Elijah Reproves and Judges Ahab

 Elijah Reproves and Judges Ahab

Positive Christianity Series Episode #163

We learn that Elijah is sent by GOD Almighty to reprove Ahab and Jezebel's cowardice, lies, and wickedness. We learn that the practice of idol worship does not help Ahab and Jezebel. We learn that GOD Almighty is able to judge the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel. GOD Almighty tells Elijah to judge the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel and we learn that that is what happens. We learn that the practice of idol worship causes greater difficulties for Ahab and Jezebel while Elijah is able to persevere and keep worshiping GOD Almighty. GOD Almighty knows about the killing of Naboth and is able to issue judgment. We learn that GOD Almighty is able to judge when GOD Almighty decides.

"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 to take possession. And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, 'Have you killed and also taken possession?' And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick up your blood.' Ahab said to Elijah, 'Have you found me, O my enemy?' He answered, 'I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD. Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or 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, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin. And of Jezebel the LORD also said, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.' Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of him who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat.'"- 1 Kings 21: 17-24

We learn that GOD Almighty sees everything and describes the specific grave sin that Ahab and Jezebel had done. We learn that Elijah has courage and tells Ahab the grave sin he had committed of killing Naboth for coveting his garden, and Ahab describes that he had been found out. We learn that GOD Almighty decides when to judge the wicked. We learn that sometimes the judgment is instantenous like with Cain and sometimes it takes time. We learn that Ahab and Jezebel are judged in the manner that Elijah describes. Ahab would be destroyed and also Jezebebel for having persecuted Naboth. We learn that that happens. Ahab is wounded by a random arrow in a battle against Syria and Jezebel is destroyed by Jehu. We learn that the practice of idol worship does not help Ahab and Jezebel and only leads to greater difficulties. We learn that idol worship can not be practiced because it leads to hostilities, envy, coveting, adultery, homosexuality, vices, and destruction. GOD Almighty is Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent being able to see everything that is happening everywhere at all times and for all eternity. While Ahab and Jezebel thought that no one was going to know about their sin, GOD Almighty judges wickedness. 

We learn that GOD Almighty also tells Elijah to tell Ahab that his offspring would be destroyed similar to Jeroboam who practiced wickedness and idol worship. Jeroboam introduced the false religion of polytheism to the northern ten tribes in the worship of golden calves. This grave sin caused Jeroboam to go through difficulties including the destruction of his offspring. Jeroboam's idol worship caused Jeroboam's destruction. We learn that Saul was also destroyed for practicing idol worship, persecuting righteous prophets that helped David, and consulting a medium. We learn that the practice of idol worship and sin leads to significant difficulties described in the writings of Moses. 

We learn in the Sacred Scriptures about how Ahab is considered a wicked individual because he decided to practice idol worship and grave sin. We learn that Ahab was considered even more wicked than Jeroboam who instituted the false religion of the golden calves. Ahab is wicked because he destroyed his own children. We learn that similar to the Amorites who were judged by Joshua and Israel for destroying their own newborns, Ahab had killed his newborn and eldest child in the practice of idol worship. We also learn that Ahab is led by Jezebel although Ahab was the king of Israel. This describes the wickedness of Ahab of practicing grave sin and idol worship. We learn that there are times when Ahab appears to want to repent of sin, yet follows Jezebel's lead instead. We learn that GOD Almighty had given grace to Ahab, yet he decided to follow Jezebel instead of repenting with sincerity of heart. We learn that after hearing the judgment of Elijah against Ahab, he puts on sackcloth and fasts. We learn that later he would return to practice wickedness asking for help to Jehoshaphat to help him fight Syria. We learn that Ahab does not tell Jehoshaphat that the real reason he was sending Jehoshaphat to fight with him was so that he could disguise himself and hide from battle and have the Syrians think that Jehoshaphat was Ahab. Ahab told Jehoshaphat that they were going to fight the Syrians to retake a specific land from the Syrians when in reality Ahab was looking to send Jehoshaphat to fight his war for having persecuted Elijah. Either manner, Jehoshaphat is spared and Ahab is killed in battle. 

"(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD had cast out before the people of Israel.)"- 1 Kings 21: 25-26

December 18, 2024 Wednesday's Publication