THE STORY OF GOD’S CHILD NABOTH

There is a great difference between righteousness and unrighteousness, between good and bad. In short, we can say: God is righteous and good, but we by nature are unrighteous and bad. The Word of God gives us many examples of this. One of these we can find in the story of Naboth and Ahab.

At a certain time Ahab was in great distress. He was very angry, and was filled with self-pity. The King of Israel lay on his bed — a man whose soul was so vexed and troubled that he could eat no bread, had a word for nobody, but turned his face sullenly towards the wall. Was he then a sick man? Oh no! In the world this man had everything his heart desired. Was he in sorrow about his state for eternity? Oh no! He had no desire to fear the Lord; he walked in his own way and did what he wanted. He was an enemy of God and of His children. What then was troubling him?

In Jezreel he had a sort of resting place, where, amidst his wealth, he lived in all the pleasures of a sinful king. On a certain day Ahab had observed a well-kept vineyard not far from his palace. It appeared that the owner of it took good care of that vineyard. The more Ahab looked it over, the more he desired to have it. The godless king found out who the owner was of this beautiful garden. The owner was Naboth. Ahab told him that he wanted his vineyard, and that he would give him a much better vineyard in exchange for it. What Ahab was asking of Naboth was forbidden by God. He was casting his hungry eyes on the rich vineyard of his neighbor. He would have it at any cost. Ahab was wrong in tempting Naboth to transgress the commandments of God. What was the answer of Naboth? We can read it in the text. “And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my father unto thee.”

The law of Moses forbade a man to sell his property and inheritance except in cases of necessity, and then in the year of jubilee it would again revert to the owner. This was on the principle that the land belonged to God and to none else. Therefore Naboth couldn’t do anything else but say, “The Lord forbid it me.” The knowledge that God forbade him to sell his vineyard was of greater importance to him than the honor of a wicked king. No, dear reader, Naboth was not for sale. We can notice that this man was a faithful reader of the Word of God. He knew the contents of the law given by Moses. (See Leviticus 25:23 and Numbers 36:7).

We also have an inheritance of our fathers. By God’s grace they have given us the right doctrine of salvation, taught by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. What a rich inheritance we have. May God give in our heart the necessity to keep this inheritance faithfully for our posterity. We have received this inheritance out of the hand of the Almighty God. Do not forget it.

But now look again into the palace. Ahab was heavy and displeased, sick with rage and chagrin. As he lay there upon his bed, his godless wife Jezebel came into his chamber and inquired about his troubled circumstances. “Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?” And Ahab told her what had happened. Read carefully the story in I Kings 21. The wicked queen merely laughed at the commandments of God. Ahab wanted to have the vineyard? Well, she would take care of that. That which Ahab could not devise or do, she would do in a false manner and Naboth shall be the victim.

Jezebel wrote letters in the name of the king to the elders and nobles of the city, and sealed these letters with the royal seal. She asked for two false witnesses to testify against Naboth, saying that he had blasphemed God and the king. The elders were then to find Naboth guilty and sentence him to be stoned to death. These elders were appointed to be judges in Israel, but they feared Jezebel and did as the letters ordered them to do. To be brief, we know that Naboth was given no opportunity to answer the charge, but was promptly adjudged guilty and sentenced to death.

Dear reader, what was in the heart and mind of Naboth we do not know, but we can believe that this man who had the courage on religious grounds to refuse to sell the inheritance of his fathers to the king was not without the consolation which God gives to those who rather obey God than man. According to the custom, the witnesses cast the first stone, and then all the people joined in putting him to death. Soon all that was left of Naboth was a bloody pulp. What a sad reality. Naboth became dead, and Ahab was the owner of the vineyard.

How was it possible that God permitted this? Was not and is not God righteous? Yes, the Lord hears and sees all things, and He comes at His time to punish the wicked sinners! How far the nation had deviated from the Lord and His holy law! It was Naboth’s true religion which brought this doom upon him. Had he complied with the request of the king, all would have gone well. Instead of being stoned, he would have been honored and rewarded. But do not forget — the law of God was a dead letter for Ahab; for Naboth the law of his God was a living letter. To him there was no God but One, and no will to be considered in comparison with His will. Oh, he did not fear loss, but he did fear sin.

Is our life likewise? It is clear that Naboth’s death was a true martyrdom. He died a victim to his faith in God and his obedience to the law. Consequently he was a witness for God. Like Naboth, the Lord Jesus would have been stoned if the Jews had had the power and if the counsel of God had not willed otherwise. But there is indeed one difference, and that is that the blood of the Covenant speaks better things than the blood of Naboth.

But this does not take away the terrible deed which Ahab and his wife had done. Yes, much more. We read in II Kings 9, “Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the Lord.” The sons of Naboth were also stoned like their father. In this story there is an earnest warning for all of us. Nothing is forgotten by God. As He sees the end from the beginning, He also sees the beginning from the end. Let us never forget that God can never forget. Every action of our life is present with Him, likewise every word, also every thought and intent of the heart. Therefore He makes sin bitter to the sinner. Ahab might rise up to go down to the vineyard to take possession of it and to have much pleasure of that beautiful garden, but the Lord was on the way with His punishment.

Of Naboth we may say, “He that endureth to the end shall be saved.” He was murdered for the Name and the sake of his God. This man’s soul has ascended to heaven. There is no more unrighteousness and falseness. In heaven thieves of vineyards and other things cannot come. He has received from the righteous God an hundredfold for all his misery, sorrow and afflictions. There is much unrighteousness in the world, and at times it seems as if the godless will conquer the whole world, but notwithstanding this, the Lord shall conquer all His enemies and the enemies of His children. In all their circumstances, He takes care of those who are His.

If Naboth had sold his inheritance, he would have given a bill of divorcement to the Lord. But for him, his earthly fatherland pointed to his heavenly fatherland. That nobody could steal from him; it was a sure place and a sure home for this murdered man. On the other hand, Ahab’s death was terrible and that of his wife more terrible, and the end was hell. Listen to the story further: Ahab arose from his bed to take possession of the stolen vineyard. As he walked in it, he saw a familiar face coming to meet him. It was Elijah the prophet. Before Elijah could speak to the guilty king, Ahab cried out, “Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?” And the answer of Elijah was, “I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord.”

Frightened by the further prediction of Elijah, Ahab rent his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went softly and humbled himself before God. Was it true repentance? No, dear friends, it was but a fear for God’s punishment. Three years later in the war with the Syrians, he was shot and that night he died. He was brought back to Samaria. There by the pool the driver of the chariot was washing it, and as he did so, the dogs came and licked up the blood which flowed from the chariot. Perhaps they were the same dogs which had licked up the blood of Naboth. But for Ahab it was eternity.

Later Jehu came to the wall of the palace, where Jezebel was. She knew what was coming, but she painted her face, darkened her eyes and attired her head. Our girls must remember that the Lord did not write this in His Word without purpose, but that it might be a warning for us. We know that also this godless woman died an awful death. God’s divine judgment was come, and His vengeance was terrible.

Dear reader, it may seem that the godless Ahab received much more than the godfearing Naboth. I say, it may seem. In reality it was not so, but on the contrary, it is as the psalmist sang in Psalm 37:32–37, “The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hands, nor condemn him when he is judged.” To comfort the oppressed he said, “Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.” It was true for Naboth, but also for all the oppressed children of God, “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.”

O, may this story teach us that God hates sin and sinners, but that He loves those who may come at His feet. Remember that the way of the transgressor is hard and his end is terrible and dreadful. There is here a great lesson for us. There was a great difference between Ahab, the godless king, and the God-fearing Naboth. But there is a greater difference between the devil, the prince of hell, and the Lord Jesus, the King of heaven. The devil used the prince of this world to bring death upon Naboth, and also used people to take counsel against Christ. The blood of Naboth could not wash away the sins of man; the blood of Christ can wash all sins and crime from those who may learn the true repentance of heaven.

How terrible it will be if we go on in sinning against the Holy God in heaven. It can be seen in the life and the end of Ahab and his wife Jezebel. Naboth was innocent as concerns the selling of his garden, but he himself was also a child of Adam. He was a sinner. Only through the redeeming blood of the Lord Jesus Christ could he receive the remission of his sins and enter into heaven. But the Lord Jesus had no guilt. He wasn’t a sinner as other people; He was the Holy One of Israel. He bought the guilt of others, of those who have learned through the Holy Spirit that they are guilty sinners of themselves.

The devil imagines that the world is his. Hear what he said to the Lord Jesus, “All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.” The Lord Jesus refused him, and He could say, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.” Ahab and his wife and sons were conquered by Jehu; the devil is conquered by the Lord Jesus.

But yet an important comment. Naboth refused to give the inheritance of his fathers to Ahab, and this was right. Let us learn from that an earnest lesson. O, do not sell the inheritance of our fathers. Hold fast by grace the old proven doctrine which is based on the Word of God. Do not bargain with that which the Lord has given to us. We live in a dark time. Many do not know what it is to be converted. They have never heard of it. Others find it too heavy and mock with true conversion. Others are satisfied with a Jesus of five letters, and think in that way to travel to eternity and to enter into heaven. O, let us warn you. Let us not deceive our poor soul. We have but one soul, and a soul lost is all lost.

May the Lord give to all of us, both young and old, the desire to search the dear Word of God, that Testimony which through the work of the Holy Spirit was written by the saints. May He give us to pray, for the first time and by renewal, for the lessons from heaven about the inheritance of our fathers. If the Lord gives the right light upon it, we receive love for His Word, His commandments and the doctrine of free grace.

There are only two ways to the never-ending eternity — the way Naboth might go by grace and the way of Ahab, walking on the broad way. Remember therefore the word of the Lord Jesus, “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.” David sang, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” If that may be true in our life, then at the end (as with Naboth) it shall be, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world.” Amen.

Chilliwack, B.C.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

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