Unrelenting Negotiation
Have you seen the movie "The Devil's Advocate"? I believe that movie has the devil's character and tactics nailed. I couldn't have painted a more accurate picture of satan through film than the character played by Al Pacino. One of the great moments is when his young target (played by Keanu Reeves) asks, "Are we negotiating?" To which the devil / high-society lawyer responds, "Always."
The devil is always fighting us through the subtle art of negotiating. This is clearly illustrated at the end of 1 Kings 20 when Ben-Hadad, defeated by an underdog Israelite army decides to play the humble friend card with Ahab who falls for it hook, line and sinker.
1 Kings 20:30–32 (ESV) And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left. Ben-hadad also fled and entered an inner chamber in the city. 31 And his servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.” 32 So they tied sackcloth around their waists and put ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please, let me live.’ ” And he said, “Does he still live? He is my brother.”
Ahab illustrates a serious problem for many people of faith. They let someone in their lives speak louder than the voice of God. For all the moments in which the Lord tried to speak to Ahab, that voice of Jezebel dominated him, making the leading of the Lord vague to his heart. For that reason, Ahab fell for almost anything offered him by enemy voices. Here it is no different. He's ready to receive Ben-hadad back as a BROTHER even after Ben-hadad had tried to humiliate (see 1 Kings 20:6) and destroy his entire kingdom! What a FOOL is made of those who love someone more than the Lord.
Now Ben-hadad also knows Ahab's "love language". Ahab cannot resist more lands and property (as the next chapter will show). So here's Ben-hadad's play:
1 Kings 20:34 (ESV) And Ben-hadad said to him, “The cities that my father took from your father I will restore, and you may establish bazaars for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” And Ahab said, “I will let you go on these terms.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go.
The king of Israel makes a covenant with this foreign king. What utter disregard for the Lord who has just saved him. But this is what happens when we open our ears to negotiation with the enemy - he draws us in, he sweetens the deal, he speaks to our deeper loves (land for Ahab) and then gets us to commit. This is why the best answer to the devil's offer is "get behind me Satan" or "the Lord rebuke you" as Jude advises.
The Lord will not let this moment pass for Ahab. His judgment will be communicated to him in a strange illustration involving a prophet who asks his fellow to wound him so that he might pose as a failed soldier of Israel who let an Aramean prisoner escape.
1 Kings 20:39–40 (ESV) And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ 40 And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” The king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.”
1 Kings 20:42–43 (ESV) And he said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.’ ” 43 And the king of Israel went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria.
The devil is always fighting us through the subtle art of negotiating. This is clearly illustrated at the end of 1 Kings 20 when Ben-Hadad, defeated by an underdog Israelite army decides to play the humble friend card with Ahab who falls for it hook, line and sinker.
1 Kings 20:30–32 (ESV) And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left. Ben-hadad also fled and entered an inner chamber in the city. 31 And his servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.” 32 So they tied sackcloth around their waists and put ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please, let me live.’ ” And he said, “Does he still live? He is my brother.”
Now Ben-hadad also knows Ahab's "love language". Ahab cannot resist more lands and property (as the next chapter will show). So here's Ben-hadad's play:
1 Kings 20:34 (ESV) And Ben-hadad said to him, “The cities that my father took from your father I will restore, and you may establish bazaars for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” And Ahab said, “I will let you go on these terms.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go.
The king of Israel makes a covenant with this foreign king. What utter disregard for the Lord who has just saved him. But this is what happens when we open our ears to negotiation with the enemy - he draws us in, he sweetens the deal, he speaks to our deeper loves (land for Ahab) and then gets us to commit. This is why the best answer to the devil's offer is "get behind me Satan" or "the Lord rebuke you" as Jude advises.
The Lord will not let this moment pass for Ahab. His judgment will be communicated to him in a strange illustration involving a prophet who asks his fellow to wound him so that he might pose as a failed soldier of Israel who let an Aramean prisoner escape.
1 Kings 20:39–40 (ESV) And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ 40 And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” The king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.”
Ahab is giving a strong visual to show the sin he's committed. He has effectively done what this prophet claims to do. He let the Aramean escape when God had given them into their hands. Ben-hadad was viciously attacking Israel and Ahab let his selfishness call the shots! The judgment
1 Kings 20:42–43 (ESV) And he said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.’ ” 43 And the king of Israel went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria.
Ahab surrendered the peace Israel needed from her enemies to line his own pockets. This was the real sin that God judged him for. He has failed to serve the people's interest and God will hold him accountable.
Ahab is the anti-type of Christ. Christ is the true king who lays down his life for us. Christ is the one who surrenders what He had in heaven to come empty-handed to save us. God judges Ahab's selfish leadership and then models servant leadership in His Son. For Christ, there was no negotiating with the enemy at any point but only whole-hearted obedience to the command of the Father. And because of Him, we have peace.
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