Introduction 

· The wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel, and their evil intention

·         Covetousness manifested

o    Do not be a covetous person! 

·         A sad summary of Ahab’s life (1 Kings 21:20-22)

o    Like the house of Jeroboam (1 Kings 15: 29-30)

o    Like the house of Baasha (1 Kings 16:3, 11-12) 

·         A sad summary of Jezebel (1 Kings 21: 23)

·         Ahab sold himself to work wickedness (1 Kings 21:25)

o    His evil deeds (1 Kings 16:30-33) 

·         He was the worst king of Israel (1 Kings 21:26) 

·         His wife, Jezebel instigated him to do evil (1 Kings 21:25)

o    Don’t blame her alone!

o    Sin is a personal responsibility and Ahab was personally responsible for his wicked deeds

o    Do not take sin lightly!  If you are a Christian you will not practise sin (1 John 3: 9) 

I)      Ahab coveted the vineyard of Naboth (vv. 1-4)

• He offered Naboth to buy his vineyard (vv. 1-2)
• Naboth refused the offer as this was a family land (v. 3)
• The reaction from Ahab (v. 4)

II)    Murdered for a vineyard (vv. 5-16) 

• What’s the matter with you, Ahab? (vv. 5-6)
• “I will give you the vineyard” – Jezebel (v. 7)
• The Phoenician worldview and the non-Christian worldview are the same
  • Don’t let that enter the church!

• Jezebel’s plot to kill Naboth (vv. 8-14)
• Used husband’s authorized seal for the job (v.8-9)
• Used worthless witnesses (vv. 10-13)
• The stoning of Naboth (v. 13)
• All that matters to Jezebel was the death of Naboth and for her husband to get the land (vv. 14-16)
  • This is the philosophy of the world!  They don’t care how they get the things they want, even if it means your demise!
  • Christians must not behave like this!

III)   Sin must be confronted and dealt with (vv. 17-29) 

• Elijah confronted Ahab (vv. 17-19)
• Elijah pronounced judgment on Ahab (vv. 20-26)
  • Deal with your sin openly (Psalm 51)

• Ahab repented (vv. 27-29)
  • Be genuine about it!

• The graciousness of God to spare his life (v. 29)
  • Not worth living in sin!

NABOTH [NAY bahth] — an Israelite of Jezreel who owned a vineyard next to the summer palace of Ahab, king of Samaria (1 Kings 21:1). Ahab coveted this property. He wanted to turn it into a vegetable garden to furnish delicacies for his table. He offered Naboth its worth in money or a better vineyard. But Naboth refused to part with his property, explaining that it was a family inheritance to be passed on to his descendants.

Jezebel obtained the property for Ahab by bribing two men to bear false witness against Naboth and testify that he blasphemed God and the king. Because of their lies, Naboth was found guilty; and both he and his sons (2 Kings 9:26) were stoned to death. Elijah the prophet pronounced doom upon Ahab and his house for this disgusting act of false witness (1 Kings 21:1-29; 2 Kings 9:21-26).^[1]

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