Join us as we read the scriptures and a daily devotion written by Don Crisp. We pray these messages will bless us all at this time.
Fri 7th August – 1 Kings 21:17-24:
Categories: Don’s Daily Devotions
Fri 7th August – Read 1 Kings 21:17-24:
As we are following Scriptures record of Elijah and his ministry, we now ” jump” to this passage. The earlier verses of ch 21 record how Ahab, egged on by Jezebel, has continued in his godlessness, untouched by God’s mercy after the drought, to covet the vineyard of a man named Naboth, and had Naboth falsely accused and condemned to death so that he can take it.
V17-18: God now sends Elijah to confront Ahab in the very vineyard he has stolen so wickedly.
V19: God is never ” unaware” – nothing takes Him by surprise and though His judgement may tarry – in mercy, to give space for repentance, – it never sleeps. Elijah is sent to face Ahab with what he has done, and speak in the starkest terms of God’s judgement to come upon him. Do we shy back from delivering God’s warnings of sure judgement to come?
V20: As once before, Ahab tries to blame Elijah – his “enemy”. With his old God-given boldness restored, Elijah tells him how he has given himself entirely to evil in God’s sight.
V21-22: Elijah delivers God’s message of judgement – the “I” of these verses is, of course, God Himself, not Elijah – Ahab’s whole line will perish, as had that of other godless kings before him, for he has made the whole nation sin against the Lord, and brought forth God’s wrath.
V23-24: Again in the grimmest terms, the judgement that will come upon Jezebel, and all who show them allegiance is foretold.
We might not like verses like these, but we dare not deny or sanitise the truth of God’s judgement. The final outpouring of His wrath against sin will go far beyond the gruesome fates spoken of here. But, praise God, in the Lord Jesus Christ there is an escape from that wrath for all who will trust in Him, for He has born it for us. ( Romans 5:9.)