1Kings 20-22 God demonstrated his mercy to King Ahab in restoring rain for parched Israel because of the faithfulness of Elijah, Obadiah, and the hidden prophets. He saw God at work on Mt. Carmel and the destruction of the prophets of Baal. Yet, King Ahab forgets God when faced with a new adversarial taunt. Instead of calling on God, Ahab caves to Ben Hadad’s demands and whines to the leaders of Israel. In all of this, Ahab never gives praise to God for his protection and provision. Ahab needed to know this principle: He does great things beyond our understanding. [Job 37] and He places these experiences before us so that our faith would not be based on human wisdom but on the power of God. [1Cor 2]

King Ben Hadad is through and through an apostate. He calls on his gods to judge him severely if he is unsuccessful, and when all his boasting falls flat, he retreats to a harem for protection. Miraculously, God places Ben Hadad in Ahab’s path that he might be destroyed. Foolishly, Ahab makes a treaty with him! 

Both of these kings fail to know that He is God of the valleys and God of the mountains. God is the Lord. He provides evidence of His power, but like Ahab, we often capitulate out of fear. Remember that the fear of man is a snare. [Prov 29] God is sovereign; no one can rival his works and mighty deeds. [Deut 3]He is Lord!