Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 20:31-43

If you read the last post, Doing what I don’t want to do, please skip ahead to the application.

The Story:

The story here here has two separate elements that bring us to the conclusion: Ben-hadad comes to Ahab and asks for mercy which he receives. A prophet disguises himself to bring God & judgment to Ahab. The conclusion we reach is that God will punish Ahab for making up with Ben-Hadad.

The Application:

Just as the prophet Nathan dealt with King David, this unnamed prophet deals with King Ahab. (2 Samuel 12:1-12) Similarly Ahab here gives his own judgment. (v.39-40) Ironically, he was judged for disobeying…we the reader get a double warning of this here from the prophet and the king.

See Matthew 7:1-5…

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Matthew 7:2

We will be judged the way we judge others. “Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.” (Proverbs 26:27) “He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it…” (Ecclesiastes 10:8)

We should be as gracious with others as we would expect for ourselves. How would we want things if we were in their place? Would we see this differently if we had walked a mile in their shoes? We will be judged the way we judge.

Conclusion:

Have you been living unto self, satisfied with “at least having your pride”? Are living in obedience to God, or do you stop when left to do things you don’t want to do? How are you judging, do you give others the leash you would give yourself?

Pastor Chanc Strickland

Harpeth Baptist Church
Kingston Springs, TN

This blog post was adapted from a sermon preached at Harpeth Baptist Church in the summer of 2012.

Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 20:31-43

If you read the last post, I have my pride, please skip ahead to the application.

The Story:

The story here here has two separate elements that bring us to the conclusion: Ben-hadad comes to Ahab and asks for mercy which he receives. A prophet disguises himself to bring God & judgment to Ahab. The conclusion we reach is that God will punish Ahab for making up with Ben-Hadad.

The Application:

The prophet asks someone to smite him who refuses, and gets eaten by a lion. The prophet then asks someone else, who does smite him.

The first guy didn’t want to smite him. Why would he? Who just sits around anxious to “smite” someone? It wasn’t up to him though, this is what God wanted and he was severely punished for not doing what he was instructed.

I imagine the prophet didn’t want to be smote. This is the method God instructed him to use. After the first guy he probably felt relieved! Then God sends him to another, who wasn’t as “nice” but more obedient and he beat him up pretty good!

In both men we see clearly that at times we must do what we don’t want to do. It may be that we have to take on personal “harm” that we would prefer not to. It may be that we have to act in a way we don’t want to. Nevertheless, we must obey God. God doesn’t always have a lion waiting to eat, but at times He requires this strict of obedience.

Pastor Chanc Strickland
Harpeth Baptist Church
Kingston Springs, TN

This blog post was adapted from a sermon preached at Harpeth Baptist Church in the summer of 2012.

Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 20:31-43

The Story:

The story here here has two separate elements that bring us to the conclusion: Ben-hadad comes to Ahab and asks for mercy which he receives. A prophet disguises himself to bring God & judgment to Ahab. The conclusion we reach is that God will punish Ahab for making up with Ben-Hadad.

The Application: “I have my pride…”

Have you ever said this, or felt that way? A situation doesn’t go how you’d like, you find yourself in the place of “wrong.” The world’s solution for this is to at least walk away with your pride. Instead of operating in a repentant manner, preferring another above our self, we stick out our chest & say, “Well, I have my pride.”

As a born-again believer, you don’t have your pride. The only thing we can walk around “proud” about is Jesus. Go read 1 Corinthians 6, we don’t have our pride! We are to act humbly, always putting others before self.

…and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:19b-20

As crooked as they go about it here, this is exactly what Ben-hadad and his advisors realize. They were beat and didn’t have a leg to stand on. They put on sackcloth, a traditional symbol of submission and repentance. They put ropes around their heads, symbolic of halters by which they could be led around or to say they were ready to be hanged.

These people do this almost in trickery and not true submission. We should truly be this submissive to this world. Our victories will never be victories as the world sees them. So be careful not to find yourself in a situation where your best take away is, “Well, I have my pride.”

Pastor Chanc Strickland
Harpeth Baptist Church
Kingston Springs, TN

This blog post was adapted from a sermon preached at Harpeth Baptist Church in the summer of 2012.

Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 20:24-30

If you read the last post, Anyone plus God is always a Majority, please skip ahead to the application.

The Story:

As the story continues we see what was told to Ahab (v.22) come to pass. Ben-hadad forms another army to come at Israel in the plains. It is said that Israel’s army looks like 2 little flocks of goats while the Syrians filled the country. The prophet comes back to Ahab to tell him that once again God will give victory to prove Yahweh is Lord. As the war begins Israel kills 100,000 Syrians in 1 day! While the rest flee, 27,000 were killed when a wall fell on them. So Ben-hadad goes and hides in Aphek.

The Application:

These coming against Israel are putting themselves in a bad place. Then and now, going against God’s people never ends well. Already God has shown Himself “Lord” in giving an outnumbered Israel the victory.

God has word sent to Ahab that he will win again so that God can prove to him that Yahweh is the Lord. In the first day Israel takes 100,000 Syrians. Then 27,000 more are killed when a wall falls on them! Some write that this was a common military tactic
especially when out numbered. An army would lure their enemy into an unstable place and then cause a structure to fall on them. That is hard for me to believe in this case: they didn’t go somewhere that Israel had access to. To cause this much damage (a wall large enough to kill 27,000) they would have needed a lot of man power. In my opinion, God caused the wall to fall.

It is never good to be on God’s bad side. Not to say God is picking on the Syrians…. They chose this war themselves.

That is the point…don’t place yourself in a position for the wrath of God to fall upon you. I serve a God of love who is trying to deliver mankind from our cursed condition. He is not sitting in heaven trying to figure out how to torture…He works to deliver (i.e. Nineveh). But, so many times (like Ben-hadad coming after Israel) men put themselves on a path to experience God’s wrath.

Conclusion:

It is never good to be on God’s bad side. You plus God is always a majority.  They will keep coming back.

Pastor Chanc Strickland
Harpeth Baptist Church
Kingston Springs, TN

This blog post was adapted from a sermon preached at Harpeth Baptist Church in the summer of 2012.

Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 20:24-30

The Story:

As the story continues we see what was told to Ahab (v.22) come to pass. Ben-hadad forms another army to come at Israel in the plains. It is said that Israel’s army looks like 2 little flocks of goats while the Syrians filled the country. The prophet comes back to Ahab to tell him that once again God will give victory to prove Yahweh is Lord. As the war begins Israel kills 100,000 Syrians in 1 day! While the rest flee, 27,000 were killed when a wall fell on them. So Ben-hadad goes and hides in Aphek.

The Application:

Here we see Israel’s defeated foe gather logic to convince themselves to fight against Israel again. They previously outnumbered Israel and still lost. Now, due to some trumped up advice, they decide to try again.

They just keep coming back. This is not a fight just against Israel, it is a fight against God. Then and now enemies of God can’t help themselves in fighting against anything Godly.

You and I must live with an awareness of this. They kept coming back then, they will keep coming back now. As long as Satan has any power or liberty to act against God in this world…he will keep coming back. As discouraging as it may be, we can never put down our sword in this life. They will keep coming back.

Pastor Chanc Strickland
Harpeth Baptist Church
Kingston Springs, TN

This blog post was adapted from a sermon preached at Harpeth Baptist Church in the summer of 2012.

Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 20:13-25

If you read the last post, Being used by God means being always Prepared, please skip ahead to the application.

The Story:

As we pick up from last time you will remember that King Ahab and Ben-Hadad have been having a heated exchange of words. Ben-Hadad & 32 allies are ready to attack & Ahab is preparing to fight. As Ben-Hadad commands his men to get ready, a prophet tells Ahab that he is going to be victorious. Ahab goes on to learn that he would begin the fighting, alongside 232 young men followed by 7,000. Israel goes out to fight and wins a great victory sending Ben-Hadad and his allies fleeing. The prophet came back to King Ahab and told him to get ready because the enemy would soon return. Trying to reconcile their great defeat the Syrians conclude that Israel’s God was the God of the hills and if the fighting had happened in the plains they would have been victorious.

The Application:

The Syrians think they have it figured out. They have formed thoughts about God based off of fact. Fact – God is the God of the hills. Syrians thoughts (theology) = We can beat them in the plains. Their fact was not wrong, their theology was short-sighted. God is the God of all, not just hills.

We need to be aware that even for us, poor theology leads to bad decisions. We should never be “short-sighted” with scripture. When we form a line of thinking from the facts of God’s Word we must be sure and do so: In context. Given the entirety of scripture.

If we are careless, we will make bad decisions thinking that we are doing what God wants us to do.

The Conclusion:

When God gives gifts in your life, find a way for them to bring Him glory. Allow yourself to: always be prepared & always being prepared. Be careful with your interpretation of scripture when making decisions.

Pastor Chanc Strickland
Harpeth Baptist Church
Kingston Springs, TN

This blog post was adapted from a sermon preached at Harpeth Baptist Church in the summer of 2012.

Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 20:13-25

If you read the last post, Gifts from God are for His Purposes, please skip ahead to the application.

The Story:

As we pick up from last time you will remember that King Ahab and Ben-Hadad have been having a heated exchange of words. Ben-Hadad & 32 allies are ready to attack & Ahab is preparing to fight. As Ben-Hadad commands his men to get ready, a prophet tells Ahab that he is going to be victorious. Ahab goes on to learn that he would begin the fighting, alongside 232 young men followed by 7,000. Israel goes out to fight and wins a great victory sending Ben-Hadad and his allies fleeing. The prophet came back to King Ahab and told him to get ready because the enemy would soon return. Trying to reconcile their great defeat the Syrians conclude that Israel’s God was the God of the hills and if the fighting had happened in the plains they would have been victorious.

The Application:

Where did these young men come from? These guys must’ve been the “Rambo’s” of their day. They were Israel’s “special ops” and were ready to go. Ben-Hadad and his army were getting drunk and celebrating.

Where did the 7,000 come from? It is interesting that in 19:18 God says He has 7,000. I am not sure if it is the same bunch, but we do know they were ready. Can you imagine if it were the same group? For a time, God had them hid away. No doubt they wished to be out living. But now, when needed, they were ready.

Notice God didn’t allow Ahab a time of celebration. Even after a great victory he is instructed to get ready to fight again. God didn’t want them to end up like Ben-Hadad and lose a war due to being drunk with the current victory.

Being used by God means being always prepared. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. (Philippians 4:5) Moderation-we are to avoid extremes. Doing so allows us to always be prepared.

A guy gets saved, gets up the next day to go out and serve God. At his door is a large boulder keeping him from getting out. He goes back and prays with one result, God says PUSH. So for the rest of the day he pushes without moving the rock one inch. He does the same for the next day, week, month. Finally he quits. He tells God this is not what he had in mind when decided to serve. God tells him to go look into the mirror. He is Atlas. No matter where God has you or what He has you doing know it is in preparation. Being used by God means being always prepared.

Pastor Chanc Strickland
Harpeth Baptist Church
Kingston Springs, TN

This blog post was adapted from a sermon preached at Harpeth Baptist Church in the summer of 2012.

Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 20:13-25

The Story:

As we pick up from last time you will remember that King Ahab and Ben-Hadad have been having a heated exchange of words. Ben-Hadad & 32 allies are ready to attack & Ahab is preparing to fight. As Ben-Hadad commands his men to get ready, a prophet tells Ahab that he is going to be victorious. Ahab goes on to learn that he would begin the fighting, alongside 232 young men followed by 7,000. Israel goes out to fight and wins a great victory sending Ben-Hadad and his allies fleeing. The prophet came back to King Ahab and told him to get ready
because the enemy would soon return. Trying to reconcile their great defeat the Syrians conclude that Israel’s God was the God of the hills and if the fighting had happened in the plains they would have been victorious.

The Application:

What a surprise for King Ahab! God is going to let him win! But, the prophet is sure to remind him that it is so he would know that, “Yahweh is God.” This victory would be a gift from God for Ahab. Before he flexed his muscles and bragged about his amazing military mind, God let him know that it was not about him.

Many times in life you and I get to be part of wonderful things. Remember, it is not about us. Gifts from God are for his purposes. Have you experienced healing? It was for God’s purposes. Have you come into increase? It was for God’s purposes.

Pastor Chanc Strickland
Harpeth Baptist Church
Kingston Springs, TN

This blog post was adapted from a sermon preached at Harpeth Baptist Church in the summer of 2012.

Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 20:1-12

If you read the last post, Some people just want a fight, please skip ahead to the application.

The Story:

We have left Elijah and Elisha for a while and get to focus on King Ahab. Ben-Hadad King of Syria, along w/32 other Kings, was on the warpath. Approaching Israel he sends word to Ahab requesting all of his silver, gold, wives, and children. To avoid a war Ahab consents, but Ben-Hadad sends back for more. Ben-Hadad now wishes to have complete possession and control. Ahab calls his elders together and explains how he tried to avoid war, but Ben-Hadad seems to just be looking for a fight. They advise Ahab to not consent. Ben-Hadad responds w/a threat to which Ahab responds w/his own threat. At this point Ben-Hadad orders his armies to prepare for battle.

The Application:

We have, of course, used this application before in 1 Kings. However, it is very unique in this situation, because in his stand Ahab replies this way to Ben-hadad. He says, “One who is just preparing for war shouldn’t boast as one who has just finished war. ” Or, “He who is just putting his armor on shouldn’t speak as one who is taking it off.”

After a ‘big-talking’ threat from Ben-hadad, Ahab replies with talk of his own. Only, Ahab’s talk is laced with wisdom and given in a more diplomatic manner. He essentially tells Ben-hadad that he shouldn’t count his chickens before they hatch!

While there is an application to be made there, I want to focus elsewhere since we have covered that application already. Let’s place our focus around Ahab’s manner in communication. Already we have established that he tried to avoid this conflict. Now, with war eminent, he still holds himself well: He remains composed, He chooses his words wisely, He stands his ground.

Keep your composure. Even when facing threats from a drunken savage, Ahab has manners and diplomacy. How many times do we find ourselves stooping to the level of those we are dealing with? Keep your composure.

Choose your words wisely. Once the composure is gone, the words begin to spew! Ahab gave a fitting reply full of wise words. Even while “talking smack” back to Ben-Hadad he said it in a way that would not later embarrass him or his nation.
“If you can’t say something nice, say nothing at all…” When dealing with a Ben-hadad say what you must but be careful you don’t have to eat your words later.

Stand your ground. There are biblical grounds for us to ‘turn the other cheek’. But, sometimes we must stand our ground. Ahab was given the task as leader of the nation of God’s people. Once an outsider decided to try and completely take over Ahab had to stand his ground….So must we at times.

Pastor Chanc Strickland
Harpeth Baptist Church
Kingston Springs, TN

This blog post was adapted from a sermon preached at Harpeth Baptist Church in the summer of 2012.