It Never Pays To Disobey God
Wearing sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, "Your servant Ben-Hadad says, 'Please let me live.' "
. . . "Go and get him," the king said. When Ben-Hadad came out, Ahab had him come out up into his chariot.
"I will return the cities my father took from your father," Ben Hadad offered.
. . . Ahab said, "On the basis of a treaty I will set you free." So he made a treaty with him, and let him go.
By the word of the LORD one of the company of the prophets said to his companion, "Strike me with with your weapon," but he refused.
The prophet found another man and said, "Strike me, please." So the man struck him and wounded him. Then the prophet went and stood by the road waiting for the king. He disguised himself with his headband down over his eyes.
As the king passed by, the prophet called out to him, "Your servant went into the thick of the battle, and someone came to me with a captive and said, 'Guard this man. If he is missing, it will be your life for his life, or you must pay a talent of silver.'
While your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared."
"That is your sentence," the king of Israel said. "You have pronounced it yourself."
Then the prophet quickly removed the headband from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. He said to the king, "This is what the LORD says: 'You have set free a man I had determined should die. Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people.' " Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went to his palace in Samaria. I Kings 20:32-43
. . . "Go and get him," the king said. When Ben-Hadad came out, Ahab had him come out up into his chariot.
"I will return the cities my father took from your father," Ben Hadad offered.
. . . Ahab said, "On the basis of a treaty I will set you free." So he made a treaty with him, and let him go.
By the word of the LORD one of the company of the prophets said to his companion, "Strike me with with your weapon," but he refused.
The prophet found another man and said, "Strike me, please." So the man struck him and wounded him. Then the prophet went and stood by the road waiting for the king. He disguised himself with his headband down over his eyes.
As the king passed by, the prophet called out to him, "Your servant went into the thick of the battle, and someone came to me with a captive and said, 'Guard this man. If he is missing, it will be your life for his life, or you must pay a talent of silver.'
While your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared."
"That is your sentence," the king of Israel said. "You have pronounced it yourself."
Then the prophet quickly removed the headband from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. He said to the king, "This is what the LORD says: 'You have set free a man I had determined should die. Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people.' " Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went to his palace in Samaria. I Kings 20:32-43
Ahab was one of the most ungodly kings of Israel but God graciously gave him victory over the king of Syria and God expected him to put the king to death. But for material gain and political expediency, Ahab refused to kill Ben-Hadad and set him free with a treaty. The result? God pronounced judgment on Ahab and Israel.
The truth is: It never pays to disobey God.
It always pays to listen, follow instructions and obey. Disobedience can cost us the very blessings that we are disobeying God to keep. Ahab disobeyed God so he could get more territory to rule over but he ended up losing the very kingdom he was trying to expand.
Would you take a moment to reflect over your life? Is there any area in which you are being disobedient to God because you do not want to give it up? Do you realize that without God's protective hand on it, you would not be able to keep it anyway?
May you and I be so in love with Jesus that there would be no known area of disobedience in our lives because it never pays to disobey God. May the Holy Spirit give us the grace to obey.
The truth is: It never pays to disobey God.
It always pays to listen, follow instructions and obey. Disobedience can cost us the very blessings that we are disobeying God to keep. Ahab disobeyed God so he could get more territory to rule over but he ended up losing the very kingdom he was trying to expand.
Would you take a moment to reflect over your life? Is there any area in which you are being disobedient to God because you do not want to give it up? Do you realize that without God's protective hand on it, you would not be able to keep it anyway?
May you and I be so in love with Jesus that there would be no known area of disobedience in our lives because it never pays to disobey God. May the Holy Spirit give us the grace to obey.
Prayer: Father, I ask for the grace to continually walk in obedience with you. Amen.