9. God Is Still On the Throne
Hymns: 448 The King’s Business 452 Rescue the Perishing 43 God Is Still On the Throne
Life of Elijah
– God Is Still On the Throne
(Men Ought Always to Pray)
1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. 3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. 4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. 5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? 6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. 7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. 9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: 10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. 11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. 12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead. 15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead. 16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. 17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. 19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. 20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD. 21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, 22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin. 23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. 24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat. 25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. 26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. 27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. 28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.
OUTLINE
- The Grievance (v1-16)
- The Redress (v17-29)
INTRODUCTION
Our God is a just Judge. He judges without partiality. He is infinite, eternal and unchangeable in His justice. This is an attribute of God taught here in this text. God judges according to His Word.
When King Ahab tried to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard unfairly, he succeeded. Naboth was falsely tried and found guilty of blaspheming God and the king. He was put to death by stoning. It seemed that all is well for King Ahab. He seemed to have gotten away with daylight murder. Taken possession of Naboth’s vineyard.
When King Ahab sought to possess the land of Naboth’s inheritance, Naboth rightly refused him:
1 Kings 21:3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
Naboth acted righteously according to God’s Word.
Leviticus 25:23 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.
Numbers 36:7 So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
Ezekiel 46:18 Moreover the prince shall not take of the people’s inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be not scattered every man from his possession.
The above laws have the 10th commandment as a basis.
Deuteronomy 5:21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
King Ahab went out of line. He was overtaken with greed as James puts it:
James 1:14-16 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
In the words of the Lord to Cain after he murdered his brother Abel, apply it to King Ahab.
Genesis 4:9-10 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
God knew that King Ahab had taken advantage of Naboth, did what he ought not to have done, transgressing the 10th commandment.
He instructed the prophet Elijah to confront Ahab for his sin. He was God’s instrument of righteousness. Not a pleasant task but needful!
Two thoughts – (1) The Grievance (v1-16) (2) The Redress (v17-29)
(1) The Grievance (v1-16)
This was the story…
1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
Naboth’s vineyard was situated next to Ahab’s palace in Jezreel. Below is a map to give us a geographical context. Ahab wanted the Naboth’s vineyard to convert it to a garden for the planting of herbal plants. He was willing to pay for it and was willing to compensate Naboth with another piece of land. As mentioned earlier, after Israel entered the Promised Land, God instructed Joshua to allot the land by tribe and by family.[1]
3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
For Naboth, it was very clear to him that he must not sell the land of his inheritance. He would rather obey God than man. He gave honour to God’s Word, albeit, he suffered unjustly for it. It was to be at the expense of his very life. He was not ashamed of it.
Ahab was a wicked man. He has no regard for God’s law. He was a lawless man. He ought to have submitted himself to God’s law but he did not.
4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
Ahab sulked and threw a tantrum like a spoilt child.
5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? 6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.
He shared with his wife Jezebel of his displeasure. In the wickedness of her heart, she hatched a plan to kill Naboth in order to take possession of the vineyard.
This was the plan.
7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. 9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: 10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.
It is sad that these men of the city colluded with the king unjustly to kill an innocent man. Were they afraid for their own lives that they acceded to Jezebel’s plan, we were not told! Even a fast was proclaimed to make this evil plot seemed a “righteous” act.
11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. 12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
The word “Belial” is the quality of being useless, good for nothing, worthless, base or evil characters.
Proverbs 24:28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
Proverbs 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
Proverbs 19:28 An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.
There is no fear of God in their eyes. Most scary characters, men without morals or conscience!
14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead. 15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead. 16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
By an evil plot, Naboth was dead and now Jezebel asked Ahab to simply go and take over the land.
Although Naboth suffered unjustly and died, God is well aware of what was going on.
The psalmist declared that God is not blind to the plight of injustice suffered by His people.
Psalm 9:11-12 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings. 12 When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.
Isaiah 26:21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
Numbers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
Indeed, Naboth had a grievance. His family members must have been most miserable to see the head of their home put to death.
If you were to face injustice against you in the pathway of life, what will you do? The Lord’s advice is to pray and bring the case to God for justice.
Luke 18:1-8 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Jesus speaks this parable “to this end”, to this purpose, “that” He is speaking to encourage, exhort, give confidence in the heart that “believers must always pray and not faint”. The literal translation can be “it is necessary always to pray and not to faint”. The word “ought” is used to carry the sense of a necessity of duty or command”. Notice also this word for “pray” always refers to “prayer to God” in the NT. The disciples are to pray under all types of necessity.
The key word is the adverb “always” – it connotes “time”, it means “at all times”, it speaks of constancy in prayer, a consistent prayer life.
“To faint” is to lose heart, to let despondency take over, become discouraged, give up, grow weary, to despair, to be demoralized, to lose one’s motivation, to stop praying. It is necessary to pray in all circumstances especially in the afflictions and hardships of life. This we see illustrated in the parable.
Ancient Israel was a theocracy, God rules by His appointed judges. These judges give the absolute final word in any dispute or judgment for any criminal. There is no appeal. No higher court. Whatever an Israelite judge said to the criminal is final.
The judges of Israel are to rule according to God’s laws. They are to reflect God to the people. They are as gods to the people. Their sacred appointment was to mete out justice according to God’s Word. However, when judges become corrupt and take bribes, justice is perverted. The poor and innocent have no recourse but to cry out to God for divine justice.
Our Lord is helping us to contrast between human judges and the divine judge who is infinite, eternal and unchanging in His justice. The purpose is to give us hope, don’t give up on Him, He will certainly help, patiently wait upon Him.
The poor widow was at her wits end. There is no other way that she would think of that has the power/influence to right the wrong that she has suffered and continue to suffer. It is so unbearable, she was desperate. The emphasis is not that one need to pester God until He reluctantly responds but that He will vindicate His misunderstood and suffering people. The encouragement is therefore, under any circumstances, we should never give up but continue to trust the Lord.
We are to wait upon God as He works out His justice in apparent slowness. We wrestle with the problem of evil and apparent injustice in this world. This is what we call “theodicy”, the justification of God in the presence of sorrow and suffering in this world. If there is a God why doesn’t He stop all these suffering? What we have to realize is that God always does what’s right but not always what is merciful.
Is there a God who cares, does He not know their sufferings? Well, the existence of the human race is the testimony of the long- suffering of God, if God would work according to His justice, we will all be wiped out. Jesus hasn’t come yet, it does not mean He is slack and will not fulfil His promise to receive His people to glory but He is allowing time for more to repent.
Indeed, as the story unfolds, there is.
(2) The Redress (v17-29)
17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. 19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
God instructed Elijah to go to Ahab. Recall, Elijah had come back from a bout of depression that he suffered when he heard of Jezebel threat to kill him. God strengthened His servant and send him forth now to right this wrong.
20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.
It was revealed to Elijah by God concerning Ahab’s sin. And Elijah came to Ahab to awake him from his waywardness.
This was the judgement that God instructed Elijah to pronounce against Ahab.
But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. (Proverbs 8:36)
…“he that sinneth against me (the “me” refers to God’s wisdom, His specific instrtuction, God’s Command, God’s Word) wrongeth (doeth do violence to, doeth destroy, doeth penalized, doeth harm to) his own soul, all they that hate me love death”.
As we studied in this morning’s Bible Study, Adam died when he partook the forbidden fruit against God’s warning. For the wages of sin, of disobedience, of not hearkening to God’s specific command is death.
This was the indictment. Very grievous judgement! The judgement was not only against Ahab but against Jezebel who hatched the plot.
21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, 22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin. 23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. 24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat. 25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. 26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
Indeed, when we refused God’s instruction and choose to go on sinning, a time will come when God’s judgement falls. As Solomon warned:
Proverbs 1:22-31 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
God’s judgement would come swiftly! Fear struck Ahab. He saw the folly of his ways.
27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
Ahab submitted himself to Elijah’s counsel and was subdued before God.
Psalm 66:2-3 Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. 3 Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Ahab repented for had he not God’s judgement would come swiftly. Elijah came to Ahab to help him come back to God. This Ahab did. How did Elijah confront Ahab? The godly approach would be as what the Apostle Paul taught in
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Elijah was a man subject to like passions but he did well in the spirit of meekness to restore this erring king.
CONCLUSION
The grievance (v1-16), the redress (v17-29). God indeed is still on the throne!
[1] Adapted from http://www.keyway.ca/htm2000/20000515.htm – Jezreel was the allotted territory of the tribe of Issachar. Jezreel, meaning God will sow, was a northern city of Israel. The Valley of Jezreel, named after the city, marked the boundary between Samaria to the south and Galilee to the north. Megiddo and the Plain of Megiddo, also known as the Plain of Esdraelon, are just to the west of Jezreel. Some of the kings resided in Jezreel, most notably Ahab.