Today you should read: 1 Kings 20:1-43
Our passage today discusses a war. The ESV Study Bible sums up this passage well:
Ahab’s War against Syria. After Elijah’s recruitment of Elisha, one expects to read of his anointing of Hazael as king over Syria and of Jehu as king over Israel (cf. 19:15–18). Instead, one finds a story in which a different prophet appears and in which a different king of Syria (Ben-hadad) loses a war with Ahab. The message of ch. 19 is thus underlined: Elijah is not the only servant of God left, in spite of what he has claimed (19:10, 14); and the quiet ways of God must take their course for a while before the events spoken of in 19:17 come to pass.
One thing that stood out to me is the promise given in verse 13: “Behold, I will give it into your hand this day, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” This promise is then followed by an unusual battle plan, that would show God’s promise to be true because of the drunkenness of Ben-hadad. What was the purpose of the God’s promise? To glorify Himself.
If nothing else, we should be reminded today of the faithfulness of a God who makes and keeps his promises. We should also be reminded that the purpose for our lives should be for the glory of God, and that in any situation that we might find ourselves, it is a helpful practice to be intentional in remembering who God is and what He has promised to do in your life.
Take joy that if you are in Christ, God has promised to be at work in your life, conforming you more and more into the image of Christ.
By: Graham Withers — Pastoral Ministry Apprentice
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