Biblical Prophets - Bible Study Online

In the last article we learned that God had sent an unnamed prophet to Ahab in order to assist him in his war against Ben-Hadad. And through this unnamed prophet, the Lord had instructed Ahab on how to go about his war campaign, when it came to attacking the Arameanian army.

Understand that Ben-Hadad wasn't expecting Ahab to enough courage to come at him head on.

But thanks to the Lord, Ahab was indeed victorious against Ben-Hadad and his "Thirty-Two Kings of Mass Destruction" and the new army that Ben-Hadad would regroup with in the following spring.

But unfortunately in spite of his recent success, the Israel king still came up short when he didn't follow God's plan all the way through when he allowed the Arameanian king to go free.

Now keep in mind, that by letting Ben-Hadad go free - Ahab had prolonged phase two of God's plan.

But according to the Lord's unnamed prophet that He'd sent to assist Ahab - would inform the Israel king that in return for his disobedience, he would eventually lose his own life, and his kingdom because of it.

Personally I hold the viewpoint that this would be the announcement of phase three, from within God's plan that he had foretold to Elijah the prophet. Remember this scripture back in chapter nineteen when the Lord had told the prophet:

"Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet." - (1 Kings 19:15-16)

Phase One In Process: - The prophet Elijah has already anointed Elisha to be his successor, but this apprentice must now be trained in order to do the job properly.

Phase Two In Process: - We also find that Ben-Hadad has been partially remove from his throne as king of Aram, somewhat opening the door for Hazael to take his throne.

Now we move away from this situation that Ahab is now enduring because of his disobedience towards the Lord, and we now find Ahab back at his palace admiring a particular vineyard that he now desires. Know that this vineyard belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite, and the Scared Record tells us that it was located in a very attractive place near Ahab's palace.

Understand that it was the location of Naboth's vineyard that had made it so attractive and valuable to Ahab. The reason why I hold this viewpoint, is for the mere fact that Ahab wasn't going to keep the location as a vineyard, but instead, he was going to turn it into a vegetable garden: "So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, 'Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or , if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.'" - 1 Kings 21:2

Notice how Ahab had offered to pay Naboth full value for the vineyard, or if that wasn't acceptable, the king was willing to provide Naboth with a better vineyard, in a different location in return. Now after Naboth had heard the king's proposals, he would refuse, and would not sell Ahab his vineyard: "The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers."

Now when Ahab had heard Naboth's reply, he in return went back to his palace sullen and angry. The king was so upset that he refused to eat, and he just laid on his bed sulking. Now later on when Jezebel had saw her husband in this condition, she asked Ahab why he was so moody. Then the king answered his wife by telling her about the situation between him and Naboth.

After Jezebel had heard her husband's reasoning for being so upset and sad, she fired back at him by saying: "Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite." So Jezebel hatched a plan to get Ahab his so desired vineyard. She started by writing letters in the king's name, and placed the royal seal on them. And after doing this, she had them delivered to the elders and nobles that lived in Jezreel.

In these letters, she had instructed that these officials proclaim a day of fasting and Naboth should be seated in a prominent place. They were to put two false witnesses on each side of him and have them testify that Naboth had cursed both God and the king: "She [Jezebel] wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, 'You have blasphemed God and the king.' Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die." - 1 Kings 21:9,10

And needless-to-say, these city officials did as Jezebel had instructed, by having their day of fasting. They also had put Naboth on trial, while providing two false witnesses to come forth and tell the people the lies they were instructed to tell from within the letters. Because of this, Naboth was found guilty and eventually put to death by stoning, which took place outside of the city.

The officials then sent word to Jezebel letting her know that Naboth had been stoned to death. After Jezebel received this message she went to Ahab to inform him of the news: "Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead."

So after Jezebel had said this to Ahab, he got up and went down to claim possession of the vineyard he so desired. Now after the king had went down to claim his prize, the voice of the Lord came to prophet Elijah instructing him to go down and meet the Israel king while he was down in the vineyard. When Ahab had seen Elijah approaching him he called out to the prophet: "So you have found me, my enemy!"

And after hearing this Elijah responded back by delivering this message: "I have found you and because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. I am going to bring disaster on you. I will consume your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel -- slave or free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: 'Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country.'"

Now after Ahab had heard this message from the prophet, he immediately tore his clothes. The king would in return put on sackcloth and began to fast. Ahab would then walk around in sackcloth and in turn, became very humble in nature. The change that Ahab had made was so dramatic, that the Lord took notice. And because of this God would say these words to Elijah:

"Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."

Now that God has used Elijah to inform the king that his days were now numbered, exactly how much time will the king have left? And now that Ahab has humbled himself before the Lord, will this make a difference when it comes to the judgment that the Lord has just foretold against him?

Elijah the Fire Prophet

**YOUR CURRENT - BIBLICAL PROPHETS - SERIES WOULD BE HERE**

Elisha the Master Prophet

Family Dynasties Unite

01) Elijah the Fire Prophet

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) Ben-Hadad The Drunken King

08) <-CURRENT BIBLICAL PROPHETS PAGE->

09) The Prophets of the Groves

10) Micaiah The One True Prophet

11) The Demise of King Ahab

12) The Cursed Seed of Ahab

13) Elijah and the Chariot of Fire

14) Elisha the Miracle Prophet