A footnote in my NASB study Bible on 1 Kings 16 said Ahab was probably worshiping both YHWH and Baal, because the names of both of Ahab's sons refer to YHWH. Is this true, or did Ahab just like the Lord's name? This seems a great example of what happens when someone is trying to serve two masters.'' -- Aron Kuch (Charleston, South Carolina)
Most of Israel worshipped Yahweh and Baal in O.T. times, so it would not be surprising if Ahab were not the righteous exception. His Sidonian wife, Jezebel, drove him (and the entire nation) to worship Baal. Ahab was not a foreigner, but a native Israelite. Like most people of his generation, he saw no significant contradiction worshiping both gods. (Not Ahab's nemesis, Elijah -- he would tolerate no compromise!) Yes, I think the Ba'al/YHWH struggle -- epitomized atop Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18) -- has many applications for us all.
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