Chapter 303 of 1163

1 KINGS 20

Victory. In His grace, God gave wicked King Ahab two victories over the enemy. The first victory was to teach Ahab that the Lord was the true God (v. 13), and the second was to show the enemy that Jehovah was not weak and limited like the heathen idols (v. 28). We must never think that we receive blessings because we deserve them.

Compromise. Instead of claiming complete victory and destroying Ben-Hadad (v. 42), Ahab entered into a treaty with him! King Saul made the same mistake with the king of the Amalekites (1 Sam. 15:8–9), and both kings lost their kingdoms because of their disobedience. When you think the battle is over, you may face your greatest danger and experience your greatest defeat.

Defeat. The Lord had given the king ample evidence that He was God, but Ahab persisted in hardening his heart. Too spiritually blind to know who the prophet was or what he was talking about, Ahab pronounced his own death sentence (v. 40). His pouting did not change anything (Prov. 19:3), but he refused to turn to the Lord.

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