The Fall of the House of Ahab

This chapter is based on 1 Kings 21; 2 Kings 1.

The evil influence that Jezebel exercised over Ahab bore fruit in deeds of shame and violence. “There was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up.” Strengthened in wrongdoing by Jezebel, Ahab had followed the desires of his evil heart until selfishness controlled him fully. He felt he had a right to whatever he wanted.RR 73.1

We see this dominant trait in an incident that took place while Elijah was still a prophet in Israel. Next to the palace was a vineyard belonging to Naboth. Ahab determined to possess it. “Give me your vineyard,” he said to Naboth, “that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.”RR 73.2

Naboth’s vineyard had belonged to his ancestors, and he refused to part with it. “The Lord forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!”RR 73.3

Naboth’s refusal made the selfish king ill. “Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased. ... And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no food.” Jezebel soon learned what had happened and was offended that anyone would refuse the request of the king. She assured Ahab that he did not need to be sad any longer. “You now exercise authority over Israel!” she said. “Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth.”RR 73.4

Jezebel immediately began to carry out her wicked plan. She wrote letters in the name of the king and sent them to the elders of the city where Naboth lived, saying, “Seat Naboth with high honor among the people; and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, ‘You have blasphemed God and the king.’ Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die.”RR 73.5

The leaders obeyed this command. “The men of his city, the elders and nobles ..., did as Jezebel had ... written in the letters which she had sent to them.” Then Jezebel went to the king and told him to take the vineyard. So Ahab went down to take possession of the coveted property.RR 73.6

The king was not allowed to enjoy what he had gained by fraud and bloodshed without hearing from God. “The word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel ... in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it. You shall speak to him, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Have you murdered and also taken possession?’”’” The Lord further instructed Elijah to pronounce a terrible judgment on Ahab.RR 74.1

The guilty ruler, startled at meeting the stern prophet face to face in the vineyard, expressed his fear: “Have you found me, O my enemy?”RR 74.2

Without hesitation the messenger of the Lord replied, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord: ‘Behold, I will bring calamity on you. I will take away your posterity.’” The house of Ahab was to be completely destroyed. And the Lord declared concerning Jezebel, “‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field.”RR 74.3

When the king heard this terrifying message, “he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning.RR 74.4

“And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house.’”RR 74.5