“His servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the household at Tirzah. In the twenty-seventh year of Judah’s King Asa, Zimri went in, struck Elah down, killing him. Then Zimri became king in his place.”
1 Kings 16:9-10
The enemy loves to attack. He loves to attack so as to destroy. I do not think that injury is high on his list. Death and destruction are. If he can inflict a fatal wound, he will not have mercy on you. It may not be a fatal wound to your soul, but it may be to your ministry, relationships, integrity, etc. How must disciples of Jesus handle this?
Here’s what not to do: let your guard down. That’s what Elah king of Israel does in 1 Kings 16:9. Elah is out one day indulging himself so much that he gets drunk. In doing so, he abandons self-control and sound judgment. He takes his eyes off the battlefield and makes himself vulnerable to attacks. Elah becomes a frog in the middle of a highway.
Have you let your guard down? Have you taken your eyes off the battlefield? Perhaps you’ve forgotten you’re even on the battlefield. Look at v. 10, and let it be a sobering reminder to you. Because Elah let his guard down, he was murdered. He was an easy target. He didn’t even know what was coming. He didn’t know what hit him until it was too late. If you let your guard down, you’re an easy target, too.
Even worse, when we let our guard down, we’re not the only ones in danger. Look at v. 11. After Elah was out of the picture, Zimri “struck down the entire house of Baasha.” He couldn’t have done that if Elah hadn’t shirked his duties as a leader. Sadly though, Elah became negligent, and the impact was not small. The bodies were numerous, and the wreckage was great. Believer, do not underestimate the damage that may happen to you and others if you let your guard down. You don’t want blood on your hands.
Stay alert! Don’t let your guard down! “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
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