A STORY OF GREED
21 Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”
3 But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.”
The last of
the Ten Commandments is "You shall not covet." This means that we are not to want something
that belongs to another person. In this
Bible story, King Ahab coveted a field of grapevines that belonged to Naboth.
Read 1 Kings 21:1-29 and first meditate on
the passages, and then ask yourself these questions about coveting. 1. How did
coveting something make Ahab feel (1Kings 21:4)? 2. What did Ahab’s wife do to
get him the field he coveted (1 King 21: 7-16)?
3. What did God tell Ahab would happen, and why (1 King 21:17-22)?
· When Ahab asked for the vineyard, Naboth said, “The Lord
forbid…” (verse 3). Was this an unreasonable answer? No. The vineyard, part of
his inherited property, had belonged to his ancestors for many generations, so
how could he sell it? But it was not simply a matter of sentiment - look up Leviticus 25:23 and Numbers 36:7. God
had expressly forbidden the sale of this property; therefore, when Ahab made
his request Naboth said, ”The Lord forbid it…How can I do this thing when God
has forbidden it?” So he refused to
disobey God - and how great this is! Look up and compare Hebrews 11:24 with
Daniel 3:13-14 and Acts 4:20. Christian, are you contemplating marriage with an
unbeliever? “”The Lord forbid it”” (2 Corinthians 6:14). Are you seriously
thinking of uniting in Christian service with those who do not believe the
Bible? ”The Lord forbid it” (2 Corinthians 6:15). Naboth had the courage of
his convictions. It was a costly business to stand up for God, truth and
righteousness –- it always is –- look at verse 13, and compare Psalm 37:32.
Jezebel’s
Plot
Jezebel (the Queen) noticed the king’s fury;
and when she heard what had happened, at once she revealed her awful character.
She was determined to get Ahab what he wanted. Her bosom heaved with anger, and
her eyes flashed with rage. She said to Ahab (with a tongue sharp like a
butcher knife), “Are you not the king of this country?” (verse 7). And then she
went on; she said, “Leave it to me, Ahab. I’ll get that vineyard for you!”
God's Sovereign Action
Ahab and Jezebel had defied the Lord, but they could not get away with it, for He is sovereign in the affairs of mankind and He always has the last word. Now He acted – – and take note of this solemn record, for this God is the God with whom we all have to do and before whom all men will stand to give account of themselves (Romans 14:12). In the world there are two groups of people: those represented by Ahab and Jezebel, and those by Naboth and Elijah, and the latter group are very much in the minority.
Many, like Naboth, have been martyred for their faithfulness to the Lord, and many are suffering persecution and death because they are Christians. Is the Devil winning, and is the majority group in the right? No –- look up Matthew 7:13-14, and compare Proverbs 4:18-19. God will yet vindicate His people and mete out judgment to those who have rebelled against Him, rejected His word and refused to humble themselves before Him –- look up Revelation 20:9-15 and 21:6-8. God is merciful and slow to fulfil His word of judgment, but He will fulfil it – – look up Ecclesiastes 8:11.
ELIJAH’’S SOLEMN TASK
Verses 17-26. It was a hard task for Elijah to have to pronounce Ahab’’s doom and that of his posterity, and then the doom of Jezebel –- verses 21-24. What should be our message in these darkening days? Should we tell men and women that God is love? Yes. Should we say that He is merciful? Yes. But above all, we must declare that God is just and holy, that He hates sin, that judgment is coming upon this world and that if they want to escape it they must “flee from the coming wrath” (Matthew 3:7) –- flee to the refuge which is Christ Jesus our Lord (Isaiah 32:2). The message that should be on the lips of every Christian today is John 3:36 –- not the first part without the second. Are you proclaiming that message (Acts 20:27)?
...and final thought: 2 Peter 3: 9-14.
In Christ,
Janet Irene Thomas
Playwright/Director/Screen
Writer
Producer/Gospel
Lyricist/Author
Founder/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre
of
Fine & Performing
Arts
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