so the picture above shows what ahab and jezebel deserved. elijah went and told them that they would be destroyed for their disobedience to God, and the writer of 1 Kings even says that no one ever gave themselves over to evil the way that ahab did because he listened to jezebel. it brings MacBeth and Lady MacBeth to mind.
but notice at the end of today's OT reading, we see an example of God's amazing mercy. even though ahab and jezebel were so bad... when ahab humbled himself and asked for mercy... God said "look at ahab... see how he is humbling himself?" and He had mercy on him and didn't destroy him the way that He said He was going to.
God pronounces many judgments in the Bible. He says that people are going to be killed or their towns destroyed. and many times, it happens. but God's mercy is stronger than His judgment. He WANTS to forgive us. when He told ninevah that it would be destroyed, He didn't say "it MIGHT be destroyed if you don't act right!". instead, He said "in 40 days, ninevah will be destroyed."
but when they repented, He had mercy on them, and ninevah was NOT destroyed. this is the only time that something God says will happen - doesn't happen. all of His promises are true, but sometimes His mercy is greater than His judgment.
this gives me hope to pray for those who don't live like they should. i hope they go to heaven. i don't want anyone to go to hell... to be separated from God for all eternity is so horrible, i really hope that His mercy is greater than His judgment in the final reckoning... and we all get to spend eternity together.
God, thank you for your mercy, which i so greatly need in my sinful life.
1 comment:
Yes ahab did receive mercy from God however, his sins (though maybe passed down by behavior learned) transfer to his descendants. The rest of his family will and does receive the consequences of ahab and Jezebel's sins.....I read ahead and God told ahab this would happen. Could his sons have repented and not have had it happen? I think so but because they continued in what they were taught the judgement was there. Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. The importance of parenting.
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