Biblical Prophets - Bible Study Online
So we find that Ahab was looking at Ben-Hadad and his "Thirty-Two Kings of Mass Destruction" and knew that the odds were against him. When Ben-Hadad had issued his first set of demands, Ahab had agreed to them and was willing to become a vassal that would serve under the Aramean king. But we find that Ben-Hadad wanted a lot more than Ahab agreeing to serve under him by becoming his vassal. We find that the Aramean king wanted to strip Ahab of all that he had. Which in return caused Ahab to refuse his demands? After hearing of Ahab's refusal, the Aramean king declares war on Samaria, and vows to annihilate the city. Now in the meantime, we find that God has sent a prophet to come and help aid the Israel king Ahab in his warfare. When it comes to this prophet that God had sent to aid Ahab, we are not sure who he was? But we do know, that it wasn't the prophet Elijah or his prophet apprentice Elisha: this you must know. This prophet was a servant that God had sent to help Ahab's fight against Ben-Hadad and his Thirty-Two Kings of Mass Destruction. The unnamed prophet starts with this prophesy: "This is what the Lord says: 'Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the Lord.'" After hearing this, the Israel king asked the prophet: "Who will do this?" Then the prophet replied: "The young officers of the provincial commanders will do it." Then the king asked: "Who will start the battle?" The prophet responded: "You will." So after hearing all that the prophet had to say, Ahab assembled all the provincial commanders which came to two-hundred and thirty-two, he also went out and assembled the rest of the Israelites and their number came to be seven-thousand. With the provincial commanders leading the way, the Israelites began advancing upon the Aramean army. Understand that this was a bold and crucial move on Ahab's part. Bold: because Ben-Hadad thought that the Israel king would not dare attack a force as large and powerful as his. Crucial: because of the timing? Understand that Ben-Hadad was with his thirty-two kings and they were all getting drunk within their pavilions at this particular time. Now we can only assume that the rest of Ben-Hadad men were getting drunk right along with him and his commanders. If this was the case, this would render them useless when it came to having to do combat at that particular moment. Now when the Aramean king had received word that men were advancing from Samaria, he responded from his drunken state of mind and making no sense at all and gave the orders: "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive." So now we have both sides engaging one another in warfare, when we find that the provincial commanders had struck down every drunken Aramean they came in contact with. This resulted in heavy casualties for Ben-Hadad and his powerful army, causing the Arameans to retreat. The Israelites would continue to pursue the Arameans and because of their aggression, this caused more heavy losses for Ben-Hadad. In the meantime, we find that doing this whole ordeal, Ben-Hadad was able to escape on horseback. Afterwards, the prophet caught up with Ahab and advised him to review his situation and regroup his army: warning that Ben-Hadad will regroup and attack Israel again next spring. A little while later, Ben-Hadad had a meeting with his officials, in which they told the king: "Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they. Do this: Remove all the kings from their commands and replace them with other officers. You must also raise an army like the one you lost - horse for horse and chariot for chariot - so we can fight Israel on the plains. Then surely we will be stronger than they." After Ben-Hadad had heard their advice he was in agreement with them. Now we find that spring has returned and the Aramean king had a new army with new leaders. These leaders were not like the thirty-two kings that were before them, for the rank that they held was not by birthright, but, by merit. Ben-Hadad would take his army to encamp in Aphek; which was located from within the tribe of Asher. This area was not hills, but level and flat just like his officials had advise him to use. Their army was vast in size for it covered the whole countryside. As for the Israelites, we find that they were camped opposite of the Arameans. The Scriptures tells us, that when both armies were compared in size, the Israelites looked like two small flocks of goats when compared to the Aramean army which covered all of the countryside. In the meantime, we find that the prophet had went to Ahab and told him this: "Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a God of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the Lord." So for seven days they camped opposite of each other and on the seventh day they engaged each other. This time, the Israelites had inflicted one-hundred thousand casualties on the Aramean army when they clashed the first day. The rest of the Arameans retreated back to the fortified city of Aphek, where they would they to reinforce a wall to keep the Israelites out. This wall would end up falling on the Aramean army, killing twenty-seven thousand of them. Ben-Hadad would flee again, this time hiding himself in an inner room, while in the meantime -- his top officials were looking to surrender to Ahab. Ben-Hadad officials would dress themselves in sackcloth with ropes around their heads and they would approach the Israel king begging for mercy: "Please let me live." they cried out. Ahab responded by saying: "Is he still alive? He is my brother." After hearing how the king responded, the Aramean officials took this as a good sign and answered: "Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!" Then Ahab said: "Go and get him." So they did, and when Ben-Hadad had come out of hiding, Ahab had him come up to the chariot. Ben-Hadad quickly made a proposition by saying: "I will return the cities my father took from your father. You may set up your own market areas in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria." Ahab responded to this proposal by saying: "On the basis of a treaty I will set you free." So the king of Israel made a treaty with him and set him free. After Ahab had set Ben-Hadad free, the Lord had one of his prophets deliver a message to the Israel king, in which the prophet disguised himself: "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." Ahab responded: "That is your sentence, you have pronounced it yourself." Then the prophet revealed his true identity to the king and Ahab quickly recognized him to be one of the Lord's prophets. Then the prophet said: "You have set free a man I had determined should die. Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people." After hearing this judgment that had been placed against him, Ahab went home sullen and angry.
**YOUR CURRENT SERIES WOULD BE HERE** 02) Obadiah and the Caves of Refuge 03) The Fire Contest Between God & Baal 04) The Gift of Rain That Came From The Heavens 05) Elisha The Prophet Apprentice 06) The Thirty Two Kings of Mass Destruction 07) <-CURRENT PAGE-> 09) The Prophets of the Groves 10) Micaiah The One True Prophet 13) Elijah and the Chariot of Fire 14) Elisha the Miracle Prophet  CrossDaily.com Web Search where you can VOTE FOR THIS SITE & other great ones. Christian search engine, directory & voting index. You'll find Bible, chat, churches, jobs, music, reviews, software, theology, & more. See the best sites!
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