1 Kings 21:15-29 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Kings 21:15-29. Let’s go!
1 Kings 21:25-29 (NIV)
25 (There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife.
26 He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the LORD drove out before Israel.)
27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.
28 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite:
29 “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.”
On verses 15-24: Having murdered Naboth, at Jezebel’s urging Ahab takes possession of Naboth’s vineyard. God sends Elijah to speak a word of retribution against Ahab for the way he murdered Naboth and stole his vineyard. Elijah prophesies that as punishment for Ahab’s and Jezebel’s sins, God would cut off every male from Ahab’s line (v21-22) and cause the dogs to eat Jezebel’s flesh (v24). Having heard God’s Word, Ahab humbles himself before God, confessing and repenting of sin (v27). God notices the way Ahab humbles himself before Him. In His mercy and grace, God decides not to bring the disaster He had proclaimed against Ahab’s family during Ahab’s lifetime but reserves it for later (v28-29).
What can we learn from this?
1. It’s amazing that God would show such mercy to a man like Ahab, especially when verses 25-26 say “There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord…[and] behaved in the vilest manner”. It goes to show that as great as our sin can be, God’s mercy is that much greater. If we will humble ourselves like Ahab in response to Jesus the Word of God, we can experience incredible mercy from God and can be spared the punishment we deserve for our sin.
2. Ahab would call Elijah “my enemy” (v20), when actually Elijah was one of the best friends Ahab ever had. That’s because a true friend speaks the truth that you need to hear, even when you don’t want to hear it. Elijah spoke the truth that Ahab needed to hear, and this truth led Ahab to change for the better.
Heavenly Father, thank You that, no matter what we’ve done, mercy and grace are available to the worst of sinners, including me. Thank You for friends in our lives who speak those tough truthful words we need to hear, so that we can humble ourselves before You and find You again. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
