August 27, 2010
Ahab decides he wants Naboth's Vineyard. "I Kings 21:2 - "Give me your vineyard." Naboth says no. It was his family's land; an inheritance from the LORD. Ahab goes home and pouts and sulks and refuses to eat. Jezebel asks him what is wrong. She chastises him saying, "Aren't you king? Is this how you lead? If you aren't man enough to do it, I'll do it for you." (my paraphrase) So, Jezebel schemes a plan and puts it in motion. She has everyone gather together and then sits two trouble makers across from Naboth. They, in front of everyone, falsely accuse him of blaspheming God. Naboth was taken out and stoned to death.
It wasn't enough for Jezebel to just take the land and dispose of Naboth. She instead schemed a plan. She falsely accused Naboth of a crime, and then publicly humiliates him and has others kill him. She set the plan in motion and then sat back and let other people do the dirty work. They let her know that Naboth has been killed. Jezebel tells the king—get up—go take the vineyard, Naboth is dead.
God tells Elijah to go to Ahab and tell him that what he has done to Naboth will be done to him. When Elijah arrives to see him, Ahab says, "So you have found me, my enemy!" Elijah replies, "Yes, I have found you. You have always chosen to do what the LORD has said is wrong, so the LORD says to you, "I will soon destroy you..."
Ahab's enemy was God, not Elijah. Elijah was just God's representative. It was God who found Ahab, not Elijah. I Kings 21:29 - "There was no one like Ahab who had chosen so often to do what the LORD said was wrong, because his wife Jezebel influenced him to do evil."
When Ahab finds out what is going to happen to his entire family he humbles himself before the LORD. God does not take away the punishment but delays it until Ahab's son becomes king, and then—THEN the trouble would come. You cannot escape the discipline of God. The decisions we make do matter! They matter for generations.
Ahab (king of Israel) asks Jehoshaphat (the king of Judah) to join him in battle against Aram. Ahab wanted to get back the land Aram had taken years before. Jehoshaphat says they should inquire of the LORD first to see if it was God's will. So, Ahab calls his prophets (not the LORD's prophets) and they all tell him what he wants to hear. Go...do it. God will give you victory. But Jehoshaphat says, "Isn't there a prophet of the LORD here? Let's ask him what we should do?" Ahab replies that there is a prophet, but he doesn't like him. I Kings 22:8 - "I hate him." Ahab hated him because he didn't tell Ahab what he wanted to hear; he told him the truth. Jehoshaphat reprimands Ahab for talking that way, so Ahab sends for Micaiah. The messenger tells Micaiah that all the other prophets have spoken with one voice. All have said "go," so you should say the same. Micaiah replies that he can only say what the LORD tells him to say.
Choose your accountability friends carefully! Seek people who will tell you the truth.
Micaiah at first sarcastically repeats what the other prophets have said. Then Micaiah said what he really saw and told Ahab not to go into battle. What Micaiah says next is astounding. Even though it was underlined in my Bible, I truly had never really grasped the enormity of what it was saying. I'm going to take the time and space to write it out in its entirety. It is found in I Kings 21:19–23.
So many of us have God as a God of love only. We often hear people say, "God is so good"; "I'm so blessed." We often totally ignore that God is also a just Judge and He is a God of discipline, correction, and yes—punishment. We don't want to associate those things with God. We prefer to blame those things on the devil. But, if God is Provider of blessings, then He is also a God who determines consequences. Yes, God is love. It is His love for mankind that requires His discipline. If there were no accountability for our actions, what would be the point of love?
Yahweh—LORD. A name the Israelites felt was too holy to be spoken by human lips. I AM—the "One who is" unchanging, unfathomable. LORD—God Almighty. To ignore or deny a part of God is to deny God. God is holy. God is just. God is fair. God does judge. God does reward. God does punish. God does forgive. The way we choose to live our lives determines what we receive from the LORD.
There is a heaven AND there is a hell. Blessed be the name of the LORD.
Next Entry: II Kings 1:1–18
Ahab decides he wants Naboth's Vineyard. "I Kings 21:2 - "Give me your vineyard." Naboth says no. It was his family's land; an inheritance from the LORD. Ahab goes home and pouts and sulks and refuses to eat. Jezebel asks him what is wrong. She chastises him saying, "Aren't you king? Is this how you lead? If you aren't man enough to do it, I'll do it for you." (my paraphrase) So, Jezebel schemes a plan and puts it in motion. She has everyone gather together and then sits two trouble makers across from Naboth. They, in front of everyone, falsely accuse him of blaspheming God. Naboth was taken out and stoned to death.
It wasn't enough for Jezebel to just take the land and dispose of Naboth. She instead schemed a plan. She falsely accused Naboth of a crime, and then publicly humiliates him and has others kill him. She set the plan in motion and then sat back and let other people do the dirty work. They let her know that Naboth has been killed. Jezebel tells the king—get up—go take the vineyard, Naboth is dead.
God tells Elijah to go to Ahab and tell him that what he has done to Naboth will be done to him. When Elijah arrives to see him, Ahab says, "So you have found me, my enemy!" Elijah replies, "Yes, I have found you. You have always chosen to do what the LORD has said is wrong, so the LORD says to you, "I will soon destroy you..."
Ahab's enemy was God, not Elijah. Elijah was just God's representative. It was God who found Ahab, not Elijah. I Kings 21:29 - "There was no one like Ahab who had chosen so often to do what the LORD said was wrong, because his wife Jezebel influenced him to do evil."
When Ahab finds out what is going to happen to his entire family he humbles himself before the LORD. God does not take away the punishment but delays it until Ahab's son becomes king, and then—THEN the trouble would come. You cannot escape the discipline of God. The decisions we make do matter! They matter for generations.
Ahab (king of Israel) asks Jehoshaphat (the king of Judah) to join him in battle against Aram. Ahab wanted to get back the land Aram had taken years before. Jehoshaphat says they should inquire of the LORD first to see if it was God's will. So, Ahab calls his prophets (not the LORD's prophets) and they all tell him what he wants to hear. Go...do it. God will give you victory. But Jehoshaphat says, "Isn't there a prophet of the LORD here? Let's ask him what we should do?" Ahab replies that there is a prophet, but he doesn't like him. I Kings 22:8 - "I hate him." Ahab hated him because he didn't tell Ahab what he wanted to hear; he told him the truth. Jehoshaphat reprimands Ahab for talking that way, so Ahab sends for Micaiah. The messenger tells Micaiah that all the other prophets have spoken with one voice. All have said "go," so you should say the same. Micaiah replies that he can only say what the LORD tells him to say.
Choose your accountability friends carefully! Seek people who will tell you the truth.
Micaiah at first sarcastically repeats what the other prophets have said. Then Micaiah said what he really saw and told Ahab not to go into battle. What Micaiah says next is astounding. Even though it was underlined in my Bible, I truly had never really grasped the enormity of what it was saying. I'm going to take the time and space to write it out in its entirety. It is found in I Kings 21:19–23.
"Hear the message of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with his heavenly army standing near him on his right and on his left. The LORD said, 'Who will trick Ahab into attacking Ramoth in Gilead where he will be killed?' "Some said one thing; some said another. Then one spirit came and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will trick him.' " "The LORD asked, 'How will you do it?' The spirit answered, 'I will go to Ahab's prophets and make them tell lies.' " "So the LORD said, 'You will succeed in tricking him. Go and do it.' " Michaiah said, "Ahab, the LORD has made your prophets lie to you, and the LORD has decided that disaster should come to you."Oh my goodness—oh my goodness—oh my goodness! Did you see that? Do you understand what it is saying? How did I not understand this before? How did I think consequences happened? Mere coincidence? Happenstance? Of course this happens! Of course it happens this way! Think about it! There are conversations happening between the LORD and the heavenly armies about us!!! You! Me! God has promised His blessings and protection for those who love AND obey Him. He has promised curses and punishment for those who do not. How did I think those blessings—verses—curses happened? I most definitely believe in angels. I most definitely believe they are sent by God for our protection. I guess I just never stopped and thought about the other side of the equation; how the consequences for disobedience comes.
So many of us have God as a God of love only. We often hear people say, "God is so good"; "I'm so blessed." We often totally ignore that God is also a just Judge and He is a God of discipline, correction, and yes—punishment. We don't want to associate those things with God. We prefer to blame those things on the devil. But, if God is Provider of blessings, then He is also a God who determines consequences. Yes, God is love. It is His love for mankind that requires His discipline. If there were no accountability for our actions, what would be the point of love?
Yahweh—LORD. A name the Israelites felt was too holy to be spoken by human lips. I AM—the "One who is" unchanging, unfathomable. LORD—God Almighty. To ignore or deny a part of God is to deny God. God is holy. God is just. God is fair. God does judge. God does reward. God does punish. God does forgive. The way we choose to live our lives determines what we receive from the LORD.
There is a heaven AND there is a hell. Blessed be the name of the LORD.
Next Entry: II Kings 1:1–18
No comments:
Post a Comment