Sun.’s Devo - God Has the Final Word

Read: 1 Kings 20:1-21:29; Acts 12:24-13:15; Psalm 137:1-9; Proverbs 17:16 Benhadad, king of Aram came against Israel with 32 other allied kings. Benhadad sent Ahab a message that he wanted his silver, gold, wives and the best of his children and then he would leave them alone. Ahab agreed to this but then Benhadad added to his demands. He was going to send his officers into his palace and the homes of his officers and they would take everything of value. Ahab met with the elders and they drew the line when it came to them personally. They said that Ahab shouldn’t give into that demand. Benhadad sent Ahab a snarky remark and he responded with one and the war was on. Benhadad told his men to prepare to attack but he and the other kings went into their tent and got drunk. God sent a prophet to Ahab to tell him that God was going to hand them all over to him. Ahab asked how. The Lord told him the provincial commanders would do it and that they should attack first. The attack began and the Aramean army panicked and fled. The prophet came back to Ahab and told him to prepare because they would return in the spring. Just like God said, they returned and tried attacking Israel in the plains since the last battle was in the hills. The Israelites killed 100,000 in battle and another 27,000 when a wall fell on them. Benhadad had fled to the city with the fallen wall and when they brought him out, he came humbly asking for mercy. Ahab gave him mercy but God was not pleased. He sent a prophet to tell him that since he let Benhadad live, it would cost him his life and his people would died instead of Benhadad’s. Later, Ahab envied Naboth’s vineyard. Naboth had a family vineyard right next to his palace and he wanted to turn it into a vegetable garden. Think of the trouble of uprooting up all those age-old vines and planting vegetables. Vineyards take years to develop. Ahab offered to buy it but Naboth said he could never sell it since it had been in their family for years and was their inheritance. Ahab went home pouting. When Jezebel saw that Ahab wouldn’t eat, she asked him about it. She told him not to worry, she would get him his vineyard. She devised a plan and told the leader of the city to proclaim a fast and honor Naboth with a place of honor. Then place two liars before him who would accuse Naboth of cursing God and the King. Have him stoned and then Ahab could take possession of it. She did all that just as planned and when it was don she told Ahab to go and get his prize. On his way, he met God’s prophet. Since he killed and stole from Naboth, he would die on that property and so would Jezebel. His whole family would be eaten by dogs or vultures. When Ahab heard this, he put on burlap and fasted. God saw his humility and sent the prophet back to tell Ahab since he repented, he would not see the destruction of his dynasty, it would happen after he died. In Acts, we have so many people mentioned. Paul and Barnabas finished their mission in Jerusalem and returned to Antioch. They brought John Mark with them. Their church was full of some interesting people. Their teachers and prophets included a black man named, Simeon, a Cyrene named Lucius and the childhood friend of King Herod Antipas named Manaen. (Herod Antipas was the one who took his half-brother’s wife Herodius as his own, had John the Baptist beheaded and sent Jesus to Pilate to be crucified.) Who knows what Herod was like as a kid, but the power of God can save anyone. Saul and Barnabas were sent by the Holy Spirit and the church to Selucia to preach the Bible and they took John Mark with them to help. When they reached Paphos they were invited to meet with the governor, Sergius Paulus who wanted to hear what they had to say. A sorcerer named Bar-Jesus or Elymas had attached himself to the governor and tried to dissuade Sergius from believing anything Saul said. Saul had finally had enough and looked the sorcerer in the eye and told him to stop perverting the true ways of the Lord. He told them that he would be struck blind for a time. Instantly he could not see and had to be led by someone else. (Reminds me of what happened to Saul so he could “see”.) When the governor saw all this, he became a believer. When they had finished their work there, they moved on to Pamphylia and landed in Perga, its capital. On the Sabbath, they were asked to speak. Tomorrow we will learn what happened. I thank you, that you are a God of justice and you follow through on every promise you ever make.