AHAB – A MODERN DAY LEADER?

 

 

1 Kings 16:30      After hearing about Ahab becoming king, what is the first thing we hear about him?

 

                Who came before him, and what did they do?

                (1 Ki. 12:28-33; 13:33, 34; 14:9; 15:30) –

                (1 Ki. 15:26) –

                (1 Ki. 15:27, 29, 32, 34; 16:2, 7) –

                (1 Ki. 16:9, 13) –                                                                    (1 Ki. 16:9-12, 18-20) –

                (1 Ki. 16:25-26) –

                Though all these kings committed many sins, what was true of all of them?

                Do you know of any leaders/rulers today that have caused their countries to sin?

 

1 Ki. 16:31            What did Ahab consider a trivial (of little importance) thing for him to do?

                Do you know of any leaders (political or religious) that consider it trivial to walk/live in sin?

What are some areas of sin that are usually considered trivial?

Do you consider it trivial (of little importance) to walk/live in sin because other leaders have, and why?

 

                What else did Ahab do?

                Do you know of any leaders (political or religious) who have made unholy unions or alliances with pagans or unbelievers?

Give some examples.

                Are you involved in any yourself?                   Why?

                As a result of this unholy union (Ex. 34:12-16; Deut. 7:2-4; 12:30, 31; Judg. 3:6, 7; Ezra 9:1, 2, 11, 12; Neh. 13:23-27), what happened (1 Ki. 18:4, 13, 19)?

Who else in the Bible is known for this same thing (1 Ki. 11:1-9)?

Have you ever involved yourself in friendships, relationships, etc. that have caused the world’s (which have their origins with Satan) philosophies, values, goals to be promoted/advanced while causing harm directly/indirectly to the cause of Christ or His people?

Why?                                                     If so, what do you plan to do to change?

 

                What else did Ahab do?

                Do you know of any leaders (political or religious) who have turned to other gods, served them, and worshipped them as a result of their unholy union(s)?                   Give an example.

                As a Christian, have you made decisions, out of the will of God, that has brought you into close fellowship with unbelievers resulting in you serving and worshipping other gods (i.e., cars, sports, family, career, education, computers, boyfriend/girlfriend, wife/husband, money, possessions, pleasures, etc.)?

                What do you plan to do about it?                                                     When?

 

1 Ki. 16:32, 33                     What did Ahab have built?

                Do you know of any leaders (political or religious) who have erected/built places promoting/supporting the worship or service of false gods or godless living?             Give an example.

                Do you encourage/promote/support (by words spoken or by finances and/or time given) people, groups, projects, and/or programs that worship or elevate false gods or elevate self to the position of god?               If so, why?

 

                If so, what do you plan to do about it, and when?

 

1 Ki. 17:1; 18:17, 18          What did Elijah tell Ahab would happen?

                Three years later (18:1), when Ahab met up with Elijah again, what did Ahab do (vs. 17)?

                Do you know of any leaders (political or religious) who have blamed others for the problems in their country?

                Who was really at fault for the severe famine/drought in Samaria?

                Why was Ahab at fault (vs. 18)?

                Do you know of any leaders/rulers who have troubled your country by forsaking the commandments of the Lord, and have followed false gods (or made themselves their own god)?

 

1 Ki. 20:13            What did a prophet tell Ahab would happen?

                Why did God choose to give Ahab victory?

                Why do you think it was important for Ahab to know who the true Lord/God was?

                Do you know (experientially) who the true God is?                     Are you, as a Christian, seeking to influence those around you to know the true God (Jn. 17:3) through obedience to the commands of holy living, evangelizing the spiritually lost, and building up believers spiritually (1 Pet. 1:14-16; 1 Pet. 2:9, 10; Acts 10:42; Matt. 28:19, 20; 2 Tim.2:2), and why?

 

1 Ki. 20:23, 28                     What did the man of God tell Ahab would happen in this war?

                Why did God promise (vs. 28) and give (vss. 29, 30) Ahab victory this time?

                What would Ahab know as a result of this great victory?

                Why do you think it is important for a leader to know who truly causes the outcome of wars and/or circumstances

                (2 Sam. 24:10, 15-17; Prov. 29:4; Ps. 20:7, 8; 21:7; 33:16, 17; Eccles. 8:4)?

 

                What are you doing to insure that your leaders (political and religious) know/remember God for what He has done and not turn away to numbers, military might, worldly values, or earthly things to put their hope/trust in?

 

1 Ki. 20:29-34, 42               What did Ahab call Ben-hadad (vs. 32)?

                Do you know of any leaders/rulers (political or religious) who treat others with different ideals or beliefs as brothers?             

Do you know of any leaders who have invited other bad or heretical leaders into positions of honor or prominence (i.e., “took him up into the chariot”, vs. 33)?                            If so, who?

                After making a covenant with Ben-hadad, what did Ahab do to him?

                Do you know of any leaders (political or religious) who are reaping the results upon themselves and/or the people under them for letting an enemy go (or, in the religious arena, making covenants/agreements with unbelievers and/or ignoring another’s false doctrine by not warning others)?

                Are you seeking to alert your leaders (political or religious) about the dangers of uniting with/supporting/honoring those countries hostile to your country (or religious people opposed to the gospel, the Bible, Christianity, etc.)?

                If so, give some examples of how you are.                      If not, what do you plan to start doing about it?

                If you’re a leader, are you seeking to unite with those opposed to the Bible, Christianity, or the gospel, and why?

 

What should be our response (Rom. 16:17; Eph. 5:11; 1 Tim. 6:3-5; 2 Tim. 3:5; Tit. 3:10)?

 

1 Ki. 21:1-19        What did Ahab want (vs. 2)?

                Why couldn’t Naboth sell his vineyard (vss. 3, 4; Lev. 25:23-28; Num. 36:7)?

 

                What was Ahab’s response to Naboth’s rejection of his offer (vs. 4)?

                Who else does this attitude remind you of?

                With no respect for the law, what did Queen Jezebel encourage Ahab (in your own words) to do (vs.7)?

 

                Though Jezebel was the one who had Naboth (vss. 8-14) and his sons (2 Ki. 9:26) killed, who was held responsible for his murder (vs. 19)?                                Why do you think this was so (vss. 8, 9)?

                Do you know of any leaders (political or religious) who are responsible for the death or character assassination of others (directly or indirectly)?                     Give an example.

                Have you ever sought to hurt someone (physically/verbally) in order to get something that wasn’t yours?

                What was it?                                                                         Why?

 

1 Ki. 21:20-22      What did Ahab call Elijah?

                What was the reason Ahab viewed God’s prophet, Elijah, as an enemy?

                Do you think that this could be a reason why people today hate the gospel, Spirit-filled, obedient Christians (Jn. 3:19-21)?

                Why was God going to utterly sweep away Ahab and all his family (vss. 22, 26; 2 Ki. 9:7, 8)?

 

                How many sons did Ahab have (2 Ki. 10:1)?                                What does this tell you about his moral life?

 

1 Ki. 21:25            Though Ahab was responsible for his own sin, who incited (i.e., urged on to action, stirred up) him?

                How is she described (2 Ki. 9:22)?

                Do you know of anybody who is married who has been incited to sin/disobey God (i.e., in pursuing holiness in character, evangelizing the spiritually lost, or spiritually building up believers wholeheartedly/excellently)?

                If married yourself, have you let your spouse incite you to disobey God’s commands for becoming Christ-like in character and mission?                                Why?

                If so, what do you plan to do about it, and when?

                If single, are you or have you let your family (2 Chron. 22:3), girlfriend/boyfriend, or others (2 Chron. 22:4, 5) incite you to disobey God’s commands to holy living, evangelizing the spiritually lost, and building up believers spiritually, and why?

If so, what do you plan to do about it, and when?

1 Ki. 21:27-29                      How did Ahab respond to God’s judgment against him?

                How did God respond to Ahab’s humbling of himself?

Did Ahab deserve this after all the evil he had done?                   What does this tell you about God’s character (Jonah 4:2)?

 

1 Ki. 22:5-8; 2 Chron. 18:4-7           Three years later (vs. 1), Ahab had 400 hundred prophets to instruct him, but who wasn’t among them?

How did Ahab feel about Micaiah, and why?

Do you know of any leaders (political or religious) who have surrounded themselves with false teachers/bad counselors?

If so give an example or two.

Do you or have you ever avoided the counsel of godly Christians (or sought out the counsel of ungodly people/carnal Christians/unbelieving family members) because you knew what the godly Christians would say regarding some fruitless activity or some worldly goal you wanted to accomplish?

                What happened as a result of Ahab not listening to Micaiah’s counsel (vss. 34, 35)?

                Will you listen to the counsel of godly Christians instead (1 Cor. 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10)?                   Why?

 

1 Ki. 22:19-23, 26, 27; 2 Chron. 18:18-22, 25, 26       Who was responsible for enticing Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead (vs. 21)?

 

What kind of spirit (vs. 22)?

                How would this deceiving spirit (demon) accomplish his plan (vs. 22)?

                What did God say would happen (vs. 22)?                                                     What does this tell you about God?

                Who did Ahab believe (vs. 27)?                                                                       Was Ahab able to choose differently?

                What does this tell you about the wills and decisions of unbelieving leaders/rulers (Dan. 4:34-37; Prov. 21:1)?

 

1 Ki. 22:30-35; 2 Chron. 18:29-34                  What did Ahab do in order to keep from being recognized?

Even though Jehoshaphat was dressed in his royal robes (vs. 30), his enemies initially thought he was Ahab (vs. 32), what happened (vs. 33)?

                Why did the Arameans really stop pursuing Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 18:31)?

                What happened at random?

                Was this an accident (Psa. 139:2-4, 7-12; Jer. 23:23, 24; Heb. 4:13; 1 Sam. 2:6-8; Deut. 32:39)?

                Was Ahab’s death like God said it would be (1 Ki. 21:19; 22:38)?

                Have you ever fooled yourself like Ahab by thinking that you could sin and avoid/hide from the consequences of your actions?

If so, when?

 

2 Chron. 19:2       How was Ahab described (see also 21:13)?

                What did Jehu say was the result of helping the wicked and loving those who hate the Lord?

                What was one way in which Jehoshaphat did this (2 Chron. 18:1)?

                What was the end result (2 Chron. 21:4, 6, 8, 11, 13-20)?

                Do you know of any leaders (political or religious) who are helping other wicked, God-hating leaders?

                Give some examples.

                Are you supporting/helping (with finances, possessions, time, or talents) leaders or groups who are wicked or hate the Lord (i.e., as demonstrated by either their false doctrine, disobedience to the Scriptures, or godless/worldly goals, values, and priorities – Jas. 4:4; 1 Jn. 2:15, 16; Phil. 3:18, 19; 2 Tim. 3:1-4; Rom. 1:28, 32; 2 Thes. 3:14, 15; 2 Jn. 1:10, 11)?

 

2 Ki. 10:30            What was right in God’s eyes and according to all that was in His heart?

                Though God is good/kind to ungrateful and evil men (Lk. 6:35; Psa. 78:20, 23-29), at times even blesses them (Acts 14:17), and is patient (Num. 14:18), what else is God (Psa. 78:17, 21, 31, 49, 50; Num. 23:19; 2 Chron. 19:7)?

 

                At this present time, you may be enjoying good times, good health, financial stability, success, etc. (while living godless, worldly, or in gross sin and disobedience to God’s word and will), but of what should Ahab’s death remind you (Heb. 9:27; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; 2 Cor. 5:10)?                                 Or, what else could this mean (Heb. 12:6-8)?