When Mercy Wins

I Kings 19 & 20

Sometimes when I’m reading I get called out.

I did not expect that to happen today.  

Today’s stories are about Ahab.

And he’s not a great person.

So I kind of want God to throw the Book at him.

And at Jezebel.

In today’s stories, Jezebel orchestrates Naboth’s demise so Ahab can get the vineyard he covets. 

Ahab defeats Ben-Hadad and his Aramean armies.  Twice.

But he does not kill Ben-Hadad, even when he has him in his hands. 

Ben-Hadad is a smooth and slippery fellow, who also traded his life for a treaty under Asa. 

He made a treaty and set him free.

He sets free a man God “had determined should die.” (1 kings 20:42)

In today’s stories, Elijah goes to Ahab, after the battles, and after Naboth’s death. 

Even as Ahab is enjoying his new vineyard. 

And they have a verbal exchange.

I imagine Ahab with that little smile on his face when he sees Elijah.

1 Kings 221:20 “Ahab says to Elijah ‘So you have found me, my enemy!’

‘I have found you,’ he answered,

‘Because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD.

21’I am going to bring disaster on you.  I will consume your descendants

And cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel – slave or free. 

I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat

and that of Baasha son of Ahijah,

because you have caused Israel to sin. 

23 “And also concerning Jezebel the LORD says:

‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’

24” Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city,

and birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country.”

25 (There was never a man 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.)

The vilest manner.  

And that is the moment where I expect God to throw the Book.

Hard.  

Instead, vs 27 “When Ahab hears these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted.  He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.”

Instead, God shows up as the prodigal Father for a moment.  

And I did’t expect that. 

But realize that he has been standing at the end of the road waiting.

That he even waits for someone like Ahab.

As he squanders the inheritance of the nation of Israel by worshipping other gods.

God sending an anonymous prophet to warn Ahab, not once, but twice.

Appearing to help in these battles and gain victories.

And God give Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram, into Ahab’s hands. 

The outcome, that Ahab and Jezebel, will die horrible deaths, does not change.

But God appears to them.

Even though Ahab does not seek God.

He seems to get second chances.

A reminder that no one is ever too far beyond God’s reach and that He comes to us in our far away non-consecrated places to woo us back to Him for relationship. 

And I feel a bit like the older brother in the story, who is taken aback by God’s mercy toward someone like Ahab.  That GOD would not only stand at the end of the road, watching and waiting, but also go out and send messages and invitations and warnings and revelations.  Undeserved second chances.  So, it speaks to God’s love and mercy to people.  God always shows up.

Even with the writing of Ahab and Jezebel’s terrible deaths on the wall, God extends a stay, not a pardon, but a stay as Ahab humbles his haughty heart before God’s throne.   With sackcloth and ashes and fasting.  

In this battle between good and very great evil, the story of mercy is louder than the story of justice. 

They still reap the eventual consequence of their sin.

Their sentence carried out.

But I didn’t expect God’s compassion-pause in the middle of the Story.

And if I blinked I might have missed it.