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Ahab Learned the Hard Way, You're Either All In, Or All Out. There's No Halfway

By Elizabethprata @elizabethprata
1 Kings 22. King Ahab of Israel wants to go to war.
Earlier, Ahab had truly repented in sackcloth and ashes, and the LORD saw that his heart was truly saddened for his sin. So God delayed the prophecy's fulfillment that Ahab would die in battle and dogs will lick his blood until later in Ahab's life.
Meanwhile, Ahab and Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, wanted to get the city of Ramoth-gilead back but they have to fight the king of Syria to do it. Ahab sought the prophets, who, of course, told Ahab exactly what he wanted to hear. Except for the real prophet, Micaiah, who delivered bad news. And of course Ahab went ballistic and ordered Micaiah to jail and Ahab decided to go to battle anyway.
"But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” (1 Kings 22:34)
However...
When Micaiah said that Ahab would die in battle against BenHadad, king of Syria, and all men would scatter like sheep, Ahab ignored the prophecy but still feared it. He disguised himself and told Jehoshaphat to keep on wearing his own royal robes. Yet a stray arrow shot at random still found its mark and wound its way into Ahab's breastplate. Ahab died that night, and his blood covered his chariot and it had to be washed in the pool at Siloam, where, according to prophecy, the dogs licked Ahab's blood.
The battlefield disguise made no difference to the LORD, who sees all things--
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:13)
The notation in the verse about the randomness of the arrow shows just how powerful God is, it was no thing for Him to direct the arrow to pierce the fragile flesh of a man who feared God only as long as the prophecies were good to him.
Ahab should have listened to Micaiah, and he should have known that the Lord speaks truly and certainly. Fear the LORD fully, and you will do well.
God is all or nothing. He is truth, or He is not. He is all-powerful, or He is not. He sees all, or He does not. What is it in man who thinks we can out-wait, out wit, out-think a God such as this?
Ahab was in it part-way, and he lost all.
It's foolish to fear God because He's God, but then think a mere clothing disguise will prevent Him from seeing you. If He is the God who can make all things come to pass, a few inches of metal on your body aren't enough to shield you from His eye nor His will. You either fear Him or you don't fear Him, You either rebel in your own will or you accept His will. Ahab was playing a child's game of costume Trick or Treat and he forgot God is the omniscient God of the eternal.
Remember, there is the broad way, and the narrow way. Foolish virgins and wise virgins. Heaven or hell. With Him or against Him. No 'Bible PLUS tradition.' There's no tricks, no disguises, no argument. Read Matthew 7:21 to see how far the arguments carry.
Don't be an Ahab. Fully embrace Him. And why not? Jesus is glory and beauty and truth and love and perfection.
"He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high," (Hebrews 1:3)

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