Slices
Prepare
‘I have hidden your word in my heart that I may not sin against you’ (Psalm 119:11). How does God’s Word find its way into your heart? How do you carry his Word with you through the day?
Bible passage
Ahab killed at Ramoth Gilead
29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.’ So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
31 Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, ‘Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.’ 32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, ‘Surely this is the king of Israel.’ So they turned to attack him, but when Jehoshaphat cried out, 33 the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel and stopped pursuing him.
34 But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armour. The king told his chariot driver, ‘Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.’ 35 All day long the battle raged, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died. 36 As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army: ‘Every man to his town. Every man to his land!’
37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried him there. 38 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.
39 As for the other events of Ahab’s reign, including all he did, the palace he built and adorned with ivory, and the cities he fortified, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 40 Ahab rested with his ancestors. And Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king.
Jehoshaphat king of Judah
41 Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 43 In everything he followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. 44 Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.
45 As for the other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, the things he achieved and his military exploits, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 46 He rid the land of the rest of the male-shrine prostitutes who remained there even after the reign of his father Asa. 47 There was then no king in Edom; a provincial governor ruled.
48 Now Jehoshaphat built a fleet of trading ships to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail – they were wrecked at Ezion Geber. 49 At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Let my men sail with yours,’ but Jehoshaphat refused.
50 Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of David his father. And Jehoram his son succeeded him as king.
Ahaziah king of Israel
51 Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel for two years. 52 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, because he followed the ways of his father and mother and of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. 53 He served and worshipped Baal and aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, just as his father had done.
Explore
Ahab now has enough information to make a good decision (22:19–23), but he chooses not to heed God’s Word (v 29). It is almost laughable to see Ahab’s attempts to outwit God (v 30). But when God decides to enact judgement (v 34), nothing will hinder him.
God’s judgement is not a topic that most people want to discuss or even think about. How might people today attempt to get round God’s judgement? Jesus was clear about judgement in Matthew 25:31,32 and in his vision to John (Revelation 20:11–15). He has given us enough information to make wise decisions.
While Ahab receives disaster and death, Jehoshaphat receives the mercy and protection of God (vs 32,33). What did Jehoshaphat’s God-honouring reign (v 43) look like day to day? He sought God’s counsel (22:5), he was discerning about advice (22:6,7), he encouraged others to seek God and rebuked ungodly conduct (22:8), he learned from past mistakes (vs 48,49; see v 4) and he was rigorous about holiness (v 46). Let’s ‘be more Jehoshaphat’ today!
Respond
Pray: Heavenly Father, you whose hands formed me and made me – ‘give me understanding to learn your commands. Teach me knowledge and good judgement, for I trust your commands’. Amen (from Psalm 119:73,66).
Deeper Bible study
‘ ... who … made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant … Therefore God exalted him … that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow’.1
Lies might get the popular vote, but God is not deceived. Hedging his bets, Ahab goes to the battle in disguise (v 30), while generously (?) encouraging Jehoshaphat to mark himself out in his royal robes. Ben-Hadad, however, only wants to kill the double-crossing Ahab (vs 31–33). Duplicitous (and cowardly?) Ahab is wounded by a random shot (v 34). Despite his request to be taken out of the battle, he is left facing the enemy. As God had told him, he would die – and the blood of this king who had prostituted himself in idol worship is licked up by dogs (vs 37,38). A shameful end for this shameful king.
Jehoshaphat meanwhile has a long reign and follows the example of his father King Asa. Apart from some exceptions, he also does what ‘was right in the eyes of the Lord’ (v 43) – though there is some wavering with a failed gold-hunting expedition (v 48). He is still in touch with the powerful northern dynasty, but at least he refuses the temptation to cooperate again with his idolatrous neighbours (vs 49,53).
This first book of Kings ends with the unresolved issues of earlier decades. Judah and Israel are divided. The gentler kings of Judah do ‘what was right’ (v 43), yet never quite separate themselves or their people from cultural expressions of dependency on other gods (‘high places’, v 43). In the northern kingdom of Israel, life continues in the ways of ancestor Jeroboam (v 53). Ahaziah, son of Ahab and successor to the throne of Jeroboam, follows the example of his elders, leading the people into sin (v 52). The influence of these leaders over the years has sown the seeds of coming disaster. Their lives bring us back to the question of our own wholehearted devotion to God.
Whom do you serve? Total commitment to God and his ways? Or is there closet dependence on unseen idols out on the hills?
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Isaiah 21,22; Titus 2
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for Local Mission Partner Brighton and Hove City Mission. Their Head of Mission died early this year and their Schools Team Leader, Lloyd, has taken over. Pray for God’s wisdom for him as he steps into this new role.