.
IV. Application observations.A. The LORD sent prophets to Ahab.
1. Although Ahab was in serious military trouble he did not seek God out. He did not pray for God’s intervention, like some kings did.
2. God initiated and gave evidence of himself.
3. Lk. 16:19ff describes how a rich man ended up in torment and asked that one rise from the dead and speak to his living brothers to warn them of this place. He was told, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.”
4. Are you listening to the prophets?
B. Ahab had “prophets” who told him what he wanted to hear.
1. It is easy to listen to what you want to hear.
2. 2 Tim. 4:3 refers to those who want to have their ears tickled and will accumulate teachers in accordance with their own desires.
3. There is some sense in which this involves self-deception. 2 Thess. 2:11-12 speaks of those who accept deluding influences and believe what is false because they take pleasure in wickedness.
4. Are you deluding yourself all the while knowing what you need to do?
C. The LORD delivered Ahab from the Arameans and blessed him in so many ways yet Ahab continued to turn away.
1. Is God blessing you with deliverance from your enemies? With rain and fruitful seasons? With children, family, friends, wealth, power?
2. Are you continuing to turn away?
Conclusion:
1. Are those you should be leading scattered on the mountains like sheep with no shepherd? 2. Do you need to make changes?
