Sermon - Naboth's Vineyard

Naboth’s Vineyard

1 Kings 21

12/7/09

21 Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. ^2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”

^3 But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”

^4 So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.

Background:

When King Solomon’s son Rehoboam announced that he would work the people harder than his father had and be a harsher ruler the northern tribes of Israel rebelled against his rule. From that time the Kingdom was split in two – the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. The capital city Jerusalem was in Judah’s territory, and it remained the capital of that kingdom, but there was initially no permanent capital for the Kingdom of Israel. Different kings ruled from different cities, until Ahab’s father Omri established a new capital called Samaria. Omri was a popular military commander who had seized the throne and killed off his rivals. He was a successful king, who ruled for 12 years before being succeeded by his son. Omri bought a hill overlooking major trade routes from a man named Shemer for about 70kg’s of silver, and built the city of Samaria on it. Ahab continued to expand and fortify the city, which became more powerful than Jerusalem. Ahab also developed the city of Jezreel, further down on the plains, as a fortress city where his chariot forces were based (an ancient Assyrian record says that Ahab took 2000 chariots into battle). He would spend summers up in Samaria and winters down in Jezreel where the climate was milder.

He fortified other cities in Israel also, as they were continually threatened by the hostile Arameans to the north-east. God had given Ahab victory over the Arameans, telling Ahab to put to death their king Ben-Hadad. However Ahab made a treaty with Ben-Hadad, taking back control of the cities the Arameans had conquered in the previous generation, and setting up markets in Damascus where Israelite merchants could buy and sell goods.

So Ahab had faced some pretty big challenges, undertaken some major projects and had all the responsibility of a kingdom to rule, yet in this story we find him getting all worked up about a garden plot!

Now, Ahab should have known that Naboth was only doing what was right according to God’s law.

Leviticus 25:23 records God’s instructions to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land:

^23 The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.

Ahab does not want to obey God’s law, and he does not like it when he can’t get his own way because someone else considers God’s laws more important than the wishes of a wicked king.

Ahab knows that he has no legal right to seize Naboth’s land, and so is frustrated and angry.

^5 His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?”

^6 He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”

^7 Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

^8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him. ^9 In those letters she wrote:

“Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. ^10 But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”

Jezebel was a princess from a foreign land. To her, it was ridiculous that a king should be thwarted by a peasant. The king is the ultimate authority in her mind, not God. She can’t believe that Ahab was being so weak and childish about this, so she took the matter into her own hands.

Naboth might know and obey God’s law, but she knew enough to be able to use it for her own purposes.

Exodus 22:28 says

^28 “Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.

Deuteronomy 17:6 says

On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.

Jezebel organised first for people to be stirred up in religious piety – a day of fasting is proclaimed. Then, in this environment of religious enthusiasm, she had charges brought against Naboth which would stir the crowd to either demand Naboth’s death or at the least not oppose it.

If you are familiar with Deuteronomy 17, you will spot the irony here. In that chapter, the death penalty is being prescribed for anyone in Israel who worships false gods, as long as there are at least two witnesses of this. Jezebel openly worships false gods and encourages the whole nation to do the same, yet instead of applying this penalty to her the corrupt elders and nobles apply it to a righteous man instead.

^

^11 So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. ^12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. ^13 Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. ^14 Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”

^15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.” ^16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.

We know from 2 Kings chapter 9 that not only was Naboth killed, but also his sons. Since there was no-one to inherit the land it was seized by the crown, and Ahab was free to take possession of the plot of ground he so eagerly desired.

Notice that Ahab has not done anything wrong – he asked for the field, was told he couldn’t buy it so he went home disappointed. Surely it’s not his fault that the wicked Jezebel conspired to have Naboth and his sons killed?

^17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: ^18 “Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. ^19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”

Just as Jezebel manipulated the law to suit herself, so Ahab could point to the law and say “I’ve done nothing wrong here!”

But God knew his heart. The story doesn’t go into details, but we can just imagine Ahab whingeing to his wife knowing what manner of woman she was (remember her threats to Elijah some time ago?). We can just imagine Ahab watching from the corner of his eye as his wife writes letters, and places his seal upon them. He might not have known the details of the plot, but he would have to have known that it surely involved Naboth’s death.

In God’s eyes, Ahab was guilty of the crime. So God sent Elijah to give a message of judgement to Ahab, not only for this crime, but for all of the things that Ahab had done and allowed to be done under his authority.

^20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!”

“I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. ^21 ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will consume your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free. ^22 I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin.’

^23 “And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’

^24 “Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country.”

^25 (There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. ^26 He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.)

^27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.

^28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: ^29 “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.”

You can read about how this happened in 2 Kings chapters 9 & 10.

You might ask “This is all very interesting history, but what value does such a sordid tale have for us today?”

There are some really important lessons for us to learn from this:

1. Don’t get caught up in small offenses
   If Ahab had just maintained proper perspective, none of this would have happened. In the same way, when we get caught up in small issues we end up doing damage beyond all proportion to the issue itself.
   
   It didn’t feel like a small thing to Ahab though. He was very frustrated and upset, to the point where he wouldn’t even eat. He needed help to see the issue more clearly, and that leads to the second point…
   
   
   
2. Surround yourself with godly influences
   Ahab needed a queen who would say “Naboth is just doing what the law of God says He can’t sell you that field. Perhaps he would be willing to rent it to you, or perhaps there is another plot of ground we can use. Why don’t we go and look at some other options?”
   
   I was reading an article from a counsellor who was helping an elderly man who struggled with a harsh temper. Over many years he had developed the habit of yelling at family members – including young grandchildren – over really small issues. One time he admitted that he had yelled and said some very unkind things to his grandkids because they were being too noisy in the house. That was fine while he was enjoying playing with them, but when he was trying to read or watch TV for example it was annoying, and he had let fly at them. He knew it was wrong, and he was very frustrated at himself for doing it yet again. He knew that his relationship with his family was greatly damaged by this behaviour.
   
   The counsellor asked him to close his eyes and recall the scene and what happened, so they could talk about it. The man did so, and then opened his eyes again when the counsellor asked him to. He was shocked to see the counsellor sitting in front of him wearing a clown nose, and he burst out laughing. The counsellor then gave him the clown nose and told him to put it on whenever he felt himself getting angry about silly things. That might sound dumb, but it really helped this man remember to keep perspective and not allow himself to get worked up over small things. We need people who can help us keep things in proper perspective.
   
   Instead, Ahab had a wife who indulged his selfish desires and who had no moral qualms about doing whatever it took to get her own way. Verse 25 tells us that there was “never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife”. What sort of man might he have been if he had accepted the advice and help of godly people instead of wicked? Unfortunately, he considered God’s prophets as enemies because they told him what he did not want to hear. It’s too easy to tell people what they want to hear, and it’s too easy to surround ourselves with people who will agree with us, indulge us or lead us in wrong directions. We need to be discerning enough to surround ourselves with godly influences.
   
   
   
3. Never Complain
   Complaining spreads conflict. I have seen many examples where people have acted just like Ahab in this story. They complain to others because of the hurt or frustration they feel, but in doing so they unleash a series of events that end in catastrophe.
   
   I have seen people harbour grudges and have low opinions of others, not because of any first-hand experience, but because they have listened to the complaints of other people. Love and unity are compromised because of a habit of indulging complainers. We think that we are caring for people in allowing them to share their hurts, but in actual fact we are very often keeping people bound up in immaturity and sinfulness.
   
   As listeners, we need to discern how to listen in order to understand and care for people, not just indulge people. We need to ask questions and make suggestions that help people to apply God’s truth, and if they do not know that truth, we need to be able to show them from God’s Word.
   
   As speakers, we need to be able to be honest about how we feel and what we think, but at the same time exercise self control. Words cannot be taken back, so we must make sure that we don’t say things that are not loving toward God and others – that is the most basic rule of the Christian life.
   
   James 3:5 says
   Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
   
   Our words can do a great deal of damage. Regardless of what we are feeling, we need to be responsible with what we say. We must not indulge a habit of people speaking carelessly of their effect on their hearers or on themselves. Complaining only ever produces conflict.
   
   
   
4. Beware the Truth-Twisters
   We naturally bend the truth to suit our own desires and indulge our own feelings. The sad thing is, most often people believe the lies they tell themselves, and their lives become based on those lies instead of on the truth.
   
   Jezebel twisted God’s laws in order to get her own way. People still do that today. We also twist stories of things that have happened to us or to others. We make assumptions about the hidden motives of other people’s hearts, when only God knows the truth of that.
   
   Just because you know someone well doesn’t mean that you should believe everything they say. Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you should believe everything they say. Just because you trust someone doesn’t mean you should believe everything they say.
   
   That might sound harsh, but it’s true. None of us are perfect, and we all make mistakes in what we assume, what we perceive, what we remember and so on.
   
   Each of us needs to weigh things up according to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the standard of the Word of God.
   
   Let me give you an example of what I mean…
   
   I recently had a conversation with a friend who was struggling to work with some others in a leadership team. The natural thing for me to do was to sympathise with him and feel resentful about the people who were giving him a hard time. The godly thing to do was to make no judgement at all about those other people – I am not in the situation where I should do that. The fact is that if I judged them because of what my friend told me, I would be judging them completely unfairly. I do not know the full story, I cannot know the full story and I do not need to know the full story of who they are and what they are doing.
   
   I am in the situation of needing to care for my friend, so what I need to do is listen and seek to understand what he is going through. Then I need to seek opportunities to speak the truth in love – are there suggestions I can make that will help him pursue better understanding and maturity within his team? Are there personal issues that I as a friend can point out to him that are hindering him from working well with those others and enjoying a good relationship with them? Is it simply the comfort of having someone who understands what it’s like that will encourage him? Do I need to divert him from the struggles and get him to focus on all the good things that he sees God doing in and through the team?
   
   It’s easy to accept only one side of a story or see things from only one point of view. I have seen it so many times, where people pass on information and opinions about others that are simply hearsay. They pass these things on because it makes them feel knowledgeable and superior, but it is of no value to the hearer and only promotes ignorance. We need to pursue wisdom.

Doing each of these 4 things will help us to avoid going down the same tragic path that Ahab followed with tragic consequences for those he abused, those who indulged him and led him astray, himself and his family.