As the Word Had Declared
(1 Kings 22:29~40)
The Word of God is to be fulfilled whether good or bad. Having Gods Word is like having everything. God puts Ahab to his judgment because of his constant refusal to listen to the Word. Lets think about Gods judgment where things are done as the Word had declared and its process. The Word is fulfilled as follows.
1. The Word nullifies Ahabs disguise. Driven by his greed and incited by the spirit of lies, Ahab went up to Ramoth Gilead. After winning the support of Jehoshaphats military power in addition to Ahabs two great victories against Aram, Ahab seems to have his greatest cause of the unification of Israel. Nevertheless, he should have stopped waging the war that God was not pleased with. Ahab actually had constantly inquired of God, but stubbornly insisted on his own way and went out to the battlefield. Pricked by Micaiahs prophecy that he would die, Ahab made Jehoshaphat wear his royal robe while he disguised himself as a soldier. Ahab must have thought, If I win the war, Ramoth Gilead is mine. If Jehoshaphat dies, Judah is mine! To Ahab, win or lose, this was a perfect plan. Thus Satans idea of going to battle sounds great and perfect. Theres a catch, though. Ahab didnt think he would die. And why did Jehoshaphat wear his royal robe as Ahab asked him? Was it from a sense of false mercy after hearing the prophecy of Ahabs death or was it from his false faith in order to validate his proclamation that Israel and Judah belong to one community? Snapping at the bait, Jehoshaphat hooked and deplorably joined Ahabs evil plan, leaving the bread and water of affliction to Micaiah even though he knew that his prophecy was true. Although Jehoshaphat had achieved a great reformation in Judah, that was it! He was tricked by Ahabs disguised cause. To avoid this disguise, we need to use the standard tactics of the Word.
2. The Word nullifies Ahabs chariots. After ignoring Micaiahs prophecy, Ahab went to war, putting his chariots ahead of him not knowing that he would be killed, propped up in his idol chariot(35). Actually God had forgiven all his sins whenever he humbled himself before God. However, during the warless periods, Ahab didnt repent. Instead, he continued to rely on his chariots till the very last moment. Following the command of their king, the highly trained thirty-two Aramean charioteers rushed toward Jehoshaphat wearing his royal robe. At the flashpoint, Jehoshaphat cried out. The phrase cried out refers to his desperate SOS sent to God. In response to this, God heard Jehoshaphats cry and helped him by 'moving them to depart from him.'(1 Chr. 18:31) God helped him out. The Lord moved Arameans to depart from him. Theres nothing that human beings can do to save themselves. The only solution is crying out O Lord. God knows everything. We simply need to cry out to God, recognizing that we are not the ones who can resolve our problems. Despite Jehoshaphats fatal mistake of following Ahab, God promptly responded to his O Lord SOS and saved him.
3. The Word is fulfilled even through incidents. Notice the phrase at random in verse 4. It means by accident. However, the Hebrew word of this phrase refers to a flawless condition. Someone drew his bow at random and hit Ahab. The probability of hitting a man with an arrow that penetrates the seam of the armor on an ever moving chariot is 0%. This arrow shot by someone at random is actually the perfect setting of God. Remember! Someone or some situation we happen to come across is Gods flawless providence for us. Unable to move forward through the fierce battlefield, Ahab died in the evening. After Ahab died, every man returned to his town and land, regardless of retaking Ramoth Gilead. Thus the Word of God was fulfilled as Micaiah prophesied 'Let each one go home in peace' in verse 17 after Ahab finally died.
4. The Word urges dogs to lick Ahabs blood. The greatest trophy of war is the king of the enemy. Yet the Lord judged only Ahab, allowing his body to be retrieved while leaving all the Israelites intact. The miserable scene of dogs licking the gore of Ahabs body at a pool in Samaria where the prostitutes bathed must have brought home to the people that the Word must be fulfilled. The list of Ahabs sins takes up six chapters while his achievement of building the palace of ivory and the cities he fortified takes up just one verse (39)! Thus Gods evaluation is different from ours. Nevertheless, there is a hope. Even though Ahab was put to Gods judgment, he rested with his fathers(40). A few kings of the north Israel are described thus even though their dynasty started as a rebelled kingdom. God must have had pity on them, considering their values, totally different from those of gentile kings. Ahab merely worried that a gentile king might take away his property. He inquired of Micaiah even though he hated him. He is the one who made Elijah the greatest prophet. It takes time for us to have a heavenly identity. Gods kingdom is a consecrated kingdom, which calls for our consecrated life beyond our reach. God took the trouble to drive his prodigal son Ahab. God never gave up on Ahab because he was still one of his people, who is different from Ben-Hadad, King of Aram. Ahab might have repented of his sins with his last breath. No matter how problematic, the people around us, who believe in Jesus, can be our trainers. May Gods blessing be upon us to proclaim under all circumstances that 'Things are done as the Word declared!' under all circumstances, giving thanks to God for our circumstances as Gods perfect setting for us!
They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed), and the dogs licked up his blood, as the word of the LORD had declared. (1Kgs 22:38)
