Even Ahab gets a Victory

After Ahab taunts Ben-Hadad, the Syrians prepare for battle.

It’s 33 kings against one.

Things do not look good for Ahab.

He is basically backed into a corner.

He is trapped.

The only real option is to put up a fight while you go down.

The best they can do is to die with honor.

In verse 13, though, a prophet of God comes to Ahab with a message.

The message from the Lord asks Ahab if he has seen the great multitude.

The point isn’t really to discover if he had noticed the army outside his gates.

Of course, he had seen it.

The point is to point out to Ahab how large of a company it is.

Even though the army facing him is great, the God of Israel is greater.

The prophet expresses to Ahab that God intends to deliver this great army into his hands.

This is an instance of Old testament grace.

Neither Ahab nor Israel deserve to be delivered in this scenario.

But God will show them undeserved favor, for the same reason that He shows anyone undeserved favor.

So that Ahab will know that Yahweh is Lord.

Ahab, knows enough by now to know that a prophet of God should be viewed as a credible source.

Ahab inquires as to how God will give them the victory over the Syrians.

The unnamed prophet details for Ahab the plan that God will employ.

The Syrians were marauders that were constantly at war with someone.

This meant that they were battle experienced and hardened.

They are well equipped for the battles that they continually engaged in.

They had high levels of confidence that the Israelites stood no chance against them.

God plans on defeating these Syrians by sending the youngest, most inexperienced princes in Israel to face them.

At the front, leading them will be the one man in the country known for his backbone and bravery, Ahab.

Incredibly, Ahab says nothing against this and immediately sets out to fulfill the prophet’s words.

He gathers the 232 princes of Israel, all of them young men.

He then numbers those that can fight and finds 7,000 that were able.

That day, at noon, Ahab and his men make their way out of the city to fulfill God’s plan.

While they are heading towards the Syrian camp, Ben-Hadad and his kings are sitting in their tents getting drunk.

One of the servants comes and tells the king that the Israelites are coming.

In his drunken state, Ben-Hadad, tells his servants to capture the Israelites alive.

He doesn’t know whether they are coming out for peace or war.

He doesn’t care, he feels like he is strong enough to take them alive regardless.

This is foolish, careless leadership from Ben-Hadad.

The princes meet up with the Syrians.

One side is geared for battle.

The other side is just trying to take them alive.

When the Israelites start attacking, the Syrians are taken off-guard and flee.

The 232 followed by the 7,000 attack the Syrians and take them completely by surprise.

The hordes of Syrians take off in the face of the young men of Israel.

Ben-Hadad, himself, barely escapes by riding away on a horse.

Ahab and his army receive a great victory that day.

In addition to liberating the city, they also erased the power of the Syrians.

They destroyed many horses and chariots which represented the strength of the Syrian army.

The passage records that they won the victory that day with a great slaughter.

The amazing thing about this story is that God can give a man like Ahab a miraculous victory like this.

Is there anything in Ahab’s life that makes us think that he was deserving of God giving him this victory?

No, if anything, Ahab deserved for God to use Syria as the hammer to crush Israel for their wickedness.

God chose to show them favor, though they did not deserve it.

But, this is not just some capricious, display of grace.

There is a purpose behind God’s actions.

He wants them to know that He is the Lord, the only Lord.

Baal had publicly failed, over and over again.

God wants to show them that He is not only a holy God, and a jealous God, but He is also an effective God.

He can take a broken man like Ahab, 232 inexperienced young men and defeat a confederacy of 33 kings.

If God can do that for Ahab, what can he do for you?

You may not be “good”Christian, whatever that means.

Maybe you look around at other people, at church, on social media, or in your family.

You see the things that God is doing for them, and you think well of course He did, they’ve earned His favor.

What you don’t understand is that there is no such thing as a good Christian.

Any favor that God shows is always undeserved.

It is always of grace.

You may have failed God 10x since you woke up from your nap this afternoon, God can give you the victory anyways.

You may not have the resources that someone else has.

Ahab had 232 young men.

Perhaps you feel limited by the things you have to offer.

God is never hindered by our limitations.

His ability to produce a victory in your life is not dependent on what you have to offer.

You may be facing a seemingly insurmountable enemy.

Like 33 barbaric kingdoms parked out on your front lawn.

It may seem like you will never get past this monster you are facing.

But, it doesn’t matter how great or how strong the enemy is, our God is greater.

There’s only one stipulation that we can garner from this passage.

You don’t have to deserve a victory.

You don’t have to have the resources for a victory.

You don’t have to face a beatable enemy in order to have a victory.

All that we see that God required of Ahab was that he go out to battle.

All God wants from us is for us to engage the enemy.

You’ll never get the victory if you’re holed up in the confines of the city.

You have to get out and get into the battle.

No matter the battle, engage.

Addiction - engage

Evangelism - engage

Parenting - engage

Marriage - engage