1 Kings 21:29

Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? [The repentance, if it was not profound, or enduring, was nevertheless, while it lasted, sincere. The Searcher of hearts saw in it a genuine self-abasement. And "He will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax;" Isaiah 42:3 ; Matthew 12:20 .] Because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil [There is a manifest reference to Matthew 12:21 , where the same words are used] in his days; but in his son's days [There is no injustice here—no threat of punishment against the innocent instead of the guilty—as might at first sight appear. For in the first place, God knew well what the son would be, and in the second place, if the son had departed from his father's sins he would have been spared ( Ezekiel 18:14 sqq .); the sentence would have been revoked. Judgment was deferred to give the house of Ahab another chance. When Ahab lapsed into sin, he suffered in his own person: when his sons persisted in sin, excision befell the family] will I bring the evil [ Matthew 12:19 ] upon his house [ Matthew 12:22 ],

HOMILETICS