God recognizes repentance. Yesterday we saw how Ahab responded to the judgment of God. Today we see how God responds to true repentance. God made the decision to delay the judgment that he was going to bring. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son’s days.” 1 Kings 21:28‭-‬29 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.21.28-29.NASB God still spoke through Elijah and no matter how much this pause on the judgment of Ahab…

Repentance. God desires a repentant heart. That is the entire reason that he brings about judgment in the first place, so that we will understand our need to repent and turn to him. Read 1 Kings 21:27. It came about when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently. 1 Kings 21:27 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.21.27.NASB Elijah delivers God’s message to Ahab. However, the story doesn’t end there. It wasn’t just about a judgment that Ahab was going to receive. Ahab responded. He saw God’s picture of judgment, and he repented and asked God to forgive…

We still make our own choices. Ahab had some terrible influences, but he still ultimately made his own choices. Read 1 Kings 21:25-26. Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord , because Jezebel his wife incited him. He acted very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the sons of Israel. 1 Kings 21:25‭-‬26 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.21.25-26.NASB Ahab was evil. There was no denying that and the Bible very clearly states that. However, Ahab’s wife Jezebel was a big part of influencing him. Still, when God took a…

God doesn’t do things halfway. When God decides that it is time to act and to move, He does it decisively. Read 1 Kings 21:21-24. Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and because you have made Israel sin. Of Jezebel also has the Lord spoken, saying, ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel in…

“Sold yourself to do evil.” That is a very telling phrase and it is the reason that Elijah gives for why he has found Ahab. Read 1 Kings 21:20. Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord . 1 Kings 21:20 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.21.20.NASB God has told Elijah to go find Ahab and to tell him that he is going to be judged for his evil and will be killed. When he comes up to Ahab, Ahab calls Elijah the enemy. However, Elijah very clearly indicates that…

God sees, God knows, and God judges. Ahab had sinned and God saw it. As a result, God tells Elijah to go and confront Ahab and let him know that God will judge. Read 1 Kings 21:19. You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord , “Have you murdered and also taken possession?”‘ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord , “In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth the dogs will lick up your blood, even yours.”‘” 1 Kings 21:19 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.21.19.NASB All the sin that Ahab and Jezebel had done, God had seen and now God is goong…

The plot. In keeping with following the life of Elijah, we move forward to 1st Kings chapter 21. In the first 16 verses of this chapter, we see a plot hatched by Queen Jezebel to help her husband, King Ahab, obtain a field that he wanted but that did not belong to him. Then, we see Elijah brought into the picture. Read 1 Kings 21:17-18. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth where he has gone down to take possession of it. 1 Kings…

Commitment. Elijah obeyed God and went and chose Elisha to follow him. Elisha’s response? Total commitment. Read 1 Kings 19:19-21. So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him. He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” So he returned from following him, and took the pair of…

You are not alone. God finally deals with Elijah’s original complaint. Elijah feels that he alone is left worshipping God. Yet what does God tell Him in 1 Kings 19:17-18. It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.” 1 Kings 19:17‭-‬18 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.19.17-18.NASB There are 7,000 others. Elijah is not alone. He’s never been alone, but he had lost sight of…

Go back. God has come and met with Elijah and he doesn’t directly answer his concerns at first. Instead, he tells him to go back. Read 1 Kings 19:15-16. The Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 1 Kings 19:15‭-‬16 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/1ki.19.15-16.NASB God gives him a job to do and sends him back to where he should be. God specifically wants him to…