Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: I Kings 21-22
I Kings 22:30
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
The king who thought he could hide, or outsmart, the Lord God. That was Ahab, the king of Israel. Elijah told this king that he would die because of that whole sordid issue with Naboth. In fact, the prophet of God was so exact that he told Ahab that dogs would lick up his blood in the same place where they licked up Naboth’s blood (21:19).
In chapter 22 there was mass confusion. All the prophets that stood before Ahab and Jehoshaphat (king of Judah) lied to them. They all said to go up to Ramothgilead for the Lord would give them the victory. Another prophet, Micaiah, came to them and at first told the same lie. Then when challenged he told the truth, they would be defeated. Somehow, Ahab convinced Jehoshaphat to wear his kingly robes but that he, Ahab, would disguise himself.
His ploy worked for a while, the Syrians attacked the king of Judah, thinking he was Ahab, the king of Israel. But, on special orders from their king, the Syrian’s left off attacking Jehoshaphat but could not find Ahab.
But God could. On a wild venture, a Syrian shot an arrow which found its way between the protective harness that Ahab wore, and he was wounded. A wound from which he would pass. He could hide from the Syrians but could not hide from God.
No one can!
The prophecy came true, as all of God’s prophecies have or will. Ahab’s blood was licked up by the dogs and Israel was scattered as sheep having no shepherd, and in II Kings 9, dogs ate Jezebel’s carcass by the wall of Jezreel.
Again, no one can hide from God. Just as David, the sweet Psalmist of Israel sang. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. (Psalm 139:7-12).
Dr. William T. Howe