Judgment on King Ahab and Jezebel

 Judgment on the House of Ahab

 Book of 2 Kings

 There are many disagreements in the many denominations of the Church about the "Judgment of God," but we are all united in the belief that there will be a final "Judgment".

 Death is a reality for every member of the human race.

 Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

 We should understand that this Scripture refers to the physical death of the body, but not the soul.

 The soul can be described as the life-principle of a human being, and the life-principle of every human will live on after the death of the body.

 The Lord Jesus says this about the soul: Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 The soul can be said to be the immaterial nature of every human!

 The soul can only be seen by God, who gave it!

Sometimes, the real me on the inside of this sack of flesh will be looking out, and I will want to do something, but I cannot get this flesh to cooperate. It gets worse as I get older.

 At death, the soul and the body will separate: Jas 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead", so faith without works is dead also.

 With the body now dead, it is the soul that will face the judgment of God, as our verse in the Book of Hebrews says.

 No one is exempt from this death. Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

 We must be very clear that because Jehovah is holy, He must judge all that is unholy, or He would no longer be holy Himself!

 "Judgment" is an expression of God's character!

 Today, we will see that many will face God's "Judgement" as they die because they are evil and wicked, and they have refused to repent of that wickedness.

 We have already spoken some on the judgment of King Ahab and his wife Jezebel, but today we will see it as it takes place in the Scriptures.

 It was the Prophet Elijah who first informed King Ahab about how his life would end in judgment.

 We know that God had already judged Lucifer and the fallen angels, and the things written in the Scriptures will take place as they are written.

 We know that God judged the people on this earth with the worldwide flood in the days of Noah.

 God judged the people at the Tower of Babel.

 God judged the people of the Northern Kingdom, as we have been studying.

 God also judged the Southern Kingdom.

 We know that the wrath of God will be revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness!

The Book of Revelation gives us the horrible details of this "Judgement".

 Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

 As the Son of God, our Lord Jesus has the authority to render judgment when He returns, and He will only do this after He has removed His Church from this earth.

 Joh 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

 It would be Jehu who would be the hand of God's judgment upon King Ahab and his wife Jezebel.

We will see that Jehu went farther than the Lord intended and in ways that were not intended.

 *****2Ki 9:1 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:

2Ki 9:2 And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;

2Ki 9:3 Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.

2Ki 9:4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead.

2Ki 9:5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.

 Once Jehu was known to be the next King of the Northern Tribes of Israel, he had to move fast because he would be charged with high treason.

 Jehu was commanded by Jehovah to put a stop to the House of Ahab and being obedient to God and upon the right principles, he did not have to worry about opposition.

 What did the Lord actually say?

 1Ki 19:17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

1Ki 19:18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

 What had God said to Ahab?

 1Ki 21:21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

1Ki 21:22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

1Ki 21:23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

1Ki 21:24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

 This was Ahab's last chance to repent. We know that Ahab did repent at least a little and Jehovah allowed him to die in a war with Syria "before his family came to judgment", but the words of God's prophet still held.

 1Ki 22:37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.

1Ki 22:38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.

 *****2Ki 9:6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.

2Ki 9:7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.

2Ki 9:8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:

2Ki 9:9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:

2Ki 9:10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.

 It was Elijah who had received the order from Jehovah to anoint Jehu as the new King of the Northern Tribes of Israel.

 Elijah anointed Elisha to replace him as a Prophet of God, and it was Elisha who anointed Hazael as King of Syria. Now, Elisha sent another prophet to anoint Jehu as the new king.

 God had allowed King Ahab to reign until his death.

 1Ki 21:27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

1Ki 21:28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

1Ki 21:29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

 Once King Ahab had died, Jehovah fulfilled the promise He had made.

 1Ki 21:21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

1Ki 21:22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

 The person Elisha chose to anoint Jehu as king was to do three things.

 Jehu was one of the captains of the Army of King Ahab and may have been the lead captain.

 1) This prophet was to take Jehu into an inner room and privately anoint him out of sight of everyone else.

2) He was to declare that it was Jehovah who had appointed him king over Israel.

3) He was to flee the scene as quickly as he could.

 For someone to declare themselves to be king would be considered high treason to the existing government.

 This is the thing that the Jews used to have the Lord Jesus crucified.

 Jehu was chosen specifically to execute justice on the house of Ahab.

 This was because Ahab had allowed Jezebel to slaughter the people of God and God's prophets.

 Jehu was to kill all the descendants of Ahab and Jezebel.

 God had said this same thing would happen to other kings of Israel.

 Jezebel's ending would be just as God had described.

 2Ki 9:10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her.

 The army of King Ahab became the army of King Jehu.

 Jehu was appointed to be a just ruler to execute justice.

There is a big difference between justice and murder!

 It is the same for every ruler that God allows to rule today.

 They are in place to execute justice, and they will be held accountable to God for how they do this!

 Executing justice does not always mean murder, which is a sin!

 However, how any ruler executes justice to their people will determine how Jehovah will execute justice to them!

 Whatever they sow, they will reap!

 The Lord Jesus Christ will execute perfect justice when He returns!

 2Ch 19:6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment.

2Ch 19:7 Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

 Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

 Joram, a son of Ahab, was now ruler of Israel, and Ahaziah was King of Judah, and they were both together.

 Because Athaliah was the daughter of Jezebel and the mother of Ahaziah, Joram, King of Israel, was the uncle to Ahaziah, the King of Judah.

 *****2Ki 9:21 And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite.

2Ki 9:22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?

2Ki 9:23 And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah.

 The uncle and his nephew went out to meet Jehu.

 As only God can manage, these men met at the portion of land that had been taken from Naboth.

 If we do not believe in the providence of God, then we will never understand the Word of God.

 In reality, Jehu carried out a bloody slaughter throughout Israel.

 Did Jehovah command this to happen, or did He just warn King Ahab that this was going to happen?

 God will always allow us to repent.

 God will tell us what will happen if we refuse to repent.

 Hos 1:4 And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.

Hos 1:5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.

 We can see that the military of King Ahab did not think too highly of Jezebel.

 Joram was just like his mother, and Ahaziah was just like his mother Athaliah, the daughter of Jezebel.

 *****2Ki 9:24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot.

2Ki 9:25 Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden upon him;

2Ki 9:26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD.

2Ki 9:27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.

 There are over fifty-two verses of Scripture that describe the slaughter of Jehu, so it must be important that we understand what God is saying here.

 Jehu took out King Joram with one shot of an arrow through his heart, and his body was cast into the field once owned by Naboth where the birds would eat him.

 It is Verse 26 that tells that the sons of Naboth were also slaughtered by King Ahab and Jezebel.

 Now Jehu turns his attention to King Ahaziah of Judah, best described in the Book of 2 Chronicles:

 2Ch 22:7 And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

2Ch 22:8 And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.

2Ch 22:9 And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom.

 The death of Ahaziah and his sons left Judah without a king, and this is when Athaliah took it upon herself to become Queen of Judah by her treachery. She murdered her own children and grandchildren.

 2Ch 22:10 But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.

 Only one son had survived, who was Joash, who continued the promise made to King David.

 2Ch 22:11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.

2Ch 22:12 And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.

 Jehu decided it was time to take care of Jezebel.

 *****2Ki 9:30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

 A tire was a headdress, an ornament for the head, generally of gold or precious stones, a tiara.

 Jezebel was old by this time, but made herself look like royalty in an attempt to impress Jehu.

 She had been the cause of the death of many prophets of God.

 *****2Ki 9:31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?

2Ki 9:32 And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.

2Ki 9:33 And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

2Ki 9:34 And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter.

2Ki 9:35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

2Ki 9:36 Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:

2Ki 9:37 And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

 The end of Jezebel was just as Jehovah had said.

 Her blood had splattered everywhere, she was trampled, and the dogs had eaten her until nothing but her skull, her hands, and her feet were left.

She would be as dung as her remains passed from the dogs in the nearby fields of Jezreel.

 She was buried in an unmarked grave, and no one mourned for this wicked woman.

 It was then that Jehu turned his attention to the seventy sons of King Ahab.

 The Scripture says seventy sons, but it may mean sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons.

 *****2Ki 10:10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.

2Ki 10:11  So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him none remaining. 

 Jehu may have considered himself to be the arm of God, but in reality, we know that God does not need our help for His Word to be True!

 Zec 1:6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

 Mar 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

 Jehu wrote a letter to the officials of Samaria and Jezreel, telling them to choose the closest relative of King Ahab and make him king of Israel and to prepare for war.

 This only terrified these officials, who were afraid to confront Jehu.

 Since they had switched their allegiance to Jehu, Jehu wrote another letter demanding that they execute justice against the seventy sons of King Ahab for treason.

 They were to bring the heads of these seventy sons to Jezreel the very next day.

 The word of Jehu was honored.

 Jehu made out that he was on a special mission for Jehovah to remove any blame for himself seeking the sympathy of the people.

 Jehu was not a godly man.

 *****2Ki 10:31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

 He was just like Jeroboam.

 King Jehu went beyond the justice that God had intended, and he became a murderer.

 God wanted justice throughout the Northern Tribes of Israel and not just the elimination of one family, though God knew what Jehu would do.

 To murder is a terrible sin because it takes the life of a person out of this world.

 The hearts of many who are left behind also suffer much pain and grief, and in many cases hardship, because it was the male who was the breadwinner on that day, while the wife took care of the children.

 Jehu caused a terrible number of single-parent families.

 God never instructs His children to murder. God still says that they will suffer the consequences of this evil.

 For the wages of sin is death!

 Amen

The Demonic Duo, Ahab and Jezebel

Ahab And Jezebel

The Demonic Duo


1Kings 21


Last week our lesson was about the courage of the man of God named Elijah.

The name Elijah has this meaning "whose God is Jehovah"!

At the end of last weeks lesson we know that Elijah had fled from the wrath of Jezebel and during that time God had one simple question for Elijah.

1Ki 19:9  And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

In other words what are you doing here Elijah?

After such a great victory on Mount Carmel, Elijah could only think of a great revival in Israel and the possibility again of the united kingdom but he soon realized the government of Ahab and Jezebel was not going to allow that to happen.

***So, Elijah could only see his life's work for the Lord as a failure.

The proof that this was not true is the fact that the work of this great prophet of God has been preserved for all the world to read about and also the promise of his return.

Jesus said:

Mat 17:11  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

When Elijah returns he will be even more dynamic in his work for the Lord.

***Next Elijah got the feeling that he was the only believer left in all of Israel.

1Ki 19:14  And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

What was God response?

1Ki 19:18  Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

Sometimes standing up for the Word of God places us in a lonely position but in reality that is never the case!

God said to Israel:

1Sa 12:22  For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

God says to the Church:

Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Heb 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

What is God's promise to every believer?

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Once we have been accepted into the family of God, God will use us until the day we meet Jesus!

We will see that Elijah has gotten over his self pity and returned to the work of God before this lesson is over.

**Ahab was the son of another evil king named Omri.

Because of his idolatry, his lust, and his covetousness, Ahab is presented as a type of all wicked kings and rulers.

Mic 6:16  For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.

1Ki 21:25  But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
1Ki 21:26  And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

It is Ahab who is a "type" of all those who have made a bargain with the devil and made themselves slaves of Satan!

**Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal the king of the Zidonians.

Ezekiel tells us the end result of such people:

Eze 32:30  There be the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their terror they are ashamed of their might; and they lie uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit.

Solomon had a wife of the Zidonians but Ahab was the first king of the Northern Kingdom to take such a wife.

Jezebel is a type of every woman in history that has a designing nature who is also crafty, malicious, revengeful and cruel!

Jezebel can be said to be the first great instigator of persecution against the people of God!

Jezebel had no principle in her beliefs.

Jezebel had no fear of God and no fear of men!

Jezebel was extremely zealous of her heathen and immoral worship in idolatry!

Jezebel spare no cost for the government to maintain her idolatrous and heathen practices.

Jezebel ruled Ahab, and two other of Ahab's sons that sat on the throne of Israel after Ahab's death.

Jezebel is remembered as someone who influenced the Church to do evil!

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
Rev 2:21  And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
Rev 2:22  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
Rev 2:23  And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Let's see this demonic duo in action:

*****1Ki 21:1  And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
1Ki 21:2  And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

Jezreel was a city in Samaria where King Ahab had decided to build his ivory palace:

1Ki 22:39  Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

This palace was on the eastern side of the city and actually formed part of the city wall.

The vineyard owned by Naboth was just outside this wall.

Because no other information is given we can believe that this was the only piece of property that Naboth owned.

The one thing we will find out about Naboth is that he took a stand on the Word of God and it cost him his life!

King Ahab was a man that was used to having his way just by conveying his wants to others.

But God has explained to us all in terms that we can understand that we are not to covet what belongs to someone else.

Exo 20:17  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

From the fall of Adam the principle of sin is in the heart of every man!

Every moral law of God begins with covetousness!

Covetousness is the strong desire for worldly things!

Covetousness leads to a strong desire to gain and greediness!

Covetousness is cold-hearted worldliness!

And God says that worldliness is the downfall of every generation.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

These things describe Ahab but Jezebel was even more evil!

Naboth said no to the King.

*****1Ki 21:3  And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

Had the Lord forbid Naboth to see his land?

Naboth understood what the Word of God said about this thing.

Lev 25:23  The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.

Naboth knew that the land was not his to sell because it all belong to the Lord and the Lord was allowing Naboth to use it in his generation!

To the Jew this meant that under certain circumstances the land could be sold as long as it could be redeemed in the year of the Jubilee.

If not then it could never be his again and could not be left as an inheritance for his own children which is the way he had come by the land.

Lev 27:20  And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more.
Lev 27:21  But the field, when it goeth out in the jubile, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest's.

Either way, Naboth knew he would have to go against the Word of God to sell this land to Ahab!

Ahab then acted like a spoilt child.

*****1Ki 21:4  And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

Ahab was not used to the Word "no"!

Ahab knew enough about the Word of God to know that what Naboth had said was true to the believer.

That word "heavy" meant that Ahab resented what Naboth had said and he became angry that he did not get his way.

That word "displeased" meant that Ahab became offended and enraged because someone had stood up to him.

Just as Ahab lived in his own white house there is another one who occupies our own White House today that acts just like Ahab and I am not sure that he is not also married to a Jezebel!

No doubt that the servants to the king after witnessing these things went straight to this evil Queen and she had these words for her pitiful husband:

*****1Ki 21:7  And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

Jezebel was a full blooded politician. Get what you can no matter the cost!

Jezebel was raised in an absolute monarchy where her father King Ethbaal of the Zidonians took whatever suited him.

Naboth had a simple reason for not selling his vineyard. To Naboth he knew that it was Jehovah who owned all the land and it was Jehovah who had given the land to him for his use and it was not his to sell.

This was the truth of God to the nation of Israel and Jezebel hated the truth of the Word of God and she was not about to let the Word of God to stand in the way of what she wanted.

Her again we can see these things in our own government and our own judicial system.

God has an answer for the Jezebels of this world:

Mic 2:1  Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
Mic 2:2  And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
Mic 2:3  Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.

Thirty eight times the Old Testament uses the word "Woe" and they never pleasant!

God says there is only one place suitable for such people:

Isa 5:24  Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

*****1Ki 21:12  They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
1Ki 21:13  And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
1Ki 21:14  Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
1Ki 21:15  And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.

All through the Bible, God emphasizes the importance of speaking the truth. In fact God has given us a commandment relating to speaking the truth.

Exo 20:16  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Ahab was already guilty of covetousness.

Truth is the basis of a working society. When truth is gone, everything else will begin to fall apart!

Not only had Jezebel and the government of Ahab intended to obtain the land of Naboth by any means, Jezebel had decided that Naboth was not the type of person she wanted in her kingdom only because Naboth was a God fearing man.

Today here in America it is those that break the law that are protected while the innocent are being punished just because they stand up for the truth!

Jezebel had no right to issue a death warrant on Naboth.

Christ Jesus teaches the Church with these words:

Mat 20:25  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Mat 20:26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

It is these "type" of leaders we need to insure hold all our public offices!

The truth is, it is the Jezebels and the Ahab's that rule our world and we have allowed these things to happen!

A true leader will use his or her authority to build up the people while a tyrant will use people to build on their authority while the people are expendable!

Naboth died simply because he was a believer in the Word of God and he never said a harsh word to his government other than "no my land is not for sale, it was a gift of my Savior".

It was time for Elijah who had been re-energized by the Lord.

*****1Ki 21:17  And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
1Ki 21:18  Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.

The one thing we owe our Savior is to be ready when He calls.

God will provide each of us certain opportunities!

Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

We can be sure that Elijah had still been busy in the work of the Lord but Elijah also had a special purpose and it took a special man of God to stand up the evils of Ahab and Jezebel.

If we open our eyes to the truth we will be able to see that the Lord does not do anything that He has not already warned us about and He says so.

Amo 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

God has also provided nations with great opportunities.

God gave Rome an opportunity to teach nation building.

God gave Greece an opportunity to show the arts and philosophy and cultural things.

God gave Israel an opportunity to preserve the Word of God and the meaning of God-fearing worship.

These have been examples and lessons we were to learn from and grow from!

God has now given us the opportunity to tell the world what we can learn from the truth of God!

Elijah then answered the call of God and God gave Elijah the exact words to say!

*****1Ki 21:19  And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

Ahab knew his wife very well and Ahab knew that Jezebel could not have obtained the land of Naboth except by evil means.

Ahab did not care for Ahab was like a child with a brand new toy!

Ahab had not ordered these things to take place but it is obvious who God held to blame.

As husbands and as parents, God will hold us responsible for many of the things that happen in our families if we have not followed the Word of God ourselves!

There is the sin of commission but there is also the sin of omission!

Jezebel had not only seen to it that Naboth was killed but she had also seen to it that Naboth's sons were killed so that no future claim could come for the land that Naboth had.

2Ki 9:26  Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD.

Ahab had allowed for the innocent blood of Naboth and his sons to be shed and it would cost him his own life.

But God always has a special way for these things to be remembered!

Naboth had been murdered outside the city of Jezreel.

1Ki 21:13  And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

This is where the blood of Naboth fell.

If at all possible it was a bad thing for blood to be shed on the city streets in that day.

And what was Ahab's future?

1Ki 22:37  So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
1Ki 22:38  And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.

According to Josephus a Jewish historian who also was not a believer wrote that this pool of Samaria was the place used by harlots to bath and therefore considered to be unclean. This was the same place where the government equipment was taken to be cleaned so as not to spoil the drinking water of the city.

The blood of Ahab was added to the unclean waters of this pool and some mongrel dogs drank of this water just as God had said.

And how did Ahab accept the Word of God on this occasion?

*****1Ki 21:20  And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

Just as suddenly as Elijah had appeared on his first occasion, Elijah reappeared before Ahab while he was gloating over his newly acquired property.

Ahab thought that his ordeal with Naboth was over but no doubt fear now came upon King Ahab at the sight of Elijah!

What is God's truth?

God is the God of the second chance!

Elijah was never Ahab's enemy!

Elijah was Ahab's friend, it was Ahab's own wife who was his true enemy!

No true man of God is an enemy of this world.

No true Christian is an enemy of this world.

The Church is not the enemy of this world, in fact the Church is the only true friend this world has left!

We all have the same purpose and that is to shine as Christ Jesus shines!

We are only to be a witness for the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

But what do we see today?

Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

The world insists on having contempt for the Church and persecution of the Church is on a steady rise.

Ahab had thought he had escaped the consequences of the death of Naboth because it was Jezebel who had conspired to have him murdered by twisting the twisting the Word of God in her favor.

God always knows the truth.

In the eyes of God Ahab had surrendered his own wants and desires into the hands of others in this case Jezebel.

It was Ahab's sin of covetousness that had led to the death of Naboth, through the evil mind of Jezebel.

God is not fooled by our actions!

Ahab had been warned and he will now learn of the results of his sin.

*****1Ki 21:21  Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
1Ki 21:22  And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

God announced doom upon all the house of Ahab.

When we think our own sin will not affect our own household we are truly foolish!

That word posterity when used with the phrase "will cut off" means that every man, every woman, and every child, including Jezebel would die before their time.

Because of the foreknowledge of God, He knew that not one of the descendants of Ahab would ever come to know the Lord and was because of the influence that Ahab and Jezebel had on their lives.

Num 14:18  The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

As the unbelievers are so easy to remind us that we serve a God of love, it is because of God's love that He must punish evil!

All the family and descendants of King Jeroboam had died out most of them being murdered.

All the family and the descendants of King Baasha had died out most of them being murdered.

It would be the same for all the family and all the descendants of King Ahab!

Jezebel was part of the family of Ahab by marriage but Jezebel would meet a specific doom.

*****1Ki 21:23  And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

To God it did not matter that Jezebel was a Queen of Israel.

To God it did not matter that Jezebel could paint herself up or fix her hair to be an enticing woman.

To God it did not matter that Jezebel came from a royal family and married into a royal family.

God is no respecter of persons in salvation and God is no respecter of persons in His judgement!

In the walled cities and towns in those days there was a space outside the walls but still uncultivated.

This is the space where the refuse of the city was cast until it was gathered and burned.

This was the place where the mongrel dogs roamed freely.

How does the Bible describe the end of Jezebel?

2Ki 9:30  And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.
2Ki 9:31  And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?
2Ki 9:32  And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs.
2Ki 9:33  And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot.

The body of Jezebel was not gathered for a burial and nor was the bodies sons of Ahab!

*****1Ki 21:24  Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

The Jewish people normally took great pains in the burying of the dead.

The body was covered in herbs and spices and then wrapped in linen clothes as it was still in the time of Jesus.

Joh 19:40  Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

A proper burial of the dead was a great concern for those left behind.

Even the Bible still shows a specific reverence of the dead in Christ!

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

This does not mean that burial is the only way a Christian should be treated after death because can restore any body just as He created them to begin with.

These deaths of the descendants of Ahab are in fact a "type" of all those that die without Christ.

That dead body without Christ will be in the torments of Hell just as Ahab's dynasty would suffer from wild dogs, vultures and other beast that devour things that die and are left on the side of the road.

Why would all these things take place?

*****1Ki 21:25  But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

Up until the time of Ahab there had been no other human being that knew God, and knew the Word of God, and had been warned by the Men of God but who rejected all the things of God and Jezebel was a great influence on the sinful life of Ahab.

Ahab was the perfect picture of sinful man!

2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Questions?

Let's Pray!