Judgment and Mercy on Ahab

Transcription

1 Judgment and Mercy on Ahab By Mark Mayberry 3/27/2016 INTRODUCTION Ahab and Jezebel were two of Israel s most wicked rulers (1 Kings 16:29 33; 21:25 26; cf. Rev. 2:18 29). 1 Kings 16:29 33 (NASB95) 29 Now Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty two years. 30 Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him. 31 It came about, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went to serve Baal and worshiped him. 32 So he erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made the Asherah. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 1 Kings 21:25 26 (NASB95) 25 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. 26 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. Revelation 2:18 29 (NASB95) 18 And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this: 19 I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 24 But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them I place no other burden on you. 25 Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. 26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I

2 also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. On a national scale, the Queen destroyed the prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:1 16, esp. vs. 4 & 13). 1 Kings 18:1 16 (NASB95) 1 Now it happened after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth. 2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 3 Ahab called Obadiah who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly; 4 for when Jezebel destroyed the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.) 5 Then Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys; perhaps we will find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, and not have to kill some of the cattle. 6 So they divided the land between them to survey it; Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went another way by himself. 7 Now as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him, and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, Is this you, Elijah my master? 8 He said to him, It is I. Go, say to your master, Behold, Elijah is here. 9 He said, What sin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death? 10 As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent to search for you; and when they said, He is not here, he made the kingdom or nation swear that they could not find you. 11 And now you are saying, Go, say to your master, Behold, Elijah is here. 12 It will come about when I leave you that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you where I do not know; so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth. 13 Has it not been told to my master what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, that I hid a hundred prophets of the Lord by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water? 14 And now you are saying, Go, say to your master, Behold, Elijah is here ; he will then kill me. 15 Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today. 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah. On a personal level, she arranged for the murder of Naboth, so that her husband might seize his vineyard (1 Kings 21:1 14). 1 Kings 21:1 14 (NASB95) 1 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. 2 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. 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid me that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers. 4 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

3 of my fathers. And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and ate no food. 5 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? 6 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. 7 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. 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab s name and sealed them with his seal, and sent letters to the elders and to the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city. 9 Now she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people; 10 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. 11 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. 12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. 13 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. 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying, Naboth has been stoned and is dead. In this lesson, let us consider the rest of the story (1 Kings 21:15 29). 1 Kings 21:15 29 (NASB95) 15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, 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. 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. 17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 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. 19 You shall speak to him, saying, Thus says the Lord, Have you murdered and also taken possession? 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 will lick up your blood, even yours. 20 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. 21 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; 22 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. 23 Of Jezebel also has the Lord spoken, saying, The dogs will eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel. 24 The one belonging to Ahab, who dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and the one who dies in the field the birds of heaven will eat. 25 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. 26 He acted very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out

4 before the sons of Israel. 27 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. 28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 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. ARISE AND TAKE POSSESSION Queen Jezebel said, Arise and take possession (1 Kings 21:15). 1 Kings 21:15 (NASB95) 15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, 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. Sinful Conduct We must not, like Ahab, take possession of objects that have been stolen from another (Exod. 20:15; Prov. 9:13 18; Eph. 4:28). Exodus 20:15 (NASB95) 15 You shall not steal. Proverbs 9:13 18 (NASB95) 13 The woman of folly is boisterous, She is naive and knows nothing. 14 She sits at the doorway of her house, On a seat by the high places of the city, 15 Calling to those who pass by, Who are making their paths straight: 16 Whoever is naive, let him turn in here, And to him who lacks understanding she says, 17 Stolen water is sweet; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant. 18 But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of Sheol. Ephesians 4:28 (NASB95) 28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. Furthermore, let us recognize that we have no claim on that which properly belongs to God (Mal. 3:8 12; Prov. 3:9 10; Matt. 6:33). Malachi 3:8 12 (NASB95) 8 Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, How have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. 11 Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes, says the

5 Lord of hosts. 12 All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land, says the Lord of hosts. Proverbs 3:9 10 (NASB95) 9 Honor the Lord from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; 10 So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine. Matthew 6:33 (NASB95) 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Righteous Conduct In contrast, let us take ownership of our assigned duties and responsibilities, as well as our failures and shortcomings. In this regard, compare the sin and subsequent reactions of King Saul (1 Sam. 15:13 35) and King David (2 Sam. 12:13; 24:10). 1 Samuel 15:13 35 (NASB95) 13 Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord. 14 But Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear? 15 Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed. 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, Wait, and let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night. And he said to him, Speak! 17 Samuel said, Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed you king over Israel, 18 and the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated. 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord? 20 Then Saul said to Samuel, I did obey the voice of the Lord, and went on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal. 22 Samuel said, Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king. 24 Then Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the Lord. 26 But Samuel said to Saul, I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel. 27 As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28 So Samuel said to him, The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. 29 Also the Glory of Israel will not lie

6 or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind. 30 Then he said, I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord your God. 31 So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord. 32 Then Samuel said, Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. 33 But Samuel said, As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal. 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, but Saul went up to his house at Gibeah of Saul. 35 Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death; for Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel. 2 Samuel 12:13 (NASB95) 13 Then David said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. 2 Samuel 24:10 (NASB95) 10 Now David s heart troubled him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly. HAVE YOU FOUND ME, O MY ENEMY? King Ahab said, Have you found me, O my enemy? (1 Kings 21:20). 1 Kings 21:20 (NASB95) 20 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. Sinful Conduct Ahab hated God s faithful prophets, viewing them as troublemakers and enemies (1 Kings 18:17 18; 21:20; 2 Chron. 18:6 7). 1 Kings 18:17 18 (NASB95) 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, Is this you, you troubler of Israel? 18 He said, I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father s house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and you have followed the Baals. 1 Kings 21:20 (NASB95) 20 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. 2 Chronicles 18:6 7 (NASB95) 6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him? 7 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never

7 prophesies good concerning me but always evil. He is Micaiah, son of Imla. But Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. Righteous Conduct We must, like Elijah, faithfully serve God, standing in opposition to sin and error (Amos 5:10 15; John 15:18 25; Gal. 4:12 20). Amos 5:10 15 (NASB95) 10 They hate him who reproves in the gate, And they abhor him who speaks with integrity. 11 Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor And exact a tribute of grain from them, Though you have built houses of well hewn stone, Yet you will not live in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine. 12 For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, You who distress the righteous and accept bribes And turn aside the poor in the gate. 13 Therefore at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time. 14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live; And thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you, Just as you have said! 15 Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the Lord God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. John 15:18 25 (NASB95) 18 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, A slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. 25 But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, They hated Me without a cause. Galatians 4:12 20 (NASB95) 12 I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; 13 but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; 14 and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. 15 Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you 20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

8 THE DOGS WILL LICK UP YOUR BLOOD The Prophet Elijah said, The dogs will lick up your blood (1 Kings 21:19). 1 Kings 21:19 (NASB95) 19 You shall speak to him, saying, Thus says the Lord, Have you murdered and also taken possession? 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 will lick up your blood, even yours. 1 Kings 21:23 24 (NASB95) 23 Of Jezebel also has the Lord spoken, saying, The dogs will eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel. 24 The one belonging to Ahab, who dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and the one who dies in the field the birds of heaven will eat. Jehovah is a God of wrath. Divine judgment is reserved for those who transgress God s will (Psa. 7:12 17). Psalm 7:12 17 (NASB95) 12 If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready. 13 He has also prepared for Himself deadly weapons; He makes His arrows fiery shafts. 14 Behold, he travails with wickedness, And he conceives mischief and brings forth falsehood. 15 He has dug a pit and hollowed it out, And has fallen into the hole which he made. 16 His mischief will return upon his own head, And his violence will descend upon his own pate. 17 I will give thanks to the Lord according to His righteousness And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. Depending upon the nature of man s transgression, His wrath may indeed be severe (Psa. 11:4 7). Psalm 11:4 7 (NASB95) 4 The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. 5 The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates. 6 Upon the wicked He will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup. 7 For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face. Doom fell upon Ahab just as Elijah had prophesied (1 Kings 22:1 40); judgment fell upon Jezebel and Jehoram/Joram (the son of Ahab) through the agency of Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat (2 Kings 9). 1 Kings 22:1 40 (NASB95) 1 Three years passed without war between Aram and Israel. 2 In the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 3 Now the king of Israel said to his servants, Do you know that Ramoth gilead belongs to us, and we are still doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram? 4 And he said to Jehoshaphat, Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses. 5 Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Please

9 inquire first for the word of the Lord. 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go against Ramoth gilead to battle or shall I refrain? And they said, Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king. 7 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him? 8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah. But Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah. 10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, Thus says the Lord, With these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed. 12 All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, Go up to Ramoth gilead and prosper, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king. 13 Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably. 14 But Micaiah said, As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I shall speak. 15 When he came to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth gilead to battle, or shall we refrain? And he answered him, Go up and succeed, and the Lord will give it into the hand of the king. 16 Then the king said to him, How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord? 17 So he said, I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, Like sheep which have no shepherd. And the Lord said, These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace. 18 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil? 19 Micaiah said, Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left. 20 The Lord said, Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth gilead? And one said this while another said that. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, I will entice him. 22 The Lord said to him, How? And he said, I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. Then He said, You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so. 23 Now therefore, behold, the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the Lord has proclaimed disaster against you. 24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you? 25 Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day when you enter an inner room to hide yourself. 26 Then the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king s son; 27 and say, Thus says the king, Put this man in prison and feed him sparingly with bread and water until I return safely. 28 Micaiah said, If you indeed return safely the Lord has not spoken by me. And he said, Listen, all you people. 29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth gilead. 30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you put on your robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle. 31 Now the

10 king of Aram had commanded the thirty two captains of his chariots, saying, Do not fight with small or great, but with the king of Israel alone. 32 So when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, Surely it is the king of Israel, and they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. 34 Now a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, Turn around and take me out of the fight; for I am severely wounded. 35 The battle raged that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot in front of the Arameans, and died at evening, and the blood from the wound ran into the bottom of the chariot. 36 Then a cry passed throughout the army close to sunset, saying, Every man to his city and every man to his country. 37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria. 38 They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood (now the harlots bathed themselves there), according to the word of the Lord which He spoke. 39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did and the ivory house which he built and all the cities which he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 40 So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son became king in his place. 2 Kings 9 (NASB95) 1 Now Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, Gird up your loins, and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth gilead. 2 When you arrive there, search out Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and bid him arise from among his brothers, and bring him to an inner room. 3 Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, Thus says the Lord, I have anointed you king over Israel. Then open the door and flee and do not wait. 4 So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth gilead. 5 When he came, behold, the captains of the army were sitting, and he said, I have a word for you, O captain. And Jehu said, For which one of us? And he said, For you, O captain. 6 He arose and went into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, even over Israel. 7 You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel. 8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male person both bond and free in Israel. 9 I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10 The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her. Then he opened the door and fled. 11 Now Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, Is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you? And he said to them, You know very well the man and his talk. 12 They said, It is a lie, tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus he said to me, Thus says the Lord, I have anointed you king over Israel. 13 Then they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and blew the trumpet, saying, Jehu is king! 14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. Now Joram with all Israel was defending Ramoth gilead against Hazael king of Aram, 15 but King Joram had

11 returned to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds which the Arameans had inflicted on him when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, If this is your mind, then let no one escape or leave the city to go tell it in Jezreel. 16 Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram. 17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take a horseman and send him to meet them and let him say, Is it peace? 18 So a horseman went to meet him and said, Thus says the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me. And the watchman reported, The messenger came to them, but he did not return. 19 Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, Thus says the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me. 20 The watchman reported, He came even to them, and he did not return; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously. 21 Then Joram said, Get ready. And they made his chariot ready. Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him in the property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 When Joram saw Jehu, he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? 23 So Joram reined about and fled and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah! 24 And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and shot Joram between his arms; and the arrow went through his heart and he sank in his chariot. 25 Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, Take him up and cast him into the property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that the Lord laid this oracle against him: 26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, says the Lord, and I will repay you in this property, says the Lord. Now then, take and cast him into the property, according to the word of the Lord. 27 When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu pursued him and said, Shoot him too, in the chariot. So they shot him at the ascent of Gur, which is at Ibleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there. 28 Then his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his grave with his fathers in the city of David. 29 Now in the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Judah. 30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window. 31 As Jehu entered the gate, she said, Is it well, Zimri, your master s murderer? 32 Then he lifted up his face to the window and said, Who is on my side? Who? And two or three officials looked down at him. 33 He said, Throw her down. So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her under foot. 34 When he came in, he ate and drank; and he said, See now to this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king s daughter. 35 They went to bury her, but they found nothing more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. 36 Therefore they returned and told him. And he said, This is the word of the Lord, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37 and the corpse of Jezebel

12 will be as dung on the face of the field in the property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, This is Jezebel. DO YOU SEE HOW AHAB HAS HUMBLED HIMSELF BEFORE ME? The Lord God said, Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Accordingly, the Lord decreed, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son s days (1 Kings 21:29). 1 Kings 21:29 (NASB95) 29 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. Jehovah is a God of mercy (Psa. 86:5, 15; Ezek. 33:10 11). Psalm 86:5 (NASB95) 5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. Psalm 86:15 (NASB95) 15 But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth. Ezekiel 33:10 11 (NASB95) 10 Now as for you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus you have spoken, saying, Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we are rotting away in them; how then can we survive? 11 Say to them, As I live! declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel? Yet, He demands that we humble ourselves before Him (Isa. 57:15; James 4:6 10; 1 Pet. 5:6 11). Isaiah 57:15 (NASB95) 15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. James 4:6 10 (NASB95) 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. 1 Peter 5:6 11 (NASB95) 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil,

13 prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. 11 To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. CONCLUSION In this lesson, we are reminded of the goodness and the severity of God (Rom. 11:22). Romans 11:22 (NASB95) 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. May we learn from the examples of those who have gone before, leaving behind a legacy of faith and obedience (Rom. 15:4 6). Romans 15:4 6 (NASB95) 4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.