Ben-hadad was a king of Syria who told Israel to hand over all their stuff (gold, silver, wives, children, etc.) Ahab was King of Israel at the time and he agreed to Ben ha-dad’s terms. (The Bible says, ‘There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab…’ so of course he caved-in to the demands of Israel’s enemy.) But, Ben ha-dad was arrogant and wanted even MORE so Ahab told him to ‘pound sand’ (my paraphrase) and they went to war.

Because God keeps His promises, Ben ha-dad was eventually defeated, captured, and brought before Ahab. Dressed in sackcloth and wearing rope on his head (really) Ben ha-dad struck a deal with Ahab and was released.

Along came a prophet of God who told Ahab, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.’ ” (1 Kings 20:42)

It’s not a good idea to make deals with people whom God has devoted to destruction.

Sometimes it seems like you think God in the Old Testament was different from God in the New Testament. You are confused when you read stuff like, “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” You struggled to fit 2 Timothy 3:1 into your ministry of “Hanging Out With Sinners.”

But when you understand that the Old Testament God who had zero tolerance for wickedness is the same God who the New Testament tells you sent Jesus to suffer wrath for wickedness; then it makes sense that He would tell you to ‘have nothing to do with wicked people.’ God has never been okay with mixing righteousness with evil.

Now, whatever angry response you’re planning to hurl at me, I want you to hurl at the prophet in 1 Kings 20. Tell the Prophet that Ahab was right to show mercy to God’s enemy. Tell the Prophet that Jesus wanted Ahab to be kind and turn the other cheek. Tell the Prophet to stop being judgmental and just love Ben-hadad.

If you’re going to pretend you’re more wise, merciful, and loving than God, at least be consistent.