Jezebel continued...Naboth's Vineyard

 Jezebel continued...Naboth's Vineyard

Jesus says this to Thyatira:

Read:

Rev 2:20 

But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

1Ki 21:1-3

1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house; and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it: or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. 3 And Naboth said to Ahab, Jehovah forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. 

Summary

1. Vs1 Naboth has a vineyard in Jezreel which was next to the palace of Ahab/Jezebel

2. Vs2 Ahab wants the vineyard for himself. He wants to turn it into a garden of herbs. What does he do?

3. Vs2 Ahab is willing to give Naboth a better vineyard OR give him the $ for the land.

Bad or good?

4. Vs3 Naboth refuses and tells Ahab "God forbid that I give the inheritance of my ancestors"

5. Naboth means "fruits"

6. Jezeelite means "sown of God".

So Naboth represents "Gods fruits that he has sown"

7. God uses metaphors all over the old and new testament about vineyards. It's ironic, Naboth has a vineyard. So what might Naboth's Vineyard represent in this chapter?

The people of God. Christians (in NT)

8. Remember in Rev 2:20 Jezebel:

she teacheth and seduceth my servants (she calls herself a prophetess)

Who are "my servants" from Rev 2:20? 

Jesus' disciples or the "God's fruits". Not the lukewarm

So do we understand the parable of what is being spoken of here? Let's pause Naboth's vineyard and look at a NT vineyard:

Luk 20:9-16 

9 And he began to speak unto the people this parable: A man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country for a long time. 10 And at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 11 And he sent yet another servant: and him also they beat, and handled him shamefully, and sent him away empty. 12 And he sent yet a third: and him also they wounded, and cast him forth. 

This was the third servant.

13 And the lord of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; it may be they will reverence him. 14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. (Same thing as Ahab/Jezebel & Jews) 15 And they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. (Naboth/Jesus) What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do unto them? 16 He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

1. What/who is the vineyard?

2. Who is the husbandman? In the Naboth story? 

3. Vs14 What is the husbandman wanting to take? The inheritance

4. Remember what Naboth told Ahab? I will not give away the inheritance of my fathers

5. Note: Notice in which order the heir arrived. 

4th time, just like Jesus who was sent the at the end of day 4.

1 Kings 21:4-7

4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. 5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? 6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. 7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thy heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 

Summary

1. Vs4 Ahab is angry and resentful that Naboth doesn't sell or trade his vineyard. 

What does he do?

Lays on his bed, turns face away and refuses to eat bread

2. Vs5 Jezebel sees him and asks him "what's wrong?"

3. Vs6 Ahab tells her that Naboth will neither sell nor trade his vineyard.

4. Vs7 Jezebel says "Aren't you the king of Israel? Get up, eat bread, be merry, I'll give you Naboth's Vineyard.

(Septuagint says "arise, and eat bread, and be thine own master") Jezebel takes it upon herself to do this. Even the king hadn't taken this step himself. He may have been angry and sulked but he hadn't considered this.

1. Does Jezebel own Naboth's Vineyard?

2. Jezebel's self will is evident. Where is her self will evident in Rev 2:20?

Rev 2:20

But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

1 Kings 21:8-11

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth. 9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: 10 and set two men, base fellows, before him, and let them bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst curse God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him to death. 11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who dwelt in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, according as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. 

Summary

1. Vs8 Jezebel schemes to get Naboth's VINEYARD. She writes and seals letters in Ahab's name, sends them to the elders in Jezreel and that dwelt with Naboth.

2. Vs9 proclaim a fast and have Naboth sit at the head of the people. 

What do you think Naboth will think when he hear this? Prob mistrustful of Ahab's motives, esp since he had just rejected Ahab's overtures to get his vineyard.

Why else might Naboth be mistrustful? Ahab/Jezebel worship Baal and Asherah

3. Vs 10 the letter continues..set two worthless men before Naboth who will lie and say that he blasphemed God and the king. Then carry him out and stone him.

Who else did this happen to in the NT? 

Jesus

Mat 26:59-62

59 Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death; 60 and they found it not, though many false witnesses came. But afterward came two, 61 and said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 62 And the high priest stood up, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

What conclusion might we draw from this? 

There is a connection being drawn between:

1. Jesus & Naboth 

2. Ahab/Jezebel & the Jews who put Jesus to death

3. In NT, Jews put to death Jesus

4. So in the in OT, Ahab/Jezebel put to death Naboth

5. But at the end of the NT, who does the Jezebel (harlot) influence (or spirit) in Revelation put to death? 

Jesus in His church - effectively stealing the vineyard

4. Vs11 Jezebel's plan was carried out

1 Kings 21:12-15

12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 13 And the two men, the base fellows, came in and sat before him: and the base fellows bare witness against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did curse God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him to death with stones. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead. 15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead. 

Summary

1. Vs12 Jezebel's plan in action

Fast is proclaimed, Naboth is set high among people. 

2. Vs 13 Two worthless men lie against Naboth. He is carried out and stoned to death

3. Vs14 Jezebel is informed that her plan was successful

4. Vs15 Jezebel tells Ahab to take possession of Naboth's vineyard because he is now dead.

Notice how she tells him what to do? She controls Ahab and she now controls the vineyard of Naboth

1 Kings 21:16-19

16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. 17 And the word of Jehovah came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who dwelleth in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to take possession of it. 19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, Hast thou killed and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. 

Summary

1. vs16 Ahab goes down to take possession of Naboth's vineyard

2. Vs17-18 God speaks to Elijah and tells him to meet Ahab in Naboth's vineyard where he has gone to take possession of it.

1. Why? Naboth's vineyard represents God's people

2. Where has Elijah been? Unsure, maybe in Syria or maybe training Elisha?

3. Vs19 God tells Elijah to say to Ahab "have you killed and taken possession?"

What does this mean?

4. Vs19 Elijah continues speaking (God's word) to Ahab "in the place where the dogs licked Naboth's blood, dogs will lick your blood"

Where was Naboth killed? Vs13 says Naboth was carried out of the city and stoned. Maybe Jezreel, where he lived?

5. If it was in Jezreel, what did we say was in the Jezreel Valley?

Plains of Megiddo. 

What is this also known as?

Armageddon

Rev 16:16

16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

https://www.touristisrael.com/jezreel-valley/8604/

The Jezreel Valley (also known as the Plain of Megiddo)

1Kings 21:20-24

20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee, because thou hast sold thyself to do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah. 21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will utterly sweep thee away and will cut off from Ahab every man-child, and him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel: 22 and I will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and hast made Israel to sin. 23 And of Jezebel also spake Jehovah, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel. 24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the birds of the heavens eat. 

Summary

1. Vs20 Ahab: Have you found me, my enemy?

Elijah: I found you because you sold yourself to do evil in God's eyes.

What did he do? Took over God's vineyard via the Jezebel's instruction

2. Vs21 Elijah: I will send evil on you. I will sweep you away and cut down your male descendents. (him that pisses against the wall)

3. Vs22 Elijah con't: Your house will be cut down like Jeroboam and Baasha (entire families were destroyed)

4. Vs23 Elijah con't: Of Jezebel, the dogs shall eat her by the gates of Jezreel. This may be where Naboth was stoned.

Plain of Megiddo?

5. Vs24 Elijah con't: Dogs will eat whoever belongs to Ahab and who dies in the city. The birds of the sky will eat whoever dies in the fields.’

1. No burial for any of these.

2. "him that dieth in the field shall the birds of the heavens eat" may be something deeper:

Rev 19:17-21 

17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God; 18 that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great. 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone: 21 and the rest were killed with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, even the sword which came forth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

1Kings 21:25-29

25 (But there was none like unto Ahab, who did sell himself to do that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. 26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom Jehovah cast out before the children of Israel.) 27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. 28 And the word of Jehovah came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

We can get a glimpse at how Jezebel/Ahab are types and shadows of the events that will also occur in the church. And the final destruction of their leavening influence occurs in Revelation at Megiddo (Armageddon).