Bible Studies
The Influence of Jezebel (1 Kings 21:1-4)
Series: Studies in First KingsIntroduction:
1. Have you ever wanted something and wanted it really bad? 2. Such was the case with Ahab. 3. He wanted Naboth’s vineyard. He offered to trade him a better vineyard. He offered to buy it with money. Naboth said, “NO.” 4. This is a relatively well-known O.T. account with valuable lessons for today.Discussion:
I. Naboth’s vineyard was a part of his family inheritance and therefore could not be freely given up.A. Lev. 25:25 describes the Lord’s regulations.
1. The land belonged to the Lord.
2. He intended for the land to continue in the same family.
3. Even if it was sold because of the owner’s poverty it had to be redeemed. In effect in our language it could only be rented out temporarily.
4. In the year of jubilee it reverted back to the original property owner.
5. This is Naboth’s reason for not selling the vineyard (1 Kings 21:3).
B. There is no evidence that Ahab gave any consideration to these regulations of the Lord.
1. He does seem influenced by the Mosaic regulations to some degree however.
2. He offered to buy or trade for the vineyard.
a. Mosaic regulation prohibited stealing (Ex. 20:15).
b. Apparently Ahab had some level of respect for this principle even though he gave no real respect to Mosaic regulation generally.
c. Some abide by principles because society demands it. This does not mean they have submitted to God.
C. Ahab was sullen and vexed and lay down on his bed and turned away his face and ate no food.
II. Jezebel was not restricted by Mosaic legislation, nor by the expectations of Israelite society (1 Kings 21:5-14).A. “Do you now reign over Israel?” Are you not the king? Should you not have what you want?
1. This is reflective of an attitude about leadership.
2. For Jezebel leadership means, “You get your way.”
3. God’s leadership is a leadership of service to the people.
4. In recent weeks we have talked of Authoritarian parenting vs. Authoritative parenting. Jezebel would take an authoritarian approach.
B. She designed a plan involving “worthless men” (“beliyaal” – “sons of the devil”) who would lie and say, “Naboth has cursed God and the king.” (On “beliyall” see Judges 19:22; 20:13; 1 Sam. 2:12, et. al.) He would be stoned to death.
1. Notice how she uses the people and their relationship to God to get what she wants.
2. There is no compassion on Naboth, his family, or the people who stoned this innocent man.
3. Jezebel has used her power to take advantage of all these others. She has even used their relationship to God to take what she wants.
4. And Ahab consents to it.
a. 1 Kings 21:25 says, “There was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife incited him.”
b. Ahab has coveted Naboth’s vineyard (contra Ex. 20:17).
c. They had used lies, allaying themselves with “sons of the devil,” to destroy Naboth. They had deceived the people who believed the false witnesses (contra. Ex. 20:16).
d. They had used their power inappropriately to take selfish advantage.
e. They had murdered Naboth (contra Ex. 20:13).
f. They had stolen his property (contra. Ex. 20:15).
C. When you find that the law of God does not agree with what you want do you proceed to throw it aside and go after what you want? Do you ally yourself with the “sons of the devil” in order to get your way? Do you sell yourself to do evil? How then can we claim to be the “children of God” when we act like the devil? “What partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols?” In covenant language God says, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God and they shall be My people. ‘Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,’ says the Lord. And I will be a father to you and you shall be sons and daughters to Me” (2 Cor. 6:14-18).
III. “The word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite” (1 Kings 21:17ff).A. God said, “Have you murdered and taken possession?”
1. Much like Nathan’s confrontation of David, “Though art the man!”
2. “What is this that you have done?”
3. Is God confronting you this morning? What is it that you have done that needs to be repented of? Have you abused your power? Taken advantage of others to get what you want? Coveted your neighbor’s wife, house, property? Lied? Allied yourself with “sons of the devil?” Stolen? Murdered? Have you come under the influence of a Jezebel and sold yourself to do evil?
B. Ahab’s response was to identify Elijah as his enemy.
1. Note Ahab’s perception of where he stood in relation to the man of God.
2. He was not on the same side as Elijah.
C. God’s condemnation (1 Kings 21:21-26).
D. Ahab humbled himself (27-29).
1. Ahab softened his heart before the judgment of God.
2. Oh sinner you cannot stand before the judgment of God! REPENT!
3. One of the lessons inherent in this text is that God is gracious. “Because Ahab humbled himself God did not bring the condemnation in his days, but postponed judgment until the days of his son.”
Conclusion:
1. The dogs licked up the blood of Ahab. 2. The dogs ate Jezebel in the district of Jezreel. 3. Such are the consequences for those who sell themselves to do evil.
