Hey Ahabiden, I Saw You Steal the Vineyard and I Have a Message for You: God

Then it happened when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”

And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals.    1 Kings 18:17-18

You say, those treasonous troublers must be stopped. But it is YOU and your house, who trouble; in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord.

You’ve bowed to baal by slaughtering innocents, with the stroke of a pen.

You mock the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God by promoting perversity.

Ahab’s lust consumes you.

Although he already had more than enough, Ahab lusted for Naboth’s vineyard.

When unable to obtain by legal means, scoundrels were sent to stir up the people with lies and slander and hate against Naboth. They pulled him out of his vineyard and carried him out of the city, where they hurled stones, until beaten, bloody and bruised Naboth, bowed his head and died.

Ahab, turned a blind eye to the rioting, murdering, mob, sold his soul and stole the vineyard.

God saw it and sent a prophet, to confront Ahab.

“He will be at Naboth’s vineyard, taking possession of it. Give him this message from Me: ‘Isn’t killing Naboth bad enough? Must you rob him too? Because you have done this, dogs shall lick your blood outside the city just as they licked the blood of Naboth!’” 1 Kings 21:17-19

 

Notice, God called it, Naboth’s vineyard. Naboth was gone. Ahab had already moved in—signing executive orders with a bloody pen.

BUT GOD doesn’t recognize illegitimate Ahab.  

God still calls it, Naboth’s vineyard.

The prophet found Ahab in Naboth’s vineyard, and gave God’s warning.

I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord. Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall  1 Kings 21:20-21

The Lord went on to say the crooked king’s wife and family would meet the same fate.

Make no mistake, the evil that led Ahab to sell his soul, back then, echoes through the soul of him who says, “I am ready to prostitute myself.”  

However, God is forgiving and full of mercy; there is—albeit slim—a little hope.

When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, fasted and went about mourning. 1 Kings 21: 27-29

God saw Ahab’s repentant humility and delayed the destruction.  

Just as with Ahab, God still offers mercy. But only if there is humble repentance. Which means turning from evil. 

A thief must return seven-fold what was stolen. Generous mercy will be granted upon walking away from the stolen vineyard, and repaying seven-fold, by disclosing all the evidence of all the corruption, that all the conspirators have constructed.

Beware, delay or no, repentance or not…God is just and justice will be served.

 

Like being surrounded by thousands of troops and razor wire fences, Ahab insulated himself from any dissenting voices. He gathered to himself four hundred prophets of appeasement. Whenever he’d ask a question, these puppet prophets would parrot over and over, only what he wanted to hear.

Hell’s passion for power never says, enough (Proverbs 30:16).

“Should we take more land?” Ahab asked his mockingbird prophets.

“Oh, yes, our lord, our king, take the land, you will succeed, the Lord is with you,” his appeasing puppets replied.

When asked if there was anyone who’d speak for the Lord, not just the king.  “Well, there’s one,” Ahab replied, “but I hate him; he never prophesies anything good about me. His name is Micaiah.”

Micaiah was called and told that he should agree with the rest of the swamp of puppets, or he’d be cancelled.

Ahab asked, “Should we attack?”

“Sure thing, go right ahead, you’ll win.” Micaiah said.

Ahab could see that Micaiah didn’t mean what he'd  said, and so he replied, “C’mon man, tell the truth.”

Micaiah nodded, “Okay. I saw the people scattered like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master, send them home in peace.’” (1 Kings 22:17)

Ahab was furious. “See I told you he never says anything good.”

“There’s more” said Micaiah. “I saw the Lord on his throne, and the armies of heaven around him. Then Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go into battle; where he will meet his demise.’”

Various suggestions were made, until one angel approached the Lord and said, “I’ll do it!”

“How?” the Lord asked.

The angel replied, “I will go as a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.”

The Lord said, “That will do it; you will succeed. Go ahead.”

“Don’t you see?” said Micaiah, “The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets, but the fact of the matter is that the Lord has decreed disaster upon you.” (1 Kings 22:23)

Micaiah was struck on the face and hauled to prison.

Justice prevails.

Although Ahab hid amidst his entourage of soldiers, a random arrow flew, like a stone from David’s sling, and pierced a chink in his armor.

While the battle raged the rest of the day, to give the appearance Ahab was in charge, he was propped him up in his chariot. But, like ink from a broken pen, his life drained bloodred through the floorboards.

By sunset, just as the prophet said, the people were scattered like sheep without a shepherd and were told to go home in peace.  

But not Ahab, or any of his family. None lived to enjoy the fruit of Naboth’s vineyard. Their blood, thought to be, oh so royal, became nothing but fodder for dirty mangy dogs. They did however, inherit a place in a vineyard, only not the one they wanted. They’re forever treading out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.

 Naboth, on the other hand, is seated at The Master’s table, taste testing  The Wedding Supper’s wine.