SATURDAY 21ST APRIL, 2018 MORNING PRAYER DEVOTION
SCRIPTURE READING:– 1 KINGS 18:1-19
TOPIC:– DON’T BE WEAK AND WICKED LIKE KING AHAB
TEXT:- 1 KINGS 16:29
Ahab in Hebrew means uncle. The name Ahab consists of two elements. The first element of the name Ahab is the curious little word “ah”, probably meaning brother. This word is pronounced with “a-ch-as” in bach. The name Ahab is therefore to be pronounced as Achab, not ey-hab. There are a few different words that are spelled “h” which comes from different roots, and mean different things. The noun “ah” means brother. The final element of the name Ahab is the Hebrew word “ab” meaning basically father.
The son of Omri, whom he succeeded as the seventh King of Israel. His history is recorded in 1 Kings 16:22. His wife was Jezebel, who exercised a very evil influence over him. To the calf-worship introduced by Jeroboam he added the worship of Baal.
He was severely admonished by Elijah for his wickedness. His anger was on this account kindled against the Prophet, and he sought to kill him. He undertook three campaigns against Ben-Hadad II, King of Damascus. In the first two, which were defensive, he gained a complete victory over Ben-hadad, who fell into his hands, and was afterwards released on the condition of his restoring all the cities of Israel he then held, and granting certain other concessions to Ahab.
After three years of peace, for some cause Ahab renewed war, (1 Kings 22:3) with Ben-hadad by assaulting the city of Ramoth-Gilead, although the prophet Micaiah warned him that he would not succeed, and that the 400 false prophets who encouraged him were only leading him to his ruin.
Micaiah was imprisoned for thus venturing to dissuade Ahab from his purpose. Ahab went into the battle disguised, that he might if possible escape the notice of his enemies; but an arrow from a bow “drawn at a venture” pierced him, and though stayed up in his chariot for a time he died towards evening, and Elijah’s prophecy in 1 Kings 21:19 was fulfilled.
He reigned for twenty-three years. Because of his idolatry, lust, and covetousness, Ahab is referred to as pre-eminently the type of a wicked king, (2 Kings 8:18.
By the time of his death, possibly the warning of Micaiah gave Ahab a premonition that this would be his last fight. He enters the battle in disguise, but in vain. An arrow, shot at random, inflicts a mortal wound. With the fortitude of a hero, in order to avoid a panic, Ahab remains in his chariot all day and dies at sunset. His body is taken to Samaria for burial. A great King had died, and the kingdom declined rapidly after his death. He had failed to comprehend the greatness of Yahweh; he failed to stand for the highest justice, and his sins are visited upon has posterity.
Prayer Points:-
1. O Lord God, help me in all areas of my weakness, in the name of Jesus Christ.
2. O Lord God, help me to accept plain truth and not against the person that you send to me, in the name of Jesus Christ.
3. O Lord, in Your infinite mercy, deliver me from all power of bad/evil influence, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Have A Beautiful Saturday!
