TREACHEROUS, ABUSIVE, BRUTAL BEHAVIOR. 1st Kings 21 When a downward trend has been set, and people get used to defying normal, decent behavior, there is no stopping the moral mudslide that overtakes them. They begin to treat those who follow the righteous law of God as if they are at fault for the consequences of sin that befall a nation. When we realize that all we have and claim for our own use belongs to the Lord, we are motivated to maintain it and use it in ways we know would please "the Lord of heaven and earth." The abuse of people and power still goes on when those in authority claim "the law of eminent domain" gives them the right to take what they want according to their interpretation of what is for the good of the majority.
To leave unjudged evil to work its havoc on people opens the door for abusive actions against people like Naboth, who still recognized the supreme authority of the word of God. Naboth knew the land passed on to him from his ancestors was given to them and him by the Lord. It was the Lord's land, and he was given this trust to preserve his family's inheritance after him. The sale of inherited property to those outside the family was prohibited [Lev.25:23-28].
Before Israel had a king, the Lord had warned the people of Israel that a king would expropriate their land and claim their vineyards for themselves. This event illustrates one such time and how treacherous and brutal those who claim authority over common people can be. When things didn't go how Ahab wanted, after a prophet had predicted a fatal sentence would come on Ahab, he was angry and bitterly rebellious. In a fit of temper, he reacted against Naboth when he refused to sell the vineyard, which was a family inheritance. Ahab knew the law. Jezebel apparently did not, or else ignored and rejected it. Jezebel's treacherous scheme looked legal in how it was carried out, but the law was twisted to suit the desired outcome.
Never underestimate the depth of treachery and deceit people have against divine authority. The natural man is an enemy of God and will go a long way in defiance against the Lord. Treachery happens when the covetous actions of a sinful person go unchecked. Covetousness is one of the moral sins that must be judged and dealt with in the assemblies of God's people. To want what others have and take steps to get it is a behavior that has to be changed. Discipline for such actions has to be serious enough that the sinning person never does it again, and others who are tempted to do something similar will not do it.
This practice is common in our country, where frivolous lawsuits and subtle legal procedures are used to manipulate people and get what covetous people want. Some things may seem legal, but when investigated, they can be found to be a perversion of the law's original intent. When man-made laws challenge us, we need to be sure they do not contradict the law of God. In such cases where there is a conflict between the two, "We ought to obey God rather than man."
According to the law of God, the false charge laid against Naboth was a capital crime. By manipulating people and the law, Jezebel was responsible for the death of an innocent family. Her design was to not only claim the vineyard but to eliminate any prior claim Naboth's sons might have. So, both the father and the sons were stoned to death.
When a person benefits from the abusive, brutal, treacherous actions of another person, they too are guilty. To deny responsibility for the consequences laid on an innocent person by just standing by and doing nothing or by willing compliance is an act of guilt. There is a lesson to be learned and remembered that any and all actions we commit are observed by God. He knows what is behind everything we do and why we are willing to do it. Not only is the motivation known by Him, who knows "The thoughts and intents of the heart," but the outcome we desire may be allowed and the consequences such an action will bring.
Elijah gave Ahab a dire prediction of his actions and the fact that what he had done would affect his family forever. Even though he considered the prophet his enemy, he believed what Elijah prophesied. His deep repentance and humility were evident when he fasted and dressed in sackcloth. Despite all the evil and wrong he had done, God was merciful to him and, to a certain degree, reduced his punishment by waiting until his son was ruling before dealing with the evil.
Envy, hatred, and anger make it almost impossible to see the evil in ourselves, so we blame others for what happens to us. We cannot avoid being responsible for what comes to us and how we respond to it. We are not able to avoid the consequences of our own actions. To place blame on others does not solve any problem, nor does it bring a conclusion to our negative attitudes. When people humble themselves before God and turn in repentance to Him, He draws near in grace that is undeserved and forgives our sins.
For generations, the Bible has been an open book in our family. The children learned from those who came before them and passed on those principles and practices to each generation that followed. Our family learned that God helped them live quiet and peaceable lives “in all godliness and honesty.” It wasn’t a matter of pride but a practice God intended for every family. The trust that business people and God’s people had in them was not irrelevant to them. It was a response to the reputation associated with the family name for many generations. Integrity, respect, trust, consistency, and commitment were characteristics that marked our forefathers. It is the same today as in days past.
From our earliest days, we were taught reverence for God and respectful fear for those in authority. We knew that God was always near to hear what we say and see what we do and intended that we represent our Lord Jesus Christ in a way that honors God. We learned to walk in His ways through the older ones in our family tree. Our inheritance was not just in money, property, and heirlooms but in things of much higher worth, like character, consistency, integrity, trust, reliability, quality work, and values that do not change. We learned God was with us in poverty or plenty. Our responsibility was to do whatever we did “unto the Lord and not unto men,” whether rich or poor. We were taught that “the just will live by faith.”
I have walked over lands where my forefathers walked, in Europe, Canada, North Dakota, Oregon, and other places. And now, most of it is owned by others. They labored hard by day to make an honest living to meet the needs of their families and, if there was some left over, to meet their own needs. At night, when sitting at the table or relaxing in a living room, they talked about the life of faith passed down by their fathers, and we sat and listened with respect as they spoke about their lives and walk with the Lord. They told us how what they had been taught became personal to them, and we wanted to know and hear what moved them to make faith in God and love for the Lord Jesus their own.
Lasting impressions were made, and a desire to be like them was instilled deeply in us. When God moved us by His Spirit to take His word as true for each one, we believed what it said about us and personally repented of our sins to God. When that honest repentance made us face our guilt, it was only moments later that we put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. Sure enough, what we had been taught worked in our lives.
I thought I had tried to pass on the value of their spiritual inheritance to those coming after me. I fear that I did not do a good job of making my faith clear and why I believe what I believe and live the way I live. Now that I am older, I will have to wait and see if what I modeled to them made any sense. I don’t expect to see real evidence of their faith in my lifetime, but my prayer and fervent desire is that my Savior will be their Savior, too. I know they’ll be different; the world is different than when I was young, but it was the same for every generation before me. I know that fundamental values will always stay the same no matter what changing societies say and do. It is my daily prayer that together as a family, we’ll see God’s face after we die or the Lord comes, and with wonder, we will see Jesus and those who came before us.