Daily Devotional for Wednesday, April 16

The End of Ahab’s Reign

   “And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?” 1 Kings 22:17, 18.

Ahab continually did evil in the Lord’s sight. He and Jezebel imprisoned, tortured and killed God’s prophets and led Israel to worship numerous false gods. Times were dark in Israel, “Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, and afflict thine heritage” (Psalm 94:3, 5).

As Ahab and Jehoshaphat plotted battle against Syria, Jehoshaphat requested Ahab call the prophets to give the forecast. Four hundred false prophets spilled into the room all tickling their king’s ears. Jehoshaphat looked around for a true prophet and saw none had been summoned. Reluctantly, Micaiah, a true prophet of God, was called, and Ahab cringed to hear the truth. Micaiah’s words agreed with those of the false prophets but carried a different meaning. 

Micaiah shared his vision from the Lord. An enticing, lying spirit led four hundred prophets to tell Ahab what he wanted to hear, “Go up and fight! The Lord is behind it.” The Lord was indeed behind it. He orchestrated Ahab’s fall.

Attempting to be incognito, Ahab left Jehoshaphat in a dangerous predicament as the only visible king on the field. The Syrians only wanted Ahab. As they abandoned the decoy, “a certain man drew a bow at a venture” (2 Kings 22:34). A random Syrian soldier randomly drew his bow and let his arrow randomly fly, and it fatally struck Ahab in just the right place. In the hand of the Lord, nothing is random. Ahab’s life and reign came to the bloody end the Lord had predicted.

THOUGHT

“Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins” (Psalm 7:9).

Kelli Reynolds