Ahab’s Downfall: A Vineyard and An Unwinnable War

Ahab’s Downfall:A Vineyard and An Unwinnable War 1 Kings, Chapters 21 - 22

Ahab and Naboth’s Vineyard King Ahab found a particular vineyard that he wanted. It was the location of this vineyard that made it so attractive and valuable to Ahab. This vineyard belonged to a man named Naboth. Ahab asked Naboth for the vineyard so that he could turn it into a vegetable garden. King Ahab offeeds to pay full value for the vineyard, or provide Naboth with a better vineyard in return. After the hearing the king's proposals, Naboth refused to sell his vineyard to King Ahab. Why? Tradition held inherited property should not be sold to anyone outside the family.Your land was your identity and your wealth.

What’s Your Problem? When King Ahab heard Naboth's reply, he was very angry. He was was so upset that he would not eat and laid on his bed sulking. Why? How is Naboth’s refusal a threat to King Ahab’s reign? Queen Jezebel asked Ahab why he was so moody. After the king told her about the situation between him and Naboth, Jezebel 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.” Why do you think Ahab did nothing? Why do you think Jezebel thought as king Ahab could do anything? Jezebel wrote letters in the king's name--placing the royal seal on them-to the elders and city officials.

Jezebel Frames Naboth In her letters, Jezebel told these people to hold a day of fasting and Naboth should be seated in a visible place. Two men were to be placed on each side of Naboth who would lie and tell everyone that Naboth had cursed both God and the king. These city officials did as they were told. Naboth was put on trial for treason, found guilty and then put to death by stoning, which took place outside of the city. When Jezebel received word of Naboth’s death, she told King Ahab to get up and claim Naboth’s vineyard.How could Ahab do this? (The vineyard, being the property of convicted traitors, became the property of the government. Ahab had his vineyard!)

Claim Your Prize?...Not So Fast! As Ahab went down to claim possession of the vineyard, the voice of the Lord came to the prophet Elijah instructing him to go down and meet Ahab. When Elijah confronted Ahab, he said “you sold yourself to do evil” and declared the Lord’s judgment. Ahab would lose everything: “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." Jezebel would die a horrible death—one so terrible that dogs would eat her corpse by the wall of Jezreel!

King Ahab Humbled? Now after Ahab had heard this message he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and began to fast. The king would walk around in sackcloth and became very humble in nature. The change that Ahab had made was so dramatic, that the Lord took notice. God said to Elijah: "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."

We Had A Deal! After King Ahab defeated Ben-Hadad, there was peace between Israel and Aram for three years. But Ben-Hadad who was still king of Aram had not fully kept his word. He had made a deal to return all the cities that his father had taken from Ahab's father in exchange for being set free. Ahab was not happy about this! Jehoshaphat, the current king of Judah, was present when Ahab gathered with his officials. Ahab asked if Jehoshaphat would help him in fighting to get their cities back from the Arameans. Jehoshaphat agrees on one condition…

Jehoshapat’s One Condition Jehoshapat wanted Ahab to seek the counsel of the Lord. Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah was a completely different kind of king than Ahab. The Bible records that Jehoshaphat did what was right in the eyes of the Lord at all times. We’re told that he “walked in the ways of his father Asa.” (remember Asa?) After hearing Jehoshaphat's condition, Ahab summoned a group of four hundred prophets that were called "The Prophets of the Groves.” These prophets served solely under the King Ahab. They were not prophets of the Lord. When Ahab asked them if he should go to war or not, they answered: "Go, for the Lord will give it into the hands of the king."

Bring Me Micaiah? But Jehoshaphat was not satisfied with what these prophets had spoken. So he: "Is there not a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?” Ahab responded by saying: "There is still one man through whom we can inquire about the Lord, but I hate him, because he never prophesies anything good about me -- but always bad. His name is Micaiah.” Jehoshaphat warns Ahab not to say such things! Ahab ignores him and sends for Micaiah. Meanwhile, the false prophets of the grove keep pumping up Ahab—promising him that victory is assured…

I Want The Truth…Do You Really? The official that Ahab had sent to go and bring Micaiah told the prophet: "Look as one man the other prophets are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably." But Micaiah answers back: "As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.” In front of the two kings and presented with the same question, Micaiah responds like the other prophets. But Ahab presses Micaiah to tell the truth... Micaiah foresees a huge defeat for Israel. Ahab will not be successful. Ahab, annoyed by this prediction, complains that Micaiah always brings bad news!

Micaiah Answers The King…Falsely? Micaiah goes on to reveal a vision of the Lord allowing a lying spirit to be in the mouths of Ahab’s prophets so that Ahab will go to war and die. Micaiah is scolded by one of king’s officials and then imprisoned by Ahab. Micaiah is to stay in prison until Ahab returns safely. Why would Ahab order this? Micaiah said: "If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me, mark my words, all of you!” How is King Ahab’s third battle against the King of Aram different than the first two times? What has changed?

Attack Only The King of Israel… Before they went into battle, Ahab told Jehoshaphat that he was going to wear a disguise. Ahab requested that Jehoshaphat keep wearing his royal clothes though. In the meantime, Ben-Hadad instructed his thirty-two chariot commanders to focus only on finding and attacking Ahab the Israel king. When the chariot commanders had saw the Judean king in his royal robes they assumed that he was Ahab. Eventually they figured out that they were pursuing the wrong guy…Jehoshapat was very relieved!!

The Death of King Ahab During the battle, someone from the Arameanian army drew their bow and hit Ahab right between the sections of his armor. Wounded, Ahab got out of the battle. Propped up in his chariot, Ahab watched his men from a distance fight the Arameanian army all day long. By evening Ahab bled to death and passed away. When the Israelites realized that their king had been killed they cried out: "Every man to his town; everyone to his land!”…just as the Lord spoke through Micaiah!

Elijah’s Prophecy Fulfilled! King Ahab's body was brought back to Samaria and he was buried there. The people took the king's chariot and washed it at a pool in Samaria in which the prostitutes bathed, and the dogs licked up his blood, just as the Word of the Lord had been declared through Elijah: “Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’ …'This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood -- yes yours!'" Ahab's son Ahaziah succeeded him as the new king of Israel. Would he learn from Ahab's mistakes, or would he continue on in his father's footsteps?

Ahab’s Downfall: A Vineyard and An Unwinnable War