Author Archive for: meiling

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. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 20:23-34. Let’s go!

On verses 23-34:  The officials of Ben-Hadad King of Aram had no idea whom they were dealing with.  They assumed that the reason why the outnumbered Israelites unexpectedly defeated the Arameans at the first battle was because the Israelites were experienced at fighting in the mountains.  “But if we fight them on the plains, we will surely have the upper hand,” the Aramean officials reasoned.  Little did the Aramean officials know that regardless of where they fought, the Israelites were a force to be reckoned only because the Lord was with them. 

So in the next battle, the Israelites overpower the Arameans on their own flat home court, killing 100,000 Aramean soldiers on the plains.  Another 27,000 Aramean soldiers are killed when a city wall in Aphek collapses on them.  The remainder, including King Ben-Hadad, flee.  King Ben-Hadad pleads with King Ahab to spare his life.  Seemingly without giving it a second thought, Ahab receives Ben-Hadad, who had wanted to destroy Ahab and his people, as one receives a brother.  Ahab enters into an economic treaty with Ben-Hadad and lets Ben-Hadad go free.  This would prove to be a fatal mistake on King Ahab’s part.  Three years later in 1 Kings 22, the King of Aram would once again go to war against King Ahab of Israel and this time would succeed in killing Ahab.  

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 20:13-22.  Let’s go!

1 Kings 20:13-14 (NIV) 
13 Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the LORD.'” 
14 “But who will do this?” asked Ahab. The prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘The young officers of the provincial commanders will do it.'” “And who will start the battle?” he asked. The prophet answered, “You will.” 

On verses 13-22:  Through an unidentified prophet God tells Ahab that Ahab will be victorious over Ben-Hadad and his armies and that the junior officers under the provincial commanders will lead Ahab’s army to victory.  So Ahab mobilizes 232 junior officers to launch an attack against Ben-Hadad, followed by 7,000 more soldiers.  Meanwhile Ben-Hadad and the kings allied with him are unsuspecting and getting drunk.  When Ben-Hadad hears that Ahab’s forces are advancing against him, Ben-Hadad tells his army to destroy them no matter what (v18).  The junior officers overcome their Aramean opponents, causing them to flee and to sustain heavy losses.   The unnamed prophet warns Ahab not to celebrate too quickly but to prepare for another attack from Aram (v22).