How does 1 Kings 20:35 demonstrate obedience to God's unusual instructions? Setting the scene • Israel has just won an unexpected victory over Ben-hadad of Aram (1 Kings 20:13–30). • King Ahab spares the defeated Ben-hadad, ignoring God’s command to destroy him (vv. 31–34). • Into this moment steps “one of the sons of the prophets,” carrying a fresh word from the LORD to confront Ahab and expose his disobedience. The unusual instruction: “Strike me, please” (1 Kings 20:35) “By the word of the LORD, one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, ‘Strike me, please.’ But the man refused to strike him.” • The request is odd: God tells a prophet to ask for a beating. • The purpose: the prophet needs visible wounds to dramatize Ahab’s sin (vv. 37–42). • God often uses prophetic sign-acts—physical illustrations to drive His message home (cf. Isaiah 20:2–4; Ezekiel 4:1–8). Obedience contrasted 1. Companion’s refusal – He hears the command secondhand, doubts its necessity, and declines. – Consequence: “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you leave me, a lion will kill you.” It happens immediately (v. 36). 2. Second companion’s compliance – “So he struck him and wounded him” (v. 37). – No explanation, no hesitation—just obedience, paving the way for God’s message to Ahab. What God teaches through this scene • God’s commands—even when they seem unreasonable—are never optional (Deuteronomy 28:1; Luke 6:46). • Partial or delayed obedience equals disobedience (1 Samuel 15:22–23). • Ignoring God’s word invites judgment; obeying it positions us to participate in His purposes. Other biblical examples of unusual instructions obeyed • Noah builds an ark before rain exists (Genesis 6:13–22). • Joshua marches around Jericho instead of storming it (Joshua 6:1–20). • Gideon shrinks his army to 300 men (Judges 7:1–8). • Ananias lays hands on persecutor Saul (Acts 9:10–17). Takeaways for followers of Christ • Expect God’s guidance to stretch human logic. His wisdom surpasses ours (Isaiah 55:8–9). • Test every prompting by Scripture, then act without delay (James 1:22). • Fear of looking foolish must never outweigh fear of displeasing God (Galatians 1:10). • God may use our obedient steps, however strange, as living parables to reach others. Summary 1 Kings 20:35 highlights a prophet’s willingness to obey an unusual divine command and a companion’s fatal refusal. The episode underscores God’s absolute authority, the non-negotiable nature of His word, and the blessing that rests on ready, wholehearted obedience. |
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