Now that I have your attention with that title, you can take the jaw out of your lap. On second thought, save yourself some trouble and leave it there, because I am about to shock you again: we all need to be more like Jezebel.
Jezebel was smart. She knew Ahab wanted Naboth’s vineyard, but she knew better than to just have him killed. Someone might have rebelled at the murder of an innocent man. So she took care to have “witnesses,” even though they were false witnesses, so everything would look “right.” We should not be deceitful in order to get what we want, but we are commanded to be “wise as serpents” when the good of the Lord’s work requires it. Jesus did not thumb his nose at all the traditions of his time, just those that were diametrically opposed to the intent of God’s Law. And he was the master at answering a question with a question, putting the questioner on the spot. Paul learned well from his Master. Remember those speeches that always seemed to be just right for the person and the cause? Sometimes we “cut off our noses to spite our face,” bragging about our zeal in doing so, when the Lord’s work suffers for it.
Jezebel was loyal to her husband. She even went as far as murder for him. How loyal are we? Will we go out of our way to do even innocuous things for our spouses? Or is it just too much trouble and s/he ought not to be so picky in the first place? Do we never even allow thoughts of infidelity to enter our minds, or do we consider those harmless as long as we do not act on them? What kinds of things do we say about them in the break room at work or the neighborhood coffee party? What do our children hear us say? Disloyalty can be shown in many ways.
Jezebel was loyal to her god. She converted an entire nation to Baal. How concerned are we about our neighbors’ souls? Do we even mention the True God to them? Are we careful to keep our relationships with them in such a state that they will come to us when a spiritual need arises? Jezebel was ready to avenge her god by killing Elijah (1 Kgs 19:1) for his having killed the prophets of Baal. Both her and Elijah’s loyalty was measured by their willingness to fight for God (or a god). Do we stand up to oppose false teachings and immorality in our society, or are we afraid to stir things up?
She implanted her values into her children--so well that they followed in her footsteps all their lives. The problem, of course, was her values. How much effort do we put into teaching our children God’s Law, even when we know it could cost them their souls if we do not? Or are we too busy supplying physical needs, and cultural “enrichment?”
Of course, none of us want to be like Jezebel in her wickedness, but remember Jesus’ parable about the unrighteous steward, “…the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of light,” Luke 16:8. Learn your lessons from whomever you can. Just make sure your application is righteous.
My son, if you will receive my words and lay up my commandments with you, so as to incline your ear unto wisdom and apply your heart to understanding, yes if you will cry after discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasure, then you shall understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God. For Jehovah gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. Prov 2:1-6
Dene Ward
Jezebel was smart. She knew Ahab wanted Naboth’s vineyard, but she knew better than to just have him killed. Someone might have rebelled at the murder of an innocent man. So she took care to have “witnesses,” even though they were false witnesses, so everything would look “right.” We should not be deceitful in order to get what we want, but we are commanded to be “wise as serpents” when the good of the Lord’s work requires it. Jesus did not thumb his nose at all the traditions of his time, just those that were diametrically opposed to the intent of God’s Law. And he was the master at answering a question with a question, putting the questioner on the spot. Paul learned well from his Master. Remember those speeches that always seemed to be just right for the person and the cause? Sometimes we “cut off our noses to spite our face,” bragging about our zeal in doing so, when the Lord’s work suffers for it.
Jezebel was loyal to her husband. She even went as far as murder for him. How loyal are we? Will we go out of our way to do even innocuous things for our spouses? Or is it just too much trouble and s/he ought not to be so picky in the first place? Do we never even allow thoughts of infidelity to enter our minds, or do we consider those harmless as long as we do not act on them? What kinds of things do we say about them in the break room at work or the neighborhood coffee party? What do our children hear us say? Disloyalty can be shown in many ways.
Jezebel was loyal to her god. She converted an entire nation to Baal. How concerned are we about our neighbors’ souls? Do we even mention the True God to them? Are we careful to keep our relationships with them in such a state that they will come to us when a spiritual need arises? Jezebel was ready to avenge her god by killing Elijah (1 Kgs 19:1) for his having killed the prophets of Baal. Both her and Elijah’s loyalty was measured by their willingness to fight for God (or a god). Do we stand up to oppose false teachings and immorality in our society, or are we afraid to stir things up?
She implanted her values into her children--so well that they followed in her footsteps all their lives. The problem, of course, was her values. How much effort do we put into teaching our children God’s Law, even when we know it could cost them their souls if we do not? Or are we too busy supplying physical needs, and cultural “enrichment?”
Of course, none of us want to be like Jezebel in her wickedness, but remember Jesus’ parable about the unrighteous steward, “…the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of light,” Luke 16:8. Learn your lessons from whomever you can. Just make sure your application is righteous.
My son, if you will receive my words and lay up my commandments with you, so as to incline your ear unto wisdom and apply your heart to understanding, yes if you will cry after discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasure, then you shall understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God. For Jehovah gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. Prov 2:1-6
Dene Ward
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