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A REMINDER: Some Reach A Point Of No Return

  • Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro
  • Apr 13, 2020
  • 4 min read

"However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, 'Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!'" -1 Kings 22:34

This verse jumped out of the page today. King Ahab of Israel, was a wicked king. He performed all sorts of evil acts, and his sins were no longer tolerated by the just and holy God. You see, the seeds we sow will be the fruits we reap.

King Jehoshaphat, of Judah was a good and godly king. He came to visit King Ahab. While there, King Ahab decided to attack the King of Aram to recover Ramoth-gilead. King Jehoshaphat wanted to know if this plan was of God. King Ahab brings 400 of his prophets who prophecy to go to war, and they were all lying prophets, giving false prophetic words. King Jehoshaphat had the common sense (even if at this moment he showed none of it by being there with King Ahab.)

King Ahab, brings Micaiah to appease King Jehoshaphat. I like to pause here for a moment. Isn’t funny how evil still recognize good? King Ahab makes a very interesting comment. Listen to what he said. “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” what a statement.

Let’s really understand here what he’s saying. “Yes, there is a real prophet of the Lord.” Ahab acknowledges, without any doubt or hesitation that Micaiah is a prophet of God. So, why then, would he not take the advice of him? He hates him, that’s why. Logic would ask why hate someone that God uses to keep you from harm? Ahab was evil. Wicked as wicked can get. He had no desire or intention to follow God, never mind obeying and doing things that were right. Therefore, everything God told him to do he wouldn’t do. Micaiah only prophesied what God told him to say. Those were not his words. He just delivered the word. Ahab’s problem was he wanted things his way. In his eyes he only received bad reports. Did you catch that? Pride, doing things our own way only lead to destruction.

I stand amazed at the love, compassion, mercy, and goodness of God. As evil as Ahab was, God still tried to warn him. “Do not go to war with Aram. You will be killed if you do.” How clear cut was that?

You see, when we are blinded by truth, we become deaf and dumb to hearing truth too. Ahab paid with his life for his disobedience. He didn’t heed the warning. Listen very carefully, God warns all the time in the hope we change our ways. His intentions are always to help us see right from wrong. He goes the extra mile to get us to see truth. Imagine 400 prophets were liars. God did not tell them to tell Ahab to go to war. The truth was they told him what he wanted to hear. He believed what he wanted to do already. You understand that? God brought Micaiah knowing Ahab would not only disregard the warning but have him jailed.

Ahab goes to war, disregarding the warning from the only real prophet. This bible verse above hit me. Ahab had disguised himself. He took off his royal robes and thought he could hide himself. But look at what happens. This man just shot an arrow not aiming at anyone, hitting King Ahab. The man wasn’t shooting the arrow at any person. You can’t hide from God. God says something is going to happen, and he'll warn you over and over and over; and if you don’t listen, you're in trouble.

Let me share a little bit of information regarding “In between the joints of his armor.” In Egypt and Assyria breastplates of metal scales were common. Literally, between the joints of the harness was were he was hit. The joints would have been the pieces of armor that attached the breastplate to the helmet or the greaves. Please understand this. Do you know how difficult it would be for that arrow to hit him there? The arrow had to find the perfect joint between the breastplate to kill him.

Listen, when we don’t heed to God’s warnings, when we try to disguise sin, when we remove the breastplate of righteousness, and when we insist on doing things our own way, we leave ourselves room between “the joints” to be annihilated by the enemy. Please hear what the Spirit is saying to you today.

That arrow was directed by God. God had warned Ahab time and time again. He continued in the ways of destruction and God allowed him to be deceived by the lying prophets. Even at that God still sent a real prophet. One more time. Ahab just hated God and hated the man who God sent. We are in deep trouble when we disregard God, His ways, and the people who come our way to help and bless us.

“Turn around and take me out of the battle, I’m badly wounded.” There was no turning back. It was over, the battle was lost, and King Ahab died just like the real prophet of God had warned him. You see, some reach a point of no return. Let’s make up our minds that we will never even consider having to be warned. However, if we are warned, then let us take heed and turn back right then and there.

Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro

Founder and President of Thread of Hope, Inc.

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