I recently wrote a silly argument using deductive methodoly and proof-texting to get the point across. Jeremy, always offering insight, pointed out how the argument could have easily been knocked out by John 4?true indeed. Meanwhile, thinking about mountains and such, I found myself drawn back to the Elijah series to look at the deductive faulty reasoning of the Syrians and how God proved better than their theology.
The Syrians had just been thoroughly defeated by the Israelites and as their king (1 Kings 20:21). As Ben Haddad sat licking his wounds his advisors offered the reason why they had lost the battle. It wasn?t that Israel had fought better or that the Syrian army had been a bit cocky?but rather it had everything to do with the Israelite God (1 Ki 20:23).
They perceived that much and I credit them for it. And yet, thinking about the Israelite God who had soundly beaten them down from the hill country they jumped to the conclusion that this God is a god of the mountains only. We don?t see them using any proof-texts about how He had introduced His Law on a mountain or any such things?but we know that it seemed to make sense to Ben Haddad. If they only bring the Israelites down into the plains, they would surely beat them since God was a God of the mountains and not of the plains or valleys (1 Ki 20:24-25).
With their gathered pride and the early spring thaw, the Syrians mustered themselves with new military commanders in place and a plan that would work, or so they thought (1 Ki 20:26).
How would God answer this presumptuous attitude? Even though Ahab was a wicked king of Israel, God decides to stand before him?not for Ahab?s sake, but His own name?s sake for Ben Haddad had made a grave error. He had defamed God?s name and had limited His sphere of power.
As Ahab looked upon the teeming masses of angry Syrians all about on the plain below, he felt like they were a flock of mountain goatlings ready for the slaughter (1 Ki 20:27). The Lord?s prophet came and told Ahab saying ?Because the Syrians said, ?The Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,? I will hand over to you this entire hoard of an army. Then you will know that I am the Lord.? (1 Ki 20:28)
God would take this event, and not only declare His magnificence and omnipotence to the proud King of Syria?but simultaneously He would show Ahab that his little wooden Gods in the high places of the mountains could do nothing. That only the God who is above and over all, the Sovereign Lord of all creation, is the one and only Living God. He would prove His might and power and that He is not limited by men?s conceptions of who He is for He is the Lord.
I take great comfort in this knowing that although I see many things in the Scriptures about my God, the Living God, I know that other devout believers see other things as well. And though I have deep convictions of what I see the Living God to be, I know that He is so much greater than any theological box I may put around Him. He is not the God of Rey?s Theology but the God of Wesley, and Calvin, and Spurgeon, and Darby, and Mueller, and Edwards, and Jeremy, and Rebecca and you can add all the names you wish. All people who have caught a glimpse of the overwhelming glory of the Living God.
In this story, we know that seven days those armies faced each other, the immensity of the Syrian army sinking into the minds on both sides. When the battle began we see that 100,000 Syrians fell, the remaining 27,000 fled to Aphek and died when the walls fell on them and Ben Haddad, the proud king hid in an inner room. That God of the mountains proved to be the God of the plains and valleys and now, He was coming right into the inner room to hunt down this presumptuous man?bringing him to the point of begging for his life (1 Ki 20:29-32).
Let us be fully convinced of what we know of God, but simultaneously, let us consider that God is all the more greater than what we can define Him to be. Paul reflecting on the greatness of God collapses into the utter unsearchable wisdom of God that is above all we can ask and think (Rom 11:33). Pauls? ministry was preaching those unsearchable riches of Christ to the Gentiles. We will be enjoying eternity continually delving into those unfathomable depths?and it begins here in our mountains and our plains.
-r-