July 28th 1 Kings 21: 17∼29 [The One Who Did Evil in the Eyes of the LORD]
작성자명 [이득주]
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날짜 2019.08.18
The One Who Did Evil in the Eyes of the LORD
(1 Kings 21: 17ampsim29)
Ahab and Jezebel did evil in the eyes of the Lord. However, God called Ahab, not Jezebel an evildoer, waiting for him to repent. Lets see how God judged the one who does evil in the eyes of the Lord.
1. God warns us through the Word. The phrase 'in the eyes of the Lord' implies that the absolute standard of good and evil is God, not us. After eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge, Adam bequeathed to us original sin based on the I-am-right-You-are-wrong principle. This attitude is the root of all sins, which drives us to all kinds of discord in our family, work place, church, and country. It makes us do evil in the eyes of the Lord. Noticing the phrase 'in the eyes of the Lord,' we need to know who God is. God is the Lord of who He is, the Law itself, and the Word who visits us. Ahab and Jezebel, however, took advantage of the law in order to kill Naboth and steal his land. So the Word came to Elijah, which forebode Gods judgment on Ahab when Naboth didnt bow down to Baal. The Word, which penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, enables us to understand God and judge the thoughts of evil. Notice that God calls Ahab to account even though it was Jezebel who actually made the evil plot. Its because the head of woman is man and because Ahab, not Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, is the offspring of Abraham. We Christians need to remember that we are the ones who take the responsibility. Worldly wealth and honor cant slake our thirst. Thats why Ahab, an ivory palace dweller, desperately sought the land as his vegetable garden. Thus he was spoiled by the blind love of Jezebel, who satisfied his desire to possess it at all costs. God warned Ahab because depriving someone of his inheritance is a serious offense, which undermines the foundation of his life against Gods covenant and his people. God warned him that dogs would eat those belonging to Ahab because Ahab let the dogs lick the blood of Naboth the righteous man. We bring everything upon ourselves.
2. God judged Ahab because he regarded Elijah as his enemy. Notice what Ahab said to Elijah: 'So you have found me, my enemy!' This reflects Ahabs unconscious fear of Gods justice. What made Ahabs sin worse was his intentional action against Naboth despite having seen Gods miraculous signs in response to Elijahs prayer, as reflected in Elijahs reply, 'you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD.' God warned that he would destroy and sweep away those who belonged to Ahab. God shows us how great his rage was against the sins of Ahab and Jezebel and how serious the result of their sins was. Yet we need to voluntarily dwell in the structure of worshiping God, keeping in mind that God is watching over us with his eyes like blazing fire.
3. God judged Ahab because he was urged on by his wife. In verse 25, Ahab sold himself to do evil. What really mattered was that Ahab was urged on by his wife. What made him a slave of Satan was his greed, urged on by Jezebel. Thats why he was called the one who did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Without greed in us, we arent urged on by anyone. Ahab was like a meek and weak child, but he was full of greed, which Jezebel satisfied. The incident of Naboths vineyard was nearly covered up as a perfect crime, but God was not deceived. We also could commit the same sin, urged on by the one whom we should not meet in our life, who touches us to the quick. Ahab called Elijah a troubler or an enemy even though Elijah was actually troubled by Ahab. However, the judgment on the right and wrong depends only on God.
4. God shows his mercy on the one who repents. The phrases 'tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, fasted, lay in sackcloth and went around meekly'(v.27) show us Ahabs possible repentance in detail. Tearing clothes and putting on sackcloth are typical gestures of repentance, and fasting is an expression of self-denial. After listening to Ahabs prayer, God was pleased with his humbleness, saying 'I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.' What desperate mercy of God upon the refractory child! What a vivid message about Gods patience! God is thoroughly strict on sins, but infinitely merciful on repenting sinners. The sin that Ahab committed before the eyes of the Lord can be forgiven only by God. Yet the world doesnt consider Ahabs sins evil. Many wealthy countries are ruled by human rights because they are ruled by the leaders who dont know God. The absolute standard of good and evil is only before God. We Christians are called to spread this message around the world, risking persecution.
Heres the confession that one of our senior small-group leaders father wrote. He had been away from God for 60 years till he accepted the gospel after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma cancer and was baptized right before he passed away. Thankfully, his family was determined to keep faith in God. May God bless us to come before the Lord, looking for his mercy and submitting to his judgment for the sins we committed, urged by our greed. May God bless us to be his beloved child despite our weaknesses, a child who calls him Abba, Father!
There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. (1 Kgs 21:25)
