Listening

Are We Listening?

I was meditating on King Ahab (1 Kings 18-22).

Although he was a wicked king and did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any before him (1 Kgs 16:30), God sent not just one, not just two, but three prophets of the Lord to speak to him.

First, God sent Elijah to demonstrate to King Ahab that all the worship to Baal and Asherah were of no use as they were but lifeless idols. The frantic prophesying (1 Kgs 18:29) by prophets of Baal couldn't move their so called god to hurl fire on their sacrifice.
But Elijah called on the true God who answered with fire to burn the water-soaked sacrifice. This was a clear indication of whose God is the true God. And Ahab could see that. And Ahab could not stop the people from responding to Elijah's command to seize and slaughter the 450 prophets of Baal.

Second, God sent a prophet to speak to Ahab about his disobedience for setting an enemy king free (20:42). This is reminiscent of what king Saul did (1 Sam 15).

Third, God sent Micaiah to warn King Ahab not to go into battle against the King of Aram (1 Kings 22:17-28).

The question is: Will Ahab listen?

The problem with Ahab was that he listened to the wrong people.

a) He listened to the urgings (1 Kgs 21:25) of his evil wife, Jezebel and then condoned her scheme of framing Naboth with false charges in order to possess Naboth's vineyard. She got two scoundrels to be false witnesses to charge Naboth with blasphemy and treason (1 Kgs 21:13). Naboth was stoned to death.
God sent Elijah to speak to Ahab and amazingly Ahab repented and God was merciful to him in delaying judgement (1 Kgs 21:28-29)

b) Ahab listened to false prophets (probably the 400 prophets of Asherah who didn't turn up at Mt Carmel) by going into battle against the Arameans (1 Kgs 22). He didn't listen to the prophet sent by God - Micaiah.

I marvel at God's mercy and warnings to Ahab - God sending three prophets and numerous warnings. But did Ahab listen?

The reflection questions for us then are:
1. Are we listening?
2. Are we listening to the men sent by God?