Fri.’s Devo - Ahab’s Last Battle

Read: 2 Chronicles 17:1-18:34; Romans 9:25-10:13; Psalm 20:1-9; Proverbs 20:2-3 Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son became king of Judah. He made Judah a safe place to live. He got rid of the images of Baal and Asherah and worshiped the Lord. God established his kingdom and the people loved Jehoshaphat and brought him gifts. *** Jehoshaphat was committed to teaching the people about the Lord so he sent his officials with copies of God’s Law to the towns of Judah to teach them the ways of the Lord. *** The surrounding nations feared Jehoshaphat and sent him tribute. He made an alliance with Israel and his son married one of Ahab’s daughters. After a few years, he went to visit the king of Israel. Ahab asked him if he would help him get control of Ramoth-gilead and he agreed to help him. Before they went into battle, Jehoshaphat wanted to ask the Lord if they would have success. Ahab brought all his 400 prophets of Baal and they all prophesied success for Israel. Jehoshaphat asked if there was a prophet of God they could ask. Ahab knew of one but he hated him because he never had anything nice to say to him. Jehoshaphat wanted to hear from him first so they brought him Micaiah. *** Micaiah was warned to prophesy success like the other prophets so he sarcastically mimicked them. King Ahab got mad and told him to tell him the truth, so he did. He had seen Israel scattered on the mountains and their leader killed. He had seen a meeting in heaven with the Lord. They were talking about how they could get Ahab to go to battle so he could be killed. One stepped forward and said he would go and be a lying spirit in the mouths of his prophets. God told him to go, he would have success. *** When they heard this, Zedikiah, one of Ahab’s prophets slapped Micaiah in the face. He asked him when God’s spirit left him and went to Micaiah. Micaiah told him he would find out when he wound try to hide in a secret room. Micaiah was put in prison and ordered to be fed only bread and water until Ahab returned. *** Ahab went into battle disguised as a normal soldier. Jehoshaphat was chased down until they realized he wasn’t Ahab. Finally, a soldier shot a random arrow into the army of Israel and it went between the joints in Ahab’s armor. He bled out on the field and died just as the sun was setting. *** In Romans, Paul recalls Hosea’s prophecy that said that God would call a people he hadn’t love before to be his children. Isaiah had said that only a small remnant of Israel would be saved and not judged severely. They were referring to the time Paul was living where God was saving Gentiles and calling then his children. This was according to their faith, not their lineage or rigid adherence to his Law. *** The Jews stumbled over keeping the Law and missed the one who fulfilled it - Jesus. The Jews were so bent on getting to God their way, they refused to see that Christ accomplished the purpose the Law was given. Now we are made right with God by trusting in him and calling on his name. *** Lord, may we learn to hear your voice and trust you with all our hearts. May our faith please you.