Slow to connect the dots!
Scripture reading for April 9th: 1st Kings 20-22
Learning lessons in the school of life can be fun and rewarding. Learning from others with wisdom is one of the best ways to gain understanding. God also sends people to us who will speak the Word of God into our lives. The Old Testament called them ‘prophets.’ Heeding their word resulted in a victorious life; rejecting their word brought trouble.
God had sent Elijah to Ahab and Jezebel to confront their idolatry to Baal, the idol god of rain! He told them it would not rain in Israel except at God’s Word. (1st Kings 17:1) The reason for this judgment was Jezebel killing the Lord’s prophets and feeding 850 prophets of Baal at the king’s table. Elijah confronted them in the contest on Mt. Carmel. (1st Kings 18:18-19) He then killed the false prophets and prayed for rain again on the land and God sent a storm! God demonstrated His power through the prophetic ministry of Elijah that should have got their attention!
A while later, God sent another prophet to Ahab with instructions about how to defeat his enemy, Ben-Hadad, king of Aram. (1st Kings 20:13) God worked a miracle and the enemy was defeated soundly but Ben-Hadad appealed to Ahab, and Ahab made a treaty with him without consulting the Lord! His disobedience brought correction instead of connection!
God sent another prophet to bring Ahab a word of judgment. (1st Kings 20:41-43) Ahab responded with anger and sulking! Ahab coveted a neighbor’s vineyard to build a garden for himself. The neighbor, Naboth, refused to sell the family property. Jezebel promptly set in motion a plan to get the vineyard and Naboth was killed and the vineyard was secured for Ahab. God mercifully sent Elijah with another word of judgment.
God gives each person time to repent. But there is a point where patience runs out. We can harden our hearts and miss the grace of God. Jezebel was worldly, manipulative, and refused correction when God made it plain! Ahab knew what to do, but allowed his wife to manipulate to get his way. When corrected, he was not teachable but responded with anger. Pray today for a teachable heart and the ability to learn from God’s designated teachers!
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