One Year Bible Sunday, June 19th "King Ahab Scores Two Victories Over Ben Hadad/Jezebel Orchestrates the Killing of Naboth" "Saul and Barnabas Are Set Apart and Go On Their First Missionary Journey"
Ben-Hadad Attacks Samaria
The Syrian king, Ben Hadad, had allied with many other kings and threatened King Ahab of Israel to take his possessions and family. Ahab accepted these terms thinking it might help the country from losing much more in the long run.
But then Ben Hadad came back and demanded not just these things from Ahab, but also from all the officials of his palace. So Ahab gathered the elders, and they told him that Ben Hadad was asking for way too much. When Ahab refused to agree to the second demand Ben Hadad and the other kings, who had been drinking, they gave the command to attack.
The elders of Israel rightly saw that such surrender to Ben-Hadad and the Syrians was the first step to a total loss of sovereignty for Israel. If they wanted to remain a kingdom at all, they had to resist this threat. But this thing I cannot do: Ahab told Ben-Hadad that he would do most of what he requested, but not all. But to deny a tyrant on one point is to deny him on every point. Ahab could expect a harsh reaction. - Guzik
Ahab’s Victory over Ben-Hadad
A prophet came to see Ahab to tell him he would have victory over Ben Hadad and the 32 other allied kings. So Ahab gathered his best young commanders and all his other troops. Instead of waiting, the prophet advised Ahab to have his forces attack first, which they did. In hand to hand combat, they killed so many Arameans that they panicked and fled, though Ben Hadad escapted. After this battle, the prophet told Ahab to get ready for another attack in the Spring.
God blessed the army of Israel and the leaders that Ahab had, even blessing Ahab’s own leadership of the army. Despite great odds, they won the battle. - Guzik
“The battle strategy appears to have been to send out the small but well trained advance party who could perhaps draw near to the Syrians without arousing too much alarm and then, at a given signal, initiate a charge that, joined by Ahab’s main striking force, would both catch the drunken Arameans off guard and throw them into confusion. The plan was more successful than Ahab dared to imagine.” (Patterson and Austel)
This nameless prophet again advised Ahab. The victory over Ben-Hadad did not end the conflict between Israel and Syria. Go, strengthen yourself; take note, and see what you should do: The prophet directed Ahab to prepare for a Syrian attack in the coming spring. The prophet knew that God works through the careful preparation of His people.
Ben-Hadad’s Second Attack
The men advised Ben Hadad that Israel's God was a god fo the hills, but they could beat them face to face on the plains. The Aramean and allied forces had amassed over 127,000 men and next to them the Israelite Army looked like a little flock of goats. But the Lord said that because they had said Israel's God was just a god of the hills, He would give them victory so they would know it was him who brought the victory.
Sure enough the Israelite army killed 127,000 men, and Ben Hadad fled to his own secret room. But Ben Hadad's officers were smart, and they told the king that the leaders of Israel were merciful. If they went in with sackcloth and ashes, Israelite king would be merciful. When Ben Hadad's officers told Ahab that they were bringing the personal wishes of Ben Hadad, Ahab became sympathetic and asked, "Is he still alive? Where is my brother?"
Ahab felt a kinship towards this pagan king with exceedingly pagan ideas of God. Perhaps Ahab wanted Ben-Hadad and Syria’s friendship as protection against the powerful and threatening Assyrian Empire. If so, he looked for friends in the wrong places. Ahab had no business making this treaty. The victory was the LORD’s and did not belong to Ahab; he had no right to negotiate away the victory. - Guzik
A Prophet Condemns Ahab
God used a prophet who was disguised after being beaten with bandages to condemn Ahab for letting Ben Hadad go rather than completely obeying the Lord. The prophet explained that in story he was responsible for holding a prisoner of war captive, but he got distracted and let him go. When the King demanded he be judged for his miscalculation, the prophet pulled off his bandage and Ahab immediately recognized him as one of the prophets. Then the prophet said to him,
This is what the Lord says: Because you have spared the man I said must be destroyed,[d] now you must die in his place, and your people will die instead of his people.” 43 So the king of Israel went home to Samaria angry and sullen. 1 Kings 20:42-43
Naboth’s Vineyard
Ahab, and his evil wife Jezebel, finally got to a new low. Nabath was a man who lived next to Ahab's place and had a vineyard that Ahab decided he wanted. But Naboth refused to give it to him claiming it was his by inheritance. Ahab went home sullen and had a pity party. His wife Jezebel told him to get up and take something to eat. He was the king of Israel after all. In addition, she said she would handle the problem for him.
So she wrote letters to the leaders in Naboth's town in the king's name. Then, she architected a plot to kill Naboth. At a certain time at dinner the men at the table would accuse Naboth of cursing God and defying the king. Then, they would take Naboth outside and stone him. Sure enough the plan worked. Naboth was killed and Ahab went and took the vineyard for himself.
But this did not escape the Lord's notice. So he sent Elijah to confront Ahab. Elijah informed him that because of the evil he had done, he and all of his descendants would die. They would be judged just like the evil kings Jeroboam and Baasha before him. As for evil queen Jezebel, she would be eaten by dogs. Not a happy ending for man who was king, but sacrificed his kingship at the altar of pagan gods. Fortunately Ahab came to the prophet in repentance,and although the Lord spared him, his sons and his dynasty received the penalty for his sin.
For all his wickedness, Ahab received this prophecy of judgment exactly as he should have. He understood that the prophecy of judgment was in fact an invitation to repent, humble one’s self, and to seek God for mercy. - Guzik
“But this humiliation or repentance of Ahab’s was only external and superficial, arising from the terror of God’s judgments; and not sincere and serious, proceeding from the love of God, or a true sense of his sin, or a solemn purpose of amendment of his life, as appears, because all the particulars of his repentance here, are external and ritual only; nor is there the least intimation of any one sign or fruit of his true repentance, as that he restored Naboth’s land, or reproved his infamous wife; but in the very next chapter you find him returning to his former vomit.” (Poole)
Barnabas and Saul Are Commissioned
Notice the Lord appointed both prophets and teachers in the church in Antioch. There was more than one. As they were worshipping and fasting, the Holy Spirit told them to set apart, "Barnabas and Paul". They laid hands on them and sent them out.
Paul, as he was now called, went on three major missionary trips. They were sent out by the Holy Spirit to the island of Cyprus. Notice the influence of the Holy Spirit on everything they did. We don't know exactly how the Holy Spirit was communicating God's will to the early church, but clearly they were listening and obeying.
The Christians of the church at Antioch sent Barnabas and Saul; but more importantly, the Holy Spirit sent them. Any group of Christians can send someone, but if the Spirit doesn’t send them, it won’t amount to eternally effective ministry. - Guzik
John Mark went with them and their strategy became first going to the local Jewish synagogue and preaching God's Word there. These were Jews who had been scattered from Jerusalem either through the exile before Christ, or through the persecution of the early church.
Mark was a valuable companion for Barnabas and Saul. He grew up in Jerusalem, and was an eyewitness of many of the events in the life of Jesus and could relate them with special power to Barnabas and Saul, and to others whom they preached to. Guzik
They reached Paphos and were invited to the home of Sergius Paulus, the governor. There was a false prophet there named Elymas, who was a sorcerer. Sergius wanted to hear the Word of the Lord from Paul, but Elymas tried to interfere. Whenever we preach the Word of God, the gospel, to someone, you can be sure the evil one wants to get in the way.
“Paphos was infamous for its worship of Venus, the goddess of [sexual] love” (Barclay). “Athanasius styled its religion ‘the deification of lust.’ Neither men nor women could resort to the shrine of Venus without being defiled in mind and depraved in character.” (Spurgeon)
“Sir William Ramsay reports that inscriptions bearing Sergius Paulus’ name have been found on Cyprus confirming that he was a Christian and that his entire family became Christians.” (Hughes)
But Paul would have none of it, as he called out Elymas and rebuked him. He called him a "son of the devil: who always distorted the ways of the Lord. He told Elymas he would now become blind. Right away Elymas lost his sight and was found groping around looking for someone to take his hand. Sergius, seeing what had happened, came to faith in the true God.
Paul Preaches in Antioch of Pisidia
Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark left Paphos by ship and sailed to Pamphylia to the port town of Perga. John Mark left them at that point, and Paul and Barnabas went inland to a town called Pisidian Antioch, which is in modern day Turkey. Once again they were in the synagogue on the Sabbath where the books of the Law and Prophets were publicly read. Then those in charge of the service asked them if they had, "Any words of encouragement to share with them!"
A first-century synagogue service followed a general order. Opening prayers were offered, and then there was a reading from the Law (the first five books of the Old Testament). Then, a reading from the Prophets. Then, if there was an educated person present, they were invited to speak on subjects related to the readings.
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