AHAB

I KINGS 16:3

A. "AND AHAB THE SON OF OMRI DID EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD ABOVE ALL THAT WERE BEFORE HIM"
  1. These divinely inspired words sum up the story of Ahab the King of Israel:
    1. And what a story these words made of the life of a man that sold himself to do evil - I Kings 21:20
    2. His father Omri did more evil than all that were before him; but Ahab superseded his wickedness - I Kings 16:25
  2. This is certain:
    1. That Ahab and Jezebel rank high in the galaxy of evil minded persons
    2. Their crimes against their nation and God-fearing men and women must ever make their memory despicable to all moral people
B. THE STORY OF THE LIFE OF KING AHAB MAY BE SUMMED UP AS FOLLOWS
  1. Ahab had some natural talent:
    1. He was a successful warrior
    2. He was specially successful against the Syrians - at least for a time
    3. He was very wealthy, next to Solomon - I Kings 21:1; 22:39
  2. But he was a greedy man, always wanting more:
    1. His greediness caused him to covet the vineyard of Naboth - I Kings 21:1-2
    2. Naboth the Jezrelite refused to sell his inheritance to him - I Kings 21:3
  3. Naboth's refusal betrayed a great weakness in Ahab:
    1. He acted up like a spoiled child, all despondent, ready to pout, refusing to eat or act like a king - I Kings 21:4
    2. This cowardliness by Ahab brought Jezebel into the fray; she took over and the result was the cold-blooded murder of Naboth and Ahab taking possession of Naboth's vineyard - I Kings 21:5-16
    3. A crime that had swift retribution - for Ahab perished in three years after the murder of Naboth - Jezebel's doom cane afterward
C. POINTS OF SPECIAL INTEREST IN THE STORY OF KING AHAB
  1. Ahab established idolatry:
    1. He was a dangerous innovator and a patron of foreign gods - I Kings 16:31-33; 21:26
    2. At the time of Elijah's contest with the priests of Baal, Israel was a land filled with idols - worshipping Baal - I Kings 18
  2. He was a vain and weak-minded person:
    1. When Naboth refused to sell his heritage to Ahab, Ahab acted like a spoiled child
    2. It is at this instance that Jezebel showed that in fact she and not Ahab ruled Israel
    3. He was, in fact, the willing tool of his cruel, avaricious wife - I Kings 21:7-25
  3. His doom along with Jezebel's was foretold by the prophet Elijah:
    1. Said the prophet of God, "Behold I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel" - I Kings 21:20-22
    2. And the doom of Jezebel was foretold by the same prophet, "The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel" - I Kings 21:23
  4. The story of Ahab teaches us three important lessons of eternal truths:
    1. That marriage contrary to the plan of God opens the way to departing from the living God, and will lead to idolatry - Deut. 7:1-7
    2. Even Solomon experienced the evil results of mixed marriage - Neh. 13:26 and so did Samson - Judges 15:16
    3. That one sin will lead to another; and every sin increases the blindness of the mind to the terrible reality of sin - 2 Cor. 4:4-5
    4. In fact, sin leads downward until death brings it to a temporary hold - Rom. 6:23
  5. But there is still another side to the evil life of Ahab:
    1. He caused his nation to turn away from the true God and serve Baal; he made his nation to transgress and provoke the Lord to anger
    2. Thus we see that when we sin, it will affect others


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