TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 11:14-43
I will humble David’s descendants for this, but not forever. - 1 Kings 11:39
TODAY IN THE WORD
The opening chapters of the book of Job give a unique glimpse into the heavenly court where Satan (literally “the adversary”) received God's permission to test Job. The rest of the book details all the suffering, loss, and misery Job experienced at the direction of Satan. And although Job never learned why he had to suffer, Scripture makes it clear that not even Satan can act without God's permission.

This theme of God's sovereignty (even in adversity) lies at the heart of today's reading as well. This time another set of “adversaries” came on the scene. First, Scripture tells us expressly that God Himself raised up “Hadad the Edomite” (vv. 14-22) and “Rezon son of Eliada” (vv. 23-25) as “adversaries” who troubled the king “as long as Solomon lived” (v. 24). In addition to this outside turmoil, next came the Israelite “Jeroboam son of Nebat” who posed a serious threat to Solomon's throne. Although never designated an “adversary,” Jeroboam's conversation with the prophet Ahijah makes it clear that God's hand was behind this troublemaker as well (vv. 29-39).

From Solomon's perspective, Hadad, Rezon, and Jeroboam were each the proverbial thorn in the flesh. These men all posed a significant threat to Solomon's kingdom, and Solomon even tried to kill Jeroboam (v. 40). Yet from the perspective of Scripture, God was still in control, using these ostensibly human activities to further His own purposes. Even in adversity, God remains sovereign.

This leads to a second important lesson in today's reading: God's loving discipline. Second Samuel 7:14 stands as an important text behind our passage. There, God had promised to punish the king who turned from Him; 1 Kings 11 records this particular instance of God's faithfulness to His word. Yet in today's passage we also find God's offer of love and commitment that was promised in 2 Samuel 7:15-16. God will take away the kingdom, but not all of it (vv. 32-36), and not forever (v. 39). Don't miss the hidden promise: God's discipline of Solomon left room for the Davidic line to be restored one day. According to the royal genealogy of Matthew 1, that day has come.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Sometimes adversity stems from our own sin (as in today's passage), and sometimes not (as with Job). Either way, Scripture declares that God has not lost control. Perhaps you know someone who faces a life of difficulty and suffering. Without being glib or insensitive, comfort that person with today's lesson. Remind your loved one that even in difficult times, when God seems distant or removed, He has not forgotten us. His plan of love for us will still be completed, even through adversity. We can trust His faithfulness.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 12:1-24
So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the Lord. - 1 Kings 12:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
Every student of U.S. history examines the catastrophic Civil War. Historians analyze the causes, battle strategies, and legacies—but no one denies the impact of the Civil War on our history. Today, we are the United States, but that unity came at the terrible price of more than half a million dead soldiers and countless more displaced and injured people.

In today's passage, we read about another civil war as a national consequence of folly. Rehoboam took the throne after his father's death, but was quickly threatened by the return of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Jeroboam gathered a group of malcontents and demanded that the new king lighten the yoke of their civic burdens. What followed was a series of foolish choices by Rehoboam. First, he rejected the wiser counsel of his father's elders and followed the guidance of his peers. This led to the northern tribes breaking away from his leadership. Next, he sent his official Adoniram on a mission to secure the people's will by force, which only resulted in the death of Adoniram and the near escape of Rehoboam himself. Finally, Rehoboam mustered his armies “to make war against the house of Israel” (v. 21). He quickly found himself opposed by God Himself.

The theme of folly is strong in today's text, but it is not the only theme. Notice carefully both the underlying commentary of Scripture and then the way the passage ends. Although Rehoboam's foolishness was apparent, twice Scripture echoes this refrain: “This turn of events was from the Lord” (vv. 15, 24). Poor leadership? Certainly. But a God no longer in control? Absolutely not! God was still at work with His people.

Finally, note the hopeful ending. After all the poor choices by Rehoboam, he was faced with God's command not to fight his own people. The response: “So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home again, as the Lord had ordered” (v. 24). Our chapter is filled with folly, but underneath still lie flickers of encouragement. God is still in control, and glimmers of wisdom still remain in Judah.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Like Solomon's kingdom, Christ's church today is extremely divided. One set of data estimates over 33,000 different denominations! Much is at stake, theologically and practically, but we know Christ's will was for the unity of His body (see John 17). Spend time praying today first thanking God that He is still in control, and then asking Him to work in your life and the lives of church members around the world to submit to His Word, that Jesus' prayer for unity might be fulfilled.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 12:25-33
You shall have no other gods before me. - Exodus 20:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
The popular slogan declares, “The family that prays together stays together.” In today's passage, Jeroboam seemed to think that the northern kingdom would stay together if they prayed together. He recognized one major threat: if the people continued to worship in Jerusalem, they would reunite with Rehoboam (v. 27). He needed the bonding glue of corporate worship. There was a big problem—his prescribed form of worship was fundamentally flawed.

First, Jeroboam violated the divinely commanded form of worship. Whereas God had specifically forbidden the worship of other gods in the form of idols (Ex. 20:3-5), Jeroboam created two golden calves for his people to worship. Notice how his call to worship echoes Israel's earlier sin of idolatry: “Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt” (v. 28; cf. Ex. 32:4).

Next, Jeroboam violated the divinely prescribed place of worship. God had ordered the building of His tabernacle (Exodus 35-40) and later consecrated Solomon's temple in Jerusalem as the true place of worship. Dan and Bethel, Jeroboam's newly sanctioned places of worship, were far more accessible for the northern tribes, and even had a veneer of piety in their connection with the patriarchs Abraham, Jacob, and Moses (Gen. 12:8; 28:10-23; Judges 18:29-31), but they were not divinely sanctioned places of worship.

Finally, Jeroboam violated the divinely appointed leaders and times of worship. Rather than the explicitly chosen Levites (Ex. 32:27-29), Jeroboam chose his priests from “all sorts of people” (v. 31). And rather than following the prescribed worship calendar, Jeroboam created a new festival on “a month of his own choosing” (vv. 32-33).

Scripture's commentary is clear: “And this thing became a sin” (v. 30). God will only accept worship in the way He prescribes. A self-made religion such as Jeroboam's, however convenient or sensible in our own eyes, is only idolatry and false worship.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Examine your own life of worship today, both private and corporate, to see whether any idols lurk. Do you have any self-made ideas of what God should be like, perhaps preferring your own constructs of His character to Scripture's portrayal? Have you or your church slipped into worship practices that privilege convenience over principle? Take time to genuinely explore this question today, asking God for a restored desire to worship Him the way He commands to be worshiped.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 14:1-20
You have made for yourself other gods . . . you have provoked me to anger and thrust me behind your back. - 1 Kings 14:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
Two hikers walking in the woods came upon a fork in the path, but were unsure where to go. One path led home; the other took them far into the wilderness. Unfamiliar with the terrain, and without a map, the hikers chose the wrong path. Four hours later, darkness descended upon them as they huddled together, cold, tired, hungry, and without water. They eventually perished—their doom was sealed the moment they chose the wrong path.

Like the two hikers, Jeroboam's earlier choices led him to this dark point in the story. His son grew deathly ill, and he sent his wife to the prophet Ahijah to discover the boy's fate. The last two chapters have just detailed Jeroboam's wanton wickedness; yet, here he hoped to trick or bribe Ahijah into offering a good word (vv. 1-4). But Scripture shows us that God cannot be tricked. No disguise can cover the pretentious heart (v. 5). God is not swayed by superstition, nor is He some trinket that we rub when we are in trouble. He calls for a relationship of faithful obedience and repentance from sin, not gimmicks and quick fixes. Jeroboam learned that lesson all too well.

The thrust of our text, however, is on Ahijah's prophecy and God's word of judgment. And at the heart of that prophecy is the declaration against idolatry. Jeroboam's fate is disastrous: his child will die, all male descendants will be cut off, his dynasty will be destroyed, his house utterly burned, and all of Israel will be taken into exile (vv. 6-16). Although God had shown Jeroboam great grace in raising him up and giving him a kingdom, the stinging pronouncement is this: “You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods . . . you have provoked me to anger and thrust me behind your back” (v. 9). Jeroboam may have had lots of military and political accomplishments (v. 19), but Scripture's assessment is clear: Jeroboam was an utter failure where it counted most. His early choice of idolatry ruined everything.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Consider Scripture's evaluation of Jeroboam's life: twenty-two years trying to make something of himself and his kingdom (v. 20), but in the end it was all misguided. What truly mattered, his walk with God, was neglected. Where do your priorities lie? Do you spend more time and energy on your work and personal advancement than you do seeking to grow in God's grace and walking in His ways? If so, make today the day you rearrange your priorities, stripping your life of idols, and turning back to the Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 14:21-15:24
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. - Psalm 51:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Charles Dickens's novel, A Tale of Two Cities, opens with famous lines describing the scene in England and France prior to the French Revolution: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness.”

Dickens portrayed a tale of two cities; today's passage is a tale of three kings of Judah, with similar dichotomies: wisdom and foolishness, belief and disbelief, light and darkness. Central to the reigns of Rehoboam, Abijah, and Asa, however, was the issue of the heart. Under Rehoboam, Judah took a turn for the worse. Idolatry ran rampant (14:22-24) and the temple was plundered of its treasures (14:25-28). But note how Rehoboam continued to keep up religious appearances. The end had not yet come, but Rehoboam's heart that feigned worship pointed the trajectory already.

The second king, Abijah, continued in the sins of his fathers, and the kingdom experienced continual war (15:6-8). Scripture highlights the fundamental problem: “his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been” (15:3). This heart focus is so important that David's God-oriented heart is further underscored (15:4-5).

If the first two kings represent folly, disbelief, and darkness, the third king, Asa, represents wisdom, belief, and light. In fact, Scripture calls Asa a “lamp in Jerusalem” (15:4). Asa was not perfect. He did not remove every high place, and his political dealings with foreign aid were not commendable (see 2 Chron. 16:1-10). But overall, he did what was right, like David. He rid the nation of idols, removed the shrine prostitutes, deposed his wicked grandmother from office, and returned silver and gold to the temple (15:11-15). The core issue is repeated: “Asa's heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life” (15:14). Three different kings, each moving toward light or darkness—the heart is what mattered most.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today's passage highlights the importance of a heart committed to the Lord, what Scripture sometimes calls a pure heart. None of us is without sin; even David failed miserably. But is your heart oriented toward God in humility, repentance, and a desire for obedience? Or is it turned to idolatry and personal pleasures? Take a moment today to search your own heart; then make Psalm 51:10 your prayer: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 15:25-16:34
Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. - Ezekiel 18:30
TODAY IN THE WORD
In many pieces of music or poetry, the term refrain describes the melody or group of lines that recur throughout the composition. Typically occurring at the end of each verse or division, the refrain brings completion to the trajectory of the piece, as well as cohesion to the work as a whole.

Today's text offers a dark refrain, summarizing the recurring motif of the passage. Scripture punctuates this narrative with the cascading repetition that each Israelite king “did evil in the eyes of the Lord,” provoking Him to anger (15:26, 30, 34; 16:2, 7, 13, 19, 25, 26, 30, 33). Life in Israel was full of betrayal, idolatry, rival temples, and accumulating evil. It almost seems that Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, and Ahab were each trying to outdo the wickedness of the previous generation (see especially 16:25, 30).

These were dark times for the northern kingdom, and we might be tempted to pass over such passages quickly, hoping for more encouraging words. But the narrator of our text wants us to see more, quietly but clearly pointing to God's continued control, even in dark times. Three different times, Scripture reports that what was happening was “in accordance with the word of the Lord” (15:29, 16:12, 16:34). God did not approve of the ongoing wickedness, but it did not take Him by surprise; in fact, He was the one who had predicted it in the first place, and He was using it to accomplish His purposes anyway (cf. 14:10-11). The text reminds us that evil may run rampant, but we can be sure that God has lost neither sight nor control of the situation.

The second underlying message is that sin does not go unpunished. In fact, sin becomes its own punishment. Look at the results of doing evil for these kings: constant war, numerous plotting and betrayal, rivalry, insecurity, even murder. Evil begets more evil. Any promise of happiness or pleasure is shattered by the choice to engage in wickedness. Today's text provides a powerful example that the choice to sin so often leads only to further sin.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today's passage warns of the spiraling entanglement of sin, but its dark portrait also calls us to turn from those disastrous ways. Such a turn is not always easy, for it means exposing our deeds to the light (John 3:20); but no other option can bring true happiness. Ask God for the courage today to expose your own sin to His healing light, making a list of those words, deeds, and attitudes that violate His commands. Then pray over that list, asking God for forgiveness and strength from His Spirit to turn from those sins.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 17:1-16
She went away and did as Elijah had told her. - 1 Kings 17:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
In ancient Canaanite religion, Baal was the fertility god who provided rain necessary for crops. One Canaanite poem emphasizes Baal's power this way: “Now Baal will begin the rainy season / the season of wadis in flood; / and he will sound his voice in the clouds, / flash his lightning to the earth.”

Baal's presence in Israel (see 1 Kings 16:29-33) is now juxtaposed with the sudden emergence of the prophet Elijah. Where the previous chapter seemed to indicate Baal's dominance, Elijah's prediction of drought was a direct challenge to Baal's power (v. 1). That Elijah's word held true (v. 7) underscores the power of the true God over any rival deity. And note, too, the suddenness of Elijah's arrival. Without introduction, Elijah simply appeared on the scene. Just when it looked like Ahab's wicked ways would prevail, God had other plans. Isn't this the way of our sovereign God? The rise of evil is only temporary compared to God's eternal wisdom.

With a prophet raised up, Scripture reports the unexpected provision of God. With a drought at hand and Elijah's life at stake (cf. 18:4), God was sure to provide for Elijah's needs. But note the unusual way He did so. First, God used ravens to bring Elijah his necessary food. Aside from the unexpectedness of this provision, God had earlier declared the raven an “unclean” animal (see Lev. 11:15). Yet God used an otherwise rejected bird to provide for His prophet.

Next, God sent Elijah out of Israel to a foreigner, a widow in Sidon. Don't miss the strangeness of the event. In the ancient world, a widow was commonly a poor and needy woman. That's clearly the case here (v. 12). But this was also a woman living in the land of Jezebel the Baal worshiper (note 16:31). Of all the places to go, why choose a poor woman in an idolatrous country? Perhaps God chose to highlight His creative powers of provision! God can use whomever and whatever means He wants to care for His people.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In addition to God's creativity, today's passage also depicts true faith in action. Asked to use her last flour and oil for Elijah with the promise of continued provision, this widow “went away and did as Elijah had told her” (v. 15). This was a shining example of faith, an act of daily trust in God's word. Scripture calls us to similar acts of faith. Do you acknowledge God's provision for something so seemingly simple as your food each day? Whether through dramatic or mundane means, all our needs are met by God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 17:17-24
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. - Lamentations 3:22
TODAY IN THE WORD
Thomas Chisholm wrote more than 1,200 poems about his personal experience of God's goodness and care. Although many of these poems became hymns, one in particular has become world famous. The familiar chorus declares: “Great is Thy faithfulness! / Great is Thy faithfulness! / Morning by morning new mercies I see. / All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; / Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!”

As we have already seen, the widow of Sidon would have agreed with these words. Morning by morning, she found new flour and oil to provide for her needs. Yet her experience of God's faithfulness soon came under fire. Her son became ill and eventually died (v. 17). The text does not tell us why God allowed such disaster. Even Elijah seemed distressed at this turn of events (v. 20).

Elijah then turned to God in prayer, both crying out in anguish and pleading with the Lord for healing. And then the pivotal moment: “The Lord heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived” (v. 22). Initially, it seemed that God's earlier word of provision to the widow was being called into question. But the widow's own confession at the end of the passage emphasized the faithfulness of God's word: “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth” (v. 24). Scripture clarifies the purpose of these trying circumstances: so that this widow of Sidon—and we the readers—might know the trustworthiness of God's word.

Yesterday's passage demonstrated God's power over rain and famine; today's reading illustrates His power over death. It's one thing to provide for the living; it's quite another to conquer death itself. This miraculous healing is a foretaste of the future when we will all sing: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:55). In the end, death will not have the final say.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Perhaps you know of someone who has struggled to believe the trustworthiness of God's promises to His people. The struggle might be the result of hardship or even death itself. Our passage today shows us that grief and anguish are normal reactions to the pain of suffering and death. But they are not the end of the story. We have the promise that one day God will wipe away every tear and destroy death forever (Rev. 21:4).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 18:1-40
O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again. - 1 Kings 18:37
TODAY IN THE WORD
On July 21, 1865, the first recorded example of a classic western showdown took place. After a dispute over women and money, Wild Bill Hickok and Davis Tutt agreed to a duel. A crowd gathered as the two gunmen approached each other from opposite sides of town. Tutt's shot went wide, but Hickok hit the mark with a single shot, leaving him the only man standing in the end.

Scripture recounts another classic showdown, but this one was between Baal and the true God. After three years of drought, God called Elijah to return to Israel. Elijah was brought before King Ahab, and the duel was set. A crowd gathered to watch 450 prophets of Baal attempt to goad their god into lighting an altar. After their lack of success (and no shortage of taunting by Elijah), Elijah carefully prepared his altar with wood, placed a bull on it, then shockingly drenched it with water three times!

Then without the ostentatious methods of the Baal prophets, Elijah uttered a short prayer—and God responded immediately with fire from heaven. The people acknowledged who the true God was. The showdown in today's reading leaves no doubt that Baal was a farce and Yahweh had the true power. The numerous verses devoted to the details of the showdown emphasize this very point.

There is, however, a subtler yet equally important message here about God's mercy. The chapter opens with no signs of repentance. Yahweh's prophets were being slaughtered (vv. 4, 13), Ahab continued his defiance (vv. 16-18), and the people waffled in their religious loyalty (v. 21). Yet observe God's activity: it was His choice to end the drought (v. 2); it was His work to preserve faithful servants in the land (vv. 3-4); and it was His mercy to “turn the hearts” of the people back to Himself (v. 37) and bring about the confession of verse 39. Even without signs of repentance, God was at work in His mercy to preserve and to bless His people.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What a picture of both God's power and His mercy towards His people! In what ways has God shown you His strength and power in your life? How has He shown you His mercy and tenderness? What better response than the one given by the Israelites: to fall down in worship, repeatedly crying, “The Lord—he is God!” (v. 39). Meditate on these simple but profound words today, making them your own prayer in response to God's power and mercy in your life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 18:41-46
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. - James 5:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
Three Gospels describe the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain. In that moment of glory, when Jesus' face and clothes shone like the sun, two other figures appeared with Him: Moses and Elijah. Jewish tradition regards Moses and Elijah as the two most important prophets of God, honored and revered by all.

Our study of 1 Kings is beginning to show just why Elijah was considered such an important, powerful man of God. Here was a man who had been fed by ravens, who raised a widow's son to life, and called fire down from heaven. In the immediately preceding passage, Elijah had issued commands to Ahab, to the Baal prophets, and to the people of Israel. Elijah was, seemingly, a man in control. Yet, lest we think Elijah's power came somehow magically from himself, today's text instructs us otherwise.

The great showdown was over. Ahab headed off to feasting, but Elijah returned to the mountain and bowed his head in prayer. God's demonstration of power in 18:16-40 was impressive, but His promise in 18:1 (“I will send rain on the land”) had yet to happen. Still, Elijah responded with confident prayer. Even after repeated reports of no evidence for coming rain, Elijah continued in prayer. He remembered God's earlier word, and believed what God had promised. In other words, this powerful prophet of God relied not on his own strength or ability, but on the ability of God (consider also Elijah's miraculous feat of the feet in v. 46).

Finally, on the seventh look, Elijah's servant reported a change: “A cloud as small as a man's hand is rising from the sea” (v. 44). Soon a full storm broke forth, and the promise of God was fulfilled. What an important lesson about God's ways! In one instance, Elijah's prayer was answered immediately (18:36-38); in another, he had to pray over and over again until God responded. God does not always follow human expectations, but He does always keep His word.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
James 5:16-18 refers to 1 Kings 18 and encourages us to emulate Elijah: “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). But the righteousness of Elijah in today's passage is nothing less than an orientation toward God and patient prayer in response to God's promises. That's the kind of righteousness God is looking for. How might today's message about “righteous prayer” change the way you pray? Let the humble, yet confident, example of Elijah stir you to a new attitude in your own approach to God today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 19:1-21
I reserve seven thousand in Israel-all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal. - 1 Kings 19:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
The literary technique known as parallelism repeats similar words, phrases, or ideas in two or more subsequent clauses of text. The later clauses will cause the reader to recall former clauses by the use of this rhetorical echo. On a broader scale, narrative parallelism takes features from an episode and repeats them later, intentionally reminding the reader of the earlier event.

Today's account of Elijah provides us with a striking example of narrative parallelism, using the life of Moses. Both Elijah and Moses confronted a wicked ruler (18:18-19; Exodus 3-5), both gave tangible demonstrations of God's power over other deities (18:22-40; Exodus 7-11), both received supernatural sustenance on a wilderness journey (vv. 3-9; Exodus 16), both arrived at Mt. Horeb (Sinai) where they experienced a profound encounter with God (vv. 11-13; Exodus 33), and both appointed a successor to take their place (vv. 19-21; Deut. 34:9).

The author intends us to see the Moses-Elijah parallel, highlighting similarity after similarity between the two prophets. Yet having noticed the parallelism, what strikes us in today's passage is a major difference. Moses met with God after a covenant breach (Exodus 32), and then interceded for the people. Elijah met with God after a covenant renewal, and then accused the people of utter disloyalty (vv. 10, 14).

God's response to Elijah included both judgment and mercy. First, He agreed with Elijah and commanded him to anoint Hazael and Jehu as instruments of judgment on apostate Israel. God's patience, though long, does not extend forever. Ahab would soon find that out.

Second, God disagreed with Elijah and spoke to his fear. When Elijah despaired that he was the only one left who served God, God indicated that 7,000 people still remained faithful. Our chapter ends with the call of Elisha, a demonstration of God's ongoing provision for the people's need for His word. Israel might have fallen deep into idolatry, but God had not given up. His call for repentance would continue.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Underlying today's reading is the real threat of persecution that God's faithful followers experience in a world bent on rebellion against His ways. Persecution continues today as Christians around the world undergo suffering and death in the name of Jesus. The Christian ministry “Voice of the Martyrs” offers countless reminders of such persecution, but also provides suggestions for ways to support and encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ. Consider visiting their site this week (www.persecution.com).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 20:1-43
I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. - Ezekiel 33:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
One morning, after a night of heavy wind, a young boy discovered a fallen baby bird in the backyard. That day his family stayed clear, hoping the mother bird would come to the rescue. As the day wore on, however, and no mother bird appeared, the baby bird grew lethargic and quiet. The boy's parents warned that this night would likely be the bird's last. Yet in the morning, the family was surprised to see an adult bird tending to the fledgling. Expected doom had been averted!

The theme of judgment was clear at the end of chapter 19. So when we begin reading in chapter 20 about the Aramean king mustering his army and making belittling claims against Israel, we might reasonably expect that the end was near for Ahab. Yet as we read on, we are met with a surprise. Twice (and at impossible odds) God granted victory to Ahab and his army (vv. 13-21, 26-30). Moreover, God continued to send His prophets to speak God's word to Ahab.

Scripture tells us that God did this for a particular reason: so that “you will know that I am the Lord” (vv. 13, 28). Do you see the mercy and goodness of God, extended even to a wicked and rebellious king? God's offer of restoration and relationship remains far longer than we might expect! Rather than utterly destroy Ahab, God offered yet another chance for repentance.

Yet in the end, the judgment theme sounds again (vv. 35-43). God had given ample opportunities for Ahab to turn in repentance and humility toward God, but instead, Ahab refused to humble himself before the Lord and made a treaty with Ben-Hadad in violation of God's commands (see Deut. 20:10-20). While God continued to send prophets to Ahab, not once did Ahab seek out God's wisdom and guidance. Ahab's life would end in destruction as God promised, but his downfall was not because of an unmerciful God, but rather because of his own unrepentant heart.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What is your image of God? Do you see Him as an angry judge eager to condemn, hesitant to forgive? If so, face the challenge of today's reading which shows Him as a patient God who takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked,” but desires to grant life and forgiveness (Ezek. 33:11). If God continued to extend His call for relationship with Ahab, surely He does the same for you. Make today the day you come humbly before God, asking for forgiveness for your sin, trusting in the work of Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 21:1-29
Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. - 1 Peter 4:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
Anyone who has observed children playing has seen this typical scene: one child has a toy that another child wants; if the first child won't share, the second child either takes the toy by force or retreats to a corner to covet and sulk until he gets his way.

It's not an attractive picture, but it's what we see from Ahab in today's reading: a childish response of covetousness and sulking over a vineyard he wanted but couldn't have. Only in this case, the miffed Ahab and Jezebel exercise lethal force to take what they want. An innocent man is murdered just so that Ahab can have his vineyard. Naboth is an example of the injustice that God's people often face. Naboth was not simply being bull-headed by refusing to sell or trade his vineyard to Ahab. There was a divine command about not parting with one's inheritance except under extreme circumstances (Num. 36:7-9). Naboth stood for God's word and received gross injustice: a false accusation of blasphemy and a painful death. It's a foreshadowing of Jesus, who Himself experienced the greatest injustice of all, and warned that His loyal followers would experience persecution as well (Mark 13:9-13).

But this is not where today's passage ends. Naboth was dead and Ahab happily occupied his new vineyard—and then God's word arrived. Elijah was sent to deliver the news: God had seen everything. Twice Ahab's life and actions were summarized as one who had “sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord” (vv. 20, 25). As a result, gruesome disaster would be Ahab's punishment.

God sees the injustice of our world and He does not turn His back. The wicked may try to hide their deeds or make them appear just, but our omniscient God is not fooled, and His justice will ultimately prevail. True believers can expect injustice, but they can also trust that God will one day set it all right.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It's a common objection: How could a good God let evil things happen in the world? Though a difficult question to answer in full, Scripture does show us that God is not ignorant of the world's evil, and through Christ's own suffering the injustice of the world will eventually be remedied in full. Look up 1 Peter 4:12-13 to see God's further encouragement that our hardships are in fact a way that we participate in Christ's suffering. Then write out those verses on an index card and commit them to memory this week.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 22:1-40
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever. - Isaiah 40:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
A wise man, dispensing advice about financial investing, once said: “The most important thing to do if you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging.” King Ahab may not have been looking for financial counsel, but he should have heeded this advice. Today's passage presents Ahab in a hole of another sort: the continual rejection of God's word.

Joined by King Jehoshaphat from Judah, Ahab asked for assistance with a military campaign against Ramoth-Gilead. Jehoshaphat initially agreed to help, but then wisely asked for “the counsel of the Lord” (v. 5). Ahab's court prophets offered sycophantic support, telling Ahab what he wanted to hear. Jehoshaphat wasn't fooled by this charade and called for a “prophet of the Lord” (v. 6). The remainder of the passage offers a number of lessons about God's word as the true prophet Micaiah is juxtaposed with the false prophets of Ahab's court.

First, a misapplication of God's word will not convey truth. Zedekiah's enacted parable about the “goring” of the Arameans (vv. 10-11) was likely based on God's earlier promise in Deuteronomy 33:17. Nevertheless, this misapplication of God's word did not make it an accurate prophecy.

Second, we see the assumption that we control God's word corrected. Some characters in the text presumed that a prophet was free to offer whatever word he wanted (vv. 8, 13). But Micaiah's response set the matter straight: “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me” (v. 14). A true word of God comes from God alone, not from human ideas and desires.

Third, God's word is unfailing. Everything Micaiah had predicted came true (v. 38). Ahab tried to avoid his predicted death via a clever disguise, but a “random” arrow found its way to Ahab nonetheless. Fourth, opposing God's word leads to destruction. Ahab was given ample disclosure about God's intentions and his imminent destruction if he went to battle. In a profound act of folly, Ahab continued to pursue his own plan—and was killed.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The need for a true word of God, along with a humble acceptance of it, is a prominent topic in today's reading. Pray today for the leaders of your church to preach God's word in its fullness, neither domesticating its message nor manipulating it for personal gain. Pray also for your congregation, that together you would respond to God's word in true obedience. Then send an encouraging note to your pastor telling him that you are praying for him, that God's word would be truthfully and fully spoken through his ministry.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 22:41-53
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. - Proverbs 16:25
TODAY IN THE WORD
In the ancient world, writing of any length was done not in books but on scrolls of parchment which could be rolled up for storage and unrolled for reading. Consequently, there was usually a limit to how many lines of text could fit on a single scroll. If an author needed more space, a second scroll was used.

Coming to the end of 1 Kings, it's important to recognize that this book marks the end of a scroll, not the story (2 Kings will continue the tale). Nevertheless, the ending of 1 Kings provides an apt summary of the wisdom and the folly of the entire book by offering concluding remarks on two final kings, Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah.

After studying the abysmal life of Ahab since 1 Kings 15:35, the report on Jehoshaphat is refreshing: “In everything he walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (v. 43). Jehoshaphat even removed the shrine prostitutes left over from previous regimes. Finally, we say, some wisdom after all the folly of Ahab!

Not so fast. Although Jehoshaphat got high marks, not all was well. The high places were not totally removed, and an attempt at a new shipping enterprise ended in disaster (cf. Solomon's fleet in 1 Kings 9:26-28).

Finally, there's Jehoshaphat's peace with Israel. It may seem innocuous enough, but the broader context shows that peace with Israel meant a marriage alliance between Ahab's daughter and Jehoshaphat's son (2 Kings 8:18). That marriage nearly ended the southern kingdom (see 2 Kings 11). Godliness was there in Jehoshaphat, but so was foolish compromise.

Then there was Ahaziah, Ahab's son. The book of 1 Kings ends on a bleak note: “he did evil in the eyes of the Lord,” provoking God to anger (vv. 52-53). Two kings, each tripped up by the folly of either compromise or idolatry. One might wish for a happier ending, but God was not done with His people. It will take another book, though, to finish the tale.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Take the opportunity to review the lessons you have learned from 1 Kings. What has God revealed to you this month about His ways or character? What new insights have you learned about yourself or the way God is calling you to live? Jot some of these down in a place you can return to over the years, then take a moment to offer a prayer of thanks for God's revealing Word, asking for the desire and strength to live out these new truths in your own life.