King Ahab was a wicked man; the historian tells us that he was more wicked than “all who were before Him” (1 Kings 16:30). That’s quite a statement! It was a “trivial thing” for him to walk in the sins of King Jeroboam, but he also married Queen Jezebel through whom he worshipped and served Baal (16:31). The historian also says that he provoked Jehovah God to anger more than all the kings who were before him. He was killing prophets of God, who preached against his sinful behavior, in 1 Kings 18.
God was patient with King Ahab and sent Elijah and other prophets to try to convince Ahab to change his ways (there was grace under the old Law!). In 1 Kings 22, we have the record of King Ahab calling on King Jehoshaphat of Judah to join him in battle against Aram. King Jehoshaphat was spiritually-minded enough to ask for a message from Jehovah God.
All the prophets on the king’s payroll came out and told them to go fight; they’ll win! Jehoshaphat was skeptical and asked for yet another prophet. There was one, named Micaiah, but King Ahab hated him because he did not preach happy things to Ahab (22:8). Jehoshaphat called for Micaiah and the messenger encouraged Micaiah to tell the kings the same thing everyone else was saying. After all, who likes to be the lone voice crying in the wilderness?
Micaiah famously stated, “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I shall speak” (22:14). May God help all of us who are preachers and teachers to have the same respect for the Word of God!
Yet, Micaiah predicted destruction (22:17-23) and even told the kings that a lying spirit was in the mouths of the other prophets. In verse 23, Micaiah predicted the disaster against King Ahab. The kings decided to listen to the majority and they went out to battle. King Ahab thought that he could thwart the message of Micaiah and disguised himself (22:29).
But the text says in verse 34: “Now a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the fight; for I am severely wounded.” King Ahab soon dies (22:37).
The phrase “at random” translates an expression that includes the word often translated “perfect,” as in perfect specimens which were used in sacrifices. But in this text, the Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament offers these translations or nuances: accidental, unsuspecting, or without taking special aim.
In other words, God disciplined King Ahab through His providence. This was not a miraculous action. Neither God from heaven nor a prophet did anything directly against Ahab. But a bow pulled and shot unsuspectingly and killed this very wicked man.
The Bible teaches in numerous passages, such as Hebrews 12:3-11, that God disciplines those He loves. All suffering is not because we are sinning; some suffering is to help us not to sin. View your suffering through that lens.
Paul Holland