Let’s go fish…for people.

Ahab lived a life fighting against God.  When the LORD warned Ahab that his actions would have consequences, Ahab repented and turned back to God.  This repentance, however, was not long-lived.  So, the LORD pronounced his doom (1 Kings 22:23).  Ahab, however, figured he could outsmart his enemy (and the LORD) as he and the king of Judah went into battle as allies.

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. Meanwhile, the king of Aram had issued these orders to his thirty-two chariot commanders: "Attack only the king of Israel. Don't bother with anyone else!" (1 Kings 22:30-31 NLT)

Ahab’s plan, of course, did not work.  A “stray arrow” found him and he died in battle.  That’s because nobody goes up against the LORD and wins.

I found myself strangely thinking about Ahab the king of Israel at the same time I thought of Ahab the captain in the fictional story, Moby Dick.  It took me awhile before I saw the connection that God wanted me to see.  Both men were far away from the LORD.  Both men let their obsessions control their lives.  Both men died without finding redemption.  A king story and a whale story were brought together in my mind because of men named Ahab.

As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." (Mark 1:16-17 NASB)

Both of these men needed the LORD.  All people need the LORD.  It is only through the LORD that we make sense of the world around us.  With the LORD we find meaning and purpose in this life.  Through the LORD we find grace, forgiveness, and hope for the next.  Jesus introduced us to a completely different fish story.  He taught us to be fishers of men.

Howa bout you?  Does your relationship with the LORD help make sense of the world around you?  Does the LORD give you meaning and purpose in this life?  Does the LORD give you hope for the next life?  Do you help others draw near to the LORD?  Do you fish for people?

We get another chance to decide.

Ahab and Jezebel killed a man just because they wanted his land.  As soon as he was dead, Ahab bought the land.

But the LORD said to Elijah, "Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He will be at Naboth's vineyard in Jezreel, claiming it for himself. Give him this message: 'This is what the LORD says: Wasn't it enough that you killed Naboth? Must you rob him, too? Because you have done this, dogs will lick your blood at the very place where they licked the blood of Naboth!'" (1 Kings 21:17-19 NLT)

Ahab had crossed the “second line.”  The first line is called sin.  It is the place where we rebel against God in any way.  The wages of this sin is death – the second death.  The “second line” is where God says, essentially, “Enough!  You’re done in this life, too.  You’re causing too much damage.  You’re taking too many people down with you.  You’re done.”

(No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the LORD's sight as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel. His worst outrage was worshiping idols just as the Amorites had done--the people whom the LORD had driven out from the land ahead of the Israelites.) But when Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothing, dressed in burlap, and fasted. He even slept in burlap and went about in deep mourning. (1 Kings 21:25-27 NLT)

Sometimes it takes extreme measures, like the real threat of losing our lives, to give us a wake-up call.  This is what happened to Ahab.  He finally realized what his rebellion against God had cost him, his family, and others under his rule.  So, he repented.  He turned around.  He showed remorse before the LORD.

Then another message from the LORD came to Elijah: "Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has done this, I will not do what I promised during his lifetime..." (1 Kings 21:28-29 NLT)

We need God’s patience.  Some translations call it “longsuffering.”  It is a reminder that as long as God gives us life, God is willing to work with us.  Even in rebellion, God sees the potential for repentance.  Even with bad choices, God gives us another chance to decide.  Ahab was given more time because he repented.

How about you?  You’re reading this, so God has given you this day.  Do you have any choices you’ve made that you regret?  Do you need to repent (turn around) and return to God in any areas?  Will you take advantage of the fact that we get another chance to decide.

We decide what to do with it.

Ahab (the king of the northern tribes of Israel) had everything he could possibly want.  He was the king of over a million people.  He was married with children.  The LORD had just made him victorious in battle…twice.  But Ahab simply wouldn’t let that be good enough.

Now there was a man named Naboth, from Jezreel, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. One day Ahab said to Naboth, "Since your vineyard is so convenient to my palace, I would like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I will pay you for it." But Naboth replied, "The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance that was passed down by my ancestors." (1 Kings 21:1-3 NLT)

Ahab wanted the land next to his palace.  He started focusing on that land.  He obsessed over that land.  He whined and complained to his wife because he couldn’t get that land.

"What's the matter?" his wife Jezebel asked him. "What's made you so upset that you're not eating?" "I asked Naboth to sell me his vineyard or trade it, but he refused!" Ahab told her. "Are you the king of Israel or not?" Jezebel demanded. "Get up and eat something, and don't worry about it. I'll get you Naboth's vineyard!" (1 Kings 21:5-7 NLT)

Jezebel hatched a plan.  She hired people to put Naboth to death.  Then her husband could have the land.

They called for a fast and put Naboth at a prominent place before the people. Then the two scoundrels came and sat down across from him. And they accused Naboth before all the people, saying, "He cursed God and the king." So he was dragged outside the town and stoned to death. The town leaders then sent word to Jezebel, "Naboth has been stoned to death." (1 Kings 21:12-14 NLT)

Sometimes in life we lose sight of the many, many blessings that the LORD gives us.  We have air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, and shelter from the storms by the grace of God.  Most of us have much more than that.  Yet, like Ahab, we start to obsess over the next thing that we do not have or can not have.  Sometimes it drives us to do things that are in complete rebellion against God.

When Jezebel heard the news, she said to Ahab, "You know the vineyard Naboth wouldn't sell you? Well, you can have it now! He's dead!" So Ahab immediately went down to the vineyard of Naboth to claim it. (1 Kings 21:15-16 NLT)

How about you?  Do you receive the blessings that God offers you as gifts from God?  If you receive them, what do you decide to do with them?  Do you ask God to lead you? Or, do you focus on the things you do not or can not have?  What do you decide to do with God’s blessings?

We decide to receive.

Yesterday we were reminded that God wants to provide victory for us.  King Ahab received victory from the LORD even when he was not walking together with God.  All he needed to do was receive that victory.

After their defeat, Ben-hadad's officers said to him, "The Israelite gods are gods of the hills; that is why they won. But we can beat them easily on the plains. Only this time replace the kings with field commanders! Recruit another army like the one you lost. Give us the same number of horses, chariots, and men, and we will fight against them on the plains. There's no doubt that we will beat them." So King Ben-hadad did as they suggested. (1 Kings 20:23-25 NLT)

At first glance, it looks like Ahab did receive that victory.  The Israelites (north) beat back their attackers.  Ben-hadad was clearly defeated.  The Israelites would live to fight another day.

Then the man of God went to the king of Israel and said, "This is what the LORD says: The Arameans have said, 'The LORD is a god of the hills and not of the plains.' So I will defeat this vast army for you. Then you will know that I am the LORD." (1 Kings 20:28 NLT)

On further investigation, however, we can see that Ahab didn’t receive the victory from the LORD.  Part of that victory included instructions from God to kill Ben-hadad.  Otherwise, he would regroup, raise up an army again, and attack Israel once again.  Ahab was given a gift by God but he did not receive the gift, which came with instructions.  Ahab did not start listening to God.  Ahab did not repent.

The prophet said to him, "This is what the LORD says: Because you have spared the man I said must be destroyed, now you must die in his place, and your people will die instead of his people." So the king of Israel went home to Samaria angry and sullen. (1 Kings 20:42-43 NLT)

We are offered many gifts from God throughout our lifetime.  Often times we don’t receive those gifts because we don’t like the instructions that come along with the offer.  We aren’t being told to fight and kill the leader of an opposing army.  We are told, though, to fight off our spiritual enemies and to stop listening to them.  We are told to start listening to God.  We are told to repent.  When we listen to God, we receive the benefits and blessings that go along with that obedience (love, joy, peace, etc.).  When we don’t…we don’t receive.

How about you?  Do you see the benefits and blessings that God wants to provide you?  Do you know what the LORD is calling you to do?  Do you have a place where you need to turn around (repent)?  Are you willing to do it?  Will you decide to receive?

God wants to provide.

We’ve been looking at king Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, for a couple weeks now.  He ruled in the north (Israel) and has done more evil than any of the kings before him.

About that time King Ben-hadad of Aram mobilized his army, supported by the chariots and horses of thirty-two allied kings. They went to besiege Samaria, the capital of Israel, and launched attacks against it. Ben-hadad sent messengers into the city to relay this message to King Ahab of Israel: "This is what Ben-hadad says: 'Your silver and gold are mine, and so are your wives and the best of your children!'" (1 Kings 20:1-3 NLT)

Ahab had a big decision to make.  Ben-hadad had not just mobilized his people.  He had built a coalition of 32 kings from the area.  His army was big and powerful.  Ahab’s Israelites did not match them in numbers or strength.

The king of Israel sent back this answer: "A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won." Ahab's reply reached Ben-hadad and the other kings as they were drinking in their tents. "Prepare to attack!" Ben-hadad commanded his officers. So they prepared to attack the city. (1 Kings 20:11-12 NLT)

Ahab did what kings do.  He took a stand to protect his people.  This stand, however, could cost them all their lives.  He didn’t take the time to check with the LORD.  He was hardly even on speaking terms with the LORD.  Most of his reign was spent following the false god, Baal.  Now, he could really benefit from help from the One True God.

Then a certain prophet came to see King Ahab of Israel and told him, "This is what the LORD says: Do you see all these enemy forces? Today I will hand them all over to you. Then you will know that I am the LORD." (1 Kings 20:13 NLT)

This is a good reminder to us all about the goodness and grace of God.  Even when Ahab was far, far away, the LORD still wanted to help him and the people of Israel.  God wants to provide.  God wants to bless us.  God wants to walk with us even when we have not been walking with Him.

How about you?  Have you been walking with God or straying away from Him?  Do you see God reaching out to you whether you asked for help or not?  Do you see that God wants to provide?