Even wicked kings receive the Lord's favor sometimes. When Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram, attacked Samaria and then taunted Ahab, God sent a prophet to Ahab to tell him he would be victorious. After Israel was victorious, Ben-Hadad's officials told him "Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they. - 1 Kings 20:23 NIV
The next spring, the man of God returned to Ahab and told him, "This is what the LORD says: 'Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the LORD.' " - 1 Kings 21:28 NIV
God will use even evil men to carry out his plan, and it was his plan that Ben-Hadad would die. Unfortunately, Ahab was persuaded by Ben-Hadad to spare his life, once again incurring God's anger. "This is what the LORD says: 'You have set free a man I had determined should die. Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people.' " Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went to his palace in Samaria. - 1 Kings 21:42-43
Sullen and angry. Just when it looked like Ahab might have acknowledged God's power, he was right back where he started. And he proved nothing had changed when he sulked over Naboth's vineyard until Jezebel conspired to have Naboth killed so Ahab could have what he wanted. God sent Elijah to Ahab once again. 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. 'I am going to bring disaster on you. I will consume your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin.' - 1 Kings 21:20-22 NIV
Ahab met his end as you would expect: Conniving and trusting in his own prophets instead of the prophet of God until the end. He sent Jehoshaphat into battle against Aram dressed in his kingly robes, while Ahab went in disguise. The ruse didn't succeed. The king of Aram realized the one dressed as a king was not Ahab and left Jehoshaphat alone. Ahab was struck by a stray arrow and slowly bled to death in his chariot.
Nothing has changed. God is still in charge whether man acknowledges it or not.
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