MANY kings reigned over the nation of Israel and some were outstandingly wicked, but according to the 1st Book of Kings, chapter xvi and verse 30, “Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him,” and this is substantiated by the divine record of his history. He took a deplorable step when he married that wicked woman Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians, and then went and served Baal and worshipped him (see I Kings xvi. 31). And it may be assumed, although he was not righteous himself, that the heathenish influence of this woman drew him away from acknowledging the one living and true God, to idolatry and other godless practices which did provoke the God of Israel to anger. And God’s anger was manifested toward Ahab and Israel, according to the announcement by Elijah, the Tishbite, who said unto Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” This judgment came to pass, “And there was a sore famine in Samaria” (I Kings: see chapters xvii and xviii), the outcome of Ahab’s wicked conduct and example as king of Israel.
In the third year of the famine, the word of the Lord came to godly Elijah, saying, “Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth” (chapter xviii. 6). So Elijah obeyed this command; and with the assistance of Obadiah, who feared the Lord and was governor of Ahab’s house, Elijah and Ahab ultimately meet again. And when they did meet, “It came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, “Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” He thus sought to fix the entire responsibility for the afflictive and distressful conditions prevailing throughout the land, upon the head of God’s prophet, in his carnal boldness, pride and hardness of heart.
The true Church of God has had a like experience of the evil spirit and satanic tactics characteristic of Ahab, down through the ages.
Those who turn away in heart and conduct from the Truth, the fellowship of God’s people, and the Cause of Christ, and find their troubles and miseries in the world increased thereby, are very ready to entertain bitter enmity towards those who have faithfully witnessed on the side of God’s truth and against their evil doings and sins. This spirit of enmity against truth, righteousness and faithful dealing with their God-dishonouring conduct, is often at the root of further wicked procedure.
Those under the influence of the “Ahab spirit” are completely blind to the solemn and dangerous reality of their own personal violations of the divine law and their utter lack of the spirit of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, for which things’ sake cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. They utterly fail to recognise any relation between their thorny and miserable path and the anger of the holy One of Israel; and so must charge those who have opposed their wicked conduct with being responsible, more or less, for their afflictive circumstances.
Such enmity to the Church of God and blindness regarding sin committed, where these exist, embolden men to openly and unashamedly charge and condemn falsely those who truly fear the Lord and serve the Redeemer. “Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” was a question which carried in its bosom and its wording, an attempt to condemn Elijah as a man who was a menace to Israel and the procuring cause of all their trouble. The “off-spring” of Ahab are alive until this day, seeking to cover their guilt by accusing the innocent.
It seems when men like Ahab are hardened under their guilt and providences which indicate the anger of God against them and their companions, that they are calmly prepared to enter into argument and discussion with a view to endeavouring to prove that those who have been on the Lord’s side are the infamous authors of their peculiar adversities and difficulties. And so Ahab questions the eminent Elijah to open up a discussion on the matter; when, as in the sight of God and in the light of Ahab’s idolatry and much back-sliding on the part of those in Israel whom he had led astray, there was no necessity for any enquiry as to who the troubler of Israel was at this time.
The brazen-faced effrontery of the king does not in the least degree disturb the conscience or composure of the prophet of God; and neither should similar conduct on the part of unscrupulous men in these days, be permitted to disturb unduly the minds of those who have an eye to the honour of the Most High and the prosperity of His cause of truth in the world.
Elijah immediately gives his answer—the true answer—to Ahab’s question, faithfully, without fear, and with a conscience void of offence toward God and men (see I Kings xviii. 18). He repudiates the charge in these words, “I have not troubled Israel”; and thus emphasises the enmity and impudence of Ahab to his face. But the substance of his answer comes when he turns the charge of being the troubler of Israel upon Ahab himself, and declares, “but thou and thy father’s house.” And here the actual criminal is confronted with his wicked conduct and guilt in being the procuring cause of bringing judgments upon himself and those who followed him to idolatry. Then the prophet lays bare in a twofold manner the reasons and occasion of all the trouble, which lay in Ahab’s unrighteous and godless conduct; that is, on the one hand, “… in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord,” and on the other, “and thou hast followed Baalim.” And these facts Ahab could not deny; although sinners can become so sottish as to call good evil and evil good; to which perverted state of mind Ahab appears to have fallen.
And so the Church of Christ even to-day is obliged, as before God and their own consciences, to deny and disown varied and peculiar slanders published by evil and ignorant opponents of the Kingdom of God and the good name and peace thereof. But further, the Church, in the strength of grace, must not fear or fail to charge such with being a snare, and a trouble to themselves and others, in the visible Church and the world. And their departures from the Lord and His holy Word and their transgressions and sins in particular ways, must be exposed.
And in due time, the Lord Himself will answer by fire, as He did on Mount Carmel, to the condemnation of Ahab and Baal and to the upholding and encouraging of Elijah, as to his faith in and devotion to, the God of Israel. And so also will the Lord vindicate His true Church and witnesses against all their enemies.