[Linux4christians] Friday - 1 Kings 19 – 20

[dcolburn at bibleseven.com]

    Friday


      1 Kings 19 – 20



Elijah Runs for His Life

19:1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, including a detailed 
account of how he killed all the prophets with the sword. 19:2 Jezebel 
sent a messenger to Elijah with this warning, “May the gods judge me 
severely if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did 
theirs!”

19:3 Elijah was afraid, so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba 
in Judah. He left his servant there, 19:4 while he went a day’s journey 
into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub and asked the Lord 
to take his life: “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After 
all, I’m no better than my ancestors.” 19:5 He stretched out and fell 
asleep under the shrub. All of a sudden an angelic messenger touched him 
and said, “Get up and eat.” 19:6 He looked and right there by his head 
was a cake baking on hot coals and a jug of water. He ate and drank and 
then slept some more. 19:7 The Lord’s angelic messenger came back again, 
touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, for otherwise you won’t be able 
to make the journey.” 19:8 So he got up and ate and drank. That meal 
gave him the strength to travel forty days and forty nights until he 
reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

19:9 He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the 
Lord spoke to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 19:10 He answered, “I 
have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though 
the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn 
down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am 
left and now they want to take my life.” 19:11 The Lord said, “Go out 
and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to 
pass by.”

A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and 
causing landslides, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the 
windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the 
earthquake. 19:12 After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord 
was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. 19:13 
When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and 
stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden a voice asked him, 
“Why are you here, Elijah?” 19:14 He answered, “I have been absolutely 
loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have 
abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and 
killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want 
to take my life.” 19:15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came 
and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over 
Syria. 19:16 You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and 
Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. 
19:17 Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will 
kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword. 19:18 I still have left in Israel 
seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or 
kissed the images of him.”

19:19 Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was 
plowing with twelve pairs of oxen; he was near the twelfth pair. Elijah 
passed by him and threw his robe over him. 19:20 He left the oxen, ran 
after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother 
goodbye, then I will follow you.” Elijah said to him, “Go back! Indeed, 
what have I done to you?” 19:21 Elisha went back and took his pair of 
oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat over a fire that he made 
by burning the harness and yoke. He gave the people meat and they ate. 
Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.

Ben Hadad Invades Israel

20:1 Now King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled all his army, along with 
thirty-two other kings with their horses and chariots. He marched 
against Samaria and besieged and attacked it. 20:2 He sent messengers to 
King Ahab of Israel, who was in the city. 20:3 He said to him, “This is 
what Ben Hadad says, ‘Your silver and your gold are mine, as well as the 
best of your wives and sons.’” 20:4 The king of Israel replied, “It is 
just as you say, my master, O king. I and all I own belong to you.”

20:5 The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben Hadad says, 
‘I sent this message to you, “You must give me your silver, gold, wives, 
and sons.” 20:6 But now at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to 
you and they will search through your palace and your servants’ houses. 
They will carry away all your valuables.” 20:7 The king of Israel 
summoned all the leaders of the land and said, “Notice how this man is 
looking for trouble. Indeed, he demanded my wives, sons, silver, and 
gold, and I did not resist him.” 20:8 All the leaders and people said to 
him, “Do not give in or agree to his demands.” 20:9 So he said to the 
messengers of Ben Hadad, “Say this to my master, the king, ‘I will give 
you everything you demanded at first from your servant, but I am unable 
to agree to this latest demand.’” So the messengers went back and gave 
their report.

20:10 Ben Hadad sent another message to him, “May the gods judge me 
severely if there is enough dirt left in Samaria for my soldiers to 
scoop up in their hands.” 20:11 The king of Israel replied, “Tell him 
the one who puts on his battle gear should not boast like one who is 
taking it off.” 20:12 When Ben Hadad received this reply, he and the 
other kings were drinking in their quarters. He ordered his servants, 
“Get ready to attack!” So they got ready to attack the city.

The Lord Delivers Israel

20:13 Now a prophet visited King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what 
the Lord says, ‘Do you see this huge army? Look, I am going to hand it 
over to you this very day. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 
20:14 Ahab asked, “By whom will this be accomplished?” He answered, 
“This is what the Lord says, ‘By the servants of the district 
governors.’” Ahab asked, “Who will launch the attack?” He answered, “You 
will.”

20:15 So Ahab assembled the 232 servants of the district governors. 
After that he assembled all the Israelite army, numbering 7,000. 20:16 
They marched out at noon, while Ben Hadad and the thirty-two kings 
allied with him were drinking heavily in their quarters. 20:17 The 
servants of the district governors led the march. When Ben Hadad sent 
messengers, they reported back to him, “Men are marching out of 
Samaria.” 20:18 He ordered, “Whether they come in peace or to do battle, 
take them alive.” 20:19 They marched out of the city with the servants 
of the district governors in the lead and the army behind them. 20:20 
Each one struck down an enemy soldier; the Syrians fled and Israel 
chased them. King Ben Hadad of Syria escaped on horseback with some 
horsemen. 20:21 Then the king of Israel marched out and struck down the 
horses and chariots; he thoroughly defeated Syria.

The Lord Gives Israel Another Victory

20:22 The prophet visited the king of Israel and instructed him, “Go, 
fortify your defenses. Determine what you must do, for in the spring the 
king of Syria will attack you.” 20:23 Now the advisers of the king of 
Syria said to him: “Their God is a god of the mountains. That’s why they 
overpowered us. But if we fight them in the plains, we will certainly 
overpower them. 20:24 So do this: Dismiss the kings from their command, 
and replace them with military commanders. 20:25 Muster an army like the 
one you lost, with the same number of horses and chariots. Then we will 
fight them in the plains; we will certainly overpower them.” He approved 
their plan and did as they advised.

20:26 In the spring Ben Hadad mustered the Syrian army and marched to 
Aphek to fight Israel. 20:27 When the Israelites had mustered and had 
received their supplies, they marched out to face them in battle. When 
the Israelites deployed opposite them, they were like two small flocks 
of goats, but the Syrians filled the land. 20:28 The prophet visited the 
king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the 
Syrians said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the 
valleys,” I will hand over to you this entire huge army. Then you will 
know that I am the Lord.’”

20:29 The armies were deployed opposite each other for seven days. On 
the seventh day the battle began, and the Israelites killed 100,000 
Syrian foot soldiers in one day. 20:30 The remaining 27,000 ran to Aphek 
and went into the city, but the wall fell on them. Now Ben Hadad ran 
into the city and hid in an inner room. 20:31 His advisers said to him, 
“Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind. 
Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads and 
surrender to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.” 20:32 
So they put sackcloth around their waists and ropes on their heads and 
went to the king of Israel. They said, “Your servant Ben Hadad says, 
‘Please let me live!’” Ahab replied, “Is he still alive? He is my 
brother.” 20:33 The men took this as a good omen and quickly accepted 
his offer, saying, “Ben Hadad is your brother.” Ahab then said, “Go, get 
him.” So Ben Hadad came out to him, and Ahab pulled him up into his 
chariot. 20:34 Ben Hadad said, “I will return the cities my father took 
from your father. You may set up markets in Damascus, just as my father 
did in Samaria.” Ahab then said, “I want to make a treaty with you 
before I dismiss you.” So he made a treaty with him and then dismissed him.

A Prophet Denounces Ahab’s Actions

20:35 One of the members of the prophetic guild, speaking with divine 
authority, ordered his companion, “Wound me!” But the man refused to 
wound him. 20:36 So the prophet said to him, “Because you have disobeyed 
the Lord, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.” When he left 
him, a lion attacked and killed him. 20:37 He found another man and 
said, “Wound me!” So the man wounded him severely. 20:38 The prophet 
then went and stood by the road, waiting for the king. He also disguised 
himself by putting a bandage down over his eyes. 20:39 When the king 
passed by, he called out to the king, “Your servant went out into the 
heat of the battle, and then a man turned aside and brought me a 
prisoner. He told me, ‘Guard this prisoner. If he ends up missing for 
any reason, you will pay with your life or with a talent of silver.’ 
20:40 Well, it just so happened that while your servant was doing this 
and that, he disappeared.” The king of Israel said to him, “Your 
punishment is already determined by your own testimony.” 20:41 The 
prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes and the king of Israel 
recognized he was one of the prophets. 20:42 The prophet then said to 
him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Because you released a man I had 
determined should die, you will pay with your life and your people will 
suffer instead of his people.’” 20:43 The king of Israel went home to 
Samaria bitter and angry.



      Prayer


Lord, when we are obedient to You the omnipotent God we have nothing to 
fear from mere humans, not matter their earthly power nor the fierceness 
of their rage. My I never shrink from Your service, nor fear for my 
well-being, out of fear of mere humans as long as I live.



      Commentary


Jezebel was furious when she heard what Elijah had done and sent word 
that she intended to seem him dead. Elijah was fearful, in his flesh, 
and fled to the desert to hide. There the Lord God provided for him food 
and water and when He asked why Elijah was there he replied that despite 
his faithfulness his life was at-risk – so he wanted God to take him home.

The Lord God instructed him to go to the mountain where He revealed 
Himself to him, demonstrating His omnipotence, then giving Elijah new 
instructions. Elijah was to anoint Hazael king over Syria, Jehu king 
over Israel, and Elisha as his successor. Elijah set out to do as 
instructed. All three would be His instruments of judgment for 
rebellious Israel – only 7,000 had remained obedient to the Law.

Ben Hadad, still king of Syria, gathered thirty-two other kings and 
attacked Israel on the mountain, but the Lord God protected them. They 
gathered again and attacked in the plain, and again the Lord God 
delivered Israel. But instead of killing Hadad as the Lord had 
instructed Ahab made a treaty – which disobedience brought judgment upon 
Ahab and the people.



      Interaction


        Consider

Ahab had a history of taking the Lord God for granted and going his way 
and one-again he did so in sparing Ben Hadad of Syria – even negotiating 
a treaty with him.


        Discuss

After the Lord God had answered his prayer to obliterate the 
water-soaked altar and offering, empowered him to kill the 450 false 
prophets, and invigorated him to out-run the chariots why would Elijah 
fear a threat from Jezebel?



        Reflect

The Lord God ignored Elijah's whining-in-the-flesh and instead 
demonstrated His power then sent him on a new mission. Elijah, to his 
credit, immediately ceased whining and again stepped out in faith.


        Share

When have you felt threatened and forgotten that you serve an omnipotent 
God?



      Faith in Action



        Prayer:

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where fear is interfering 
with your confidence to serve.



        Action:

Today I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement with me as I 
partner with the Holy Spirit to see the Lord God clearly where then 
enemy has tricked me into taking my eyes off of Him. I will confidently 
receive His new, or reiterated instructions, and boldly set out in 
obedient faith.


        Be Specific ______________________________________________________



    Saturday's text will be:


      1 Kings 21-22



-- 

Draw nearer to the Lord and He will bless you,
Have an http://Ultrafidian.com Day!
David M. Colburn, DMin. MaCo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Personal Site: http://bibleseven.com
Bible Resources: http://bible.org
Teacher's Verse: John 7:16
Defend free speech or lose your freedom.
I don't google I SEARCH! http://ixquick.com
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