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| "I was the world's nicest guy and they ruined my life for no reason!" |
1 Kings 21:17-29 (NRSV)
17Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: 18Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria; he is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. 19You shall say to him, "Thus says the LORD: Have you killed, and also taken possession?" You shall say to him, "Thus says the LORD: In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood."
20Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" He answered, "I have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, 21I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel; 22and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. 23Also concerning Jezebel the LORD said, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of Jezreel.' 24Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat; and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the air shall eat."
25(Indeed, there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD, urged on by his wife Jezebel. 26He acted most abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD drove out before the Israelites.)
27When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about dejectedly. 28Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: 29Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster on his house.
20Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" He answered, "I have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, 21I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel; 22and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. 23Also concerning Jezebel the LORD said, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of Jezreel.' 24Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat; and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the air shall eat."
25(Indeed, there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD, urged on by his wife Jezebel. 26He acted most abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD drove out before the Israelites.)
27When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about dejectedly. 28Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: 29Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster on his house.
Observation:
Wow, the harshness at first is shocking. Elijah is prophesying Ahab and Jezebel's death, and that their bodies will be eaten by dogs. Yeesh!
Probably a little context is needed. The second half of 1 Kings is mostly about Ahab and Jezebel's feud with Elijah (and, by extension, God.) Since Elijah dares to share the truth, that God is displeased with his and his wife's worship of other gods, Ahab and Jezebel count him as an "enemy".
For more immediate context, at the start of this chapter, king Ahab wants to buy his neighbor Naboth's land and plant a nice veggie garden. His neighbor refuses to sell. Ahab gets so depressed, he refuses to eat. Then Jezebel reminds him that he his king, and can just have Naboth killed, which of course Ahab immediately does.
Application:
I have to admit, the land-grab aspect of the story, and the totally entitled way in which Ahab behaves, reminds me very much of the classic Disney film, The Emperor's New Groove. Emperor Kuzco, when life goes badly for him, is very quick to play the victim and very slow to reflect on how his own actions and misuse of power may have gotten him to this point. When others dare to raise this issue with him, they are labeled as enemies. Ahab behaves much the same way.
As they say, "Everything happens for a reason. And sometimes the reason is you made a dumb decision." We, like Ahab, are often too quick to misuse our power, and too slow to hear from others that this is a problem. We are too quick to think of ourselves as victims, and too slow to understand the ways we victimize others. With whatever internet clout I can muster, I would like to coin a gender-neutral term for this. Can we please stop being such "Ahabs", and be ready to listen when God may be calling us to repentance?
Prayer:
God, like Ahab, I am often blind to the way I use power and privilege to my advantage. Help me to see life through the eyes of other, that I may better love my neighbor as myself. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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