Post by Woody Williams on Jul 1, 2008 5:25:40 GMT -5
Text for the Day -- I Kings 21:17-29
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Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: Go
down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria; he is now in
the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. You
shall say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Have you killed, and also
taken possession?’ You shall say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: In the
place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick
up your blood.’
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, I will bring disaster on you; I will consume
you, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel;
and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat,
and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked
me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. Also concerning Jezebel
the LORD said, “The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of
Jezreel.” Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs
shall eat; and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds
of the air shall eat.’
(Indeed, there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was
evil in the sight of the LORD, urged on by his wife Jezebel. He acted
most abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom
the LORD drove out before the Israelites.)
When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth
over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about
dejectedly. Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite:
‘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 on his house.’
Devotional
----------
The crimes of Jezebel and Ahab do not go unnoticed by God. God sends
the prophet Elijah to Ahab with a prophetic judgment. Ahab repents of
his sins and is allowed to live, but his descendants will experience
the judgment. We do not control all of our passions and vices. Sin
and evil break out in our lives. Sin is a present reality for
everyone. The path of renewal is not to try harder to resist, not to
totally give in to our passions. The path of renewal is repentance
and faith, and seeking nurturing in God's Word and Christian
fellowship.
Prayer
Encourage my desire to live out of virtue, gracious Lord, and not out
vice. Amen
----------
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: Go
down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria; he is now in
the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. You
shall say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Have you killed, and also
taken possession?’ You shall say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: In the
place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick
up your blood.’
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, I will bring disaster on you; I will consume
you, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel;
and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat,
and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked
me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. Also concerning Jezebel
the LORD said, “The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of
Jezreel.” Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs
shall eat; and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds
of the air shall eat.’
(Indeed, there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was
evil in the sight of the LORD, urged on by his wife Jezebel. He acted
most abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom
the LORD drove out before the Israelites.)
When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth
over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about
dejectedly. Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite:
‘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 on his house.’
Devotional
----------
The crimes of Jezebel and Ahab do not go unnoticed by God. God sends
the prophet Elijah to Ahab with a prophetic judgment. Ahab repents of
his sins and is allowed to live, but his descendants will experience
the judgment. We do not control all of our passions and vices. Sin
and evil break out in our lives. Sin is a present reality for
everyone. The path of renewal is not to try harder to resist, not to
totally give in to our passions. The path of renewal is repentance
and faith, and seeking nurturing in God's Word and Christian
fellowship.
Prayer
Encourage my desire to live out of virtue, gracious Lord, and not out
vice. Amen