Naboth's tragedy

In the twenty-first chapter of the book of 1 Kings, we find a man named Naboth living beside Ahab, the king of Samaria.

Naboth had a vineyard that Ahab wanted.  But Naboth refused, telling him that the Lord God forbid him to give up the inheritance of his fathers.

Ahab's wife Jezebel noticed that this disturbed her husband.  So much so that he even refused to eat.  So she told him that, since he was the king, and that he governed the land in which they were on, the vineyard was as good as his.  She plotted with the elders of the city, and Naboth found himself falsely accused of lies and stoned to death.

The Lord God was angry by this.  He condemned Ahab and all of those within the city.  But upon hearing of what had transpired, Ahab cried out to God and repented.

In the end, God spared Ahab.

But not his sons . . .

Having God on your side

In the book of 1 Kings, chapter 20, the king of Syria Ben-hadad gathered a great army together.  He surrounded Israel and ordered Ahab to hand over all of his gold and silver, as well as women and children, all for him to take.

Ahab consulted with his elders, whom advised him not to listen to the Syrian king.  He sent a message to Ben-hadad, informing him of their decision.  The Syrian king was not happy.  If it was war they wanted, it was war they'd get.

In the meantime, a prophet of the Lord presented himself to Ahab.  He advised him of the Lord's plan to defeat Syria.  Twice, Syria was defeated by Ahab, who had the incredible, awesome wisdom of God on his side.

Elijah flees

In the book of 1 Kings, chapter 19, Elijah found himself afraid for his life.  Ahab threatened him for all that he had done to his prophets of Baal.

Elijah slept under a tree.  An angel of the Lord came to him and gave him food and water, then went on a journey for forty days and nights.

Elijah hid in a cave.  The Lord asked what he was doing.  Elijah said he was afraid and that since he was the only one left, he might as well be killed.  But God protected him.

The Lord then told Elijah to go to Damascus, and there he was to anoint Hazael king of Syria and Jehu king of Israel.

God vs. Baal

In the 18th chapter of 1 Kings, the Lord told Elijah to show himself to Ahab, for the Lord will send rain upon the earth, ending a severe famine.

Ahab was skeptical at first.  He called Elijah a troubler.  But Elijah told Ahab that it was Ahab who troubled Israel by abandoning the Lord's commandments.  Ahab gathered 450 prophets of Baal onto Mount Carmel.  Elijah told the Baal followers to command that their god Baal answer their prayers.  So they cried out to Baal, over and over again.

Their prayers were never answered.

Elijah built an altar to the Lord, sacrificed a bull, and drenched it with water.  Elijah prayed to the Lord and the Lord answered by showering fire onto the bull offering, licking up all of the water.

Those who saw this fell on their faces.  Then, they slaughtered the prophets of the false god Baal.

More and more evil

In chapter 16 of the book of 1 Kings, it continues with another succession of kings like chapter 15, each one more horrible than the last.  Some reign for many years.  Others, not so much.  None seem to learn from the past, to finally make right what their forefathers did wrong.

And their wrongs were done at the cost of their children.

In chapter 17, we meet Elijah.  He predicted a drought, and he followed God's word by travelling to where He told him to go without question.  He went to an area where there was water, and ravens brought him food day and night.  When the drought finally occurred, the Lord told him to seek out a widow in the town of Zarephath.

The widow was not trusting of Elijah at first, for she had a son who was dying.  She had only enough food for herself and her son.  Elijah trusted in the Lord and told her what God had said.  And it became true.

Soon, the son of the widow became ill and died.  The widow was distraught and asked Elijah to help her.  Elijah took her son and prayed to God, pleading with Him to help bring her son back to life.  And it was done.

And it was then that the widow knew Elijah was a man of God.

Honoring God in all the right places

In the 15th chapter of 1 Kings, we come a line of kings in Judah and Israel.  Some were true to God, others not so much.

And those who were true to God, were only true most of the time.  Hence a king named Asa.  He did what was right for all of the people to see, like removing idols and cult prostitutes, but in the higher places where only he and a few chosen knew about, he kept idols in place.

Remember that when you honor God, do it both in public and private.  Because even though others may see one thing, God sees all.

Jeroboam's deception and downfall

In the book of 1 Kings, chapter 14, Jeroboam, son of Solomon, had a son who was sick.  He instructed his wife to travel to Shiloh and seek out the prophet Ahijah.  He wanted her to disguise herself and ask about their son.

When she arrives, the Lord had already instructed the prophet of the deception.  Because of it, the prophet spoke of the Lord's instruction, saying that their son would be dead as soon as she arrived back at their hometown.

Also, for the sins Jeroboam had set on the Lord's people, his family would be destroyed and his future family would have no place in Israel.