July 28, 2018
Naboth was a man who lived close to King Ahab and had a vineyard that the King wanted. He wanted it because it was close ! He offered Naboth money or a different vineyard in exchange. Naboth wanted neither because the land was his inheritance. The reaction of the king was to be sullen and pout and to not eat ! Jezebel, his wife, assured him she would get the vineyard for him.
She wrote a letter instructing a fast and for Naboth to be given a place of honor to sit. When this was done she also wrote a letter for 2 scoundrels to claim that he (Naboth) had blasphemed God ! Under Jewish law a crime demanding death had to be witnessed by two people. Blasphemy is such a crime. This was done and Naboth was taken outside the city and stoned to death. Jezebel then went to her husband and said he should take possession of the vineyard for Naboth was dead !
Elijah the Tishbite was then contacted by God and was told to go pronounce their destruction to Ahab and Jezebel. This having been done, Ahab humbled himself before the Lord and was spared. God said that his sentence would be put off until Ahab's son was king. Jezebel did not humble herself and God's sentence was carried out.
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