1. God detains a story where none of the parties are elect 2. Yet God uses both Ben Hadad and Ahab for His purposes 3. God gives Ben Hadad over to creed, then 'blesses' Ahab temporarily - despite their common wickedness 4. In the midst of this confusion, God speaks His Word 'clearly' to witness to Ahab - who He will not save 5. God commands us to walk faithfully before Him, despite our lack of clear knowledge of His elaborate will

1. Rebuilding the ruined altar -18-30--2. Counter-intuitive measures-effective sacrifice -18-32--3. Prayer for divine display of clarity-identity -18-36--4. The altar consumed -18-38--5. Prophetic application- Baal prophets slaughtered -18-40--6. Window into the wrath poured out on Calvary

1. Rebuilding the ruined altar (18:30) 2. Counter-intuitive measures/effective sacrifice (18:32) 3. Prayer for divine display of clarity/identity (18:36) 4. The altar consumed (18:38) 5. Prophetic application: Baal prophets slaughtered (18:40) 6. Window into the wrath poured out on Calvary

1. An old prophet abiding in a wicked culture-2. The old prophet's infidelity-3. Confusing an old prophet with the Word of God-4. The old prophet's repentance - Jeroboam's ruin-5. Comparison to Rome's errors - Jesus' temptation

1. An old prophet abiding in a wicked culture 2. The old prophet's infidelity 3. Confusing an old prophet with the Word of God 4. The old prophet's repentance & Jeroboam's ruin 5. Comparison to Rome's errors & Jesus' temptation

1. God's Word is always sovereign and powerful-2. Such power is always available, but not usually displayed-3. The wicked are effectively ignorant of this power-4.God sometimes delights in tying His power to His Word so that mankind will be better forewarned about it

1. God's Word is always sovereign and powerful 2. Such power is always available, but not usually displayed 3. The wicked are effectively ignorant of this power 4.God sometimes delights in tying His power to His Word so that mankind will be better forewarned about it

1. Chaos has ambition -11-26--2. Chaos has worldly gifts -11-28--3. Chaos lacks discernment-discretion -11-38--4. So it is with all humanistic-autonomous men-5. Solo -11-9ff-

1. Chaos has ambition (11:26) 2. Chaos has worldly gifts (11:28) 3. Chaos lacks discernment/discretion (11:38) 4. So it is with all humanistic/autonomous men 5. Solo (11:9ff)

1. Foreign-alien women -11-1--2. Intermarriage, infidelity, interdependency-3. Love after a fashion -11-2--4. Solomon apostatized -11-4, 5, 6, 7, 8--5. Solomon confronted -11-9ff-