Leadership Challenges Part 3

 

    When it comes to politics there are a always power struggles.  It is full of drama.  We would not need movies for entertainment if we actually witnessed what happened in politics, but I am not sure we would like what we saw either.  Time moves forward.  Different ideals step in.  New faces appear.  However, some things never change.  Politics becomes a life consuming game of who is the most powerful that forces compromises.  

    Ben-Hadad, King of Aram,  went after Samaria because King Ahab was such a failure as a national leader in God's eyes.  God was allowing a pagan take the national treasures to teach King Ahab a lesson.  Ahab agreed to give Ben-Hadad his gold, silver, his best looking wives and children.  

    When Ben-Hadad wanted more, Ahab finally tried to stand up for himself.  This led to a battle between two kings.  Lets be honest.  That is what Ben-Hadad was after from the beginning.  He wanted to crush Ahab.

    King Ahab's troops were vastly outnumbered, but God would not abandon His people.  He delivered Ben-Hadad's army to Ahab.  Ben-Hadad should have been content with what God had given him instead of being greedy and wanting everything.  

    King Ahab had a prophet that warned him when Ben-Hadad was going to attack.  It was actually a lot of notice to prepare, not just one night.  The king took advantage of this time and that led to his victory over the Arab.  Ben-Hadad's officials went to Ahab to humbly ask him to spare Ben-Hadad's life.  It worked and a treat was formed.

    Here is where it gets tricky.   King Ahab had never turned to God.  He never had a personal relationship with God because he did not want one.  Of course he never went to God to ask Him how to handle the situation.  If he had, then God would have told him not to show Ben-Hadad mercy.  King Ahab was supposed to kill his opponent to avoid future drama.   

    The punishment was a death sentence on King Ahab and his people.  When the king learned of his fate, he went to sulk.  Then he became angry.  How dare God judge him.  It shows just how little he understood God.  It also reveals how little honorable character he had.  He refused to look within to see where any blame could lie with himself.  

    People make a mess of things without knowledge, wisdom, insight, and discernment that is led by the Holy Spirit.  We all have to take responsibility for the mistakes that we make.  Sometimes it requires humility.  Sometimes we just need to find insight.  Sometimes we need to find the courage to produce change.

1 Kings 20