Meditations on 1. Kings 21

The chapter begins with Ahab trying to buy a vineyard. The man refused to sell the vineyard because it was his family’s inheritance. Showing characteristic maturity, Ahab responded:

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. (v.4)

Now, here sat the King with power over the whole land of Israel. He was rich, yet he was not satisfied. In here lies a powerful lesson in contentment. If we are not satisfied with what we have, we will never be satisfied no matter how much we get.

Jezebel asked him what was wrong and he told her. Jezebel said, “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.” (v.7)

She then hatched a scheme where a fast was called, and false accusation were brought against Naboth and he was stoned. She told King Ahab that Naboth was dead and Ahab heads down to take the property and was met by the Prophet Elijah:

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. 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, 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. And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. 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. v.20-24

Ahab had sold himself to work evil. He’d made a decision to serve evil with his life and as scripture tells us, “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23) So, for his deeds, Ahab would reap a just reward.

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.
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. (vs. 25, 26)

I noticed one thing in scripture here. God says that Jezebel “stirred up” her husband. Note, it doesn’t say that Jezebel made Ahab evil, only that she agitated him in those area where he already had that ability and tendency.
This is something for those of us who are spouses should be aware of. We can stir things up, both for good or for ill in our mate. We can make them better, or stir up things that will lead them to utter degeneracy and degradation.
Sometimes, as was the case with Jezebel, the most wicked parts of a person are stirred up by the wickedness of their own spouse.
However, God had a greater point here:

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 about dispiritedly.
And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “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.” (vs.27-29)

God had pronounced judgment. Yet Ahab put on the signs of mourning and fasting. After describing how wicked he had been, the Bible tells us that God had mercy in that Ahab would not see the fall of his house.
This was before grace, this was before there was an opportunity to be a new creation in Christ. What could God have done for Ahab today? Yet, God still extended mercy to Ahab, and if He’ll do it for Ahab, what makes you think he won’t do it for you? Come to in with a heart of repentance, and God will grant you mercy, greater than you deserve.