Standing Up for Justice

He grew up in one of the many backward and oppressed groups in India, part of a community that is systematically exploited and treated with contempt, injustice and sometimes violence. The effect on his youth was to fill him with a burning desire to rise above that station in order to be able to turn the tables on those who oppressed him and his community. He threw himself into his education, and went to college committed to revolutionary ideals and Marxism. His goal was to achieve the qualifications needed to gain some kind of power and thus the means to do something in the name of justice and revenge. He was contacted in his early days at college by some Christian students and given a Bible, which he decided to read out of casual interest, though he had no respect at first for Christians at all.

For whatever reason, he started in the OT, in 1 Kings… As he read 1 Kings 21, he was astonished to find that it was all about greed for land, abuse of power, corruption of the courts, and violence against the poor—things that he himself was all too familiar with. But even more amazing was the fact that God took Naboth’s side and not only accused Ahab and Jezebel of their wrongdoing but also took vengeance upon them. Here was a God of real justice. A God who identified the real villains and who took real action against them. ‘I never knew such a God existed!’ he exclaimed.

Justice is something we all love, though we might not think about it like the young man in the story.

But we live in a world of injustice.

This story in 1 Kings is about confronting injustice.

The CAUSE of Injustice

1 Kings 21:1–7 CSB

1 Some time passed after these events. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard; it was in Jezreel next to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. 2 So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard so I can have it for a vegetable garden, since it is right next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.” 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “As the Lord is my witness, I will never give my ancestors’ inheritance to you.” 4 So Ahab went to his palace resentful and angry because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had told him. He had said, “I will not give you my ancestors’ inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and didn’t eat any food. 5 Then his wife Jezebel came to him and said to him, “Why are you so upset that you refuse to eat?” 6 “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite,” he replied. “I told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you a vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I won’t give you my vineyard!’ ” 7 Then his wife Jezebel said to him, “Now, exercise your royal power over Israel. Get up, eat some food, and be happy. For I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

Ahab’s main home was in Samaria, 20 miles south of Jezreel where his summer palace was.

This is the same place Elijah has ran to meet Ahab and Jezabel at the end of chapter 18.

There was a vineyard that boarded Ahab’s palace in Jezreel that he really wanted to turn into a vegetable garden so he didn’t have to go too far to get his herbs and produce.

The problem was that a man named Naboth owned the land.

Naboth was a good man, but not a powerful man.

Likely for 100’s of years, his family had owned and farmed the very land in question.

Naboth was one of those that God spoke to Elijah about back in chapter 19 “one that had not bowed his knee to Baal.”

So when Ahab offers to buy the field from Naboth at a fair price or give him an equal piece of land somewhere else, Naboth turns him down, not because he liked the land and didn’t want to sell (though it is likely true), but because he understood that the land was not his to sell. It was given to him by God.

He refused because he was a faithful man who sought to honor and follow the Lord.

The offer was fair, even generous. It could have been a great financial move for Naboth, but it violated the Lord’s will and law, so as a faithful man, Naboth couldn’t sale.

Ahab’s response is embarrassing to say the least.

A grown man sulking in his bed, refusing to eat because he didn’t get his way.

What would prompt him to act like this?

1) Entitled Greed

Ahab was like a spoiled child who very rarely heard the word “no”.

He was resentful and angry because deep down he believed he had done everything he needed to in order to get the thing he wanted.

So when Naboth refuses, Naboth then is keeping Ahab from the very thing he believes will satisfy him.

As an Israelite king, Ahab likely knew about the rights and laws of inheritance, so he should have understood Naboth’s response.

Either he was so caught up in his entitlement that he had forgotten.

Or he was so proud and arrogant that he didn’t believe it really pertained to him.

Either way, Ahab should have never made such an offer as a king in Israel.

But he believed it ought to be his, because he wanted it, who cares about Naboth.

2) Devaluing Self-Centeredness

Jesus tells the rich young ruler in Matthew 19 “What is keeping you from me is your devotion to your stuff and your disregard for the poor. Sale all your stuff, give it to the poor, and embrace the treasure I give you.” But the man walked away in sorrow because that was too much to ask.

As king, Ahab likely had more than ANYONE in the whole kingdom, and yet it wasn’t enough.

He needed a garden, even if it meant leaving Naboth’s family without their home. Sure he was going to have land somewhere else, but this was the land God had given.

The greed of Ahab causes him to disregard how the pursuit of his wants affects the lives of others.

Self-centeredness causes people to devalue the lives of others.

Ahab didn’t see the value in Naboth keeping his land when he REALLY wanted a vegetable garden.

Jezabel didn’t see the value of Naboth’s life compared to Ahab’s when she finds her husband whining in bed.

Self-centeredness , greed, and entitlement are behind so many of the injustices we see in our own culture.

Racism is rooted in the belief that people with one color of skin are inferior to others groups with different colors of skin.

Racism in ALL it’s forms is injustice and is incompatible with the Gospel.

Sexual abuse, sexual slavery, and even pornography come out of a devaluing of the lives, bodies, and souls of those we use to please ourselves.

Abortion argues the lives of infants not yet born are not as valuable as the opportunity for a woman to not be pregnant.

I know there is nuance to that argument, but even excluding the reasons often given that can be in the gray, MANY lives of innocent children have been taken because couples valued their freedom to have sex and not have to deal with the consequences of bringing a baby into the world.

And this has nothing to do with politics, but everything to do with the value God places on the lives of babies long before they are born.

These are examples of larger, national and systemic issues, but self-centeredness, greed, and entitlement are at the roots of so many of the injustices we see around us everyday, in our workplaces, schools, community organizations, and in our neighborhoods.

We can see here the cause of injustice, but now let’s look at the COST of injustice.

1 Kings 21:7–16 CSB

7 Then his wife Jezebel said to him, “Now, exercise your royal power over Israel. Get up, eat some food, and be happy. For I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal. She sent the letters to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. 9 In the letters, she wrote: Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people. 10 Then seat two wicked men opposite him and have them testify against him, saying, “You have cursed God and the king!” Then take him out and stone him to death. 11 The men of his city, the elders and nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters she had sent them. 12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. 13 The two wicked men came in and sat opposite him. Then the wicked men testified against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.” 15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite who refused to give it to you for silver, since Naboth isn’t alive, but dead.” 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite to take possession of it.

The COST of Injustice

1) Abuse of Power

Jezabel, in an almost mocking tone, says the the whiny Ahab, “Are you not King?” What a demeaning question...

“Is this how a king should act? Get up and eat something, and let me show you what it looks like to be a king.”

She then uses the power she possesses as queen to manipulate systems and people to accomplish the thing she wanted to happen.

Both Ahab and Jezabel had created a narrative where their actions made sense.

Ahab in vs 6

Jezabel in vs 15

Naboth had this coming, how dare you dishonor the king.

The first step to using our power in a destructive way is to come up with a story that sales.

They had the story and now it was time to put things into motion.

2) Destruction of Life

Jezabel’s evil is on full display in these verses.

Exploiting her position to manipulate men into taking the life of an innocent man.

Not only that thought, we find out later 2 Kings 9:26

2 Kings 9:26 CSB

26 ‘As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday’—this is the Lord’s declaration—‘so will I repay you on this plot of land’—this is the Lord’s declaration. So now, according to the word of the Lord, pick him up and throw him on the plot of land.”

In order to insure the land would be Ahab’s, Naboth’s sons, the heirs of the land, were also killed, all for a vegetable garden closer to your kitchen.

Every human being that has ever lived has value.

The CURE for Injustice

1 Kings 21:17–29 CSB

17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 18 “Get up and go to meet King Ahab of Israel, who is in Samaria. He’s in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. 19 Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you murdered and also taken possession?’ Then tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, the dogs will also lick up your blood!’ ” 20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So, my enemy, you’ve found me, have you?” He replied, “I have found you because you devoted yourself to do what is evil in the Lord’s sight. 21 This is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you and will eradicate your descendants: I will wipe out all of Ahab’s males, both slave and free, in Israel; 22 I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have angered me and caused Israel to sin.’ 23 The Lord also speaks of Jezebel: ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land at Jezreel: 24 Anyone who belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and anyone who dies in the field, the birds will eat.’ ” 25 Still, there was no one like Ahab, who devoted himself to do what was evil in the Lord’s sight, because his wife Jezebel incited him. 26 He committed the most detestable acts by following idols as the Amorites had, whom the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites. 27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth over his body, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around subdued. 28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime, because he has humbled himself before me. I will bring the disaster on his house during his son’s lifetime.”

1) God’s Revelation

God brought Elijah to Ahab to reveal the sinful evil of his motives and actions.

That is the power of the Word of God.

It moves our hearts

challenges our convictions

and transforms our minds.

Ahab is confronted with his sin, his greed and abuse of power.

“I have found you because you have devoted yourself to evil in the Lord’s sight.”

Elijah found Ahab because God wanted to confront this injustice.

As the one who created righteousness and justice, He is the one who determines when something is right and just.

It isn’t a social theory or a cultural idea, it is God who reveals truth.

It is far to easy for us to mold and shape justice and righteousness into the image of what we find to be most appealing and acceptable.

But truth, and therefore justice, is a moving target based on who is speaking the loudest.

God’s revealed truth is the compass leading us to the true north of justice.

It is also God’s revelation that will one day bring justice swiftly and finally on those who deserve it.

Let the words of Elijah sink in deep. God will always have his justice.

2) Personal Repentance

It is clear that Ahab’s repentance isn’t sincere, since in only one chapter he seeps right back into his old ways.

But there is something powerful about it.

This man, who the author of 1 Kings goes above and beyond to remind us of the evil of Ahab’s reign, heard the words of the Lord and was moved, even if it was only emotional.

Repentance, true, gospel-motivated repentance, is the response of one confronted with injustice.

Like Ahab, we all face the

3) Gospel Courage

It took courage for Elijah to stand up to Ahab and Jezabel, and as we are reminded in James 5, Elijah was a man just like us.

We do not have the power or pull to fix the injustices of our world, but that doesn’t means we are to throw our hands up in retreat.

Proverbs 31:8–9 CSB

8 Speak up for those who have no voice, for the justice of all who are dispossessed. 9 Speak up, judge righteously, and defend the cause of the oppressed and needy.

Gospel courage is the courage to stand up for what is right and just.

Gospel courage is the courage to speak up for those whose voice is hindered.

Gospel courage comes from hearts that have been transformed and redeemed by the one who was abused, abandoned, and crushed for all of us who have put our faith in Him.

And that one, Jesus, calls us to live in such as way that our lives fight the courageous fight for justice

Matthew 25:31–40 CSB

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 “ ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Russell Moore:

“Jesus frees us from the exhaustion that comes with seeing justice and righteousness as entirely dependent on us. Instead, we are free to ask, “What is right? What does God require of us in this moment?” and to also look around for the remnant, for where God may carry on our work without us. And so we stand and speak for those the world doesn’t want to hear about the neglected, abused women, unborn children, scapegoated migrants, and persecuted religious minorities—not because we are necessarily “winning” on the issue at the moment, but because we are bearing witness to something, to Someone, larger than the moment. A sense of God’s providence and sovereignty keeps us from despair. A sense of the human Fall and the spiritual war around us keeps us from triumphalism. In holding both together, we see the City of God and the City of Man together, one hurtling toward death but the other marching to Zion.”

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