Sermon Outline, March 6

INTRODUCTION
The final three chapters of 1 Kings tell a series of stories about Ahab. We see Ahab sinning in relationship to the Gentiles (1 Kings 20), in relation to a fellow Israelite (1 Kings 21), and finally in relation to the prophet of Yahweh (1 Kings 22). Ahab�s three sins parallel the sins of Saul (1 Samuel 13-15), though in reverse order. Like Saul and his house, Ahab and his house are doomed. Ahab�s sins also parallels the series of sins in Genesis 1-6 (Adam, Cain, the sons of God); when wickedness reaches that pitch, a cleansing flood is on the way.

THE TEXT
�Now Ben-Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his forces together; thirty-two kings were with him, with horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Samaria, and made war against it. . . .�E(1 Kings 20:1-43).

HISTORY AND STRUCTURE
The Arameans are from Damascus to the East of Israel. During this period of history, Assyria is on expanding, pushing the Arameans westward toward Israel. Ben-Hadad leads an anti-Assyrian alliance of 32 kings and is attempting to bring Ahab into that alliance as well. The Arameans have been mentioned only a handful of times earlier in Kings. Solomon provided the Arameans with horses (10:29; cf. 15:18), thus supplying one of Israel�s great enemies. Further, one of Solomon�s adversaries is Rezon, who reigns over the Arameans in Damascus (11:32ff). Ahab is a counterfeit Solomon, and like Solomon, he faces an internal adversary (Jehu) and an external one (Aram).

Chapter 20 has a recurring pattern of confrontation, prophetic assurance, and battle, which is structured as a double chiasm.

a. Ben-Hadad�s threat to Samaria: Ahab a vassal, vv 1-12 (3 exchanges with Ahab)
b. Prophetic assurance of victory, vv 13-15 (3 exchanges with Ahab)
c. Israel victorious in battle, vv 16-21
b�E Prophetic warning of renewed battle, v 22
a�E Ben-Hadad threatens Israel, vv 23-27
b��. Prophetic assurance of victory, v 28
c�E Israel victorious in battle, vv 29-30
a��. Ben-Hadad seeks mercy from Ahab: Ben-H a vassal, vv 31-34 (3 exchanges)
b��E Prophetic condemnation, vv 35-43

Notice that the last �b�Esection is out of order. It stands out from the structure, and is the whole point of the story.

FIRST BATTLE
On Sinai, Yahweh said that the Arameans would bring a sword against Ahab�s house. In the light of that prophecy, it�s surprising that Ahab wins the first battles with Aram, and that the Lord supports his victories. Throughout the passage, Yahweh fights for His own reputation. The contest is not really between Aram and Israel, but between Yahweh and Ben-Hadad (cf. vv. 2, 13).

Ben-Hadad of Aram provokes the first Aramean war with a siege of Samaria. Because of the threat, Ahab hastily agrees to a covenant with Aram (vv. 1-3). But then Ben-Hadad demands the right to enter Ahab�s palace to take away everything that Ahab finds desirable (�all the desire of your eyes,�Ev. 6). Ahab resists and gains the support of the elders (v. 8). It�s clear that Ben-Hadad is �looking for trouble�E(v. 7).

In the midst of a tense and deteriorating diplomatic situation, a prophet comes to Ahab, and he comes with good news. Yahweh promises to give Ahab the victory not for Ahab�s sake but to demonstrate to Ahab, once again (cf. 1 Kings 18), that He is Yahweh. Just as Yahweh sent plagues on Pharaoh so that he would �know that I am Yahweh�E(Exodus 7:5, 17; 8:22; 14:4), so Yahweh delivers Ahab to reveal His character. To demonstrate that victory comes from Yahweh, not from human strength, Yahweh instructs Ahab to send the inexperienced �lads�Einto battle first and to send them in broad daylight (vv. 14-16). Ben-Hadad is already celebrating the victory with a drinking party in his tents (v. 16). He is acting like one who is ready to take off his armor rather than one who is putting on his armor. Yahweh proves that He is Lord in the great slaughter of Arameans.

Ahab has won a battle, but a prophet warns him that the war is not done. Aram will be back (v. 22), and Ahab had better strengthen his defenses in anticipation of another attack. Apparently he does that. In the first battle, the Arameans got as far as Samaria; the second battle is fought at the border town of Aphek (v. 30).

SECOND BATTLE
The Arameans think they know why they lost the first battle: Yahweh is a god of mountains, but on the plain the gods of Aram will be superior (v. 23). They also believe that it was a mistake to go to war with an alliance of 32 kings. By replacing the kinds with �commanders,�EBen-Hadad is centralizing the military command (v. 24). Ben-Hadad�s servants want him to personally muster the army and oversee the next campaign (v. 25).

Yahweh again sends a prophet with good news for Ahab. His oracle is very similar to that of the earlier prophet (cmp. vv. 13, 22, 28). In the second Aramean war, Yahweh will again deliver Israel �so that you will know that I am Yahweh�E(v. 28). Ahab wins the victory, and shows clemency to Ben-Hadad, accepting Ben-Hadad as a �brother�Erather than a �servant�E(vv. 32-33). Following this second victory (vv. 29-30), the roles of Ahab and Ben-Hadad are reversed; instead of Ben-Hadad forcing a covenant on Ahab, Ahab is in the dominant position (vv. 31-34). It seems that this is the end of the story, and it�s a happy story for Israel.

But this is not the end of the story. The deal that Ahab strikes with Ben-Hadad is ambiguous, since in verse 34 it�s not clear who is making concessions to whom. Besides, Yahweh�s prophets are not through with Ahab. Two prophets enact the story of Ahab and Ben-Hadad: The prophet who refuses to strike is Ahab refusing to kill Ben-Hadad, and because he refused to heed the word of Yahweh, he is eaten by a lion (v. 36). Once the first prophet is wounded, he disguises himself and catches Ahab in self-condemnation (vv. 38-40), just as Nathan caught David. Instead of repenting as David did, Ahab plays the role of Saul and returns home in a funk. Strike one against Ahab. Only two left.

posted by Peter J. Leithart on Wednesday, March 02, 2005 at 12:05 PM

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