King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 1:9 History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. (NLT)
The Bible tells a story about King Ahab who wanted to take over his neighbor Naboth’s vineyard. Ahab tried to get Naboth to compromise and take another piece of land in exchange for what he wanted. Naboth did not want to do it. The King Ahab sulked. His wife Jezebel saw him sulking and asked him what was wrong with him.
“ 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.’”
“But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.”
You see Naboth was obeying God's law. He could not be enticed to give what God had given his people.
Jezebel in her desire to placate her husband devised an elaborate scheme to get the vineyard for her covetous husband. It ended up with Naboth being falsely accused of blasphemy against God. This was a crime which ended up with him being executed by the State. After her sycophants did her dirty deed then Jezebel saw that the land was deeded to her husband. The public saw Naboth's execution as justifiable. Her wicked little plan worked. No one outsIde of her tight little innercircle was the wiser. “EXCEPT,” God saw it all. God saw her plan as premeditated first degree murder.
If you know anything about Jezebel’s end it wasn’t pretty. God pronounced judgement on her and her husband. However she in particular was given a harsh sentence. Close your ears and stop reading if you have a weak stomach. She ended up being thrown from a window and the dogs licking up her blood off the street. Those that helped her had an ignominious end too.
Now if I were a person in government I would not be insistent that another nation give up their land. Why? Acts 17:26 From one man He(Talking of God) made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
Boundaries are there for a reason. No man has the right to force another nation to adjust their boundaries so that another nation can dominate them. Solomon was right what we are seeing today is not new. Learning from history could save a lot of trouble.
Read the Story for yourself in in I Kings 21 and Jezebel’s end in II Kings 9:10-30
If only more folks in this world (especially those in positions of power) were reading their Bibles, maybe more folks would have the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom.
ReplyDeleteCertainly the account of Naboth, Ahab, and Jezebel speak to current world events. In the long run, things did not work out well for those who seemed to have “all the cards”.
Yes Naboth lost his land and his life but God the “righteous judge” vindicated him in the final analysis.
God warns us throughout the Bible about covetousness and greed, and He commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves.
We can only pray that God will touch the hearts of world leaders so that no more lives will be lost over aggression and greed.
I agree with your comments. Yes it does seem like evil is winning. however we have the Word of God that tells us the wicked have a season, where it looks like they are getting their way. However in the light of eternity it's a short time when long consequences which they do not control.
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