1 Kings 21:1 A while later, an incident occurred involving Navot the Yizre'eli. He owned a vineyard in Yizre'el, right next to the palace of Ach'av king of Shomron. 2 Ach'av spoke to Navot and said, "Give me your vineyard, so that I can have it as my vegetable garden, because it's close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard; or, if you prefer, I will give you its monetary value." 3 But Navot said to Ach'av, "ADONAI forbid that I should give you my ancestral heritage!"
4 Ach'av went home resentful and depressed at what Navot the Yizre'eli had said to him, since he had said, "I won't give you my ancestral heritage." He lay down on his bed, turned his face away and refused to eat. 5 Izevel his wife went and said to him, "Why are you so depressed that you refuse to eat?" 6 He answered her, "Because I spoke to Navot the Yizre'eli and said to him, "Sell me your vineyard for money; or else, if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard for it"; but he answered, "I won't give you my vineyard." 7 "Are you the king of Isra'el or not?" asked his wife Izevel. "Get up, eat some food, and cheer up! I will give you the vineyard of Navot the Yizre'eli."
8 So she wrote letters in Ach'av's name, sealed them with his seal and sent the letters to the leaders and notables of the city where Navot lived. 9 In the letters she wrote, "Proclaim a fast, and give Navot the seat of honor among the people. 10 Have two good-for-nothing men sit opposite him, and have them accuse him publicly of cursing God and the king. Then take him outside and stone him to death." 11 The leaders and notables of the city he lived in did as Izevel had written in the letters she sent to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast and gave Navot the seat of honor among the people. 13 The two good-for-nothing men came in and sat opposite him, and these scoundrels publicly accused Navot, saying, "Navot cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death, 14 then sent a message to Izevel, "Navot has been stoned to death." 15 When Izevel heard that Navot had been stoned to death, she said to Ach'av, "Get up, and take possession of the vineyard that Navot the Yizre'eli refused to sell you, because Navot is no longer alive; he is dead."
16When Ach'av heard that Navot was dead, he set out to go down to the vineyard of Navot the Yizre'eli, to take possession of it.
17 But the word of Yahovah came to Eliyahu from Tishbe: 18 "Get up, go down to meet Ach'av king of Isra'el, who lives in Shomron. Right now he is in the vineyard of Navot; he has gone down there to take possession of it. 19 This is what you are to say to him: 'Here is what Yahovah says: "You have committed murder, and now you are stealing the victim's property!" ' Also say to him, 'Here is what Yahovah says: "In the very place where dogs licked up the blood of Navot, dogs will lick up your blood- yours!"
20 Ach'av said to Eliyahu, "My enemy! You've found me!" He answered, "Yes, I have found you; because you have sold yourself to do evil in Yahovah's eyes. 21 'Here,' [says Yahovah,] 'I am bringing disaster on you! I will sweep you away completely; I will cut off from Ach'av every male, whether a slave or free in Isra'el. 22 I will make your house like the house of Yarov'am the son of N'vat and like the house of Ba'sha the son of Achiyah for provoking my anger and leading Isra'el into sin.' 23 Yahovah also said this about Izevel: 'The dogs will eat Izevel by the wall around Yizre'el.
THE PROPHECY IS FULFILLED...
2 Kings 9:29-37 It was in the eleventh year of Yoram the son of Ach'av that Achazyah had begun his rule over Y'hudah. 30 When Yehu reached Yizre'el, and Izevel heard of it, she put on eye make-up, fixed her hair and looked out the window. 31 As Yehu came through the city gate, she asked, "Are you here in peace, you Zimri, you murderer of your master?" 32 Looking up at the window he said, "Who is on my side? Who?" Two or three officers looked out toward him. 33 He said, "Throw her down!" So they threw her down. Some of her blood splashed onto the wall and the horses, and she was trampled underfoot. 34 He went in, ate and drank, and then said, "Deal with this accursed woman - bury her, because she's a king's daughter." 35 They went to bury her but found no more of her than her skull, feet and hands. 36 So they came back and told him. He said, "This is what Yehovah said through his servant Eliyahu from Tishbe: 'In the field of Yizre'el the dogs will eat the flesh of Izevel; 37 Izevel's corpse in the field of Yizre'el will be like dung on the ground, unrecognizable as Izevel.'"
Back to I Kings 21...
1 Kings 21:24 If someone from the line of Ach'av dies in the city, the dogs will eat him; if he dies in the countryside, the vultures will eat him.'" 25 Truly, there was never anyone like Ach'av. Lead astray by his wife Izevel, he gave himself over to do what is evil from Yahovah's perspective. 26 His behavior in following idols was grossly abominable; he did everything the Emori had done, whom Yahovah expelled ahead of the people of Isra'el.
27 Ach'av, on hearing these words, tore his clothes, put sackcloth on himself and fasted. He slept in the sackcloth and went about dejectedly.
28Then the word of Yahovah came to Eliyahu from Tishbe: 29 "Do you see how Ach'av has humbled himself before me? Since he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring this evil during his lifetime; but during his son's lifetime I will bring the evil on his house."
THE PROPHECY IS FULFILLED...
2 Kings 10:17 On arriving in Shomron Yehu put to death everyone remaining from Ach'av still had in Shomron, until he had destroyed him, in keeping with the word of ADONAI which he had spoken to Eliyahu.
2. Yahovah told Eliyahu to go to meet Ach'av king of Isra'el. Yahovah said to Eliyahu, "Right now he is in the vineyard of Navot; he has gone down there to take possession of it." Yahovah, who is omnipresent, knows where we are, all of the time! He has the system that makes GPS look like a primitive tool. If fact, his video system is more advanced than satellite surveillance. He can not only see our hearts and sin, but he can also see our situation and circumstances. He can send angels to help us, he can change hearts. He sees the challenges we are going through. Can you imagine that?
3.When we are going through a rough time in a relationship, he has the video and can, in his own way, ease drop on our conversation and see and hear how we are being treated and also hear our verbal responses. Think about the last week of your life. He saw and heard everything. Is he aware of what you have been going through?
4. Do you need help right now? Is he present in your current challenge?
5
. Ach'av was lead astray by someone. He knew that the person, who lead him away, was a murderer and a worshiper of Ba'al. Yet, he allowed that person to motivate him so much that he gave himself over to do what was evil from Yahovah's perspective. It is important in the relationships we have with non-believers in Yeshua that we are bringing light to their lives. We must guard our hearts so that we are not intimidated or "want to be accepted" so much that we are willing to do what is evil in Yahovah's sight. Is there a relationship that you have which is drawing you away from pleasing Yahovah?
6. When you are with that person or those people do you forget about having a healthy fear of the G-d who loves you and is always aware of your action and reactions?
7. What can you do in the future to be the deciding influence that that relationship?
8. Ach'av allowed himself to be influenced by Izevel to do evil. He then lead Israel to do evil. Sometimes, we may have to stop chains of evil instead of proliferating them. How many times have you heard gossip about people in your congregation? What do you do with those supposed "facts" which put a blotch on other people's character or reputation? There is no excuse for spreading gossip. Be cautious of intercessory prayer groups which are clandestine rumor mills. If you have information about someone which is defamatory, you intercede by yourself. Yahovah already knows the situation. If you believe you need agreement, pray with your Rabbi or his wife. The Rabbi will either speak to the gossipers to end the gossip or if those who are the subject of the gossip are involved in actual sinful behavior, he will have the opportunity to counsel them.
9. Ach'av spoke to Navot and said, "Give me your vineyard, so that I can have it as my vegetable garden, because it's close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard; or, if you prefer, I will give you its monetary value." But Navot said to Ach'av, "Yahovah forbid that I should give you my ancestral heritage!" We don't know if the vineyard was an income producing asset or a source of sustenance or both. We do know that it had an intangible value. It was part of his heritage. We can conclude that Navot did not choose to be totally submissive to his king Ach'av. Because he refused the kings request, Navot was stoned to death. We too have a king that occasionally asks us to give up possessions for him. When our king asks something of us, we must give, not thinking about the monetary or emotional value, but only of obedience. It has been said that we should not give to get something in return. Unless we are in denial, or are no longer in our fleshly bodies, those of us who know G-d's ways, know that when he says to give, we can expect a blessing back. The Holy Scriptures tell us that is the way giving and obedience works. Has Yehovah ever asked you to give something tangible? Were you rewarded for your giving?
. Ach'av said to Eliyahu, "My enemy! You've found me!" Ach'av considers Eliyahu his enemy. By acting and reacting in the flesh, Ach'av has made Yahovah his enemy. Eliyahu is simply the messenger. When Yahovah chooses to make us his messenger we must be bold and not be concerned whether we are accepted or rejected. We must hear from Yahovah. We must know not only what we are to say, but when we are to speak. Yahovah knows the heart. If our words will not build someone up or pierce their heart for a turn to righteousness, we ourselves are not moving according to Yahovah's bidding. Have you ever spoken out about sin or righteousness and realized later that it accomplished nothing?10
11. Has Yahovah used you to bring spiritual healing to someone?
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