21:1-2 King Ahab of Samaria (his capital city which represents Israel) begins to covet his neighbor's vineyard in Jezreel. Ahab tells his neighbor, Naboth, to give him his vineyard because of its close proximity to Ahab's home. In return, Ahab tells Naboth that he will give him a better vineyard in a different location or he will purchase the vineyard.
21:3 Naboth declines. The land was given to his family by God and he will not, under any circumstances or enticement, trade his inheritance. Symbolically, we have a faithful child juxtaposed and unfaithful one. Nabath treasures his relationship with God and will not compromise it for anything. Conversely, Ahab does not care about God what God has distributed; he sees the monetary value of the land, rather than the spiritual.
21:4 Not unlike a petulant child, Ahab sulks whenever he is refused something he wants. He returns to his home, declines food and lies in his bed. Ahab's evil wife, Jezebel, notices his displeasure and asks him about it.
21:5-6 Ahab whines about his failed negotiation with Naboth.
21:7 Though Ahab is content to mope about the situation, his wife is not. Jezebel craves power and even more than that, exercising her power. Abab is the king but Jezebel very much pulls the strings. Jezebel promises Ahab that she will give him Naboth's vineyard. Already her manipulative wheels are turning.
21:8 -10 Jezebel writes to the elders of Israel, pretending to be the king. She organizes a fast to which she will invite Naboth as well as two men bribed to speak falsely against Naboth.
21:11-14 And so the gathering is held. During it, the two men accuse Naboth of blaspheming against God and Naboth is executed. The men inform Jezebel that Naboth has been stoned to death.
21:15-16 Jezebel finds Ahab moping and informs him that he now owns the vineyard he wanted so badly. Ahab does not care that his neighbor is head, he is perfectly content to claim the vineyard.
21:5-6 Ahab whines about his failed negotiation with Naboth.
21:7 Though Ahab is content to mope about the situation, his wife is not. Jezebel craves power and even more than that, exercising her power. Abab is the king but Jezebel very much pulls the strings. Jezebel promises Ahab that she will give him Naboth's vineyard. Already her manipulative wheels are turning.
21:8 -10 Jezebel writes to the elders of Israel, pretending to be the king. She organizes a fast to which she will invite Naboth as well as two men bribed to speak falsely against Naboth.
21:11-14 And so the gathering is held. During it, the two men accuse Naboth of blaspheming against God and Naboth is executed. The men inform Jezebel that Naboth has been stoned to death.
21:15-16 Jezebel finds Ahab moping and informs him that he now owns the vineyard he wanted so badly. Ahab does not care that his neighbor is head, he is perfectly content to claim the vineyard.
21:17-18 This evil and pitiful behavior is seen by God and He directs Elijah to king Ahab once again. God explains that Elijah will find Ahab in the vineyard of Naboth. Ahab is situated quite directly in his sin.
21:19 Elijah brings Ahab a rhetorical message from God, for though He asks, God is well aware of Ahab and Jezebel's actions action Naboth. Elijah prophesies that Ahab will die exactly where Naboth died because of his cruelty.
21:20 Ahab is annoyed to have been found by Elijah, whom he considers an enemy. God sends prophets to help and lead his children. The fact that Ahab perceives Elijah as an enemy makes it evident that he is very much living contrary to God. Elijah confirms that he has indeed found Ahab because his sins were unmissable.
Elijah uses the phrase "because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord." When humans choose not to live righteously, they sell themselves as slaves to evil. Because evil is submission to greed and lust and injustice.
21:21-22 Elijah continues to prophesy: Ahab and his posterity will be cut off from Israel (as corrupt kings like Jereboam and Baasha before him have been). God's reasoning is that Ahab has made Israel sin. As king over God's people, these leaders have the responsibility of gathering the nation under God. But their evil and selfish actions corrode and neglect, respectively, the body of people they are meant to influence.
21:23-24 God speaks that Jezebel will also die without any honor, will be eaten by scavengers. Perhaps graphic but the meaning is that evil has no honor and is allowed no remnant. Remember that Jezebel is also responsible for killing a multitude of God's prophets. Jezebel is intent to thwart God, but her arrogance disallows her to understand that she cannot.
21:25-26 Ahab is utterly pathetic because he allowed an evil person to spoil him with luxuries at the expense of others' lives. Ahab and Jezebel have built yet another kingship on the foundation of idol worship. Idol worship is both the neglect and defiance of the God who has truly created and provided. God is adamant about humanity not submitting to idols because He knows that those things will never provide for us. He seeks after us not because he wants adoration but because but because He loves us. God knows that in His arms, we are safest and well provided for.
21:27 The prophesy, of course, it not well received by Ahab. He freaks out, desperately tearing his clothes and mourning. He even fasts. Because God has been lenient with Ahab, we can also know that Ahab's regret is genuine. We cannot fool or bribe God for anything.
21:28-29 In some small part of Ahab, he is obedient to God. But always for selfish reason. Nevertheless, God has promised leniency to his children. God still intends to remove Ahab's family from the throne but chooses to wait until Ahab has died. God will never bring calamity on a righteous person. Even if God has postponed his punishment, we can know that it will still land on a deserving person.
Once again we see how magnanimous God is. He understands that we are imperfect but he forgives us for being even less than that. It benefits us to see our behavior from His perspective as an authoritative Father. We are able to understand that He directs, blesses and disciplines us out a place of love and necessity.
21:19 Elijah brings Ahab a rhetorical message from God, for though He asks, God is well aware of Ahab and Jezebel's actions action Naboth. Elijah prophesies that Ahab will die exactly where Naboth died because of his cruelty.
21:20 Ahab is annoyed to have been found by Elijah, whom he considers an enemy. God sends prophets to help and lead his children. The fact that Ahab perceives Elijah as an enemy makes it evident that he is very much living contrary to God. Elijah confirms that he has indeed found Ahab because his sins were unmissable.
Elijah uses the phrase "because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord." When humans choose not to live righteously, they sell themselves as slaves to evil. Because evil is submission to greed and lust and injustice.
21:21-22 Elijah continues to prophesy: Ahab and his posterity will be cut off from Israel (as corrupt kings like Jereboam and Baasha before him have been). God's reasoning is that Ahab has made Israel sin. As king over God's people, these leaders have the responsibility of gathering the nation under God. But their evil and selfish actions corrode and neglect, respectively, the body of people they are meant to influence.
21:23-24 God speaks that Jezebel will also die without any honor, will be eaten by scavengers. Perhaps graphic but the meaning is that evil has no honor and is allowed no remnant. Remember that Jezebel is also responsible for killing a multitude of God's prophets. Jezebel is intent to thwart God, but her arrogance disallows her to understand that she cannot.
21:25-26 Ahab is utterly pathetic because he allowed an evil person to spoil him with luxuries at the expense of others' lives. Ahab and Jezebel have built yet another kingship on the foundation of idol worship. Idol worship is both the neglect and defiance of the God who has truly created and provided. God is adamant about humanity not submitting to idols because He knows that those things will never provide for us. He seeks after us not because he wants adoration but because but because He loves us. God knows that in His arms, we are safest and well provided for.
21:27 The prophesy, of course, it not well received by Ahab. He freaks out, desperately tearing his clothes and mourning. He even fasts. Because God has been lenient with Ahab, we can also know that Ahab's regret is genuine. We cannot fool or bribe God for anything.
21:28-29 In some small part of Ahab, he is obedient to God. But always for selfish reason. Nevertheless, God has promised leniency to his children. God still intends to remove Ahab's family from the throne but chooses to wait until Ahab has died. God will never bring calamity on a righteous person. Even if God has postponed his punishment, we can know that it will still land on a deserving person.
Once again we see how magnanimous God is. He understands that we are imperfect but he forgives us for being even less than that. It benefits us to see our behavior from His perspective as an authoritative Father. We are able to understand that He directs, blesses and disciplines us out a place of love and necessity.
