I have no idea who drew this picture (that I found online) but it perfectly captures the petulant King Ahab pouting over the fact that he can’t have Naboth’s vineyard for a kitchen garden. It’s like the artist’s model was a 2-year-old throwing a tantrum.
I’m a musician and my brain picks up patterns. And I hear a “chord progression” in this narrative that sounds a lot like 2 other Bible stories. And I’m honestly not sure what to do with that other than write about it. Maybe some insight will come in the process. Here we go….
So… here are the story beats:
- A king sees something he wants very near his house and feels entitled to it
- The thing he wants is owned by another
- Through deception and 3rd party violence the owner is killed
- The king takes possession of the thing he wants when the owner is dead
- God sends a prophet to confront the king with his sin
- The prophet announces a judgement on the king and his family
- The king humbles himself in sorrow
You could use this “chord chart” to play either of these songs:
- Ahab & Naboth’s Vineyard
- David & Bathsheba
They are uncannily similar. And the Ahab story helps me realize just how angry and grieved Yahweh must’ve been about David.
I mean, Ahab is Ahab. He’s evil. He’s married to Jezebel. We kind of expect it of him. And he only took a vineyard. David took Uriah’s wife. David did something on the same level as the wickedest king in Israel’s history.
And God had mercy on them BOTH.
But I said that the Ahab & Naboth narrative sounded like TWO other Bible stories. There’s another story in the Bible where…
- An innocent man has something that is making powerful people jealous and angry
- Accusers are planted to bring false charges that the innocent man has cursed God
- The accusers incite a mob to stone the innocent man
- The mob believes they are doing God a favor by killing a blasphemer
If you recognized that outline as the Stoning of Stephen, give yourself a gold star ⭐️ for Bible Trivia.
But isn’t that interesting?
Incidentally, the name Stephen means “crown.” The name Naboth means “fruit.” Their names hint at what they had that other men coveted.
“Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.”
Acts of the Apostles 6:8-10 NLT
Stephen was one of the administrators of the church’s food distribution. He was capable. Hard working. Like Naboth. But he was also doing signs and miracles like the Apostles. Stephen had fruit. (Naboth). Stephen was a servant (a deacon) crowned with the power and glory of God.
And in a debate, he made his opponents look foolish and weak. They couldn’t get the people’s attention and respect. They couldn’t perform miracles. They were fruitless. Stephen had real power and the attention of the people. And they wanted that. They desired his “crown” like Ahab desired Naboth’s fruit. Like Naboth, Stephen wouldn’t sell out for any amount of pressure. The sect of Jewish men did the exact same thing as Ahab. False witnesses. False accusations of cursing God. Drag him out and stone him.
I wonder if the story of Naboth ever crossed the mind of Saul of Tarsus who stood there watching the stoning of Stephen.
Those behind the death of Stephen didn’t get to take possession of his fruitful ministry. The kingdom of God is not in real estate. (Yet.) Jesus said it’s within you. Saul who became Paul said that the Kingdom of God was not food or drink but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost (Rom.14:17). So no one can steal it. Even if a saint of God is put to death, no one can take possession of his inheritance And we will never sell out.
Ahab is the classic nassisstic spoiled brat. He takes no responsibility. If someone has a problem with him, he cannot see how it’s his fault.
When Elijah finds Ahab taking possession of Naboth’s vineyard, Ahab calls Elijah his “enemy.” It’s as if Ahab is saying, “I don’t know what your problem is, old geezer. I have behaved perfectly fine but you always attack me and tell me I’m a bad person. I don’t know why you are so mean!”
It’s Elijah’s fault. It’s Naboth’s fault. It’s Ben-Hadad’s fault. But it’s never Ahab’s fault.
Until God drops the hammer.
Remember how I said that the “curse of Jeroboam” (which is the whole family dying violently) – that curse would fall on more than one king? Well, Yahweh drops that bomb on Ahab. He’s gonna die and dogs will lick his blood in the same spot where they licked up the blood of Naboth. His whole family is gonna die violently. And Jezebel? The dogs aren’t just going to lick her blood. They’re going to eat her dead body.
It should not require this level of severity to get a person’s attention, but unfortunately there are some extremely hard-headed individuals in this world. The death-sentence finally gets Ahab’s attention.
It reminds me of this meme of a Nazi guy questioning which side they’re on:
“But when Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothing, dressed in burlap, and fasted. He even slept in burlap and went about in deep mourning.”
1 Kings 21:27 NLT
This is Ahab realizing that he’s “the baddie.” And it’s going to cost his wife and children their lives.
Now, I get it that Ahab was wicked on a level that most of us never will be. But we can still learn some things from him.
- Waiting to repent after God drops the hammer is a little late. Sin affects the people around us. Let’s not do that. Get the sin out of your heart and life NOW. Ask Him to reveal anything hidden. Just because God doesn’t immediately smack us upside the head with a 2×4 doesn’t mean He’s ok with sin.
- Own it when you’re wrong. No excuses. Don’t justify your actions. Just own it. Heck, wear some burlap if you must. But let’s not blame-shift.
- You and the people in your life may still have to experience some consequences of your choices, but notice how God changes the judgment because Ahab responded with humility.
- God is INSANELY merciful! There isn’t anything beyond the reach of His grace.
🤔 Remember how you shared that news article where the government of Israel seized the 445 acres of land where the palace in Samaria was? And they want to protect and develop it as an archeology site?
Yes?
🤔 If Naboth’s vineyard was close enough to be a garden for the palace, wouldn’t it probably be in those 445 acres?
Probably?
🤔 So did Naboth’s vineyard just get seized by the government…again?
To The Reader 