Why Did God Take It So Easy On Ahab?

In this regular feature Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of The Berean Call, here is this week’s question:Dear Dave and Tom:You two have thrown a guilt trip on me sinceI’ve been listening to your program.It’s not so bad though since it has to do with urging me on to read the Old Testament, which I have to admit I have avoided.I’m definitely getting into it, but I can see I am going to need some help with my understanding of some things.I know you can’t answer all my questions, but this one has thrown me for a loop.It has to do with the character of God, here it is:In 1Kings 21, the prophet Elijah confronts Ahab with all that God is going to do to him for his murders, his wickedness and his idolatries.He is the most evil king of all Israel, yet he feigns some humility and God shows him mercy.That doesn’t seem right, help me out here.

Tom:

Dave, it’s so easy when you are reading through the scriptures to take your own view of things.In other words, sometimes we put God in a box, as some would say, we anthropomorphize Him, we bring Him down to our level, and we think He’s got to deal with issues the way we would deal with issues.I think that’s what’s happened to this writer, but on the other hand, how evil can you get more than Ahab, he was really bad.

Dave:

Well, on the other hand, was he as bad as those who crucified Christ, those who—here is God in the flesh doing nothing but good, and they hated Him without a cause, they nailed Him to a cross.And Jesus, from the cross, says, Father, forgive them.Now, on the other hand, also Tom, sounds like Fiddler on the Roof, Topal—on the other hand, and on the other hand—can any of us say that we should have been forgiven more than somebody else should have been forgiven?See, I think we have a wrong idea.Well, in our courts, of course, murder is worse than robbery or petty theft or something like that.On the other hand—I keep saying that, Tom, but I can’t get away from it.On the other hand, look, we talked about this, I think last week or the week before, Adam and Eve, what was their big crime?They just ate some fruit off of a tree, and God pronounced death upon them, and look what that brought.By one man sin entered into the world, death by sin, and death passed upon all men, all sin.We’ve got wars and rape and murder, and I mean, this is horrible, because Adam and Eve ate some fruit that God told them not to.So, maybe we’ve mentioned this before, but Tom, I will confess myself, I don’t think I really have as solemn a view as I ought to have of what it means to disobey God.So, whether it’s a big sin or a little sin, it’s a big sin because it’s rebellion against God.Yet if God is not willing to forgive us, obviously it’s clearly not on the basis of our works, it’s because of His grace.So why does He forgive Ahab?Well, Ahab, of course wasn’t forgiven, but Ahab was given a little more leash, he was given a little mercy.

Tom:

And he turned from his own humility, his own repentance and just continued to do the same later on down the line.

Dave:

So, God is not willing that any should perish, 2 Peter tells us, and He is long suffering.He wants everyone to come to repentance, so He gave Ahab a little more time to repent.But that’s God, and none of us deserves any forgiveness from God, and yet He is gracious to all of us.

Tom:

Dave, that’s an amazing thing to me.I’m reading God’s Word, and I think about His character, and I think about how much I miss the mark and don’t understand, and it encourages me to get to know Him better, to understand Him more fully.Because when you do, what are you going to do with infinite grace, infinite love, infinite mercy?That’s so far removed from my understanding, and not that I can’t appreciate it and grow in that understanding of it, but He’s so different than we are—wow!

Dave:

We try to understand, Tom, and Jeremiah:9:24But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
See All... says, “Let him that glorieth, glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me,” but God is so far beyond us.Tom, what really hurts me is because, as a result of my feeble understanding, my praise is feeble, the gratitude that ought to be in my heart for how gracious, loving and merciful and kind and patient God has been in my life.It’s not as strong as it ought to be because I don’t understand the horror, first of all, of sin, that what it is to rebel against God, and I don’t understand how could He possibly be merciful.Remember, Jesus gave the example of the man who owed a huge sum, and the creditor forgave him, and then he turns around, like he owed about a million dollars, let’s say, and he turns around to one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars, grabs him by the throat, “Pay me what you owe” and because he couldn’t pay him he threw him in prison.Tom, it’s going to be wonderful when we get to heaven, and we’ll be like Jesus and we will know as we are known, no longer will we see through a glass darkly.

Tom:
Dave, I’ll use your phrase, on the other hand, you know, we are not to become mystics, okay, that’s the mystic cop out as we can’t comprehend God, we can’t understand Him, so we have to experience Him.No, He’s given us His Word, and He’s given us His Holy Spirit to help us understand.You quoted the scripture earlier, Proverbs:4:7Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
See All...:“Wisdom is the principle thing; therefore get wisdom:and with all they getting get understanding.” And that is only by the Holy Spirit.

Dave:

God is infinitely beyond us, but yet God encourages us to understand him, and He will reveal himself through His Word.