Ahab

<<most evil king of Israel>>

Along with his wife Jezebel they were the most evil rulers Israel had (1 Kgs 16:30,33, 21:25,26).

His story is told in 1 Kings 16:28-22:40; 2 Chronicles 18:1-34. He became king in 874 BC.

Lessons from his life. * He married Jezebel, a heathen woman, and promoted Baal worship (1 Kgs 16:31-33). The choice of a marriage partner (or any close associate) will often have a significant influence on the path we take in life. He consistently listened to wrong advice that agreed with his evil desires and followed that route. In contrast, we should have input into our lives from Godly people who can challenge us if they see questionable behaviour and counsel us to live right.

* Ahab feared the consequences of his sin that Elijah had just pronounced would happen to him and humbled himself before God (1 Kgs 21:19ff). While this outward response was a good start it is doubtful if there was any ongoing change of lifestyle that accompanied it. Although God delayed the punishment on the family line, there is no mention of Ahab destroying the Baal gods and even the events leading to his death of listening to the false prophets are suspect for a person who has reformed and repented (1 Kgs 22:6ff). How genuine is my repentance? Have I made a definite (and lasting) break from the path of sin I was on, or am I continuing on, with only a token expression of the “New creation [where] the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Cor 5:17).