Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Episode 605: In this episode, we explore the story of Naboth's vineyard from 1 Kings 21. We recount how King Ahab, frustrated by Naboth's refusal to sell his vineyard, is manipulated by his wife Jezebel into orchestrating Naboth's death. This leads to a discussion about the moral implications of their actions, the corrupt nature of leadership, and the consequences of sin. We reflect on how Ahab's actions, influenced by Jezebel, ultimately lead to a prophetic judgment from God delivered by the prophet Elijah.
Whether you’ve been following Jesus for years or you’re just starting to ask questions, there’s a seat for you here.
Join Jeff and Chris for honest conversations about Scripture, faith, and the everyday stuff we all navigate. With humor, personal stories, and plenty of back-and-forth, The Bible Guys explore what the Bible says and how it connects to your life.
Subscribe, bring your questions, and get to know the Bible one conversation at a time. Head over to TheBibleGuys.com for more information!
You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun in practical ways. We really need a new role in for those who watch that on video? Do you think so? I mean, how long has it been since we've actually used headphones? Quit some time? Like? How long has it been since we actually waddled into the studio. That's only funny if you watch on video. Yeah, because if you're listening, then you don't understand Chris is. Half the many now that he was on that video. Yeah, I'm probably thirty pounds later that I am on the video. And you are too, Yeah, I'm fifty five pounds later. Well then that video, Yeah wow, that's awesome. So yeah, that's so funny. How long has it been since we've waddled. Into the studio? So it might be time? All right? Oh hey, Today on the Bible Guys, we are starting with a segment that Desiree has put together called would You Rather? Which is another wonderful segment. I like the wood you Rather, although unfortunately for Chris, this is normally when we would do what would make you mad? This week? What made Chris mad? This week? So? What made Chris mad this week very quickly. The fact that we didn't have it? What made Chris week? Okay, that's actually not true. I get mad. Yeah yeah, well we all are. We're all upset about it because it's our favorite. What made Jeff mad? This the fact that we didn't have what made Chris mad? Is there you go? So it? Would you rather? Yes? I think the first one? Okay, would you rather live in a world where gravity is half as strong or where it randomly increases by ten times every day? Oh? I think that there's no question here which is it for you? Half as strong? Of course? Yeah, everybody wants to live. On the moon absolutely, man. Besides that, you get to jump higher, you get to lift heavy things. They'd be great when. They were on the moon and the cables pulled them up. Remember when they were jumping it was cables. Oh on the movie set, the fake moon landing. I'm being conspiracy yeah, yeah, yeah, being funny, right, But yes, I would definitely rather. I mean, come on, randomly. First of all, you can't predict that rightly it increases by ten times. You couldn't move, yes, you wouldn't be able to move. No, you would literally crush your bones. Yeah, it was rather a fun or die. Yeah, I'm gonna have fun, fun, find my thing all right? Number two? Would you rather only be able to eat food that is red? Oh my word? Or only be able to eat food that. Is square shaped? Okay o? Well definitely square shaped for me. Square shaped? Because it doesn't that doesn't that red dye make you can't cancer? Well no, there's noting none of that. But like, first of all, what kind of food is red? Beats cherries? So you can make it all red with dye? Oh what doesn't say that? It says is red? Doesn't say I can't can't make it read? It just has to be read before I eat it, is what I see. Okay. But anything can be square. Yeah, that's right. You can got chi, I know that's what I'm saying. Yeah, definitely cubes square, square, square shaped? Yep, me too. Well we're two for two on this one. You're not in an agreement. We are in alignment. That's why the way the Bible guys, that's right. Yeah, we're a couple of friends. That's right. That's right. Who like to do? Would you rathers together in front of that's right? Would you rather be stuck in a room with one hundred mosquitoes or with one angry, talkative parrot that insults you constantly. Oh, no question for me. Huh, it would be a parrot. Yeah, I mean you could eventually kill all one mosquito. Oh, I would do it. What you would do the mosquitos? Yeah, I would, oh really just to kill them? Yeah, because there's an end to the hundred mosquitoes, but it doesn't offer any end to the talkative parrot and unselting parrots. Well, I guess you could kill the parrot too, but it does. Wow, Now you're getting gruesome. Well, I mean it's from killing a hundred mosquitoes, is it. It's not. I can kill a hundred mosquitoes. That's not gruesome. Kill one parrot that's gruesome. Yeah. Wow. Okay, I mean, what do you feel bad about stepping on a spider or killing a baby deer? Neither smoking like a true hunter, spoken like. A true hunter. Yeah, anyways, is so funny? Okay, Okay, I don't kill baby deer, by the way. Okay, well you know it sounds like you do. Yeah. Well, okay, number four, I's hungry. Would you rather never be able to laugh again, Holy Christmas. Or never be able to stop laughing even in a serious situation. Oo, that is a tough one. It's a serious situation, serious situation, definitely, that's right. That is really a tough one. That is like a curse either way. Never be able to stop laughing or never laugh again. Oh now I'm assuming it doesn't mean doesn't mean continually. Never be able to stop laughing. It sounds pretty continual to me. I think that that would hurt you because sometimes you laugh until it hurts, Yeah, like it hurts your cheeks and everything. Yeah, so I'd have to pick never to laugh again? Yeah, then never laugh again is the physical act of laughing. But it doesn't say that you're not amused, or that you don't think something is funny, or that you're not delighted. So you can look at your friends and say, uh, that's hysterically on the inside. That's hysterical. That's hysterical. Yeah yeah, you may not know it, but that was hilarious. Yeah. So yeah, I guess you have to choose that. But what a sad existence? Yeah, that'd be rough. Yeah. Would you rather live in a world where your thoughts are always projected on your forehead for everyone to see, or a world where your every move is narrated by Morgan Freeman. Well that's a no brainer as. Well, of course, Morgan Freeman. Yes, yeah, definitely, because first of all. And then he walks to the kitchen sink. Right, there's a there's a it doesn't matter you know what, I think. I think that your thoughts projected on your forehead for everyone to see the majority of the time, that wouldn't be a bad thing. But there are thoughts. They don't have to be bad thoughts. They don't have to be sinful thoughts, but there are thoughts where you have you don't want people to see. They might they not be sinful, but like you may say, like, oh, this guy didn't take a shower next to me on the subway. Okay, well that's just that should be a nice frame to know, Hey you should take your shower. Just look at him. Yeah that's terrible. No, that's terrible. No. Well, and then there are thoughts that you have that you can't control. So that's correct. Yeah, yeah, that goes Morgan Freeman. But then Morgan Freeman is just saying out loud everything you're doing. But he doesn't say. It says your every move, not your every thought. Yes, but it's every move. Yes. Yeah. And he just droked his beard and he just put his hand down, he just touched his phone. Yes, that drives me nuts. Yeah yeah, yeah, sure, Okay, well hey those were crazy ones, man. Yeah, and uh, you know, I'll rethink them. One hundred mosquitos versus the parrot thing. Yeah, well, I mean, let me. Work on it. Let me work back that. You said you want to kill a parrot. I didn't say I want to kill a parrot. You did, No, I didn't. I was just saying I wanted to kill a hundred mosquitos. That's the one I chose. What I heard was, and I was I was assuming I wasn't allowed to kill a parrot. But I heard you is you changed your voice and went killed the parrot. Yeah. Well, in First King's Chapter twenty one, they don't kill a parrot, but they do steal a vineyard. My gosh, I don't know how about this one. How about this one? I don't know how about this one? They killed they killed a vineyard owner. Oh there you go. Okay, just just just like your faced with killing a parrot or mosquitoes. We are faced with the inevitable death of a man named Nabeth who owned a vineyard. Two. There you go. Okay, there's the terrible transition. Okay, that's rough. This one is somewhat graphic. Yeah, this this story, the ending prophecy part of it. This is a rough one, yes, if I remember correctly. Yeah. So we're going to read first King's chapter twenty one and a read this one. Now. There was a man named Naboth from Jezreel who owned a vineyard in Jezreel beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. One day, Ahab said the Naboth, since your vineyard is so convenient to my palace, I'd like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden. I'll give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I'll pay you for it. But Naboth replied, the Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance that was passed down by my ancestors. So Ahab went home angry and sullen because of Naboth's answer. King went to bed with his face to the wall and refused to eat. What's the matter, His wife Jezebel asked him, what's made you so upset that you're not eating? I asked Naboth to sell me his vineyard or trade it, but he refused. Ahab told her, are you the king of Israel or not. Jezebel demanded, get up and eat something, and don't worry about it. I'll get you Naboth's vineyard. So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and other leaders of the town where Naboth lived. In her letters, she commanded call the citizens together for fasting and prayer, and give Naboth a place of honor, and then seat two scoundrels across from him, who will accuse him of cursing God and the King. Then take him out and stone him to death. What a plan. So the elders and other town leaders followed the instructions Jezebel had written in the letters, and they called for a fast and put Naboth at a prominent place before the people. Then the two scoundrels came and sat down across from him, and they accused Naboth before all the people, saying he cursed God and the king, so he was dragged outside the town and stone to death. The town leaders then sent word to Jezebel Naboth has been stoned to death. When Jezebel heard the news, she said to Ahab, you know the vineyard Naboth wouldn't sell you, well, you can have it now he's dead. So they have immediately went down to the vineyard of Naboth to claim it. But the Lord said to Elijah, go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He'll be at Naboth's vineyard in Jezrael claiming it for himself. Give him this message. This is what the Lord says. Wasn't it enough that you killed Naboth? Must you rob him too? Because you have done this, dogs will lick your blood at the very place where they lick the blood of Naboth. So, my enemy, you have found me, Ahab exclaimed to Elijah. Yes, Elijah answered, I have come because you have sold yourself to what is evil in the Lord's sight. So now the Lord says, I will bring disaster on you and consume you. I will destroy every one of your male descendants, slave and free alike anywhere in Israel. I'm going to destroy your family as I did the family of Jeroboam's son of kneebap the family Byasha, son of Ahijah, for you have made me very angry and have led Israel into sin. And regarding Jezebel, the Lord says, dogs will eat Jezebel's body at the plot of land in Jezreel. The members of Ahab's family who died in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures. No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the Lord's side, as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel. His worst outrage was worshiping idols, just as the Amorites had done the people whom the Lord had given driven out from the land ahead of the Israelites. But when AaB heard this message, he tore his clothing, dressed in burlap and fasted. He even slept in burlap and went about in deep mourning. Then another message came from Elijah from the Lord. Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has done this, I will not do what I promised during his lifetime, it will happen to his sons, I will destroy his dynasty. Who Yeah, well, you know, first of all, wow, what a story. And second of all, isn't it amazing how God changed his mind because of repentance? Yeah? Right, We've seen that time and time again in the Bible, where you know, people have repented and and and God said, Okay, because of your you know, attitude, and you're finally acknowledging me, and you're coming to me and you're sorry for your sin and you're turning your ways, I'm going to spare you of this condemnation. And in a lot of cases is what you know, it's a condemnation like this, it's a prophecy, right, And uh, that's pretty amazing actually. So it just goes to show you the graciousness of God. Right, that's right, because after all, a hab sort of earned it. It says in parentheses, no one, no one has done evil in the Lord's site as he did under the influence, under the influence remember we talked about that the other day, under the influence of his wife Jezebel. Yeah, that's pretty awesome. I mean it's awesome that God, you know, repent or you know, spared them. Hey, so, uh, here's what we do know. We do know that eventually, and maybe I shouldn't say this, but I don't think we're going to read it. But I think Naybe or excuse me, Aha eventually. Dies and yes, yes, he's not still alive now. Ahab was eight and fifty seven years before Jesus. Okay, thank you. I know he's not alive today, but he eventually dies. And then the blood that they his blood being washed out of his chariot is what I remember was on the exact spot where Nabeth died. And the blood runs out and the dogs lick it up right where he died. Yeah. Wow, Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Maybe we'll Yeah, I don't know. Maybe we will. I don't think we will, but now you tipped our hands. Well, I mean, I don't think we're going to read it. Yeah, it's not a milestone. It's just a fulfilling of this prophecy which comes true. But he says, I'm not going to do it during his lifetime, and it happens to his sons to destroy the dynasty. But you know what he's wondered about this is that Elijah has more to say than what we read. So God says, here's what here's what you should tell him. But then Elijah says more right, So it could be that God didn't record for us all the message that was reserved for a him, right right, that's that's what that means. Right. Yeah, there's extra, Yeah, there's extra for sure. So this man Naboth, you know, the king comes over, he lives next door. King comes over, says hey, I'd love to which. By the way, means Naboth is a prominent man. Yeah, it means he's wealthy. Yep, it means he has you know, influence. It means he's well known. Ye, well, he owns a vineyard, so well everybody who owns the vineyards rich. Next door to the king, Yeah, that's next door to the king. And so ahab just comes over and goes, hey, dude, i'd love to buy your land or or I'll give you I'll buy your land and i'll give you better vineyard than this one. I just want to I just want to turn it into a vent a vegetable garden. Which is a very reasonable offer. Yeah, it wasn't unreasonable. But then you don't have to do what you don't want to do and in this in this situation, nay Both says, you know what, I inherited it. All my family memories are here, generation after generation after generation. It means more to me than the money or just having another thing. And sometimes, you know, we tend to project our own values on others. So in his mind, a fancier thing, you know, Ahab's mind, a fancier vineyard to be better than this vineyard. Right, and nay Both goes, no, all my memories are here. Well, i'll give you a bunch of money. Now, I don't want any money. Right, so you can tell what that what motivated Ahab versus what motivates n Both and Aboth is saying, no, you know this is my family and I inherited and I'm not going to and I'm rich. I'm rich enough. I don't need to write. I'm happy. I'm content. This is my happy place, and I'm not going to sell it to you. I'm not going to trade it. So then he goes home. Ahab goes home, and he's pouting. Now, he turns his face to the wall in bed. He won't talk to Jezebell, he won't talk to nobody, and he's just feeling grumpy and poudy, and she's like, are you the king or not? It's kind of man up right, And this is one of those hints of how controlling she was and then and how. And how much he was. Uh, you know he cowers in her presence, Yeah, because he doesn't even ask her what she's up to, but he probably knows it's probably not good, but. It's going to work out for me. I'm gonna get what I want. So he doesn't react. Yeah, I don't. I don't want to know how she does her business right right. Right, because she says, hey, go claim it. It's yours. And it's almost as if he's like, oh, thank you, Jesseebell. Hey, good thing. I don't have to worry about that. Yeah, he doesn't even ask, oh really, how did Nabov die? Right? Don't don't ask, don't ask, don't tell. And so you know, boy, she's just a canniver. She she sets up Naboth has some scoundrels that calls him scoundrels come in what a what a descriptive word? I love the word scoundrel right for sure? You know what I think those scoundrels I think of some of the characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean. Oh yeah, some of the scoundrels, those guys. Yeah, they their dirty. Yeah. Hey he talked bad about God and the king, right, yes. But what's amazing is how corrupt the government is. Because these government leaders don't stop it either, they don't find another way, right, they just they're complicit in her evil. Then that's what happens is evil leaders that are corrupt tend to wind up promoting evil, corrupt people, and then the whole society struggles. Corruption is just one of the devastating things in the world. And nobody stands up to her. She They're afraid, and so they kill off Naboth. It's such a sad, said end for Naybo. But so it looks like here according to this. That's why we like the Life Application Study Bible because it has so many things, you know, notes and studies and other information across references, but also sometimes it has maps and graphs. And in this case, there's a graph that says that Ahab reigned twenty one years eight and seventy four BC to eight and fifty three BC, and and so yeah, this this must have been toward the very end of his reign, And isn't it amazing, just as a reminder that Israel are the ten tribes on the northern side. Judah first of all, all used to be Israel, right right then, And so Judah and Benjamin, you know, they're on the southern part, and and pretty much they were run by godly kings. In fact, even in a scripture that we just breezed over a couple of days ago, it talked about how a lot of the priests had already gone down to Judah. They weren't they were prominent in the north because they ran down to Judah. And why wouldn't you if you believed in God, why wouldn't you go down to. Judah right there? If there's a god so much better? Yeah, well, was. A godly king, right and as was reigning in Judah, and overlap with Ahab, and then Jehosaphat was reigning in Judah. Of the most of the reign of Ahab, and Josephat was a godly king right. So, so anyway, all that to say, just as a reminder, the people in the north had wicked king after wicked king after wicked king, and so far you know, according to the Bible, Ahab was the worst of all of them, which is terrible. Right. So then there's an interesting thing, if if I can point it out, it's in the curses that Elijah is giving about Ahab and Jezebel, and in verse twenty six it says no one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the Lord's site, as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel. His worst outrage was worshi idols, just as the Amorites had done, the people whom the Lord had driven out from the land ahead of the Israelites. That worshiping idols. There's a note, there's a little asterisk there. You see that last risk in the Life Application Study Bible. So then when you go down, anytime there's an asterisk, you go down, and there will always be a little highlight in small letters, and it says for that verse, the Hebrew term literally round things probably alludes to dung. So God is calling in the Hebrew language, God is calling those idols that they were worshiping little pieces of dung, right, isn't it. Yeah, It's just you want to know what God thinks about because you know, sometimes I think people attempted to give a little bit of compassion and go, oh they were just confused, or oh they were right. But when you reject God and you're choosing to worship other things, anything other than God, is a really clear indicator of what God thinks of what you're worshiping. Yeah, it's like a bunch of Yeah, that's exactly. And by the way, doesn't Paul say that too. I consider I consider all the things, all these accomplishments, I consider them like dumb. Yeah, yeah, that's what he says, compared to knowing Jesus. Yeah. The Greek word that Paul uses a scubelon, which is the most vulgar word you could use for human excrement. So think think of the naughty English word that we don't say. That's the word Paul chose to use in Greek to talk about the waste of my life apart from serving. God's amazing, And he was talking about accomplishments, Yes, talking about like things that we value. But nothing matters. It's all. It's the worst kind of waste that you can think of. And it's the you know, compared to serving God and every accomplishment and here. That's exactly what God is saying. Now he's saying it in Hebrew, but he's a little balls around things, that's what he's talking about. And he's talking specifically about. Yeah, have you ever seen deer's Yeah, yeah, ways. Dropping like yeah, rabbits, rabbits, all those things. Yeah yeah. So so he's calling their idols rabbit droppings, right, right, that's what he's saying. So if you ever wonder how God feels about your sin, how God feels about your self centeredness, how God feels about it's the grossest version of anything that you and I can think of. That's what God is saying. This is how I feel about it, right, And it's the same thing about these idols. Right, So they're worshiping idols. We worship ourselves, we worship our own ideas, we worship our stuff, we worship our opportunities. You made a mistake of it. They're just like false idols. One hundred percent those are ours are false idols. And God, so that little phrase there is it's why I love good study Bibles. Yes, is man, I would have never seen that, is what I said. Oh, his outrage, his worst outrage is worshiping idols. That's true, but it goes so much further than worshiping idols. God goes after them and say it calls them, you know, little little droppings. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's it's amazing. So anyways, the Bible is so descriptive and so interesting, and here there's consequences. As he mentioned, Ahab tells God he's sorry, and so God backs off and goes, Okay, you know what I'm not going to do. I'm not going to wipe out your family in your lifetime, but I'm not going to let your family rule, right, and they had succession by inheritance, and so because of that, the only way to stop it was to wipe out the whole family. And so it happened after Ahab died rather than while Abraham was living. But you're aheb. Yeah, this is it. Yeah, you actually said Abraham, which is. Crazy starts with an A. That's right, that's right. I'm tired. Yeah. Well hey, the bottom line is is, uh, you know we mentioned before the reason why you read is because all the complicated names. Sometimes it's hard, it is, you know, when you're talking about all these different names, it's. Like whoa aheb Abraham. Yeah, hey, so that looks like it's our time. And what great. I loved this week. I loved Elijah, I loved all of it, and it's one of my favorite stories. So we look forward to next week. Hopefully you'll join us and we'll see it. It's just going to get better. Oh, just going to get better. There's the tease. Yeah, the buckle up, buttercups. We'll see you then on the bibble guys. H m hm m m h