ATTACKS FROM BEN-HADAD. 1st Kings 20 The Middle East has been a hotbed of strife, intrigue, and unrest since the time Israel was led out of Egypt by the Lord. Alliances made between tribes and nations do not last very long. Those in one generation who lived at peace with each other for a while were avowed enemies by the time the next generation came to maturity. Peace between nations and people will not last until true peace with God has been made. By nature, human beings want to be in control of their own lives and destinies and resent interference - even by God.
Apparently, Ahab and Ben-Hadad had been allies at one time ("he is my brother," v.32), but that did not stop the Arameans from seeking to conquer and subjugate Israel. Ahab was willing to give his wives and children, plus his gold, to Ben-Hadad to keep the peace. He was not willing to surrender what he considered his personal possessions. Both Jewish nations had experienced what happens when people turn away from God's revealed will. To look at people and things through only natural eyes demeans people and makes things of far more value than they really are.
Ahab's answer to Ben-Hadad's threat was similar to a saying we have in our day, "Don't count your chickens before they hatch." The psalmist wrote, "My times are in Thy hand." James wrote, "You ought to say, 'If the Lord will, we shall do this or that.' " To boast about what we are going to do may be very different from the result after a matter is concluded. Ahab was a moral and spiritual failure, but he acted like a king on this occasion. The Lord saw that and gave directions to him through an unnamed prophet. Ahab followed the directives, resulting in a victory for Israel, even though they were up against an army much greater in size. There was no question in Ahab's mind when he was spoken to by the prophet that there was more opposition to come.
Opposition against the Lord's people today by the world, the flesh, and the devil may sometimes seem to lessen, but it will never cease until the Lord reigns. We must expect it to increase in intensity as we draw closer to the end of the age. "Evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." Whether evil comes in open opposition or the subtle deception of spiritual wickedness, it will come. Commitment to sound doctrine and those who practice it is being opposed because it condemns that which is false and not of God. Suffering for what is right in times of apostasy or deliberate rejection of the truth cannot be avoided.
The idea of idolatrous men was that God is limited in His authority and power. Their opinion was that He was only the god of the hills, not a god of the valleys. A similar opinion is common today in those with a god of their imagination. People will say, "I don't think God would do that." Some will say that God would never condemn a person to hell for that; otherwise, everyone would be in hell." The "works religion" put the destiny of people in their own hands rather than in God's. Many consider sin only to be that which they think is sin, and even though they sin daily, it is only what they consider serious sin to be of severe consequences. In His way and time, God will vindicate His truth and deal with those who set their opinions against the revealed word of God.
A victory by Ahab's army and a collapsed wall that killed 27,000 made it plain to those who opposed the Lord God of Israel that they were in a battle with the Supreme Authority against whom they had no chance to win a victory. There was no question that Ahab knew the Lord had acted on Israel's behalf, yet he still wanted to do things his way and spare the enemy leader, who he should have dealt with once and for all. Ahab gave up even more than Ben-Hadad expected when he spoke of him as an "old ally."
To accommodate those who openly defy God is to choose the wrong person. "The friendship of the world is enmity with God." Even though smooth, placating words are spoken to bring down our defenses, we should have the sense to know that a person who has never been born again cannot please God. A defeated enemy treated as a friend threatens peace and security.
Because the Lord has favorably worked on our behalf once, it does not mean he will not judge our sins or overlook our failures and wrongdoings. To know what is right and not do it is as serious as to know what is wrong and do it. "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." The more of our senses we use to pass on a message of truth, the more impressed it is on the minds of the people.
The method the Lord used to speak to Ahab when he spared the life of Ben-Hadad was to demonstrate by example and then use words to explain the message. Ahab sinned in his official responsibility as king of Israel, so the sentence passed on to him from the Lord was that he and the people he was supposed to lead would suffer defeat, humiliation, and death. This came to pass under the leadership of Jehu and then Jehoahaz.
When we see evidence of God's greatness as He works His will around us, we should gratefully respond to His work and the victories He won for us through our worship, thanksgiving, and obedience. Ignoring what God does or accepting it as what we deserve will bring disaster to us. As God works for us, we should obey Him and dedicate ourselves again to Him in faith and joy.
To boast of what I will do before starting the task is to take credit for nothing more than taking in a breath of cold air and breathing out hot air. It is foolish to claim a victory before the war begins. Only God knows the end from the beginning. Self-confidence doesn’t successfully accomplish our plans; we must go out and do what God wants. Confidence in self alone is often self-deceit that leads to failure due to sinful pride. It may lead me to make some promises that are impossible for me to keep. It can undermine my credibility as false boasting always does when I think and say my personal ability is the reason for favorable results.
Men who trust in men have put their confidence in the wrong place. A task is not accomplished because I put on a brave front in the face of adversity. Self-confidence is only as good as my weakest link. I had better stop and think about the consequences if I made bold boasts. I couldn’t take the next breath if God didn’t give it to me. There’s no way to make predictions about the unknown if I can't see through the eyes of God. Even my words would be stuck inside if God didn’t give me lips and a tongue. Any boast I might make is only a discordant song from an unsanctified mind and mouth. “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” A lot of things can happen between here and the task ahead.
Self-confidence can quickly fade, and my heart will be filled with dread when something unexpected happens unless I concede this fact: without God, I am nothing. Failure is inevitable if I trust in myself and think that I can do it without God's permission, guidance, and strength. A little bit of humility can go a long, long way toward accomplishing God's will. It is hard to trust a person who expects my confidence in him to be based solely on what he says. A person’s word can be trusted when it has been tried and proven through past experiences and overcoming difficulties. When one acknowledges his weakness and relies only on God’s strength, a goal can be reached that is far more lasting than I could ever think.