More Than Scruples
Notes
Transcript
Context
Context
After the showdown on Mt. Carmel and God’s provision of rain after a 3.5 year drought, Queen Jezebel, after hearing from her husband, King Ahab, that Elijah defeated and slaughtered the prophets of Baal, put out a hit on Elijah. She wanted him dead, and Elijah received her threat so he ran into the wilderness. Pastor Josh walked us through Elijah’s time in the wilderness and his despondency. Elijah’s frame of mind is captured well when he said:
1 kings 19:4
1 Kings 19:4 (ESV)
“It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
But the Lord was patient and unrelenting in His commitment to Elijah fulfilling His purposes as His prophet. The Lord lead him to Mt Horeb which is also known as Mt. Sinai. There, as pastor Josh pointed out, Elijah received his recommission as a prophet of YAHWEH.
In the final paragraph of chapter 19, we are introduced to Elijah’s eventual successor, Elisha. Elisha assisted Elijah, but that part of Elijah’s life comes to what seems like an abrupt interruption in our bibles. For all of chapter 20 and about half of chapter 21 of 1 Kings, we don’t hear about Elijah. What we do wee is the unfolding of a 6 year war between Syria and Israel. What we can reasonably assume about Elijah during this 6 year period is that he was at work making disciples. I say this because of a phrase that we see repeated in 1 Kings 20 and in the early chapters of 2 Kings: sons of the prophets. In Bethel and in Jericho were these sons of the prophets. Many suspect that Elijah was training these men for ministry. Specifically training them to proclaim the word of God. To proclaim God’s word in a culture that hated God and hated anyone who followed Him.
Well, very quickly, 1 Kings 20 can be summarized by noting that King Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, informs Ahab that he intends to take over his kingdom. The silver, gold, wives and children of Israel will be taken by Syria. This was Ben-hadad’s message to Ahab. At first, Ahab’s response was
And the king of Israel answered, “As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.”
He didn’t want a fight. But Ahab received some counsel from his elders and changes course as a result. Ahab now expresses his refusal to King Ben-hadad’s demands which infuriates him. The long and short of what happens next is a 6 year war which Israel wins. Of course, God granted Israel this victory, and his instruction to Ahab was to put Ben-hadad to death. But after Ben-hadad sweet-talks Ahab and offers him some opportunity to spread his own fame, Ahab lets him go. Ahab had no concern to obey God. One of the sons of the prophets, pronounces judgement against Ahab for his disobedience, and it is at this point that we pick up the story.
Introduction
Introduction
When Moses was leading the people of Israel, there came a point when the covenant between Israel would be renewed, and this took place at Moab:
These are the words of the covenant that the Lord commanded Moses to make with the people of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant that he had made with them at Horeb.
As is always the case with covenants, the blessings and curses of the covenant are outlined. In the next chapter, something peculiar is declared:
The Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers, when you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
God will take delight in prospering the people of Israel when they obey the voice of the Lord. Wasn’t this their problem? If the blessings of the covenant depended on their covenant keeping, that is, their obedience, then their prosperity would be spotty ate best. If history proves anything, people are not consistent enough at covenant keeping to receive the blessings of the covenant. It’s too hard. But then we have another point of confusion in the next verse:
“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
Apparently, covenant keeping is not too hard. It’s not beyond reach. God tells Israel that His word is very near them. It’s in their mouths and in their hearts, so they can do it.
What we read in the rest of the Old Testament, what we read in the New Testament, what we have seen throughout history, what we see today shows that covenant keeping has not been consistent.
I bring up the issue of covenant keeping, or obedience to God today because of Naboth. Naboth is the hero in our text, and the reason he’s the hero is because he remains faithful to God under tremendous pressure and temptation to disobey Him.
We will see a clear contrast between the characters in our text. There is a very clear distinction between Naboth and King Ahab and Jezebel. And the contrast between them exists because of their commitment to honor or keep the stipulations of the covenant God established with His people or their disregard for this covenant.
This same distinguisher exists today. There are people who are concerned about covenant keeping and there are people who are not. There are people who desire to honor God and there are people who do not possess this desire. What makes the difference?
FCF
FCF
Rejection of covenant-keeping exists where covenant love is not embraced.
I suggest that this reality is what distinguishes the parties in our text today. So I want to take time to consider each of the main characters in our passage today, and what we can learn from them when it comes to God’s covenant love for His people and His people’s covenant keeping. And what I think we will see is that
Covenant keeping is fueled by covenant love
Covenant keeping is fueled by covenant love
Main Question
Main Question
What do each of the main characters teach us about the connections between covenant keeping and covenant love?
First, we’ll consider
The Weakness of Ahab (4-7, 25-27)
The Weakness of Ahab (4-7, 25-27)
And 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.
But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?” And 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.’ ” And 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.”
Ahab’s object of worship was himself…. He sought his desires and his pleasures.
His pathetic display (4)
His pathetic display (4)
A wicked king
No concern for honoring God
Even his offer to trade for or buy Naboth’s vineyard showed this
But how does he respond to Naboth’s rejection of his offer?
And 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.
A pathetic display isn’t it?
Ahab lived in opulence. A summer palace in Jezreel, and he wanted a vegetable garden. But he wanted that garden to be convenient. Right next to his palace. When people become so self-absorbed, when luxuries become necessities, when those things are not readily available or we are denied those things, we react this way. Maybe not so explicitly...
But I want us to see something. Notice v. 4 says, Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen
Now, go back to chapter 20
And the king of Israel went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria.
Same language. This is a pattern. What happened in chapter 20. Remember there was a 6 year war with Syria. Ahab and his forces were victorious… twice. He was instructed to put the king of Syria to death, and when he did not, the prophet informed him that
1 Kings 20:42 (ESV)
your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.
vexed: dour countenance
sullen: angry
Do you see what happens when people become so self-absorbed and presumptuous? Ahab received the very disturbing news that he and his people would suffer deadly consequences: vexed and sullen. He was told he couldn’t have a vegetable garden next to his palace: vexed and sullen.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
Just another reminder of the state of people without the intervention of God’s grace. A King, with almost limitless power and an almost endless supply of riches, sulking on his bed, so stricken with disappointment that he refused basic nourishment. Pathetic.
Without God’s transforming covenant love, we are lost. We are this pathetic. Perhaps it manifests itself in different ways, but ultimately without knowing God’s love, we are the one’s sulking on our beds without even the desire for the basic needs to sustain ourselves. Without God, we can’t acquire what is needed.
His self-absorbed display (25-27)
His self-absorbed display (25-27)
(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.)
And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.
But after Jezebels plan is carried out and Ahab takes over Naboth’s vineyard, Elijah informs him of the consequences of hi actions. Ahab receives these words of condemnation as we would expect, if we understand his motives right.
He does the acts of repentance. (27)
he tore his clothes
put sackcloth on his flesh
and he fasted
A state of mourning and repentance… but why. Was he sorry to God? Did he see the error is his ways? Was he devastated at the murder of Naboth… at the lying and corruption that precipitated that murder?No, he again, did not like that he was receiving consequences for his actions.
God informs Elijah that He will not bring disaster to Ahab’s house in Ahab’s days but in his son’s days.
In the midst of consideration of God’s justice and His pronouncement of condemnation against wickedness, we cannot loose sight of His mercy. God’s judgement and His mercy are not mutually exclusive. That God is righteous and merciful is the whole picture.... it’s not wither or. Ahab was wicked, and he did not truly repent even until the end of his life, but he was still shown mercy. God is merciful to sinners. His mercy prevails and His justice prevails.
Ahab’s weakness demonstrates his object of worship…. himself. He prioritized his desires, his pleasure. People who delight in keeping the covenant of God worship God…. Submit to His desires…. Seek His pleasure.
The problem is, while we may not be like Arab and possess a conscience so seared that we do not hesitate to prioritize ourselves at such a devastating expense of others, but to varying degrees, people worship themselves, people prioritize their own desires and people seek after their own pleasures, and it is this way of life that is incompatible with covenant keeping.
All of this to say that covenant keeping prioritizes the worship of God, and embraces God’s pleasure as the most satisfying pleasure.
The Wickedness of Jezebel (7-16)
The Wickedness of Jezebel (7-16)
Jezebel had an insatiable thirst for her own glory. More power, more applause, more control by any means necessary
What do we know about Jezebel?
1 Kings 16:31 (ESV)
...Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him.
She was a gentile, which that in and of itself was a disqualifier for her to be Ahab’s wife… that it if he was concerned to honor God in his marriage.
She worshipped Baal and enticed her husband to do the same
She persecuted the prophets of the Lord, and had many of them killed
She put a hit out on Elijah after learning what happened to the 450 prophets of Baal after the Mt. Carmel incident
She was an enemy of God and an enemy who followed him
Her wicked plan
Her wicked plan
Now, even Jezebel finds Ahab’s sulking ridiculous. She found Ahab on his bed and knew that he was not eating so she asked him what was going on. He responded
And 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.’ ”
And Jezebel gets angry. She seems to be annoyed with Ahab, but she becomes furious that anyone would dare deny her husband or her anything they wanted.
And 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.”
So what does she do?
Commits forgery
Proclaims a fast for the people of Israel. A fast was an act of worship. It was a declaration of dependence upon God. It was meant to facilitate the collective seeking of the Lord among God’s people.
She had no conscience using that which is meant to honor God to perpetrate the murder of an innocent man. The fast was a way to lure Naboth to where she wanted him
She solicited the help of people who are described as worthless men. These were evil men who had immoral character. Jezebel’s plan was for these men to falsely accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king.
Again, do you see the hypocrisy here? She had no concern for God’s honor, but she knew that if someone cursed God, that person would be put to death. She cursed God. She hated God. She had the servants of God killed. She worshipped another god… a false god.
The plan was carried out flawlessly. The worthless men falsely accused Naboth, and Naboth was murdered by stoning.
The name Jezebel became a symbol for evil. You may know that the church in Thyatira, which we read about in Rev. 2, was criticized
Revelation 2:20 (ESV)
tolerating that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
There are several interpretations suggested regarding the identity of this person. I do think it is a reference to an actual person who was causing trouble in the church, but I doubt her name was Jezebel. I can’t imagine anyone would have named their child Jezebel. It seems more likely that Joh was referencing the evil this person was perpetrating among the church and that the leaders of the church needed to address it.
Why was Jezebel wicked? Why has she become a symbol for evil? Her disregard for God and her thirst for her own glory. She not only rebelled against God, she lead others to do the same.
Covenant keeping places the glory of God front and center. As the Psalmist urges, let everything that has breath praise the Lord. When we desire to honor God with our lives, we live and breathe the glory of God. From the mundane moments of morning routines, to getting the kids ready for school and going to Dr. appointments to the not so mundane of the weddings of our children, to their first days of school, to receiving a promotion at work to receiving life-changing news from a medical test. The glory of God in all things among all people.
There’s also
Elijah’s Steadfastness (17-24)
Elijah’s Steadfastness (17-24)
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Have you killed and also taken possession?” ’ And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.” ’ ”
Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord. Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin. And of Jezebel the Lord also said, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.’ Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat.”
Keeping in mind all that Elijah had been through. Last week we saw the effect his ministry was having on him. Facing threats from Jezebel was overwhelming to him.
He now comes back on the scene to confront Ahab, and pronounce judgement against him and Jezebel.
God instructs him to go to Ahab in Samaria, and he find him in Naboth’s vineyard.
Elijah’s words are not his own. Thus says the Lord in v. 19 sets the tone of the rest of what he will say.
Ahab will die in the same place that Naboth was stoned to death.
1 Kings 22:34–38 (ESV)
But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate.... (skipping to the middle of v. 35) And the blood of the wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot.... (skipping to v. 37) So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it, according to the word of the Lord that he had spoken.
God keeps His promises. Ahab’s demise unfolded as God said it would. What seemed to be a random shot of an arrow, brought God’s judgement against the king to fruition.
Also, keep in mind that 3 years passed between the time Elijah pronounced this judgement against Ahab and Ahab’s death. We mustn’t allow our expectations of timing cause us to doubt God’s covenant love for His people.
Perhaps an important caution when it comes to our covenant keeping… our obedience to God
Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil.
In other words, since retribution against evil does not happen as quickly as we think it should, the danger exists that our hearts could harden could harden against God.... How long O Lord? Remember, the steadfast love of the Lord endures forever
Jezebel’s condemnation was similar, but perhaps even more gruesome. This is how it is described in
When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. And she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out of the window. And as Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it peace, you Zimri, murderer of your master?” And he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three eunuchs looked out at him. He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down. And some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, and they trampled on her. Then he went in and ate and drank. And he said, “See now to this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king’s daughter.” But when they went to bury her, they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. When they came back and told him, he said, “This is the word of the Lord, which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘In the territory of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel, and the corpse of Jezebel shall be as dung on the face of the field in the territory of Jezreel, so that no one can say, This is Jezebel.’ ”
Elijah had a difficult ministry. One of power, one in which he was witness to the faithfulness of God, but difficult. For Elijah to pronounce this judgement required that he had faith, not in himself, but in the One who called him.
We live in an age with similar qualities to that of Elijah. Corruption from top to bottom in society. Disregard for the value of life. Disregard for God. One that celebrates evil and condemns righteousness. What’s the answer? We could answer this several ways, but what Elijah reminds us of is the need for truth to be proclaimed. Truth to power and truth to everyone else.
Mealy mouthed preachers deceived the fathers, and now their children have turned their backs on the churches; and it requires no prophetic foresight to discern that unless the rot be stopped at once, in a very few years at most the last of the churches will have to close their doors. (A.W. Pink)
Perhaps Pink overstated his concern. It appears God has preserved his church since Pink’s writing to a greater extent than Pink may have guessed. But what is right is that all of us who profess Jesus as Lord and Savior must treasure His covenant love for us to the extent that even placing ourselves in uncomfortable, difficult and, at times, dangerous situations so that Christ may be proclaimed. This is what the world needs.
What’s common to hear from people who have been looking for a church in the area and eventually come here to Grace, is that it has been difficult to find a church that proclaims truth. There are other good churches here, but perhaps not many. A brief plug for the church plant. I don’t think anyone could make the case that this area is not in need of a gospel-proclaiming church. The need and our concern to be obedient must be our drive for this plant.
May God grant us the steadfastness of Elijah in our own lives and in this church.
The faithfulness of Naboth
The faithfulness of Naboth
We really don’t know anything about Naboth other than what we see here.
He owned a vineyard which was adjacent to the palace of King Ahab and Jezebel. He was most likely there first.
So, as we are told in v. 1, Naboth is a Jezreelite. He’s from Jezreel, which is where Elijah instructed King Ahab to go right after the rain started after the 3.5 year drought. This is where the king’s summer home was.
But Naboth had this land. This was family land. It was an inheritance that was passed down to him and would be passed down to someone else in his family. This land was a big deal for the family and had significant implications for the family’s relationship to God.
“If your brother becomes poor and sells part of his property, then his nearest redeemer shall come and redeem what his brother has sold. If a man has no one to redeem it and then himself becomes prosperous and finds sufficient means to redeem it, let him calculate the years since he sold it and pay back the balance to the man to whom he sold it, and then return to his property. But if he does not have sufficient means to recover it, then what he sold shall remain in the hand of the buyer until the year of jubilee. In the jubilee it shall be released, and he shall return to his property.
The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another, for every one of the people of Israel shall hold on to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
So, Naboth was not to sell this land because it was from God, and it was meant to be an inheritance for the family. If the family ran into financial hardship, it could be temporarily sold, so that it would eventually go back to the family, but every 50 years, or the year of Jubilee, no matter what had been or not been paid back, the land would go back to the family.
Ahab was offering Naboth a better vineyard or money. I imagine this offer would have been an appealing offer on some level. A sound financial transaction. Several commentators note noted that Ahab’s offer wasn’t a bad offer. That there was nothing dishonest or backhanded about his offer. But what this does point to is Ahab’s disregard for honoring God. Here’s the King of Israel ignoring God’s law regarding family land. I realize it’s not surprising given what we know about Ahab… the most wicked king in Israel’s history up to this point. Nevertheless, even in his offer to Naboth, the contrast between these 2 men is made clear.
But notice Naboth’s response in v. 3
But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”
In saying, the Lord forbid, Naboth was saying that Ahab’s proposal was not only wrong, but it was reprehensible. It was a vile thing. What made it horrible? Why was it vulgar to Naboth? Because if agreed to, he would dishonor the Lord.
So Naboth was a committed covenant keeper. He knew the law of God, and certainly there are some who are content to simply jump through the hoops that they think God has set up. But I don’t think that’s what Naboth is doing here. His reaction was strong. The thought of disobeying God was abhorrent to him. Didn’t matter if this offer came from a peasant or a king, he was not going to dishonor God.
But there’s something else we should keep in mind about Naboth. He was one of the 7000. Remember what God told Elijah as He was helping Elijah out of his despondency?
Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
Naboth was a recipient of God’s grace… His covenant love for His people, and in response to this love, Naboth committed himself to keeping the covenant. It was out of His love for God that he obeyed. This is the power of God’s covenant love for His people. It so transforms our affections, that we will find the idea, the notion of disobeying God repulsive, and obeying God, even if it means loosing out some some temporary advantage like a good financial deal, a delight.
The faithfulness of Naboth… his commitment to covenant keeping was fueled by God’s covenant love.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The faithfulness of Naboth
The Weakness of Ahab
The Wickedness of Jezebel and
The Steadfastness of Elijah
All help us to see the treasure of God’s covenant love for His people and the delight it is to keep His covenant out of our love for Him.
But we struggle with covenant faithfulness. I realize we find it difficult to relate to what Naboth faced in his vineyard with Ahab. But it is inevitable that we will face pressure from the world to choose something or someone of God. There are times and moments that marginalizing God’s will or even disregarding it all together may seem like the best option. But it’s not too hard.
“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
As was made clear earlier in Deut., with man it is impossible, but when God puts His word in our mouths and in our hearts, we not only can love God, but we will love God.
And this is all possible because of what Christ has done on our behalf. Paul paraphrase Deut. 30 in
But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);
Do you see where are confidence must. We presume to be covenant keepers, that is to live faithfully and obediently to God, not because it is easy or because it comes naturally to us, but because Christ has come to secure it for us.
One preacher said, both the divine promises of this covenant and the human responses of this covenant are blood-bought and sure.
Covenant keeping is fueled by covenant love.
Covenant keeping is fueled by covenant love.
May God’s covenant love for us fuel our love for Him.
Benediction
Benediction
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
