1st Kings 20 "COUNTING CHICKENS" TOO QUICK 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, by the time the next generation came to maturity were avowed enemies. Peace made between nations and people is not a lasting peace until true peace with God has been made. By nature, human beings want to be in control of their own lives and destiny, 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 then they really are.
Ahab's answer to Ben-Hadad's threat was similar to a saying we have in our day, "Don't count you 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 make a 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 on this occasion, he acted like a king. The Lord saw that and gave directions to him through a prophet. Ahab followed the directives and the result was a victory for Israel even though they were up against an army much greater in size. There was no question in the mind of Ahab 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 seem to lessen at times, but it will never cease until the Lord reigns. In fact, 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 quite common today in those who have a god of their own imagination. People will say, "I don't think God would do that." Some will say, 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 personally think is sin, and that even though they sin daily, it is only what they consider serious sin to be of serious consequences. In His own 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 behalf of Israel, and yet he still wanted to do things his own way and spare the enemy leader who he should have dealt with once for all. To accommodate to 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. Ahab gave up even more than Ben-Hadad expected when he spoke of him and an "old ally." A defeated enemy who is treated as a friend is a danger to peace and security.
Because the Lord has favorably worked on our behalf one time, does not mean he will not judge our sin and overlook our failure and wrong-doing. 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 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. The more of our senses we use to pass on a message of truth, the more impressed it is on the mind of the people.
Ahab sinned in his official responsibility as king of Israel, so the sentence passed on to him from the Lord was that both he and the people who 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 the greatness of God as He works His will around us, we should gratefully respond to His working and the victories He won for us, by our worship, thanksgiving and obedience. To ignore what God does, or accept it as what we deserve, will bring disaster on us. As God works for us, we should obey Him and dedicate ourselves again to Him in faith and joy.
1Kings 20:11. “And the king of Israel answered and said, tell him, let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.” SELF CONFIDENCE. To boast of what I will do before starting the task, Is to take credit for nothing more than a breath or a gasp. It is foolish to claim a victory before the war begins. Ill-formed self confidence doesn’t successfully fulfill our plans.
Confidence in self alone is often self deceit. It leads me to make some promises it is impossible for me to keep. It can undermine my credibility as false boasting does – It makes my personal ability the reason for my cause.
Men who trust in man, have confidence in the wrong place. A task is not accomplished because I have a brave face. Self confidence is only as good as my weakest link. If I have made bold boasts, I had better stop to think.
I couldn’t breathe the next breath if God didn’t give it to me. There’s no way to visualize the unknown if it is impossible for me to see. My words would be stuck inside if God didn’t give lips and tongue, So, any boast I might make is only a discordant song.
A lot can happen between here and the task ahead. Self confidence can quickly fade away and my heart be filled with dread, Unless I concede this to be a fact, without God I am nothing. And failure is inevitable if it is only in self I am trusting.
A little bit of humility can go a long, long ways. It is hard to trust a person only by what he says. When one acknowledges his weakness and relies only on God’s strength, There can be a goal reached far more lasting than I could ever think.
“O God who knows the inward man before You: please keep me from vain boasting of things done or planned. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”