Post by Woody Williams on Jun 30, 2008 9:13:40 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- 1 Kings 21:1-16
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Later the following events took place: Naboth the Jezreelite had a
vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. And
Ahab said to Naboth, ‘Give me your vineyard, so that I may have it
for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house; I will give you
a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give
you its value in money.’ But Naboth said to Ahab, ‘The LORD forbid
that I should give you my ancestral inheritance.’ Ahab went home
resentful and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said
to him; for he had said, ‘I will not give you my ancestral
inheritance.’ He lay down on his bed, turned away his face, and would
not eat.
His wife Jezebel came to him and said, ‘Why are you so depressed that
you will not eat?’ He said to her, ‘Because I spoke to Naboth the
Jezreelite and said to him, “Give me your vineyard for money; or
else, if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard for it”; but he
answered, “I will not give you my vineyard.” ’ His wife Jezebel said
to him, ‘Do you now govern Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be
cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.’
So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal;
she sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who lived with
Naboth in his city. She wrote in the letters, ‘Proclaim a fast, and
seat Naboth at the head of the assembly; seat two scoundrels opposite
him, and have them bring a charge against him, saying, “You have
cursed God and the king.” Then take him out, and stone him to death.’
The men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city,
did as Jezebel had sent word to them. Just as it was written in the
letters that she had sent to them, they proclaimed a fast and seated
Naboth at the head of the assembly. The two scoundrels came in and
sat opposite him; and the scoundrels 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.
Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, ‘Naboth has been stoned; he is
dead.’
As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead,
Jezebel said to Ahab, ‘Go, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth
the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is
not alive, but dead.’ As soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead,
Ahab set out to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to
take possession of it.
Devotional
----------
The old adage says, "where there is a will, there is a way." It also
means, then, that where there is an evil will, there is an evil way.
Ahab and Jezebel seem to have little restraint when it comes to evil
passions. Covetousness, deviousness and murder all seem so easy for
them. They see themselves beyond the law of God. And because Ahab is
king, they feel they have the right to take anything they want, even
by murder. How do you recognize the temptations that lead to vice
rather than virtue? Are you nurturing your passion for virtue today?
Prayer
---------------
God, send me your Holy Spirit that I may see the difference between
good and evil in my life. Amen
----------
Later the following events took place: Naboth the Jezreelite had a
vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. And
Ahab said to Naboth, ‘Give me your vineyard, so that I may have it
for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house; I will give you
a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give
you its value in money.’ But Naboth said to Ahab, ‘The LORD forbid
that I should give you my ancestral inheritance.’ Ahab went home
resentful and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said
to him; for he had said, ‘I will not give you my ancestral
inheritance.’ He lay down on his bed, turned away his face, and would
not eat.
His wife Jezebel came to him and said, ‘Why are you so depressed that
you will not eat?’ He said to her, ‘Because I spoke to Naboth the
Jezreelite and said to him, “Give me your vineyard for money; or
else, if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard for it”; but he
answered, “I will not give you my vineyard.” ’ His wife Jezebel said
to him, ‘Do you now govern Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be
cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.’
So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal;
she sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who lived with
Naboth in his city. She wrote in the letters, ‘Proclaim a fast, and
seat Naboth at the head of the assembly; seat two scoundrels opposite
him, and have them bring a charge against him, saying, “You have
cursed God and the king.” Then take him out, and stone him to death.’
The men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city,
did as Jezebel had sent word to them. Just as it was written in the
letters that she had sent to them, they proclaimed a fast and seated
Naboth at the head of the assembly. The two scoundrels came in and
sat opposite him; and the scoundrels 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.
Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, ‘Naboth has been stoned; he is
dead.’
As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead,
Jezebel said to Ahab, ‘Go, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth
the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is
not alive, but dead.’ As soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead,
Ahab set out to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to
take possession of it.
Devotional
----------
The old adage says, "where there is a will, there is a way." It also
means, then, that where there is an evil will, there is an evil way.
Ahab and Jezebel seem to have little restraint when it comes to evil
passions. Covetousness, deviousness and murder all seem so easy for
them. They see themselves beyond the law of God. And because Ahab is
king, they feel they have the right to take anything they want, even
by murder. How do you recognize the temptations that lead to vice
rather than virtue? Are you nurturing your passion for virtue today?
Prayer
---------------
God, send me your Holy Spirit that I may see the difference between
good and evil in my life. Amen