Day #181

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18 - Audio
1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

1 Kings 22 & 2 Chron 18

1 Kings 22 focuses in on the end of Ahab’s reign.

• 22.1: For three years—again, when we see the number 3, we know something is about to happen.
• 22.6: 400 men—these might be the prophets of Asherah, since the prophets of Baal are killed at Mt. Carmel, but we hear nothing of these prophets.
• 22.6-18: See notes on 2 Chronicles 18 below
• 22.19ff: Micaiah (his name means “who is like Yah”) actually reveals the workings of God to Ahab.
• 22.30: “in disguise” is an interesting choice by Ahab. Unlike we often think, on the surface this is an act of bravery. Kings, as the rallying points of their troops, were often in the safest place on the battlefield, surrounded by their own troops and by their personal body guards. At the same time, it seems that what Ahab is trying to do is to camouflage himself from Yahweh so Yahweh can not cause him to be killed on the battlefield. In essence Ahab puts himself in greater danger on the battlefield believing that he is safer being attacked by men, then letting Yahweh get in the picture.
• 22.34: A “random” arrow show that camouflage is not good protection from the divine.
• 22.35: Ahab wants to get out of the battle but it is raging so fiercely that he can’t get away to medical treatment. Instead he is propped up in a standing position, so eventually he looks like he is still alive, but in reality he is a dead man standing. This could carry a symbolism of his entire life—he thought he was alive, but in reality he was dead he entire life.
• 22.36: “A cry spread (or went though) the army” – The writer of Kings does not tell us who spreads this cry nor why it is spread—since no on at this point knows Ahab is dead and Jehoshaphat is still alive. The sense almost seems to be that it is the voice of God.
• 22.41-50: The reign of Jehoshaphat takes on shadows of the reign of Solomon. The nation is again united, to a certain extent. There is an attempt to revive the gold trade. As in the earlier part of Solomon’s reign, Yahweh, is worshipped. The picture is one of an attempt to return to the Solomonic days of glory, but it all falls a bit short.
• 22.51: Two years mostly likely means parts of two separate years, not two complete years. In Hebrew thinking any part of something equals the whole.

2 Chronicles 18: Jehoshaphat’s name means “the LORD is Judge”.

• 18.1: After years of fighting between Israel and Judah the two sides comes to a time of
• peace. The peace is sealed by a marriage. This marriage will turn out to be a near disaster for the Davidic line since Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah, will later seek to wipe out the line of David so she can gain control over Judah (2 Chronicles 22.10-12).
• 18.2: “induced him to go up against Ramoth- Gilead”. Ramoth-Gilead is a highly strategic city that lies on the eastern border of Israel. It provides an easy inroad into the interior of Israel. To control this city would strengthen Ahab’s hold on power and make Israel far less vulnerable to attack.
• 18.2: Induced: The word means to entice someone often by deceptive means to get them to do something. We can imagine that this huge banquet that was put on was a way to soften up Jehoshaphat and build a sense of family and friendship. This was not a friendly BBQ; it was a way to entice Jehoshaphat to do something he should not have done.
• 18.3: In words the echo the proclamation of Ruth to Naomi, 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” Ruth 1 Jehoshaphat commits himself to Ahab. Since the Chronicler has a great interest in faithful covenant living and since Ruth demonstrates such a life in the midst of an unfaithful time, it is worth asking if the Chronicler wants us to see in these words of Jehoshaphat a huge misstep in covenant faithfulness. These words of commitment should have been on the lips of Ahab to Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat should have been calling Ahab to a covenant lifestyle.
• 18.5: It is worth noting that at this point these prophets speak of “God” assuring that the king will win in battle. They do not speak of Yahweh, but use the generic name Elohim.
• 18.10-11: After a prophet of Yahweh is called for the Ahab’s prophets now start speaking for Yahweh. They are trying to make Jehoshaphat feel better, but it is clear that they still are simply court prophets, not speaking a true word.
• 18.12: Nobody likes an unhappy king. The servant just wants things to go well.
• 18.16-17: The truth is told, Ahab hates the truth.
• 18.18-22: We are brought into the heavenly court where God is seeking to entice Ahab to go into battle where he will be killed. The word for “entice” is a different word than “induced” in 18.2. Entice means someone who is very open to instruction in either wisdom or folly. In this case it speaks of someone who is simple-minded and easy manipulate. Ahab’s minds is already made up, all he needs is someone to push him the last inch over the line. 400 false prophets can do this nicely.
• 18.26: When confronted with the truth Ahab chooses the lie. He chooses to trust his own prophets who are set up to speak good to him, rather than Yahweh’s prophet who is set up to tell truth.
• 18.29: The sad truth is that Jehoshaphat should have dodged the battle as soon as Ahab made this crazy proposal. This proposal puts Jehoshaphat at considerable risk. Ahab shows his true colors. He will protect himself, even if it means the death of another.