The King of Injustice

I. Desire to Grow His Royal Power (1-4)

After the chapter dealing with Elijah’s discouragement and God’s subsequent lifting up of Elijah, were are introduced to a new sin of Ahab. We have already seen Ahab’s lack of courage, letting Jezebel rule in essence rather than himself, dictating religious worship in Israel. We have seen his continual refusal to repent and turn to the one true LORD, despite the clear proving of the one true God of Israel at Mount Carmel. He continues to let Jezebel rule and chase down the prophets of the Lord.

Now we come to a new desire of Ahab, and yet another instance where his sin and oppression are clear, allowing Jezebel to do what he refuses to do.

1-2 We are introduced to a man named Naboth the Jezreelite, who ones a vineyard that is near Samaria, which is where the palace of Ahab was. The ruling center of Israel was Samaria, and this vineyard is part of the military complex established in Jezreel. This vineyard would add to his impressive royal center, and he was willing to pay for this vineyard from Naboth, a better vineyard (in his opinion) or to sell it for its worth.

3 Why is this land, this vineyard, so important to Naboth? Because this is rooted in the land rights of God’s people given to them, rooted in the promised land that was given to God’s people. We see land is incredibly important as the boundaries are set forth throughout the Old Testament. We see in other parts of the Bible, like in Ruth, where the land that Naomi’s husband had was sold, when her husband and children died when they fled in the famine during the Judges, she was left with nothing and declared that she was “empty” and called Mara, which means “bitterness.”

Numbers 26:52–56 ESV

52 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 53 “Among these the land shall be divided for inheritance according to the number of names. 54 To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance in proportion to its list. 55 But the land shall be divided by lot. According to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. 56 Their inheritance shall be divided according to lot between the larger and the smaller.”

“Naboth refuses Ahab’s offer of purchase from the viewpoint of ancestral inheritance. All the land belongs to God, the Israelites are sojourners. It is not their prerogative to sell land in perpetuity or to alienate it from the family.” - August H. Konkel

This is should come as no surprise to any Israelite, for they were warned that this very thing would happen when God gave them what they wanted, a king like the rest of the nations, rather than God as their king.

1 Samuel 8:14 ESV

14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants.

4 So Ahab was vexed at the outright refusal at Naboth. Naboth was standing up for himself, and not only for himself, but for his family and the inheritance that was given to him by God. He wasn’t going to sell it to make a profit. His inheritance and his standing as part of God’s people was more important to him than making a quick buck. Ahab is vexed and sullen, pouts and refuses to eat, laying in his bed turned away from everybody. In other words, he throws a fit.

II. Letting Someone Else Do the Dirty Work For Him (5-14)

5-7 Jezebel takes notice, and we are reminded of the one truly pulling the strings. She has the gall and the willingness to do what Ahab refuses to do. While Ahab pouts, Jezebel goes into action. She asks him why he is so vexed and sullen. Ahab tells her, kind of like “Naboth won’t give me what I want, go do something about it.”

Jezebel no doubt saw this as a sign of weakness, but she was set to make sure that Ahab’s strength could not be questioned. What would people do if they found out that he pouted instead of forcing Naboth to give him the vineyard?

8-14 Jezebel in essence takes the authority of the king, though its still under Ahab’s name, and devises a plan to get the land from Naboth. She writes letters to the elders and leader who lived in the city of Jezreel with Naboth. Naboth most likely was a well-known man, probably a little wealthy and at least prominent in the city. She writes to the elders and leaders of the town, which was common in that day. These elders and leaders were sympathetic to the causes of the king, and often were used to keep citizens in line. So, she tells these leaders to institute a fast (or “Ahab” does). She also knows that she will need two witnesses, so she wants two men who are willing to do whatever, including accusing a man of something that he didn’t do. Worthless men indeed. They will bring a charge that he has cursed God and cursed the king.

Exodus 22:28 ESV

28 “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

This is God’s law by the way that Jezebel is basing this plan in, even though she hates the God of Israel and is a Baal-worshiper. She uses the law to her advantage, not for the good of God’s people like it was intended. This is a clear reminder that just because someone claims to proclaim God’s Word means they are for the God of the Bible. People will often use the Bible to manipulate, and Jezebel does that here.

The results is that Naboth is executed for a crime that he did not do. He was stoned, and Ahab will be able to get what he wants.

Application: Sometimes, people tend to pout and refuse to address others when things don’t go there way. And sometimes, people try to get others to do their dirty work for them. When they can’t control someone, they tend to find ways to get what they want. They may find someone who is willing to do what they won’t, or, they will gather people who are likeminded and try to manipulate and control. They will do whatever it takes to get what they want. This is King Ahab. He lets Jezebel do what he does not have the wherewithal to do.

III. Taking Advantage of His People (15-16)

Kings, remember, were supposed to be shepherds of God’s people, taking care of them and leading them in the ways of the Lord. Ahab has does nothing but the opposite. He has led them in idolatry, he has sought to kill His prophets, and he now has murder under his belt to get what he wants, falsely accusing a man just to build his empire. Though Jezebel is pulling the strings, it is still under his name. God is going to hold him accountable. Ahab takes the vineyard, no doubt happy as can be. His power continues to grow, even though he isn’t bold enough to enact that power himself.

Kings were supposed to protect the rights of its citizens.

Deuteronomy 17:14–20 ESV

14 “When you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’ 17 And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold. 18 “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.

We see here in contrast to godly kings a man who does no such thing. This should cause us to wonder throughout this ordeal and throughout the life of Elijah and the many other kings that came before and after Ahab, who is going to fulfill what it means to be a good and godly king? There were some shining hopes, but even then, they had flaws. David. Solomon. Abijah. Jehosophat. Jotham. Hezekiah. Josiah, and a few others. All of them died. But that line would continue. God would not give up on these kings, because he had one that was coming. Even his judgment was ensuring this was the case.

IV. The King of Injustice Judged (17-24)

We come back to the ministry of Elijah. God has a word for Ahab, again. He is going to judge Ahab for his wickedness, his act of oppression by taking advantage of his people.

Elijah receives the word of the LORD (17-19)

Elijah receives a strong word from the Lord, not much different from what he has been receiving before. This isn’t going to encourage Ahab, but rather, will condemn his actions and set forth judgment. Since he took possession, and took advantage, completely opposite of what his role was as a king, the blood of his family would be licked up at the very place Naboth’s blood was licked by the dogs. This shows the kind of death and disrespect that Naboth was treated with. They didn’t even bury him in Jezreel. They let the dogs lick his blood.

Elijah preaches the word of the LORD (20-24)

Ahab continues to view Elijah as his enemy, though he should see him as an ally, for he is the only one who is sane and leading God’s people rightly. But Eljiah is getting in the way of what he wants. He is the troubler. The preacher of God’s Word can sometimes be a troubler to what we want, an enemy to our wants and desires. Let us not turn from the message of God’s Word.

The judgment against Ahab is clear. He will be cut off. He will no longer be king. He will die, and also his entire family alongside of him. Why? Because he provoked Israel to sin. This is a sobering thought for any person. When we sin and lead others to sin, God’s judgment will be swift, and we will be to blame. We should never lead God’s people astray, but rather, always lead them by the Word of the Lord and His ways.

V. The King Repents (Temporarily) (25-29)

What is interesting here is the setup of verses 25-26. Here we are described just how terrible of a king Ahab was. Yet we see that God’s grace extends to even the greatest of sinners. God can forgive even the worst of the worst, even us. Paul said that he was the chief of sinners in 1 Timothy 2.

Ahab rightly repents at the word of the Lord. He humbled himself before God. This is what the king should have done in the first place. It also reminds us that earthly kings will fail and are sinful. We should not trust kings, leaders, or presidents to save us. No, only one can save and only one King rightlfully rules and gave Himself for his people. King Jesus.

We should do the same as Ahab, submit ourselves to King Jesus, bow humbly before him, and repent. He is the one worthy king. We are not!

Ahab would still face the judgment. He was still and ungodly king as we will see later, but for a moment in time, he truly humbled himself. It may have been temporary, but even God knew that, and showed grace to him. Let us not be like Ahab, and let us humbly submit to King Jesus with out lives.