Choosing Our Path
1 Kings 22:29-45
Today, we look at the decision of a King.
Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash
So the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. Now the king of Aram had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, "Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel." When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "It is surely the king of Israel." So they turned to fight against him; and Jehoshaphat cried out. When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. But a certain man drew his bow and unknowingly struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate; so he said to the driver of his chariot, "Turn around, and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded." The battle grew hot that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans, until at evening he died; the blood from the wound had flowed into the bottom of the chariot. Then about sunset a shout went through the army, "Every man to his city, and every man to his country!" So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; they buried the king in Samaria. They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; the dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it, according to the word of the Lord that he had spoken. Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house that he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? So Ahab slept with his ancestors; and his son Ahaziah succeeded him. Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of King Ahab of Israel. Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. He walked in all the way of his father Asa; he did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord; yet the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and offered incense on the high places. Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his power that he showed, and how he waged war, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? - 1 Kings 22:29-45
For context, Jehoshaphat and Ahab were warned not to go to battle against Syria. If they did go into battle, Ahab would die.
Ahab thought he was clever and decided to disguise himself so the enemy would not know he was the king. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but a random arrow took him out. He bled to death, propped up in his chariot.
The blood signifies Ahab's legacy. Having the blood licked by dogs and used by harlots is a sign of his decline, for these were unclean in the eyes of the Jews.
I guess the message here is that we cannot fool God. When God tells us to avoid something, we should heed His advice. God knows we will choose our own way, regardless of His efforts to help us.
I would like to think that this story is a message from God for all of us who have tried to help someone and failed.
If God cannot convince someone to do something or avoid something harmful, why do we think we can accomplish what He cannot?
Each of us hears the risks and makes our own choice. God gave us free will. When we use it and wind up hurting ourselves, no one else is to blame but us.
More to come...