DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE LORD GOD

PROCLAMATION

“And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, ‘Thus saith The Lord, Because the Syrians have said, The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am The Lord.’ ”  1 Kings 20:28 (KJV)

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The human author is unknown although some Bible scholars attribute this book to the prophet Jeremiah.  Ben-hadad king of Syria gather together all of his host and there were thirty-two kings with him.  They made war against Samaria and sieged it.  Then they sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel saying that all of their gold and silver, and their wives and children, belonged to Ben-hadad. (1 Kings 20:1-3)  Initially Ahab agreed all that he had belonged to Ben-hadad but he changed his mind after he consulted with the elders of Israel.  Ben-hadad told his men to make ready for war against Israel.  About that time a prophet came to Ahab and asked him had he not seen the multitude of the Syrian army?  Then the prophet told him that The Lord would give victory over the Syrians to his young men. (1 Kings 20:4-15)  The two hundred and thirty-two young men of Israel slaughtered the Syrian army which vastly outnumbered them.  Ben-hadad fled along with some of his horsemen but a large number of the Syrians, horses and chariots, were slaughtered. (1 Kings 15-21)  The prophet told Ahad to go and strengthen himself for the Syrians would attack him again the next year.  The Syrians regroup and reorganized and planned to attack the Israelites in the plains instead of in the hills.  The man of God came to Ahab and said because the Syrians have said that The Lord is God of the hills and not of the valleys, He will deliver them into your hand so that they will know that He is Lord. (1 Kings 20:22-28)  When they fought, the Israelites slew one hundred thousand Syrians in one day.  The rest of the Syrians, about twenty-seven thousand, fled to the city of Aphek where a wall fell upon them.  Ben-hadad fled into the city into an inner chamber.  His servants suggested that they surrender and throw themselves on Ahab’s mercy. (1 Kings 20:29-31)  Ben-hadad did as they said and Ahab let him live, and even made a covenant with him.  Because he did not utterly destroy Ben-hadad as had been appointed, The Lord said Ahab and Israel would suffer instead. (1 Kings 20:32-43)

APPLICATION

It is not a good idea to underestimate The Lord God.  He is all-knowing, (1 John 3:20) and all-powerful, (Matthew 28:18) and He is everywhere, in the hills and valleys, all at the same time. (Psalm 139:8)  We will be victorious when we are with Him, even when our enemy has us outnumbered.  We just need to believe, have faith, and follow His commands.  When we win and all is well, we still need to obey His Holy Word.