The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Kings 21:28-29,
"Have you [Elijah] noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me [the Lord]? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.'"
In their horrific actions of murdering Naboth to seize his vineyard, King Ahab, and his wife, Jezebel, angered the Lord. "This is what the Lord says: 'Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?' Then say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!'" Verse 19. We also read of Ahab, "There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel." Verses 25-26.
When Ahab heard the words of the Lord's judgment against him through Elijah, however, we see a wonderful example of the Lord's grace extended to a truly wicked man. That grace was expressed by the Lord's delaying until later his judgment of Ahab. The judgment did eventually take place, but not without the Lord recognizing Ahab's humbling himself before the Lord.
Where many see the Lord as having predetermining all things that take place within his creation, this is not what I read of in the Scriptures. Ahab humbled himself and the Lord responded to that posture, however temporary it might have been. Ahab made a decision to humble himself and the Lord likewise, in real time, made a decision to recognize that humility.
This is not just the stuff of kings. Our God is interactive with all of us! He responds to our prayers. He responds to the choices we make. Most importantly, when we respond to the gospel message, the Lord gives us a place at his table, he bestows upon us his lavish riches of the inheritance of his saints! All this with the choice we make!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"Have you [Elijah] noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me [the Lord]? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.'"
In their horrific actions of murdering Naboth to seize his vineyard, King Ahab, and his wife, Jezebel, angered the Lord. "This is what the Lord says: 'Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?' Then say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!'" Verse 19. We also read of Ahab, "There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel." Verses 25-26.
When Ahab heard the words of the Lord's judgment against him through Elijah, however, we see a wonderful example of the Lord's grace extended to a truly wicked man. That grace was expressed by the Lord's delaying until later his judgment of Ahab. The judgment did eventually take place, but not without the Lord recognizing Ahab's humbling himself before the Lord.
Where many see the Lord as having predetermining all things that take place within his creation, this is not what I read of in the Scriptures. Ahab humbled himself and the Lord responded to that posture, however temporary it might have been. Ahab made a decision to humble himself and the Lord likewise, in real time, made a decision to recognize that humility.
This is not just the stuff of kings. Our God is interactive with all of us! He responds to our prayers. He responds to the choices we make. Most importantly, when we respond to the gospel message, the Lord gives us a place at his table, he bestows upon us his lavish riches of the inheritance of his saints! All this with the choice we make!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment