Jezebel: A Hardened Heart

Focus: “While Jezebel was killing off the LORD’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water” (1 Kings 18:4).

Over forty years of ministry, I’ve witnessed wonderful examples of transformation and growth in people’s lives as they’ve walked with Jesus. Who they are today bears no resemblance to who they were, and they have allowed God to do wonders in and through them. 

I’ve also seen others for whom the opposite is true. Allowing patterns of sinful behavior to become established, they have walked a downhill pathway, slowly, gradually getting deeper into darkness. Just today I heard of a minister friend (and fellow student when I was in Bible college) who has ruined his life, marriage, and ministry because of a destructive secret lifestyle.

When Jezebel challenged Elijah and dispatched a messenger with a bloodthirsty threat, this was not the first time she had sinned in this way; she had already been engaged in a campaign of murder against the prophets of the Lord. That’s one reason for Elijah’s fear: he knew full well that she was more than capable of carrying out her death threat.

When God convicts, let’s be quick to respond, and not harden our hearts. He convicts because He loves, and wants to spare us pain.

Pray: May my heart always be both tender and responsive to Your call, Father. Amen.