[Stuff we're skipping:
* Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, tries to raid Samaria (the home of Ahab) and take all their goodies. But, a prophet came to Ahab to tell him that God was going to prove his power bu allowing them to withstand the attack of the Syrians. They did. And when the Syrians tried to regroup and attack again, the Israelites won again, to prove God's strength. They ended up capturing Ben-hadad and making him swear to give stolen cities back. Then they let him go. A prophet came to Ahab and told him that he would die because he let the evil king of Syria go.]
OK…
1. Can you blame Naboth for not wanting to sell his family’s vineyard? So what that he could get a better one. This was his family’s vineyard.
2. Picture Ahab sulking. I bet it’s not as funny in your head as it is in my head.
3. Jezebel is the one wearing the pants in this relationship. Kind of leaves you hanging on HOW she is going to get him that vineyard.
4. Not very subtle killing approach. This story reminds me a lot of David trying to pry Bathsheba from Uriah. Jezebel takes the role of the one participating ill-gotten gain.
5. You wonder if Ahab knew how he got the vineyard…
6. How would you like to have Elijah’s job? He has to go to the king and tell him that a) he did wrong and b) he’s going to have his blood licked off the ground by dogs. Geez.
7. Nice message. Subtle. I especially like the part when Elijah says that Ahab’s wife is going to be eaten by dogs.
8. Ahab is really stressed for his own life and the fact that his whole line is going to be cut off. So he actually repents! Crazy. He actually heeds God’s words. But, when you think about it, wasn’t most of what he did egged on by Jezebel? I’m not saying that he’s a sympathetic character here. I’m just saying that he might have finally seen the true nature of the consequences of always following the elbowing in the ribs of his wife.
