TRUTH
OR CONSEQUENCES
Steve W, Reeves**
INTRODUCTION:
A. I want to introduce you to the four
principle characters described in one of the most
suspenseful stories in the Bible. It’s a story of power, greed, deceit and murder meeting
the
righteousness and judgment of God.
From 1 Kings 21 I introduce the following
individuals.
1. Naboth – a citizen of Jezreel, a small town located in the hills near
Mount Gilboa.
Naboth was a righteous
man who made his living by tending a vineyard he owned that
was located
near the summer palace of the
king. The vineyard was a precious
possession passed on to him from his
forefathers.
2. Ahab – who reigned as the King of Israel 900 years before Christ. He
was the son of
the wicked king Omri
and has been described as a vile toad squatting upon the throne.
He controlled
a great nation, a great
army and a great treasury but had no control over
his own lusts and
desires. He was a king with a nation, a palace, vast lands and many
servants. He had a throne, a crown and a
scepter, yet he lived most of his
life under
the domination of a vile and wicked woman.
3. Jezebel – the wife of Ahab and the daughter of Ethbaal (King of
Tyre). She sat beside
her husband’s
throne like a venomous snake coiled and ready to string. She was a
devout worshipper of Baal and
Ashtoreth. Along with her handmaiden’s she engaged in
pagan worship
rituals filled with immorality and
sensuality. 1 Kings 21:25 says, “Surely
there was no one like Ahab who
sold himself to do evil in the
sight of the Lord, because
Jezebel his wife incited him.”
4. Elijah – the prophet of God. He was a man
of the land who wore poor, rough clothes
but had a golden
heart of righteousness. He was a man of God in a land of the devil.
He was
a wall standing against a rising
tide of iniquity. He was a seer who saw clearly
through the fog of
injustice and iniquity. He had a heart that
beat with righteousness
and a soul filled with Godly passion.
B. As the story of these four
individuals unfolds I want you to think about your life. I want
you to think
about your actions, thoughts and deeds. I want you to see how everything
we do
in life today will bring about a consequence tomorrow..
I.
SCENE 1 - A REAL-ESTATE REQUEST
A. King Ahab came to Naboth with a
straight-forward request. “Give me your vineyard,
that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close
beside my house, and I
will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if you like, I will give you the
price of it
in money:” (1 Kings 21:2).
1. This seems like a fair offer. There does not appear to be anything
sinister or
underhanded about Ahab’s request.
2. What Ahab failed to consider, however, was the stipulation under
God’s law that a
person who had received a piece of land as an
inheritance was not to sell it to
another family or tribe. Ahab failed to to take into consideration the deep
devotion
Naboth had for God’s law. Naboth valued the approval of God more than the King’s
offer.
3. Ahab also failed to consider the deep sentimental attachment Naboth
must have felt
for this piece of ground. He had grown up at this
place. He had watched his father
and perhaps his grandfather before him tend the vines. For Naboth this
was a
precious parcel of property. He would not sell the vineyard for any price to the king
or anyone
else.
B. We desperately need men and women today who have the conviction,
integrity and
loyalty displayed by
Naboth. We need people whose convictions cannot be bought and
whose
character will not be
compromised by the allurements of the world. We need
parents who stand
firm in their resolve and
children who respect the inheritance of faith
and a good name.
II.
SCENE 2 – THE MOANING MONARCH
A. Naboth’s refusal knocked the
props from under Ahab’s plans. Verse 4 says he
returned to his palace
“sullen and vexed.” Like a spoiled child he went to his room and
began
to pout. He turned his head to the
wall and refused to eat.
1. He was whining like a whipped pup.
2. He was pouting like a spoiled child denied a trinket among treasures.
3. He was like a whale in search of minnow’s food.
4. He was like a grouchy bear denied a little bit of honey.
5. He was like a screeching eagle denied the crumbs sparrows eat..
6. Though he had incredible wealth and treasure he was miserable because
he could not have what he
wanted.
B. No wrong had been done to him. No one had tried to cheat him, to harm
him or
defraud him. No one had
attempted to assassinate him or unseat him. Here was a king
with all of
his power bound and shacked by
his selfishness.
III.
SCENE 3 – THE SINISTER SPOUSE
A. When Jezebel heard of her husband’s moping and moaning she went to
his room.
According to verse 5
she said, “How is it that your spirit is so sullen that you are not
eating food?”
1. Do you suppose she thought he was sick? Perhaps she thought he had
been injured
in some way? Can’t you picture her laying a hand
on his forehead and asking,
“What’s wrong with you?”
2. Ahab was quick to respond, “I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said
to him, ‘Give
me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases
you, I will give you a vineyard in its
place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give
you my vineyard” (vs. 7).
B. Almost immediately Jezebel’s wicked mind began formulating a plan. “Do
you now
reign over Israel?
Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be joyful; I will give you the
vineyard
of Naboth the Jezreelite” (vs. 7).
Can’t you imagine her beguiling voice
saying, “There, there, don’t you
worry. I’ll get that vineyard for
you?” Ahab knew his
wife well enough to know that when she wanted
something she usually got it.
C. Jezebel devised a cold, calculating plan of lies, deceit and murder.
1. She wrote letters in Ahab’s name to the leaders of Jezreel and sealed
them with his
seal. The letters said, “Proclaim a fast and seat
Naboth at the head of the people;
and seat two worthless men before him, and let them testify against
him, saying,
‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death” (vss.
9-10).
2. Who can measure the impact and influence a woman has on a man?
a. In the case of Ahab and many like
him the influence of a devilish woman has
degraded their character and diminished their
good influence.
b. Thankfully the opposite
is also true. Nothing can lift a man up and make him a
better man than a Godly woman who uses her
integrity and influence to inspire
her husband.
D. We do not know what Naboth was doing when the King’s messengers
delivered the
death decree to the
leaders of Jezreel. We can only imagine that he might have been
in his
home with his family. Perhaps he
was in the vineyard tending the vines. We can
be certain, however, that
suddenly the hounds of hell were
on his heels. He was taken
before the townspeople, and seated in the
defendant’s chair. Before he knew
what had
happened to him two worthless men testified that he had
blasphemed God and the
king. The sentence was immediate - death by
stoning. By the end of the day a wife
became a widow, children lost
their daddy and a good citizen was devoured by the
venomous viper who
went to any length to satisfy her
husband’s selfishness.
E. When Jezebel received the news of Naboth’s death she told her
husband, “Arise,
take possession of the
vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you
for
money; for Naboth is not alive, but
dead” (vs. 15). At once Ahab got up and went
out to take possession of
Naboth’s vineyard. He spoke
not one word of inquiry or
rebuke.
IV.
SCENE 4 - THE POWERFUL PROPHET
A. Aren’t you thankful that whenever the devil has an Ahab and Jezebel
God has an
Elijah? God had a
prophet who heard Him and carried out His will. God said, “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 down to take possession of
it” (vs.18).
B. As Ahab walked among the vineyard that now belonged to him he made
his plans for
a garden of vegetables. He could imagine how well they would grow in the fertile
soil
and what a delicacy they would
be at his table.
1. Suddenly he heart a rustling among the vines. Was it a lion or a
bear? Was it an
eagle screeching from the sky? Was it the wind from an
approaching storm?
Suddenly a shadow fell upon the ground in Ahab’s path. He spun around on his
hels
and found himself face to face with Elijah the prophet.
2. Ahab said, “Have you found me, O my enemy” (vs. 20)?
3. Elijah replied with the word of God, “Because of the evil you have
done I will sweep
away your descendants (vs.21). The old prophet
went on to say that someday, in
that place where the Naboth’s blood was shed the dogs would lick
up Ahab’s blood
and the dogs would eat Jezebel by the ramparts of Jezreel.”
4. With those words Elijah turned and walked away and Ahab trembled at
the judgment
of God. God took notice of the change in Ahab’s
attitude and said He would not strip
the kingdom from him during his lifetime (vs. 29). However, the
consequences of the
vile deed remained in force.
V.
SCENE 5 - PAYDAY SOMEDAY
A. For every deed and action in your life there is a consequence. For
the way you treat
your body there are
consequences. For the things you put in your mind there are
consequences. For the way you spend your
money there are consequences. For the
way you treat your husband / wife
/ children / parents there are
consequences you
cannot escape. This principle is summed up in the
words, “Be not deceived, God is not
mocked, for whatsoever a man sows that He will also reap” (Galatians
6:7).
B. What happened to Ahab and Jezebel?
1. Three years passed and nothing happened. You can imagine Ahab and
Jezebel
eating and Jezebel smirking and saying, “Aren’t these
delicious vegetables from
your garden. Do you remember how I got that vineyard for you? I thought
Elijah said
the dogs were going to lick your blood and eat me. I guess he was mistaken.” During
these three
years I suspect there wasn’t a time Ahab heard a dog bark that he
wasn’t reminded of Elijah’s
pronouncement.
2. One day Ahab was dining with Jehosophat the king of Judah. Ahab said,
“Ramoth-
Gilead is ours if we will go take it.” Jehosophat said,
“I am willing,” but asked if there
was a prophet of God they could consult? Ahab called in a group of
prophets who
told him what he wanted to hear. Jehosaphat sensed something was not right. He
asked if there was not a true prophet of God. Ahab said, “There is one but he always
prophecies evil against
me.” The prophet, Micaiah, was summoned and he said, “it
will not be well with you.” Did Ahab listen? No.
He put Micaiah in prison with only
bread and water to eat and drink. He and Jehosophat prepared for
battle.
Jehosophat wore his royal robes but Ahab dressed as a common soldier with armor.
During
the battle the Syrian commander told his soldiers, “I want the king of Israel.”
They saw
Jehosophat, thought he was Ahab, and began pursuing him. When the
realized it was not Ahab they turned
away. Then, a nameless solder without even
aiming his bow let a arrow fly. As if guided by radar the
arrow found Ahab and
pierced the crevice in his armor. Ahab cried out to his commander Jehu, “I’ve
been
hit” and right there in the chariot he died as the blood ran down into the chariot. As
they returned
to Jezreel and cleaned the chariot the dogs came and liked up the
blood of Ahab just as Elijah had prophesied
three years earlier.
3. The consequences of our actions do not always occur immediately.
Another 20
years passed. Elijah was taken up to heaven and replaced
by Elisha. The word of
God came to Elisha and said it is time to put an end to the wickedness of Jezebel.
Elisha sent a messenger to anoint Jehu as the king of Israel. Jehu and his soldiers
headed to
Jezreel where Joram, the son of Ahab and Jezebel were residing.
Joram was killed and died in the
very spot where Naboth’s vineyard had been.
When Jehu saw Jezebel standing in a second floor window he
commanded the
servants standing nearby her to “pick her up and throw her out.” Jehu drove his
chariot over her body. Later as he was eating he commanded his servants to go and
bury her body.
When the servants went to bury Jezebel the dogs had eaten her and
all that was left were her head, her
hands and her feet. Jehu said, “This is the word
of the Lord through Elijah the Tishbite.”
CONCLUSION:
A. My hope is that this true story from
the Scriptures has gotten your attention today.
1. I hope you’ll realize that there will be pay day someday.
2. I hope that every married couple will realize the importance of
loving each other and
treating each other
with kindness and faithfulness. I hope that every parent and
grandparent
will realize how much your
actions will affect your children and
grandchildren for years to come.
3. Most importantly I hope that all of us will realize that the way we
live our lives now will
determine where
we will spend eternity. We can either accept and claim the
forgiveness of sins found in Jesus Christ as we
come to faith in Him, repent of our sins
and are buried with Him in the
watery grave of baptism or we can
reject him and suffer
the eternal consequences of hell.
B. May we assist you today in your
response to the Lord’s invitation?
**
Note: This message is adapted from a message originally preached by Dr. Robert
G. Lee of Memphis, Tennessee. It is estimated that Lee preached this sermon
over 1,200 times beginning in 1919 until his death in 1978. The first time I
heard an adaptation of this message was in 1989 by Dr. Eddie Cloer. From the
basic format used by these men I have made revisions and added my own material
to bring this message to you as a part of my series, “Families of The Bible.”
- Steve
W. Reeves
