Elijah - 6/3/09

Happy day to all!!! It is already Wednesday, and we are about to complete two and a half weeks of our summer vacation! I pray it slows down some or we'll be headed back to school before I know it!!! I am enjoying my boys being at home so much!!! They make me smile from my head to my toes, and I miss them so much when they aren't with me. I plan on enjoying each and every moment God gives me this summer to spend with them!! I hope you do the same!!
My family received some very happy news this week! My older sister, Beth, just found out that she may be adopting a baby in September! She and her husband have been trying for years to have one of their own, and it just hasn't worked out for them to conceive. They have been approached by a young mother about adopting the child she is carrying. If all goes well, they will be parents in a few short months!!! Please lift them up in prayer! My sister's name is Beth, and her husband is Rick. Also, pray for this young girl and the little boy she is carrying.

We are already on Chapter Eight of our study on Elijah!!! Two chapters to go!!! Isn't that exciting!!! I love getting to know God's people on such an intimate level! This study has allowed us to enter into the heart and mind of Elijah as he endured situations that I could never dream of!!! Praise God for individuals with the strength that Elijah displayed during his journey with God!!!
The Scripture for this chapter is long. So I am going to do as I did for the last chapter and just share the Scripture with you first. Then, we can discuss the author's views on the Scripture once you have a chance to read through and digest everything.

1 Kings 21: 1 - 29
Now it came about after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel beside the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria. And Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if you like, I will give you the price of it in money." But Naboth said to Ahab, "The Lord forbid me that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers." So Ahab came into his house sullen and vexed because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and ate no food. But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, "How is it that your spirit is so sullen that you are not eating food?" So 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 pleases you, I will give you a vineyard in its place. But he said, 'I will not give you my vineyard.' " And Jezebel his wife said to him, "Do you now reign over Israel? Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be joyful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite." So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and sent letters to the elders and the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city. Now she wrote in the letters, saying, "Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth at the head of the people; and seat two worthless men before him, and let them testify against him saying, 'You cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death." So the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters which she had sent them. They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. Then the two worthless men came in and sat before him; and the worthless men testified against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned, and is dead." And it came about when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, "Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead." And it came about when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. 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 down to take possession of it. And you shall speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the Lord, ..."In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, the dogs shall lick up your blood, even yours." ' " And Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" And he answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord. Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and 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, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and because you have made Israel sin. And of Jezebel also has the Lord spoken, saying, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the districe of Jezreel.' The one belonging to Ahab, who dies in the city, the dogs shall eat, and the one who dies in the field the bird of heaven shall eat." Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel, his wife, incited him. And he acted very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the sons of Israel. And it came about when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying "Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son's days."

You know, I don't even know how to respond to this Scripture because I am soooo human. I mean, I am thinking Ahab is just a spineless, spoiled little brat that went whining to his wife when he didn't get his way. If there is one thing I can't stand, it is a spineless, whiny man. So, then, this evil wife decides to take matters into her own hands, and she has a God fearing, innocent man killed over a piece of land because she can't bear to see her husband upset. I just think she was looking for an excuse to kill someone. Don't you wonder why Ahab didn't question Jezebel about this man's death. I mean, he was perfectly healthy just a few days ago. Wouldn't that just be toooooo big of a coincidence to you? This is a perfect example of why men should stand up and be the spiritual leaders in their households. Someone has to hold the people in their house accountable for their actions. There is a reason why God instructed men to love their wives as Christ loved the church and lead them in the way of the Lord. Come to think of it, didn't Adam act this way once? If he had stood up to Eve and been the spiritual leader in his home, maybe we would still be in the Garden of Eden!!! MEN!!! (Just kidding! All you men can write me on the scheming ways of women later.) Back to our stories from my human perspective!!
Does Ahab question her? NOOOO!!! He just runs down to claim his prize!!! But wait, who's that in the distance coming towards me? Yes, Ahab, it Elijah!!! Remember that man that kicked your behind on a mountain no too long ago!! If I were Ahab, I think I would have learned to run at the sight of Elijah by now. You can't tell me he wasn't shaking in his boots.
Now I have to give props to Elijah because he is one courageous man!!! (Kind of reminds me of my husband)!!! After being told the queen would have him killed, he still obeyed our God and went to Ahab! I have to say that I would have probably tucked tail and run in the other direction, but not Elijah!!! He was the faithful servant that God knew he would be. Could you imagine speaking these words to a king? Basically, he prophecied the death of Ahab and everyone in his house.
Ahab's response wasn't to lash out at Elijah! He became very mournful and clothed himself in sackcloth. Now, where was Jezebel? If she couldn't stand seeing her husband hurt, why wasn't she jumping to have God stoned to death? Not such a big girl now, are you Jezebel?
So, God is touched by Ahab's humble attitude and grants him mercy. I can't make light of this....let's say this again
SO, GOD IS TOUCHED BY AHAB"S HUMBLE ATTITUDE AND GRANTS HIM MERCY!!!!
See, my human nature wants to just fry Ahab and Jezebel!!! This is the reason why God doesn't trust me with justice. I am much better off if I just hand things to Him in prayer and let Him be the judge!!! I promise you He handles this situation....He always does.
Okay, so you have my take on this Scripture. Tomorrow I am going to share the spiritual and educated views of our author, Chuck Swindoll. I wouldn't take my opinions to the bank, but I can promise you his will be better!!!
Have a great day,
Tiff