The
purpose of these three stories is to show two things:
1.
If you repent you will be saved.
2.
If a prophet decrees judgment and it
doesn’t come to pass right away that doesn’t mean s/he is not a true prophet.
If people repent they will be saved.
1.
Elijah and Ahab (1 Kings 21: 17-28, NIV)
17
Then the word of the Lord (YHVH) came to Elijah the Tishbite:
18
"Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in
Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it.
19
Say to him, 'This is what the Lord (YHVH) says: Have you not murdered a man and
seized his property?' Then say to him, 'This is what the Lord (YHVH) says: In
the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your
blood—yes, yours!'"
20
Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy!" "I have
found you," he answered, "because you have sold yourself to do evil
in the eyes of the Lord (YHVH).
21
He says, 'I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants
and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free.
22
I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha
son of Ahijah, because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to
sin.'
23
"And also concerning Jezebel the Lord (YHVH) says: 'Dogs will devour
Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.'
24 "Dogs
will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds will feed
on those who die in the country."
25
(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of
the Lord (YHVH), urged on by Jezebel his wife.
26.
He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the
Lord (YHVH) drove out before Israel.)
27
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted.
He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.
28
Then the word of the Lord (YHVH) came to Elijah the Tishbite:
29
"Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has
humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it
on his house in the days of his son."
2. Isaiah and Hezekiah (2 Kings 20: 1-11, NIV)
1 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet
Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord (YHVH) says:
Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.”
2
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord (YHVH),
3
“Remember, Lord (YHVH), how I have walked before you faithfully and with
wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah
wept bitterly.
4
Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord (YHVH) came to
him:
5
“Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, ‘This is what the Lord
(YHVH), the God (Elohim) of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer
and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up
to the temple of the Lord (YHVH).
6
I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city
from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and
for the sake of my servant David.’”
7
Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to
the boil, and he recovered.
3. Jonah and Nineveh (Jonah 3: 1-10, NIV)
1 Then
the word of the Lord ( YHVH ) came to Jonah a second time:
2
“Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
3
Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord (YHVH) and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a
very large city; it took three days to go through it.
4
Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more
days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”
5
The Ninevites believed God (Elohim). A fast was proclaimed, and all of them,
from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
6
When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took
off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust.
7
This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and
his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do
not let them eat or drink.
8
But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call
urgently on God (Elohim). Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.
9
Who knows? God (Elohim) may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce
anger so that we will not perish.”
10
When God (Elohim) saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways,
he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.
Copyright
© 2013 , Carter Kagume. May be used for research purposes only. May not be used
for any commercial purposes.
