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King Ahab: Doctor Evil

King Omri did more evil than all the kings before him. Then came his son Ahab, who did more evil than all those before him. Within three verses the text makes the same comment twice. Ahab, in case we missed it, was the most horrible king. He mastered evil like none other.

Imagine two grandmothers, Talah and Ismod, sitting on a porch in ancient Israel reminiscing over the past.

“Remember King Jeroboam who made those golden calves, changed our history, and turned us away from the Lord?” asks Talah. 

“Yes," says Ismod, “those were the days. At least the altar he made looked like the one in Jerusalem.” 

“Oh yes,” says Talah. “I can’t even remember what the Lord’s holy temple looks like. Say, I haven’t seen a prophet of the Lord in years. Where did they all go?” 

“Beats me,” says Ismod. “It’s all Baal, Baal, Baal these days. Isn’t it time for the next human sacrifice?” 

For much of his tenure, Ahab helps Israel forget God and his ways. His wife, Jezebel, whose name is synonymous with immorality, plays first-fiddle in his kingdom. She makes her Sidonian god, Baal, the centerpiece of Israel. She has a penchant for murder and kills all the Lord’s prophets she can find, including a man who refused to sell Ahab land so the king could plant some onions. 

Due to Israel's turning from the Lord, God brings a drought through the proclamation of Elijah the prophet. Most droughts last a matter of months, but in this case no rain comes for three years. Ahab looks ferociously to find Elijah, thinking that he somehow brought about the drought. When Elijah shows himself, Ahab calls him a “troubler of Israel", not realizing that he himself is Israel's big trouble, which Elijah is quick to point out. 

Lessons: 

A drought is proclaimed over Israel directly from God to Ahab, and he still does not get it. Rather than think that maybe the hundreds of Baal prophets eating dinner at his despicable wife’s table may have something to do with it, Ahab thinks the Lord’s prophet is to blame. Ahab never takes responsibility for his actions, always looking to blame others or God. 

Pointing to Jesus, the book of Isaiah says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus is the anti-Ahab. Ahab looked to shift blame from his sin. Jesus looks to take responsibility for our sins. Ahab was a lousy king. Jesus is the king of kings. Sin always looks for excuses and blames others. Jesus demonstrates that love takes responsibility. 

When things do not go the way we want, do we ever shift blame, like Ahab? Shirking responsibility and blaming others, or even God? God’s word says, “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Taking responsibility and serving those who struggle are core attitudes of following Jesus. Such actions are the antidote to Ahab’s folly of justifying his interests and blaming others for his wrongs.

Prayer:

Good Father, give me the strength and character to take responsibility for my wrongs. Keep me from blaming others to justify myself. Today, may your Spirit guide me as I look to work hard and serve you. I thank you for your Son, Jesus, who has shown us the way. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Limerick:

King Ahab did not rule well

He married the nasty Jezebel

Three years of drought

God’s rules did he flout

Of sin did this man smell