05.10.2015 Old Testament: 1Ki 21.20–24

To read the Bible in a year, read First Kings 21–22 on May 10, In the year of our Lord 2015

By Don Ruhl

King Ahab referred to Elijah as an enemy, but why were they enemies? Listen to Elijah, the spokesman for God, explain to Ahab the problem and what God would do about it,

So Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord: ‘Behold, I will bring calamity on you. I will take away your posterity, and will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both bond and free. I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and made Israel sin.’ And concerning Jezebel the Lord also spoke, saying, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field” (1 Kings 21.20–24). 

Ahab considered Elijah an enemy because the prophet told the king the truth about his behavior, the fact that he had sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord. Ahab did not care whether the Lord saw him or not, Ahab would do whatever he desired to do.