“AHAB”

19 And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Have you killed and also taken possession?”’ And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood…27 And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly…29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house.”

1 Kings 21:19, 27, 29

God is rich in mercy, and sometimes, even the most wicked people see themselves being on the receiving end of His kindness.

In yesterday’s blog, we talked about the citizens of Nineveh repenting of their sins and receiving God’s mercy. We learned that God listens to those who are heartbroken over their sins.

Here’s another unbeliever who tasted God’s unmerited leniency:

King Ahab of the Northern Kingdom of Israel

Ahab, one of the most wicked kings in the history of Israel, received a specific outpouring of God’s mercy at one point in his life.

Terrible prophecies were spoken against Ahab, his wife, and his children. In an unexpected turn of events, the Israelite king actually repented! The Lord saw his brokenness and accepted his repentance. As a result, the Lord postponed His judgments until the reign of Ahab’s son Joram, giving him more time to turn away from wickedness and serve the Lord.

The Bible tells us that God doesn’t take pleasure in the demise of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23). Neither is He slow in rendering judgment (2 Peter 3:9). God is patient and gives us more time to repent and turn to Him. He wants to save everyone, but only those who actually repent and put their trust in Jesus receive God’s forgiveness and salvation.

This biblical truth is an encouragement to each of us. We have family and friends who are not currently walking with the Lord. Each day is a reminder of God’s patience toward them, waiting for them to one day come to repentance, put their trust in Christ, and receive God’s forgiveness. On our part, we should not stop praying for them. Who knows, we just might be the ones to help them find the hope that Jesus brings.

Pursue the Savior today!