First Kings 21

Naboth’s Vineyard

by

Jim Bordwine, ThD

Introduction

There are all kinds of stories in the Bible. Some inspire us, some warn us, others might even frighten us. Normally, some man is at the center of the episode. This morning, we are going to consider a story of intrigue, deception, conniving, and callous disregard for human beings—and this time, the person behind this scheme is a woman. She is none other than one of the most well-known and despised Biblical figures—Queen Jezebel.

Ahab, ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel, had a policy of entering into treaties with foreign nations in an attempt to maintain peace. At one point, he approached Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians, regarding one such arrangement. As a result, Ahab married Ethbaal’s daughter, Jezebel.

Back in 1 Kings 16, we read:

30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria.

Obviously, Ahab’s alliance with Ethbaal was wicked and only led the nation deeper into rebellion against the LORD. Men may excel in many admirable ways, but Ahab excelled in disobedience against God and, due to his position, took with him an untold number of souls.

But, as noted, Ahab is not the primary focus in our next story, which is found in 1 Kings 21. This chapter records the behavior of Jezebel as she manipulated her husband, showed no concern for the lives of others, and acted as if she were completely free of accountability to man and God.

01. Ahab’s dilemma (vv. 1-6)

21:1 Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 And after this Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.” 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” 4 And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food. 5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?” 6 And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”

To be honest, I find it difficult not to ridicule Ahab as a spoiled, self-indulgent, juvenile. He really believed that his request should outweigh all other factors. He wanted a space for a vegetable garden of all things, and proposed that Naboth simply give up that land. We know Ahab was a man with little regard for God’s laws, and this case is a stark illustration.

It was a shameful thing for a man to lose the land passed down to him by his father. Ultimately, that inheritance was traceable to the first occupants of the land under Joshua. It was then that each tribe was given an allotment and that land was to remain in the family forever. Ahab is so foolish and self-centered that he is driven by one thing and one thing only, and that is his desire.

Naboth’s reply indicates the incredible inappropriateness of the king’s idea. Naboth was shocked that Ahab would even suggest such a thing. And it wasn’t a matter of money or concern that he would not have a decent plot in return; Naboth was a man who held the ways of God in high esteem. He understood the significance of the land and the responsibility he took upon himself when he inherited that land. To surrender it for money or to give it away in an exchange would be unthinkable. Tradition, the will of God, and his cultural identity meant more to Naboth than anything Ahab could offer; therefore, he had to stand up to the king and refuse to cooperate.

We live in a day when such things as tradition, inheritance, and family identity mean less and less to people. This isn’t just unfortunate, it is disastrous when considered from a Biblical perspective. At our Thanksgiving service on Thursday, I mentioned the activity I was recently involved in, along with my brother and sister. It consisted of putting together a photo book illustrating my mother’s history for her 80^th birthday. We had dozens of pictures, census records, military enlistment papers, birth certificates, and various other articles and they were combined in an order that gave a wonderful impression of my mother’s life.

Those pages contained items that defined her existence—her birth, relationships with six siblings, college education, engagement, marriage, pregnancies, trials, and accomplishments were all verified in that book. These were gifts and episodes and outcomes that she cherished. My mother was never wealthy, never an owner of much property, and never recognized as a celebrity, but her life was rich and meaningful—not only to her, but to her children and grandchildren. Her life is an integral part of our story.

My point is that our lives are filled with irreplaceable moments and relationships. We are defined by our history and that is why our history should be so very important to us and that is why the Scripture places so much emphasis on knowing and reviewing the works of God in our lives. This is the perspective demonstrated by Naboth, you understand. That imbecile, Ahab, was asking for something he had no right to receive, something precious and highly significant to a man of God.

Ahab was an earthly-minded creature whose happiness depended on getting his way. Naboth was a heavenly-minded man for whom the gifts of God were priceless and never to be treated as a mere possession or commodity. These two men could not have been more distinguishable from one another—different priorities, different motivations, and different directions for their spiritual aspirations. The king was a man of the moment, and Naboth was a man of the ages. The king lived for today, as we say, but Naboth lived for the entire span of years allotted to him by God.

We need only consider Ahab’s reaction if we desire to understand his perspective. The text says he was “vexed and sullen” after his meeting with Naboth. These two terms refer to resentment and anger. Moreover, Ahab went to his bed where he remained and refused to eat. As already noted, his behavior is childish—and he is the king of Israel! Can you imagine what this says about Ahab’s dependability as a ruler and his ability to take charge of an entire nation? Ahab was a completely pitiful figure.

When Jezebel noticed her husband’s countenance, he explained what had happened. Ahab believed his offer of land for land or money for land was perfectly fair and couldn’t accept the fact that he was being denied what he wanted on this occasion. I mentioned earlier, however, why Naboth valued his land and why Ahab could not follow that reasoning. The matter is not going to end, as it might have, because Jezebel has entered the picture.

02. Jezebel’s scheme (vv. 7-16)

7 And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city. 9 And she wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people. 10 And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11 And the men of his city, the elders and the leaders who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, 12 they proclaimed a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people. 13 And the two worthless men came in and sat opposite him. And the worthless men brought a charge against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.” 15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “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.” 16 And as soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

The queen’s response to her husband’s depression tells us much about her personality and attitude. She did not view this matter as having much significance at all. Jezebel shows no awareness of Naboth’s position. Her perspective seems to be: “if you want the land, take it; it’s that simple.” She, too, was a completely self-absorbed person. As was true of Ahab, what mattered most in life for Jezebel was whatever she wanted at the moment.

Consequently, Jezebel saw no obstacle preventing Ahab from having his vegetable garden, even if it meant disrupting Naboth’s life and taking from him that which he did not want to surrender. Jezebel, in essence, says: “You are the king, aren’t you? Get off your bed, cheer-up, and I’ll take care of this matter.” (cf. v. 7).

Jezebel’s solution was, by necessity, deceitful and dependent upon carrying out a falsehood. Since Naboth did not want to trade land with Ahab and would not sell his property, the only option left was to steal it—and that is what Jezebel does. But, of course, she goes well beyond simply stealing what belonged to Naboth. Her plan included the elimination of that man.

I think Jezebel’s extreme solution indicates a desire on her part to punish Naboth for daring to refuse Ahab’s request. There is little doubt that Ahab could have used the power of his office to take the land by force, regardless of what Naboth said or did. That was not sufficient for Jezebel, however. She makes arrangements so that Naboth is publicly humiliated and then executed.

It’s true that this plan removed the obstacle between Ahab and the land he wanted, but it went way beyond what was necessary. I say again, therefore, that Jezebel wanted more than just access to the land. She wanted to punish Naboth for not bowing to the king’s wishes. And that, I believe, tells us that Jezebel was an exceptionally wicked person.

Vengeance is mentioned several times in Scripture. The desire for revenge is based on the perception of a miscarriage of justice or some act of lawlessness that has been perpetrated. The one harmed or someone who observes the wrong has a sense of anger. To be disturbed by injustice is not sinful. It is completely natural for God’s people, in particular, to be outraged at expressions of evil, especially when those acts go unchallenged. The problem comes, as the Bible teaches us, when we move from that step of indignation to the step of punishment. That is where God tells us plainly, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.”

The reason behind God’s teaching on this subject is easy to follow. Since we are sinners, our concept of justice is permanently corrupted. When, therefore, we take into our hands the task of righting a wrong, we run the risk of doing too much, on the one hand, or too little, on the other. Only God knows the perfect measure of justice; only He knows precisely what some act of evil deserves. That is why He comforts us with the knowledge that He will, in His time, repay our enemies; and that is why we are exhorted to rest in His promise, rather than attempt to punish those who have wronged us.

With all that said, what do we make of the person who takes all aspects of such matters into their own hands? This is the kind of person we see here. And keep in mind that Naboth broke no law in refusing to surrender his land. Yet, the queen finds him worthy of death! She is willing to have a man murdered just so her husband can have his vegetable garden! When you look at this situation in that way, it is outrageous. The audacity of Jezebel, the callous disregard for Naboth’s life and family, and the incredible presumption of her own superiority are overwhelming.

Jezebel wrote letters in the king’s name and in those letters were instructions to the local leaders and elders. They were told to arrange for two men who would falsely accuse Naboth of having cursed God and the king. The penalty for such transgressions was death. And that is exactly what Jezebel wanted. Her orders were followed and Naboth was stoned to death upon the lies told by two “worthless men.”

The man or woman who will lie in order to get what they want is a most dangerous adversary. A liar is a morally bankrupt individual who will go to any lengths to achieve a goal. When you are involved with such a person, you cannot assume that any manner of evil is beyond them. Jezebel was that kind of sinner. Her desire was the law by which she lived. Because of her high position, she could enforce her will as she pleased.

This transgression did not go unnoticed by the LORD. This is one of the great comforts of our faith—no matter what the wicked do, no matter how cleverly they scheme, their thoughts are known by God and He uses them to accomplish His will according to His good pleasure. Even Jezebel’s great evil will fit into the design of God.

03. The LORD’s judgment (vv. 17-29)

Elijah is told by the LORD to take a word to Ahab. You will find him taking possession of Naboth’s vineyard, God declares. When the prophet found the king, Elijah accused him of killing and taking possession of Naboth’s land. And then the king heard these words: “In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.” (v. 19)

This is a sentence of death being pronounced upon Ahab. He thought he was free and clear to take that property for his vegetable garden. But the eyes of the LORD were upon him and his evil is now being reckoned to him.

20 Ahab 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. 21 Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. 22 And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin.”

God’s judgment against Ahab will be that which He brought against other wicked rulers. His house will be overcome with calamity; his descendants will be cut off. Like Jeroboam and Baasha before him, Ahab will taste the bitterness of Jehovah’s indignation. God describes Himself as “angry” toward Ahab because the king “made” Israel sin. There is no more dreadful state in all of creation than to be the object of the anger of God the Almighty. Men mock Him and His righteousness, and show contempt for His holiness. But in time, every word and every thought and every action is answered for.

The LORD also had a word for Jezebel: “The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.” (v. 23) Short and to the point! The end appointed for the queen was one of tremendous dishonor. It is certainly not the end Jezebel envisioned. We can be sure she saw herself growing richer and gaining more subjects and mort respect. What she imagined could not have been further from what God ordained. This is a truth that is particularly troublesome to the wicked of the earth. Their expectations are shaped by their evil inclinations, but all evil must one day be judged. So it was with Jezebel.

The remainder of the chapter contains the fate of the house of king Ahab. Dogs will eat those who die in the city and birds will eat those who die in the country. In this context, the writer emphasizes that no one sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab “whom Jezebel his wife incited.” (cf. vv. 24, 25) Ahab established a legacy of idolatry and his downfall was largely contributable to his attempt to secure earthly peace by marrying the daughter of the king of the Sidonians, Jezebel. While Ahab was certainly a wicked man all by himself, his marriage to Jezebel magnified the evil he did many times over.

Ahab’s response to the words of Elijah is somewhat surprising:

27 And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly. 28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 “Have 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 upon his house.”

Based on the LORD’s response, we can assume that Ahab’s display of repentance was genuine. For that reason, God spares that man the misery of seeing his house destroyed. The judgment remained, however. Many who had nothing to do with the sins of Ahab and Jezebel are going to suffer.

Application

There is one chief lesson that I see in this story. It has to do with what is perceived versus what has been ordained. These are not always the same thing. Jezebel, for example, believed that she was free of accountability; she believed she could do as she pleased without concern for being challenged or having to face any kind of standard now or in the life to come. She lived according to what pleased her. When Naboth appeared as an obstacle to what she desired, therefore, she had him murdered. That was her solution to the problem. She perceived that she had freedom to do as she desired in all things. But, as the words of Elijah later revealed, God had ordained something else.

Jezebel was accountable all along to the law of God. The fact that she didn’t know or acknowledge this truth made no difference whatsoever. In this case, what she perceived or believed or expected, was totally contrary to what would be—because the God of creation had ordained something else. Those who live for the moment or live for pleasure or live according to their own standard are subject to the judgment of God whether or not they agree or cooperate. This is His world and His moral code is the only one that is enforced.

Another example of how what is perceived may be vastly different from what God has ordained is in the matter of our pursuits in this life. Ahab wanted Naboth’s land. He perceived that gaining this land would make him happy. When he couldn’t get it, he became angry; this led is wicked wife to take steps to secure what her husband desired. In the process, an innocent and honorable man was murdered. But in the end, the king got what he desired; he got that which gave him happiness.

The problem, however, is that what Ahab believed to be the source of contentment was temporary and was destined to fade because God has ordained something else for us. God has structured this existence so that earthly treasure is of no lasting value; rather, those things that please Him and those things that are according to His Word and those things that advance the cause of righteousness—those are the goals and accomplishment that have true value, value beyond this present existence.

What course, therefore, does the wise man follow? Does he spend his life seeking that which is highly regarded in this life, but of no lasting value in the life to come? Does he use up his time and other resources gathering that which must perish with this world or that which extends beyond this life? Does he please man or God, in other words? Does he order his life and his home according to what is popular and tolerated, or according to what God commands?

Again, there is a big difference between what might be perceived in regard to the character of our lives and what God has ordained. Both Ahab and Jezebel were prime examples of worldly thinking and prime examples of what happens to those who attempt to live with their hearts fixed on the things of earth.

Yet another aspect of this lesson is seen in Ahab’s reaction to Naboth’s refusal. Ahab did not know how to live with disappointment. His world crashed when he could not get what he wanted. The result was the evil manipulation of Jezebel, which included the death of Naboth, of course. But here is a reminder that what we perceive in terms of how the course of our lives are going to run and what God has ordained for our lives may be two entirely different things. The person who cannot live with disappointment is facing a very troubling existence.

We can be grateful again because God has told us that what we perceive as the correct course for our lives and what He has determined for us may not be the same. In such a case, we are not to fret and become angry or scheme until we get our way. We are to accept with humility what God has ordered. We are to submit our wishes to His holy will. We are to pray for grace to release our expectations in light of His purposes for us.

God has given us knowledge of His oversight of all things, including the path of our lives. That is, as indicated, a wonderful truth with which to live. But He has done more than that—God has assured us that the path He has ordained for us is good and useful and honorable. That is something we cannot guarantee when we make our own way in this world. We should be thankful, therefore, that the LORD has ordained a course for each of us and that course is perfect and for His glory.

I think that the ultimate example of the difference between what we might discern or expect and what God has ordained is to be found in our redemption. The story we have considered had to do primarily with earthly matters and temporal matters. But the principle we observe in this story of God’s oversight of circumstances has a more significant application in the issue of our eternal destinies.

The Scripture says that we are conceived in sin, in a state of condemnation and alienation from God. From that perspective, what could be expected but misery—eternal misery. But God ordained something different for us! What He ordained was our deliverance from that state of condemnation. What He ordained was our rescue and reconciliation. The means of that deliverance is seen in the ministry of God’s own Son. In Christ, what is perceived, what is expected, what should be, is overridden and hopelessness becomes hope, despair becomes joy, condemnation becomes forgiveness, and the end of our journey is changed from hell to heaven.

When you think of all the stories we’ve seen in 1 Kings and you think of how God changed things and how what people expected was replaced with what pleased God and with what God had ordained, remember your own situation—remember where you were when God revealed His choice of you; remember where you were headed when God made known His choice of you to be included in the number of the elect.

In Christ, that which should be is set aside and we are made beloved children. Instead of receiving what we deserve, we receive what we did not deserve. That is grace. And that is the gospel. And that is the chief and most wonderful example of the difference between what is expected and what God has ordained.

Prayer

Hymn for Communion

Conclusion

The end was established for us when our father Adam disobeyed God. At that time, the human race was plunged into a state of condemnation. That is what we should have expected and should have received. But as I just noted, what is expected and what God ordains are often two different things. In this case, we should be forever grateful that this is true.

This sacrament is a weekly reminder that God ordained our redemption when we were bound for eternal judgment. It is also a time to commune with the One who gave Himself in our place so that what was anticipated gave way to what God appointed, which is our salvation.

Matt. 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”