2 Kings 1:1-2 Themselves!

 “Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria, and was injured; so he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.”” II Kings‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab: The reign of Ahab was a spiritual disaster for the Northern Kingdom, but it was a time of political security and economic prosperity. After his death the kingdom of Moab found a good opportunity to remove their nation from the domination of Israel.

i. “Their land was immediately east of the Dead Sea and shared an indefinite border with Israel to the north at approximately the point where the Jordan River enters the Dead Sea.” (Dilday)

ii. Moab had been under Israelite domination since the days of David (2 Samuel 8:2 and 8:11-12). This rebellion of Moab in the days of Ahaziah was a sign of the decline of Israel’s power and of the judgment of God.

b. Ahaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria: This was surely an unexpected crisis. Such accidents happen to kings and peasants both.

i. “The king apparently leaned against the wooden screen and fell through from the second-floor balcony to the ground below.” (Dilday)

c. Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury: Ahaziah showed that he was a true worshipper of the pagan god Baal-Zebub because he turned to this god in his time of trouble.

i. “This could suggest that Baal-Zebub was a god who warded off plagues that were brought on by flies. There are numerous references to ‘fly gods’ in classical literature.” (Dilday)

ii. “He was the local god of Ekron, and probably was used at first to drive away flies. Afterwards, he became a very respectable devil, and was supposed to have great power and influence. In the New Testament, Beelzebub is a common name for Satan himself, or the prince of devils.” (Adam Clarke)

iii. “Men love the gods that are most like unto themselves, so it is not surprising to see Ahaziah sending to this miserable Philistine god.” (Knapp)

(Guzik)

Themselves!

All these comments on gods are interesting but the one that stands out to me is from Knapp, “Men love the gods that are most like unto themselves,”. 

I am reminded of these verses:

“For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” ‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬-‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Do you believe we are in the end times?

Blessings 

1 Kings 22:51-53 Walked in the way of his father!

 “Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.” I Kings‬ ‭22‬:‭51‬-‭53‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. He reigned two years over Israel: Ahab reigned 22 years, but his son only reigned two years. Though his repentance was shallow, when Ahab repented after an announcement of judgment in 1 Kings 21, God relented from the immediate judgment and promised to bring judgment in the days of Ahab’s son. Ahaziah’s short reign was a fulfillment of this prophecy in 1 Kings 21:29.

i. “By comparing this verse with verse 41, it appears that Ahaziah was made king by his father, and reigned in conjunction with him, a year or two before Ahab’s death.” (Poole)

b. He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam: Considering the sinful ways of Jeroboam, Ahab, and Jezebel, there is hardly anything worse that could be said of a king.

i. “It is a dark catalogue of iniquity, yet only what might be expected of the offspring of such a couple as Ahab and Jezebel.” (Knapp)

ii. With this, the Book of 1 Kings ends on a low note. It began with the promise of the twilight of Israel’s greatest king, David. It ends with the sad reign of one of the most wicked kings over one of the kingdoms coming from the divided tribes of Israel. (Guzik)

Walked in the way of his father!

We see this daily in the generational life of children in the manner that they were raised. Some are raised properly and others aren’t.

But there is hope for those that aren’t because Jesus breaks the chains of addiction!

“you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

There is a song we use in the Life Recovery Bible group we lead called Chain Breaker by Zach Williams. Enjoy!

Blessings 

Chain Breaker

1 Kings 22:41-50 What was right in the eyes of the LORD!

 “Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. And he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. Also Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And the rest of the perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land. There was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king. Jehoshaphat made merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber. Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not. And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.”

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭22‬:‭41‬-‭50‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Jehoshaphat the son of Asa: Asa was a good king and Jehoshaphat his son followed in his footsteps and did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.

i. The writer of 1 Kings actually summarized many of the remarkable accomplishments of Jehoshaphat, who was one of the better kings of Judah. From 2 Chronicles we learn many of Jehoshaphat’s other accomplishments.

· He sent teachers of God’s Word out to his entire kingdom (2 Chronicles 17:7-10). “By this little band of princes, Levites and priests, sixteen in all, Jehoshaphat did more toward impressing the surrounding nations with a sense of his power than the largest and best-equipped standing army could have secured to him” (Knapp).

· He established a permanent military garrison along the northern frontier (2 Chronicles 17:1-2, 12).

· He trained and equipped a sizeable army (2 Chronicles 17:14-19) that was able to quell a Transjordan invasion (2 Chronicles 20:1-30).

· He placed Edom under Judean control, controlling an important caravan route to the south (2 Kings 3:8-27; 2 Chronicles 20:36).

· God blessed his reign so much that the fear of the LORD came upon neighboring nations so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 17:10).

· Jehoshaphat was also an able administrator, implementing judicial reforms (2 Chronicles 19:5-11) and religious reforms (2 Chronicles 17:3-9).

· Jehoshaphat was also the king connected to the famous incident when the army of Judah saw a great victory won as the Levites led the battle with praise (2 Chronicles 20:15-23).

b. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away: Jehoshaphat did not do everything he should have as a king. Yet he reformed Israel even more deeply than Asa did (the rest of the perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land).

i. “In 2 Chronicles 17:6, it is expressly said, that he did take way the high places. Allowing that the text is right in 2 Chronicles the two places may be easily recognized. There were two kinds of high places in the land: 1. Those used for idolatrous purposes. 2. Those that were consecrated to God, and were used before the temple was built. The former he did take away, the latter he did not.” (Clarke)

c. There was then no king in Edom: “This note is introduced by the writer to account for Jehoshaphat’s building ships at Ezion-geber, which was in the territory of the Edomites, and which showed them to be at that time under the Jewish yoke.” (Clarke)

d. Let my servants go with your servants in the ships: After a disastrous shipping venture, Jehoshaphat was tempted to make an alliance with Israel, but Jehoshaphat would not. This was to his credit. He learned the lesson of not entering a partnership with the ungodly.

i. 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 tells us more about this shipping venture with Israel. It tells us that Jehoshaphat did make an alliance with Ahaziah and it ended in disaster. The LORD told Jehoshaphat why: Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works(2 Chronicles 20:37). It was after this word of the LORD that Jehoshaphat turned down the offer of a continued alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel.

e. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place: Jehoshaphat gave his son Jehoram to Athaliah in marriage, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (2 Chronicles 18:1). This was a serious error because the reign of Ahaziah was a spiritual and national disaster for Judah because Jehoram walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for he had the daughter of Ahab as a wife (2 Chronicles 21:6). The ill effects of this were felt even to the next generation, because Ahaziah the son of Jehoram was also a bad king for Judah (2 Chronicles 22:2-4). (Guzik)

What was right in the eyes of the LORD!

Like Jehoshaphat we can do what was right in the eyes of the LORD but we still are human in a fallen world and still sin. We aren’t sinless but should strive to sin less and when we do, confess our sins as the Bible says:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ‭‭I John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

What does it mean that the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous?

Blessings 

eyes-Lord-upon-righteous

1 Kings 22:37-40 Dogs Licked!

 “So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. Then someone washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood while the harlots bathed, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken. Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, the ivory house which he built and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? So Ahab rested with his fathers. Then Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.”

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬-‭40‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. So the king died: The word through the prophet Micaiah proved true. King Ahab never returned to Samaria or Israel in peace.

b. The dogs licked up his blood while the harlots bathed: This was an almost fulfillment of God’s word through Elijah in 1 Kings 21:19, where Elijah prophesied that dogs would lick the blood of Ahab. This proved true, but not in the place Elijah said it would happen. God relented from His original judgment against Ahab announced in 1 Kings 21, but because of Ahab’s false repentance and continued sin, a very similar judgment came upon him.

c. According to the word of the LORD which He had spoken: There was another prophecy fulfilled in the death of Ahab. It was the word from the anonymous prophet of 1 Kings 20:42, that Ahab spared Ben-Hadad’s life at the expense of his own.

d. The ivory house which he built and all the cities that he built: By material standards, the reign of Ahab was a success. He was generally militarily successful and enjoyed a generally prosperous economy. Yet spiritually his reign was a disaster, one of the worst ever for Israel. (Guzik)

Dogs Licked!

Our dogs throughout our lives have had this habit, if you wound yourself and bleed the dogs will try to lick up the blood. You could say that they have a taste for it but dogs actually don’t have taste buds, they have an extreme sense of smell. 

The dogs licked up his blood (Ahab) and the prophesy was fulfilled! 

Do you believe the prophecy of Isaiah 53 about Jesus Christ written before Jesus was born?

Blessings 

1 Kings 22:31-36 But God had a holy hand in it!

 “Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.” So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out. And it happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” The battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot. Then, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!”” I Kings‬ ‭22‬:‭31‬-‭36‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel: Ahab’s previous mercy to Ben-Hadad did not win any lasting favor with the rulers of Syria. This strategy of the Syrian army made Ahab’s counter-strategy of disguising himself in battle seem very wise.

i. “Thus doth the unthankful infidel repay the mercy of his late victory… but God had a holy hand in it.” (Trapp)

b. Jehoshaphat cried out: Finding himself as the only identifiable king in the battle, Jehoshaphat found himself quickly in danger. He cried out unto the LORD and was rescued when they turned back from pursuing him.

i. 2 Chronicles 18:31 makes it clear that the LORD heard Jehoshaphat’s cry and rescued him.

ii. After the close escape at Ramoth Gilead, Jehoshaphat rededicated himself to the spiritual reform of Judah: he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the mountains of Ephraim, and brought them back to the LORD God of their fathers(2 Chronicles 19:4).

c. Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel: This seemed to be pure chance. It was a certain man, and he pulled his bow at random - but it struck as if it were a sin-seeking missile. God orchestrated the unintended actions of man to result in an exercise of His judgment.

i. “And now what joy could Ahab’s black soul, ready to depart, have of his ivory house? Who had not rather be a Micaiah in the jail than Ahab in the chariot? Wicked men have the advantage of the way, godly men of the end.” (Trapp)

d. The king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening: Ahab faced the end of his life bravely, dying propped up in his chariot to inspire his troops. When his death became known, the battle was over.

i. “It appears that the Israelites and Jews maintained the fight the whole of the day; but when at evening the king died, and this was known, there was a proclamation made, probably with the consent of both Syrians and Israelites, that the war was over.” (Clarke)

(Guzik)

But God had a holy hand in it!

Trapp’s commentary is straight to the point, king Ahab’s death in battle was brought about by God’s holy hand because of his black soul.

Better to be Micaiah in jail than Ahab in his chariot!

I would rather be a godly man to the end than a wicked man with the advantage of the way!

What about you?

Blessings 

1 Kings 22:29-30 Great Faith?

 “So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.” I Kings‬ ‭22‬:‭29‬-‭30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead: It is easy to understand why King Ahab of Israel went to this battle; he didn’t want to believe that Micaiah’s prophecy was true and wanted to courageously oppose it. It is less easy to understand why King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to this battle with Ahab. He should have believed the prophecy of Micaiah and known that the battle would end in disaster and the death of at least Ahab.

i. It may be that Jehoshaphat had a fatalistic attitude towards the will of God, figuring that if it all was God’s will, then there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it.

b. I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes: Going into the battle, Ahab did not want to be identified as a king and therefore be a special target. He thought this would help protect him against Micaiah’s prophecy of doom. It is more difficult to explain why Jehoshaphat agreed to go into the battle as the only clearly identified king. Perhaps he was either not very smart or he had very great faith. (Guzik)

Great Faith?

Only Jehoshaphat can answer that question of faith! But we are all human and have faults. Look at the disciples who spent three years with Jesus! 

For it was written and prophesied: 

““Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion,” Says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.”

‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭13‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭56‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The question is, will we keep our faith until our last breath?

Blessings