How to win a fight! - 1 Kings 20v1-43

It's a long chapter and we're going to cover it all, 43 verses, and it records a battle

between King Ahab of Israel and Ben-Hadad, King of Aram or sometimes referred to as Syria.

And so what we're going to do is we're going to take it in three parts.

So I'm going to read a section and then we're going to look at it together, then we'll read

another section, look at it, and we'll do that three times.

And so we're going to read a bit at a time and look at it.

So just a little bit different today.

And again, if you've missed out on any of the talks, you can catch them all on the church

website and have a look for them there.

Thanks very much, Louise.

So let's pray and then we will look at God's word together.

Father, would you help us to see this morning the battle that we are in?

God's word together.

How you have won it for us so that we may walk in peace and not fear, that we may live trusting

you, rejoicing in your victory and enjoying the blessings that flow to us.

So Father, help us today.

Work in our hearts, we pray.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, the battle is about to start, so let's get straight into the action.

First, how not to win a battle?

How not to win a battle?

Let's read verses 1 to 12 of 1 Kings 20.

Now Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, mustered his entire army, accompanied by 32 kings, with all

their horses and chariots.

And he went up and besieged Samaria and attacked it.

He sent messengers into the city to Ahab, king of Israel, saying, This is what Ben-Hadad says.

Your silver and gold are mine, and the best of your wives and children are mine.

The king of Israel answered, Well, just as you say, my lord the king, I and all I have

are yours.

The messengers came again and said, This is what Ben-Hadad says.

I sent to demand your silver and gold, your wives and your children.

But about this time tomorrow, I am going to send my officials to search your palace and

the houses of your officials.

They will seize everything you value and carry it away.

The king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said to them, See how this man

is looking for trouble?

When he sent for my wives and my children and my silver and my gold, I didn't refuse him.

The elders and all the people answered, Don't listen to him or agree to his demands.

So he replied to Ben-Hadad's messengers, Tell my lord the king.

Your servant will do all you demand the first time.

But this demand I cannot meet.

They left and took the answer back to Ben-Hadad.

Then Ben-Hadad sent another messenger to Ahab, May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely,

if enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful.

The king of Israel answered, Tell him, one who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off.

Or as we might say, don't count your chickens before they hatch.

Ben-Hadad heard this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents.

And he ordered his men, Prepare to attack.

So they prepared to attack the city.

Well, Ahab is under attack.

What should he do?

Well, despite Ahab's diplomacy, do you see it in verse 4?

The king of Israel answered, Just as you say, my lord the king, I and all I have is yours.

I don't want to fight.

Please take it.

Well, Ben-Hadad seems intent on having a fight.

Verse 6.

About this time tomorrow, I am going to send my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials,

and they will seize everything you value and carry it away.

What should Ahab do?

Well, let's remember who's attacking who.

Ahab is king of Israel.

God's people.

Ben-Hadad, well, he was the enemy.

Israel are God's people.

And he has entered into a special relationship with them.

He loves them.

He's made a covenant with them.

Promised to be his God and they are to be his people.

Loyal and faithful to them.

And Ahab is the king of God's people.

Well, his role is to make sure they follow the Lord.

That they obey him.

And that they are equally committed to him.

So what should Ahab do when he's being threatened?

Well, what he should do and what he does are two very different things.

First, the tragedy of forgetting.

Look at verse 7.

So Ben-Hadad with his 32 other kings are about to attack.

What does he do?

Verse 7.

The king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said to them,

See how this man is looking for trouble.

What should I do?

How am I going to win this battle?

Now it seems wise, but it's actually very, very tragic.

Not too long ago Ahab had witnessed first hand the power of God on Mount Carmel.

Through the prophet Elijah, God had sent fire on the sacrifice.

It was so powerful it burned up the sacrifice, the stones and the water.

And the evidence was clear for everybody to see.

God is the one and only true God.

The God of Israel.

The all-powerful God who made all things and controls all things.

He is God.

But sadly, with the threat of war, Ahab runs to his elders, his advisors, his military men.

It seems Ahab is stubbornly forgetting who the true God is.

So we have the tragedy of forgetting.

And then the stupidity of pride.

You see, after he's met with his elders and he's had a little pep talk,

he feels a little bit more upbeat.

A little bit of self-confidence never did anyone any harm.

Right?

Well, Ben-Hadad seems equally confident.

Verse 10.

He sent another messenger to Ahab.

May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely,

if enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful.

I'm going to obliterate you, Ahab.

I'm going to destroy you and your people and your cities from the face of the earth.

Well, look at this for a slap-down response in verse 11.

The king of Israel answered,

Tell him,

One who puts on his armour should not boast like one who takes it off.

Bring it on, big bad Ben.

You and your 32 kings don't scare me.

Threaten me all you like.

But you haven't won the battle yet.

Well, it's a display of self-confident pride, isn't it?

I can do this.

An extra 32 kings?

One king?

I could take on 32 kings.

I can win this.

Now, we can look on and see the tragedy and stupidity of Ahab.

But the question is,

can we see this same kind of thinking in our own hearts?

Don't we, too, try to live self-determined lives?

Refusing to acknowledge God who is Lord over all?

Arrogantly strutting our way through life as if we're sovereign over our lives and our world?

Listen to what the Apostle James would have to say many years later.

It's there on the screen.

Now listen, you who say,

Today or tomorrow we will go to this city or that city,

spend a year there, move here, move there,

carry on business, make money, take this job,

say no to that job.

Why? You do not even know what will happen tomorrow.

What is your life?

You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Instead, you ought to say,

if it is the Lord's will,

we will live and do this or that.

As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes.

All such boasting is evil.

You see,

I can be just like Ahab.

This is my life.

I can do it.

I'm strong.

I'm in control of my destiny.

Nobody's going to tell me what to do.

Well, forgetting who God is

and making prideful boasts

is never ever going to win the battle.

Second,

how the battle is won.

How the battle is won.

Verse 13 through to 30.

Let's read this passage together.

How the battle is won.

Meanwhile,

a prophet came to Ahab,

king of Israel,

and announced,

this is what the Lord says.

Do you see this vast army?

I will give it into your hand today

and then you will know that I am the Lord.

But who will do this?

Asked Ahab.

The prophet replied,

this is what the Lord says.

The junior officers

under the provincial commanders

will do it.

And who's going to start the battle?

He asked.

The prophet answered,

you will.

So Ahab summoned

the 232 junior officers

under the provincial commanders.

Then he assembled

the rest of the Israelites,

7,000 in all.

They set out at noon

while Ben-Hadad

and the 32 kings

allied with him

were in their tents

getting drunk.

The junior officers

under the provincial commanders

went out first.

Now Ben-Hadad

had dispatched scouts

who reported,

men are advancing

from Samaria.

He said,

if they've come out for peace,

take them alive.

If they've come out for war,

take them alive.

We're going to win this.

No problem.

The junior officers

under the provincial commanders

marched out of the city

with the army behind them

and each one

struck down his opponent.

At that,

the Arameans fled

with the Israelites

in pursuit.

But Ben-Hadad,

king of Aram,

escaped on horseback

with some of his horsemen.

The king of Israel

advanced

and overpowered

the horses and chariots

and inflicted heavy losses

on the Arameans.

afterwards,

the prophet came

to the king of Israel

and said,

strengthen your position

and see what must be done

because

next spring

the king of Aram

will attack you

again.

Meanwhile,

the officials

of the king of Aram

advised him,

their gods

are gods of the hills.

That is why

they were too strong

for us.

But if we fight them

on the plains,

surely we will be

stronger than they.

And do this.

Remove all the kings

from their commands

and replace them

with the officers.

Get rid of them.

They lost the first battle.

Verse 25.

You must also

raise an army

like the one

you lost.

Horse for horse.

Chariot for chariot.

So we can fight

Israel on the plains.

Then surely

we will be

stronger than they.

He agreed with them

and acted accordingly.

The next spring,

Ben-Hadad

mustered the Arameans

and went up to

Aphek

to fight

against Israel.

It was a valley

just outside.

When the Israelites

also mustered

and given

their provisions,

they marched out

to meet them.

The Israelites

camped opposite them

like two small

flocks of goats

while the Arameans

covered the countryside.

The man of God

came up and told

the king of Israel,

this is what

the Lord says,

because the Arameans

think the Lord

is the God of the hills

and not a God

of the valleys,

I will deliver

this vast army

into your hands

and you will know

that I am the Lord.

For seven days

they camped

opposite each other

and on the seventh day

the battle was joined.

The battle began.

The Israelites

inflicted

a hundred thousand

casualties

on the Aramean

foot soldiers

in one day.

The rest of them

escaped to the city

of Aphek

where the wall

collapsed

on 27,000

of them

and Ben-Hadad

fled

to the city

and hid

in the inner room.

Well, there's

lots of blowing

and blustering

isn't there

from these two kings?

But with all

the noise

and all the threats

there is only

one voice

that needs

to be heard.

verse 13

Meanwhile

or suddenly

in the midst

of all this

threat of war

a prophet

came to Ahab

king of Israel

announced

this

is what

the Lord says.

If we're to see

how the battle

is won

we need to

listen

to what

God says.

First

it's a word

of grace

look at

verse 13

the end

of verse 13

he says

do you see

this vast army?

I will give it

into your hand

today

and then you

will know

that I am

the Lord.

It's the same

as what happened

when Ben-Hadad

attacks a second

time.

Do you see it

at the end

of verse 28?

I will deliver

this vast army

into your hands

and you will know

that I am the Lord.

If the battle

is going to be won

God is going

to do it.

I will give it

into your hand.

I will deliver

this vast army

into your hands.

You would think

that after

Ahab's behaviour

and the way

he's carried on

in Mount Carmel

you would think

God would say

right Ahab

you're on your own.

You're confident

in your pride

and in your boasting.

Well off you go

do it yourself.

But that's not

how God works.

God doesn't act

according to our behaviour

or how good

we are.

He acts

according to

his grace.

God intervenes.

He takes

the initiative

and the battle

is won

because God

says

I will do it.

Don't you find

that incredible?

Ahab has

single handedly

introduced

Baal worship

and led all

the people

away from God.

He's ignored God.

He's rejected God.

Surely God

should step away

and leave him

to his own devices.

Yet God

steps in

and says

I will fight

the battle

for you.

Glorious

intervening grace.

But how

does God

actually win

the battle?

Well

first

God

chooses

the foolish

things

to shame

the wise.

He chooses

the foolish

things

to shame

the wise.

Look at how

this first

battle is won

in verse 14.

Ahab's

in a bit

of a fluster.

He says

who's going

to do it?

Who's going

to win

this battle?

The prophet

replied

this is what

the Lord

says.

The junior

officers

under the

provincial

commanders

will do it.

Sorry?

What did you

say?

The junior

officers.

I mean

they're hardly

out of college.

They've never

been in a battle.

They don't even

know how to

throw a spear.

How do they

know what to

do?

They're not

the kind

of people

you go

to get

and organize

a fight.

It all

seems rather

foolish.

But to

make sure

we get

the point

the prophet

of God

keeps reminding

us.

Verse 15

So Ahab

summoned the

232

junior

officers

under the

provincial

commanders.

Verse 17

The junior

officers

under the

provincial

commanders

went out

first.

Verse 19

The junior

officers

under the

provincial

commanders

marched out

of the

city

with the

army

behind

them.

I mean

what's

going to

happen?

Well

verse 20

And each

one struck

down his

opponent.

At that

the Arameans

fled with

the Israelites

in pursuit.

Who would

ever think

a bunch

of inexperienced

officers

could win

a battle?

It all

sounds

foolish

but they

did

because it

was a

battle

God said

he would

win.

So he

chooses

foolish

things

but God

also wins

the battle

because he

chooses the

weak things

to shame

the strong.

Look at

how the

second battle

is won

in verse

26

So Ben

Hadad

has kind

of figured

out that

well

you know

we fought

them up

in the

mountains

they're

too strong

and the

mountain

gods

are with

them

but let's

get them

down in

the valleys

and it's

springtime

because well

it's neither

too hot

nor too

cold

there's

plenty

of food

that's

going to

be the

time to

go to

battle

and we'll

get new

people on

board

and we'll

be ready

verse

26

the next

spring

Ben

Hadad

mustered

the

Arameans

and went

up to

Aphek

to fight

against

Israel

and when

the

Israelites

were also

mustered

and given

their

provisions

they marched

out to

meet them

now picture

picture what's

going on

here as

they come

down into

the valley

at one

end you've

got the

Israelites

and they

look like

two small

flocks of

goats

and then

over on

the other

side the

Arameans

they covered

the whole

countryside

this is a

battle of

the few

versus the

many

Israel army

is small

insignificant

and weak

Aram's army

is great

magnificent

in its

military

power

and strong

paddy power

isn't going to

give you great

odds for an

Israel win

in this

are they

nothing

glamorous

or spectacular

about Israel's

army

but this is

God's battle

and he uses

weak things

to shame

the strong

verse 29

so for seven

days they

camped opposite

each other

and on the

seventh day

the battle

began

the Israelites

inflicted a

hundred thousand

casualties

in one day

the rest

of them

escaped to

the city

of Aphek

where I

guess they

kind of

crowded around

the city

and the

walls came

down and

another

twenty-seven

thousand of

them fell

why does

God work

like this

why does

he take

foolish

things

and weak

things

well we're

told aren't

we at the

end of

verse 13

and it's

also repeated

at the

end of

verse 28

because you

will know

that I

am the

Lord

Lord

I will

take weak

things

I will

take foolish

things

and I'm

going to

win the

battle

and then

you will

know that

I am

the

Lord

I will

win the

battle for

you

to prove

to you

that I

am God

and I'm

in control

of this

world

and you

are not

you see

Ahab is

faced with

a question

and so

are we

when faced

with the

battle

who are

we going

to trust

am I

going to

fight with

my own

wisdom

am I

going to

fight in

my own

strength

or am

I going

to trust

the Lord

am I

going to

get through

life

with this

arrogant

strutting

around

and saying

I can

manage

I'm in

control

of my

destiny

I can

do it

you see

as we

journey

through

life

we're

in a

battle

but not

a battle

against

Ben Hadad

but a

much greater

battle

against a

greater

enemy

sin

and

Satan

and because

of our

sin

we are

facing

the

consequences

of sin

judgment

itself

we are

facing the

results

of what

that judgment

will be

hell

itself

and how

are we

going to

fight that

kind of

battle

well

we can

fight on

the basis

of our

pride

I can

do this

we can

do

in

Ahab

or

we can

turn and

look and

trust in

God's

grace

you see

just as

God had

won the

battle

for Ahab

it is

telling us

and pointing

us to

the fact

that well

God is

the one

who wins

the battle

for us

on our

behalf

keep your

finger in

1 Kings

1 Kings 20 · chapter mention

chapter 20

and have

a look at

1 Corinthians

it is on

page 1144

on page

1144

1 Corinthians

chapter 18

you see

God won

the battle

for us

supremely

on the

cross

he doesn't

invite us

to come

and take

part in

the battle

but he

simply

presents it

and portrays

it to us

to say

watch

watch and

see what

happens

watch what

takes place

and then

you will

know that

I am

the Lord

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1:18

1 verse

18

the message

of the

cross

is foolishness

to those

who are

perishing

but to

us who

are being

saved

it is

the power

of God

for it is

written I

will destroy

the wisdom

of the wise

the intelligence

of the

intelligence

I will

frustrate

down to

verse 25

still speaking

about the

cross

he says

for the

foolishness

of God

is wiser

than human

wisdom

and the

weakness

of God

is stronger

than human

strength

you see

to the

proud

and the

self-sufficient

the battle

that takes

place

on the

cross

is foolish

and weak

why would

you trust

a naked

bloodied

beaten up

crucified

and suffering

man called

Jesus

what can

he do

for you

well

through

Jesus

God won

the battle

didn't he

sin is

dealt with

as Christ

takes it

upon himself

Jesus

takes the

judgment

as it

falls on

him

he suffers

hell for

us

and it

is destroyed

and death

is defeated

watch

and see

you can't

win this

battle

but I

will do

it for

you

you

see

grace

humbles

us

it

says

to us

if you

want to

share

in the

battle's

victory

you need

to submit

to me

rather than

trust your

own wisdom

rather than

rely on your

own strength

rather than

do life

in your

own way

you need

to turn

to me

because

I am

the Lord

third

how is

Ahab

going to

respond

to all

of what

God

has done

for him

well

third

how to

exclude

yourself

from the

battle's

victory

how to

exclude

yourself

from the

battle's

victory

let's go

back to

1 Kings

1 Kings 20 · chapter mention

chapter 20

and we'll

pick it up

in verse

31

so

verse 31

his

officials

that's

Ben

Hadad's

officials

said to

him

look

we have

heard

that the

kings of

Israel

are

merciful

let us

go to

the king

of Israel

with sackcloth

round our

waist

and ropes

round our

heads

which was a

sign of

submission

you won

the battle

where your

servants

perhaps he

will spare

your life

wearing sackcloth

round their

waist and ropes

round their

heads they

went to the

king of

Israel and

said

your servant

Ben

Hadad says

please let

me live

the king

answered

is he still

alive

he is

my

brother

the men

took this

as a

good sign

and were

quick to

pick up

on his

word

yes

your

brother

Ben

Hadad

they said

go and

get him

the king

said

when Ben

Hadad

came out

Ahab

bought him

up into

his chariot

I will

return the

cities my

father took

from your

father Ben

Hadad

offered

and you

may set

up your

own market

areas in

Damascus

where we

live and

just as

my father

did in

Samaria

Ahab

said

on the

basis of

a treaty

I will

set you

free

so he

made a

treaty with

him and

let him

go

by the

word of

the Lord

one of

the company

of the

prophet

said to

his

companion

another

prophet

strike me

with your

weapon

but he

refused

so the

prophet said

because you

have not

obeyed the

Lord as

soon as

you leave

me a

lion will

kill you

after that

the man

went away

a lion

found him

and killed

him

the prophet

then found

another man

and said

strike me

please

so the

man struck

him and

wounded him

then the

prophet went

and stood

by the road

waiting for

the king

that's king

Ahab

he disguised

himself with

his headband

down over

his eyes

as the

king passed

by the

prophet called

out to

him

your servant

went into

the thick

of the

battle

and someone

came to

me with

a captive

and said

guard this

man

if he is

missing

it will be

your life

for his

life

or you

must pay

a talent

of silver

which was

years of

wages

basically

it was

impossible

to pay

off

while your

servant

was busy

here and

there

the man

disappeared

that is

your

sentence

the king

of Israel

said

you have

pronounced

it yourself

then the

prophet quickly

removed his

headband from

his eyes

and the

king of

Israel

recognized him

as one of

the prophets

he said to

king Ahab

this is what

the lord

says

you have

set free

a man

I had

determined

should die

therefore

it is

your life

for his

life

your people

for his

people

sullen

and angry

the king

of Israel

went to

his palace

in Samaria

well Ahab

doesn't

respond as

he should

instead of

sharing in

the victory

he actually

excludes himself

from the

victory and

becomes an

enemy

how did he

do that

well

he made a

treaty

with the

enemy

it doesn't

take a whole

lot of

brains to

work out

that Ben

Hadad

wanted

rid of

Ahab

I mean

he's

tried

twice

he's

already

taken

an army

to him

twice

yes he's

been

defeated

but instead

of finishing

him off

Ahab

goes and

does a

deal

with him

end of

verse 34

on the

basis of

a treaty

I will

set you

free

so he

made a

treaty

with him

and let

him go

from his

enemy

oh you're

my brother

from an

attacker

to

you're

my

ally

let's

do

business

together

what's

going

on

well it

seems Ahab

feels he

can get

more and

do more

by keeping

his enemies

close to

himself

why get

rid of

your enemies

when they

can do

good for

you

Ahab

won't

see it

God

had won

the battle

he had

defeated

the enemy

so that Ahab

would be

loyal to

God and

to God

alone

that he

would be

devoted to

him and

worship him

but Ahab

isn't ready

to submit

to the one

true God

who won

the battle

for him

you see

we can't

share our

allegiance

with another

we either

submit to

God

or we

reject him

we are

either with

him

or we

are against

him

we can't

live with

a foot

in both

camps

kind of

going

well

you know

Sundays

is a good

day to

be with

the Lord

but the

other days

I'll do

it my

own way

but he

didn't just

make a

treaty

did he

making a

treaty

with the

enemy

was a

sign of a

much deeper

and greater

problem in

Ahab's

life

disobedience

to God's

word

now

disobedience

I mean

it's not

such a big

deal is it

it doesn't

matter

really

if I just

do my own

thing and

live my own

way

just okay

I mean I'm

not saying I'm

going to live

my own way

all of the

time but

just some

of the

time

that's

alright

isn't it

just a

little bit

now and

again

well

disobedience

to God's

word is

literally

deadly

serious

you see

look at

verse 35

36

we might

find this

punishment

of this

disobedient

prophet a

little bit

harsh

I mean

he's just

been told

cut me

cut me

no I'm

not going

to do

that

well a

lion's

going to

come and

kill you

we kind

of that

we don't

like hearing

that do we

are reading

it but you

know what

it's not

really what

I think

because look

at the issue

at hand

verse 36

the prophet

said

because you

have not

obeyed the

Lord

as soon as

you leave me

a lion will

kill you

he didn't

just make

it up

this was a

message from

the Lord

this was a

word from

the Lord

and he

disobeyed

it

you see

we can't

just disobey

God and

think it

doesn't

matter

this is

God's

world

not my

world

it's

my life

he owns

me

and I

am to

live in

obedience

to my

maker

and my

creator

I don't

get to

choose what

I like

and what

I don't

like

what I

want to

obey

and what

I don't

want to

obey

well the

time comes

for the

prophet to

confront

Ahab

with his

disobedience

I mean

it's brilliant

isn't it

what a

fabulous

scene

the prophet

pretends to

be a

soldier

put on a

few raggedy

old clothes

somebody's

cut him

he's wiped

the blood

in his

arms

and his

face

there he

is standing

out on the

side of the

road

it looks

like he's

been in

battle

verse 39

and as

the king

passed by

the prophet

called out

to him

your servant

went into

the thick

of the

battle

and someone

came to

me with

a captive

and said

guard

this man

if he

is missing

it will

be your

life for

his life

or you

must pay

a talent

of silver

well while

your servant

was busy

here and

there

don't know

what he

was doing

but he

was doing

something

the man

ran off

he escaped

the prisoner

escaped

basically

he's asking

Ahab

what should

the punishment

be

well look at

the end of

verse 40

that is

your sentence

the king of

Israel said

you have

pronounced it

yourself

you should

be killed

your life

for his

life

that's what

happens when

you disobey

orders

well without

knowing Ahab

has just

pronounced his

own sentence

hasn't he

the prophet

reveals his

true identity

he takes

off the

mask

presents

himself to

the king

verse 42

this is what

the lord

says

you Ahab

have set a

man free

I determined

should die

therefore it

is your

life for

his life

your people

for his

people

Ahab

because you

disobeyed the

word of the

true king

you will

die

and tragically

as we'll find

out in the

next couple

of chapters

it is his

so called

brother

the king

of Aram

who finally

ends

Ahab's

life

you see

it's not

safe to

disobey

God

is it

it's not

wise to

reject and

ignore all

that God

has done

Ahab

through his

own stubbornness

has excluded

himself from

victory

he's become

the enemy

at the very

least he

should have

fallen down

and submitted

instead

verse 43

he goes and

sulks like a

baby

sullen and

angry

the king of

Israel went

off to his

palace

you see

the problem

is

we all

have sinful

disobedient

hearts

we really

don't

obey as

we ought

to obey

we like

bits of

the bible

but not

all the

bits

we read

the parts

that we

think

yeah I

like that

I can

do that

but don't

ask me

to do

that

we

deserve

to die

we deserve

to be

judged

but God

in his

grace

has come

to fight

that battle

for us

and if we