Year One, November 22

Will Not God Give Justice to His Elect?1

1 Kings 21:1-16

1Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2And after this Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.” 3But Naboth said to Ahab, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” (Naboth did not refuse to sell his vineyard just because he had a natural attachment to it. It was the inheritance of his fathers and the law of God prohibited this kind of sale. The land could only be sold to someone from his tribe, not to someone who belonged to another tribe. Naboth knew this law and bravely decided to obey it.)

4And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food. (Ahab acted like a spoiled, self-willed child. He was angry and upset because he could not have his way. Those who have not learned to control their desires are miserable people.)

5But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?” 6And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” 7And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” (A domineering woman is a tool ready for the Evil One to use. Ahab was bad enough, but he was a mere beginner in evil compared with his fierce pagan queen. Bad women are often very bad; even as good women are the best of the human race.)

8So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city. 9And she wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people. 10And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11And the men of his city, the elders and the leaders who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, 12they proclaimed a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people. 13And the two worthless men came in and sat opposite him. And the worthless men brought a charge against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. (The leaders and the two men who pretended to be witnesses were entirely dishonest. They were willing and able disciples of the vicious court of Jezebel.) 14Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.”

A cold-blooded message indeed. Murder was no big deal in their eyes. Yet these very men had just celebrated a religious fast. Superstition has no conscience.

15As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” 16And as soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. (Naboth had been accused of treason. They said he had “cursed God and the king.” So Ahab claimed that Naboth’s property now belonged to the king. How could he think his actions would be blessed? Never let us dare to take anything that does not belong to us. It will be a curse to us.)

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¹ Luke 18:7