SCRIIPTURE: 1 KINGS 21
NABOTH’S VINEYARD (VS/ 1-29)
Naboth, the Jezreelite had a vineyard close to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. Ahab wanted to use the vineyard for vegetable garden. So he told Naboth to sell it or exchange it with a better vineyard. But Naboth refused because he wanted to preserve the inheritance of his father. King Ahab was very angry and refused to eat. When King Ahab told Jezebel that Naboth refused to sell his vineyard, Jezebel told him that she will get the vineyard for him.
Jezebel wrote a letter in Ahab’s name with his zeal and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s City with the following message: “Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death” (vs. 9-10). So the elders and nobles did what she said. They accused Naboth of cursing God and the king and stoned him to death. Jezebel reported to Ahab that Naboth was no longer alive. So Ahab got up to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.
The word of the Lord came to Elijah and told him to say to King Ahab: “Have you not murdered a man and seized his property? Then say to him, “This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood – yes, yours! I am going to bring disaster on you. I will consume your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel – slave or free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son o Nebat and that of Baasha, son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. And also concerning jezebel, the Lord says: ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country.” (vs. 19-24).
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes put on sack clothes and fasted. He laid in sackcloth and walked around meekly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah and told him: “Because Ahab has humbled himself before me, I will not bring disaster in his day but I will bring it on his house in the days of his sons”
THOUGHTS:
The king coveted his neighbor’s vineyard and got angry because his neighbor will not disobey the Word of God and give it to him. Jezebel devised a scheme that appeared legal to get the land for her husband. She solved the problem by bringing false witness against Naboth, forging letter in his husband’s name and hiding the entire undertaking under the disguise of a religious fast. Today, there are also people who twist the law and use legal power to get what they want.