1 Kings 20:1-14
"20 Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together. Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and closed in on Samaria and fought against it. 2 And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad: 3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children also are mine.’” 4 And the king of Israel answered, “As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.” 5 The messengers came again and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘I sent to you, saying, “Deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children.” 6 Nevertheless I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants and lay hands on whatever pleases you and take it away.’”
7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Mark, now, and see how this man is seeking trouble, for he sent to me for my wives and my children, and for my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.”8 And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.”9 So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you first demanded of your servant I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” And the messengers departed and brought him word again. 10 Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “The gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me.” 11 And the king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.’” 12 When Ben-hadad heard this message as he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his men, “Take your positions.” And they took their positions against the city.
13 And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the Lord, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will give it into your hand this day, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” 14 And Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “Thus says the Lord, By the servants of the governors of the districts.” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.”"
It comes almost as a surprise to read in this chapter that the Lord is on Ahab's side against the Syrians, after all we have read of his evil and abandoned ways, and we must assume that the challenge of Elijah at Carmel must have had some effect on him. Two lessons emerge from this. The first is about the amazing grace of God. How ready He is to show His grace and forbearance at the least sign of real repentance from His people. Is there not a ray of hope here for our own dark days? The second lesson however is rather different. It is that the situation presented a challenge to the honour of Jehovah's Name and primarily the victory was promised to vindicate His honour. Again and again in Old Testament history we find that God chastised nations that hurt His chosen people, even when He was using those nations as the rod of His anger against Israel. It was the arrogance of those nations who were being un- wittingly used by Him that angered God so much, and it may be we should view the episode of the Syrian invasion in this light, rather than as giving Ahab any false sense of security or comfort in leading him to suppose that the divine favour was now resting upon him. And while it is true that the least sign of real repentance is instantly noted and encouraged by the Lord, we are not to suppose complacently and presumptuously that a minimum of repentance will ensure a maximum of divine favour. Not thus easily is His anger turned away. A token gesture in a crisis like Dunkirk is not sufficient to absolve the weight of national sin and put things right for a people that have drifted from their anchorage in the things of God. What do we take Him for?