By Sade Akanni
(Living seed Vol 9 No. 2 April 2002)
Among the women whose names were mentioned in the Bible, Jezebel was one. Her name was however not just mentioned but her story was written in as much detail as possible in the Holy Scriptures for our admonition. She was a strong example of wickedness, an evil genius that not only sinned but also stirred up her husband to do wickedness and the people of Israel to sin. Let us, upon whom the end of the age has come take a look at the life of this woman and learn a few lessons for our admonition.
“Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. And it came to pass as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshipped him.”(1 Kings 16:30-31)
“When the Lord your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you, … and when the Lord your God delivers them over to you, you Shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them. Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son, For they will turn your sons away from following me, to serve other gods. So the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly.” (Deut.7: 1-4)
Jezebel By Birth
Jezebel was the daughter of a King, a Gentile King, Ethbaal the king of the Sidonians. She was a princess, but a princess of a people marked out by God for destruction. She was a princess of darkness, an idol worshipper. Actually her father’s name “‘Ethbaal” means “the man of Baal.” Consequently Jezebel was the daughter of Baal who she zealously served all the days of her life. She was a princess ouside, but an evil principality inside; beautifull outside, but rotten inside.
That was Jezebel and that is the true picture of the life of any lady and any man who is not born of God. Whose daughter are you? Who is your father? Are you only born by your earthly parents? You must also be born of God. You must have your nature changed. You must be born again. Let Jesus save you from your sins. It is for that reason that Jesus died on the cross.
Jezebel, The Wife of Ahab
The Lord had commanded that no Israelite should marry a Canaanite, not only because they were marked out for destruction but also because by marriage, they are capable of turning the hearts of God’s people away from their God to serve idols. But Ahab, on top of all the sins he committed by walking in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, went ahead in disobedience and married Jezebel probably attracted by her royal birth. The King of Israel married the Princess of Sidon. The child of light married the princess of darkness. The stage was set for the devil to reign not only in Ahab’s life and house, but also upon the people of God over whom Ahab was king.
The Acts of Jezebel
“Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.” “But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up.” (1Kg 21:25)
When Ahab married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, he had to build a temple for Baal in Samaria because you cannot separate the daughter of Baal from Baal. Wherever she goes, Baal must go with her, and whoever hosts her must be prepared to host Baal. And so Ahab compromised his stand with God. It was a wicked action in the sight of the Lord.
Many compromise their faith today in order to marry the idols of their hearts. Their personal desires push them to lower the standard of God’s Word. They take wrong steps in marriage; hiding their decision under the fact that God says He will grant us the desires of our hearts. They forget that to insist on the desires of their hearts, instead of yielding to the will and desire of God, is dangerous. Ps 106. 14- 15 says the children of Israel lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request but sent leanness into their soul. If God should grant you that wrong, unbiblical desire of your soul on the issue of marriage, you are looking for leanness in your soul. Those who did it have stories of woe to tell.
As soon as Ahab got married to Jezebel she started working. The princess of darkness got into action and she did it with wisdom. ‘The Bible says she stirred up Ahab to do wickedness. At the early stage she did not do it herself so that Israel would not immediately rise up and revolt. She did it through her husband.
Women have power of influence especially over their husbands. God made us so. It is meant to be used to establish the will of God in our homes as we gently stir up and encourage our husbands to do the will of God. Unfortunately in the lives of many women, the devil has hijacked this attribute to fulfil his own purpose. How glorious it will be if it is said of your husband “there is no one like this man, who sold himself to do the will of God because his wife stirred him up.”
(1) An altar for Baal
The first wickedness that Jezebel stirred up Ahab to do was to set up an altar for Baal (1Kg 16:32), probably through her encouragement and persuasion thereby establishing the worship of Baal in Israel.
An altar is a point of contact for worship. It is a reference point. It is a point at which a man is reminded to worship; it brings to one’s remembrance, the benefits of the one you are worshipping.
Abraham built an altar to the Lord each time he had an experience with God. It became a reference point; a point for worship. Jacob was also told to go back to Bethel (from Laban’s house), to the place where he built an altar to the Lord before. It was to bring to his remembrance his previous encounter with the Lord.
For Ahab to be stirred up to build an altar for Baal, Jezebel must have preached to him about Baal. She must have convinced him with many proofs about the “god of fertility in agriculture, beasts and mankind” both by her life and her testimony. Thus he established the worship of Baal in Israel. What an influence Jezebel had on her husband! What an influence on the King of Israel! And what a great influence on the people of Israel!
This is a challenge to Christian women. If a heathen woman can do this to her husband for Baal, we surely can do much more effectively for the Lord. You can gently with wisdom and with the living proof of your life, persuade your husband to follow the Lord. God is looking for women who will bring their unbelieving or lukewarm husbands on their knees for the Lord. Not by power nor by might but by the Spirit of the Lord working in her and through her character and actions.
(2) Her Contest with Elijah
Elijah (the prophet of the Lord) came to the scene to fight against the wickedness of Ahab and his wife Jezebel and to punish their disobedience in order to turn the hearts of the people back to God.
“As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” (1 Kg 17:1)
As soon as that declaration was made, Ahab, having again been stirred up by Jezebel, started hunting for Elijah to kill him as revealed in the words of Obadiah (the servant of Ahab) to Elijah when Elijah came out of where God hid him.
“As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to hunt for you; and when they said ‘He is not here, he took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you.” (Kg 18:10)
Yet, when Ahab finally met Elijah (1kg 18:16-20), he just abused him but did not kill him. He even obeyed Elijah by going to gather the 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah to Mount Carmel to meet with Elijah for he lacked boldness to harm Elijah.
After the Mount Carmel encounter, Ahab ran home from the Mount just to eat and drink as the man of God commanded him. But as soon as he got home and told Jezebel the story, she rose up in her wickedness to boldly confront and threaten Elijah with death. Her threat was one of the fiery darts that led to the downward trend in Elijah’s ministry.
Jezebel was faithfully committed to Baal. She was the brain behind all the wicked acts of Ahab. She was bold and persevering in doing evil and in contesting against godliness in her country. She did it both secretly and publicly. Though a woman, she strongly and overwhelmingly influenced her husband to the end.
God is looking for women who will be bold and tough against wickedness in our land today. The untamed way in which men practise and perpetuate wickedness demands a bold confrontation both secretly and openly not by an empty talk but by a righteous life. The righteous is as bold as a lion. Christian wives of leaders in our land must arise to stand in the gap and confront evil in our society. You can influence your husband by stirring him up against sin and wickedness first in his own life and then in the society. Women are surely a force to reckon with in any society to change the course of events. We must not fold our hands and be complacent about the corruption and wickedness of our time. Even if you are not a leader in the society, you can influence your husband who is a leader (whatever the level of his leadership) to do righteousness. You can also insist and influence your children unto righteousness despite the rottenness all around. But if you sit down quietly to enjoy the bounties of unrighteousness, you will not escape the punishment when it comes. “Though hand join in hand the wicked shall not go unpunished: But the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.” (Prov. 11:21)
(3) The Killing of Naboth
“And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.”
But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you! So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face, and would eat no food. “But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, Why is your spirit so sullen that you eat no food?” He said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, “Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it.” And he answered,” I will not give you my vineyard” Then Jezebel his wife said to him “You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” 1Kg21:1-7
Ahab had a discussion with Naboth trying to negotiate to buy Naboth’s vineyard. But Naboth refused. Ahab, though felt sad about it, had no intention to get it by force. He kept quiet and went away sad. But as soon as he got home and told Jezebel the story, she rose up to the challenge. She had a wicked inspiration immediately on how to get that vineyard. She worked with men of her kind, and raised false witnesses to testify against Naboth and he was stoned to death and she got the vineyard for her husband.
Are there not women today who are the inspiration, that is, the brain behind the corruption and wickedness of their husbands? You inspire him to fraudulent acts and corrupt practices in order to satisfy your desire to be rich. You push him into all kinds of wickedness in order to get money and fame. Do not ever think you will escape the judgement of God. No sinner will go unpunished. No matter how you cover it up in a sophisticated manner, God before whom nothing can be hidden, will uncover it and bring you to judgement one of these days except you repent.
Jezebel could not escape the punishment. Even Ahab partook of it (1Kg 21:20 -24). They killed Naboth, but they themselves did not live to enjoy the vineyard. The Lord pronounced His judgement in their hearing and He brought it to pass. ‘He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, … will surely come to poverty”. (Prov. 22:16)
This is however another challenge for those of us who are wives. Jezebel was a wicked inspiration and support to her husband in such a way that the man was able to achieve much of his dreams. You can be a godly inspiration to your husband whether he is a man in leadership or not. You can be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to inspire and support him until God’s purpose for his life is achieved. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all liberally and without reproach and it will be given to him.” (Jas 1:5) The virtuous woman “opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.” (Prov.31:26) Let God not hear you say, “I don’t know what to do.” You can be a great counsellor to him as you receive wisdom from God moment by moment and give him counsel. He may refuse you at first because of pride but God will add His voice to yours as He did to Sarah in Gen 21;10-12,. She said, “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely Isaac.” The Bible says that the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son. But when God added His own voice and told Abraham to do what his wife said, the matter was confirmed. That incident must have increased Abraham’s confidence in Sarah. Do not be discouraged at the first instance of your husband’s refusal of your counsel. If that wisdom is from God, the Lord will back it up and you can have further opportunities to counsel him in a godly manner. He will no longer be interested in the counsel of his ungodly friends. That is part of the help that God has sent you to fulfil in his life.
Again, you can stir him up into righteousness by gently giving him a push (an encouragement) to do the will of God. You can encourage him not only by your words but also by your action and by your prayers. Whether your husband is a minister of God’s Word or a minister in government, a leader in Civil Service or a leader at home, you will be fulfilling the reason for your marriage as you seek wisdom to stir him up to do the will of God and you go ahead to help him to achieve it.
Often times our husbands come back from work or from ministerial labours tired and discouraged. Sometimes a husband meets difficult and discouraging situations and hardships in his labours or in his external relationships. He comes home with the hope that even if he has failed outside, at least he could have his rest and peace of mind in his own house. However, instead of bringing encouragement, the wife may confront him with his failures at home and that may aggravate his situation. That is one main reason for the many quarrels by husbands with their wives either openly or by silent withdrawal. But if, as he comes home you welcome him warmly and encourage him regardless of your own grievances, you are building a strong relationship. Let’s be a source of encouragement. Your nagging or bullying him will not solve your problem. Rather it will tear down your home.
Not only was Jezebel an encouraging wife to her husband but also a great mobilizer. After speaking words of encouragement to her husband, she went into action. She mobilized people, even men, to achieve what her husband could not achieve. She was a woman of action. She was not just passively following her husband but actively played her role in helping her husband. She did wickedness by mobilizing men to kill Naboth; but you can do righteousness as you actively play your part to help him mobilised to achieve the will of God, which otherwise he could not have been able to do. Every wife is meant to complement her husband. God has graciously placed what is lacking in your husband in you. You must watch out for such points of lack and weakness in order to supply the needed strength and provision.
The Hospitality of Jezebel
“Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on mount Carmel, four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” (1Kg 18:19)
Jezebel was so influential for Baal that she did not only affect her husband but also silenced the prophets of God and pushed idol worship forward. Even though she was an embodiment of wickedness there is a lesson here for us to learn. If a human being, a woman could be so dedicated to an evil course, perhaps that would provoke us to be more committed to the living God and be more zealous to lay down our all to serve Him.
“…For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.” Lk. (16:8)
She fed eight hundred and fifty (850) prophets of Baal and Asherah daily on her table. Apart from providing food for her own family, she made sure that there was a regular daily supply of food on her table for 850 matured men to feed on. There was a daily feast, not an occasional one for all these men in her house. And she did this for years — at least for3½ years; but I know she must have been feeding them like that before Elijah appeared on the scene in 1Kg. 17. There was abundance of food, meat of all kinds and wine everyday for these prophets of Baal. Jezebel was a woman of strategy. Her hospitality is a great challenge to me. She knew that if these men would be loyal and serve Baal without distraction, the problem of their feeding must be properly handled. When you handle the problem of food in the life of a man, you have solved more than fifty percent of his problems. When there was plenty, she fed them. And when there was famine in the land as a result of Elijah’s prophecy, she continued feeding them. Jezebel’s commitment to her god was so much that during that time of famine, her feeding hands did not slack in the lives of these prophets. When there was no food for all others, she ensured a regular supply of food for the prophets of Baal! No wonder they cleaved unto Baal and unto Jezebel even up to the time Elijah was challenging them on Mount Carmel! They remained faithful to Baal to the point of death. There are many people in great need in our land and even in the church today. Orphans, widows, and poor people all around us could have been reached and some of them won into the Kingdom with our hospitality. The body of Christ needs physical edification.
There are many unreached people and groups in our land and all over the world that could have been reached today with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ if only God could find men and women devoted unto “sending” labourers to do the work. While our cities are full of preachers, the nearest villages to these cities are largely unreached because many brothers and sisters that could have done the work are struggling to fend for themselves. If only you will open your eyes and enlarge your heart, you would see this great need in the Church today. Many are labouring for the cause of the gospel in nearby villages and difficult far away lands with barely any food and clothing to survive. How will they labour in such a situation without any distraction? God is looking for people who will learn from Jezebel, not her wickedness but, her strategy of hospitality. How did Jezebel do it?
1. She used her position and opportunity
Jezebel was the wife of Ahab the king of Israel at that time. She was the queen. That was a great position she found herself in. She was the “‘First Lady” in Israel, the highest position that any woman could attain in Israel. That was a great opportunity. Anything she wanted to do, she had the opportunity to do it even with royal backing.
Strange enough, she had no ambition to be rich or highly educated. She had no ambition for self or for any other thing except to project the image of her gods. As soon as she became the queen, she started working towards that immediately. And she was very strategic. She pushed her husband to build a temple and an altar for Baal and Asherah and to start worshipping these gods. She must have started it with a discussion in the bedroom or behind a good meal, her husband’s best dish. She must have spoken of Baal very well to her husband while downplaying the worship of the Almighty God. Before long she achieved her purpose and Baal became the official god in the land. Whether you are in the rural area or in a city, a leader or the led, each one of us has been given a peculiar position and opportunity to serve God. You can use it well to do God’s will. Check your own life and the position in which God has graciously put you. You are a woman in government or the wife of a man in government. Are you the first lady in your state? Are you a leader or the wife of a leader even in a local church? That is a privileged position and you must not waste it. You will not be in that position or have that opportunity forever. Instead of pursuing a selfish gain, God is advertising to you an eternal gain if only you could be committed.
You have the grace of God inside of you. You have tasted the goodness of the Lord and you know it. You have experienced Him in diverse ways. You have a personal testimony in your life that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. And to crown it all, you have been placed in that position of opportunity to make Jesus known and ensure that His will is done here on earth as it is being done in heaven. You must not be thoughtless or foolish but try to understand what the will of the Lord is.
“Don’t be fools; be wise; make the most of every opportunity you have for doing good. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to find out and do whatever the Lord wants you to.” (Eph 5:16-17 LB)
There is something God wants you to do with this opportunity. Find it out. Pray and ask Him. Think about it and plan towards it. Prepare your heart to do it and do it actually. Tomorrow when your opportunity ends, you will have no regret, having done what the Lord wants you to do. One thing is certain. Whether you do the will of God or not, you will not last forever in that position. Opportunity comes and goes. It will be wisdom for you to make the most of your opportunity to achieve the best for the Lord.
Jezebel found herself in that position of the first Lady in Israel and she used it well for her god and not for herself. All those things you are trying to get and do for yourself and your family with your position are all part of what God will normally arrange and do for you if only you will seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Whosoever tries to save his life shall loose it. But whosoever loses his life for the sake of God’s kingdom shall save it. May the Lord grant you understanding.
Jezebel used her position to influence her husband to do the will of her god. You can influence your own husband to obey God and do His will. She used her position to speak about her god to the people so much that the people followed Baal and forsook the God of their fathers. You can also use your position to influence for the Lord, the people in your own little “Kingdom”, people under you or under your husband, your riends and his friends. You can speak to them for the Lord, you can use hospitality to draw them to the Lord. She used her position to silence the prophets of the Lord. You can use your own position to silence idolatry and eradicate wickedness. If Jezebel succeeded in doing that for the devil, you will definitely succeed much more if you do it for the Lord. There is sound wisdom laid up for the righteous. ( Pro. 2:7).
2. She used her Possessions.
As the queen, the wealth of the land was under her control. Kings normally receive their own portion of the harvest after God has received His own. But then, since the worship of the true God had become non-existent, the king had everything. Apart from that, she was a princess, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians. She was a wealthy lady; so she had riches on all sides. Surprisingly enough, unlike many women and other leaders in our land today, she did not use her wealth on herself or store it up in the bank and in ‘barns’. (Lk. 12:18). She had a focus and a commitment to Baal. She used her wealth to project Baal and Asherah. She set a table and fed 850 prophets from her kitchen everyday. I wonder how large her kitchen was and how big her store. She did not mind the cost. So to say, she placed 850 prophets on her pay role as far as feeding was concerned. She used her possessions to further the cause of Baal. Feeding 850 prophets daily means she must have built a large dining room or restaurants to accommodate them. In addition, she must have also built guesthouses for some of them to stay, relax in or sometimes for their personal retreats. All these she did for Baal. What a commitment!
Ordinary simple Christian hospitality is a problem for many Christian women today. Because of self-centeredness or fear of lack and fear of fake preachers, many have closed their doors against visitors, setting aside the commandment of God. Genuine as these fears may be, learn not to allow these to make you push aside God’s instructions about hospitality. Rather, look up to the Lord to protect you and also make you spiritually sensitive enough to be able to discern fake Christians and false prophets and handle them accordingly.
“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, some have unwittingly entertained angels.” (Heb. 13:2)
“Distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. (Rom 12:13) KJV
“When God’s Children are in need, you be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.” (Rom. 12:13 LB)
Do not forget to entertain strangers. It is one thing that God knows we are likely to forget. Remember the three strangers that visited Abraham in Gen. 18 and how Abraham and Sarah entertained them even when they did not know who they were. This resulted in their receiving the blessing they had been waiting for: the blessing of a child. They also received deliverance for their relative, Lot, from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sometimes God visits us in form of strangers. It is as we cultivate the habit of hospitality that we will be sure of not missing our blessings.
Not only that, it is particularly an instruction of God to us to practice hospitality. It is not particularly necessary that you must offer to people what you do not have or borrow to prepare a meal for a visitor. All that God is asking for is to share what you have with visitors and other Christians. A woman of Virtue is an industrious woman. Learn to work with your hands as a virtuous woman
“She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands. She is like the merchant ships; she brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants. She considers a field and buys it; from her profit she plants a vineyard. Prov. 31:13-16 (KJV)
“She is energetic, a hardworker, and watches for bargains. She works far into the night! She sews for the poor, and generously gives to the needy. She has no fear of winter for her household, for she has made warm clothes for all of them. She also upholsters with fine tapestry; her own clothes is beautifully made, a purple gown of pure linen. Her husband is well known, for he sits in the council chamber with the other civic leaders. Prov. 31: 17-23 (LB).
Looking at the scripture, what made the husband of the virtuous woman well known among the elders of the land is not his own hard work alone. It is because of her hospitality and excellence in labour. She works very hard with her own hands, not necessarily looking up to her husband for supplies. She was able to provide the basic needs of her family and made sure there was no trouble at home. This gave the man peace of mind to be able to concentrate on his God given role as the leader. She was hospitable and kind for she always has something to offer visitors and the needy. “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.” (Vs 26) All these make a husband’s head to be lifted up and not be downcast. It places a crown upon the head of the man.
Jezebel was hospitable. It was a great reason for Ahab to be able to progress in wickedness for a long time without being challenged. Hospitality is a strong means of achieving progress even in the work of God. Practice hospitality. Do not frown at every visitor and stranger. Be kind and giving. Work hard with your hands so that you may be able to stretch out loving hands to needy ones whether in the church or in the community.
Sometimes God’s people are in need and instead of rising to meet the need (as God has provided for us) we wait for someone else to meet it. Rise up and meet that need. It has a way of encouraging God’s people to trust God more and plunge more fearlessly into God’s work without looking back. It makes them to be assured that there are yielded vessels whom God can use to meet their needs as at when due. This is not an excuse for servants of God to put their trust in man or become beggarly at all. The word of God did not teach us so to do. But it is also our God given duty especially as women to grow in the habit of rising up without procrastination to meet the needs of God’s people.
This is also particularly a message for ministers’ wives. We have been placed in a position to know the needs of many of God’s people. Instead of always being at the receiving end, you can rise up to the situation by the grace, which God supplies. Do not eat the bread of laziness and idleness. Work hard. You can look up to God and receive help to meet such needs and you will discover that the source will never run dry. Remember the widow of Zarephath whom God used to
meet the need of the Servant of God, Elijah. She was preparing to cook her last meal but when she obeyed the Lord and stretched out a hand of hospitality to the hungry Elijah, her bin of flour never finished and her jar of oil never ran dry. God did it before and is still doing it today. Even as a widow, you can develop this lifestyle of hospitality. Never agree to be a beggar. It is better and more blessed to give than to receive.
Furthermore, that scripture says we should go an extra mile. We should get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging for the night. Often times, we get in contact with people in need. Even if the need is not written on their faces, it is part of kingdom lifestyle to invite people home for a meal or for lodging for the night or even for a few days. It has a way of building up the Body of Christ. Some badly need that meal, and some may be stranded needing lodging. Yet some need a place or resort, a place to have a retreat in the presence of God outside their homes. Would you be kind enough to extend a hand of hospitality to such people in your home?
Jezebel had Children.
Jezebel was also very fruitful. She had children whom she thoroughly discipled into wickedness.
“Jeroboam was thirty two years old when he became king. And he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for he had the daughter of Ahab as a wife; and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.” (2Chr.21: 5-6)
“Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son King in his place for the raiders who came with the Arabians into the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah reigned. Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the grand daughter of Omri. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother advised him to do wickedly…
Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs of the house of Judah.” 2Chr 22.:-1-3, 10
“Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria”. 2Kg 10:7
Jezebel was quite productive. She had children for Ahab and by that, she was able to perpetuate wickedness. She particularly had a daughter called Athaliah who was given in marriage to Jehoram the King of Judah (Jehoshaphat’s son). She therefore spread her wickedness not only in Israel but also to Judah. The Bible reports that Athaliah advised her son (the king Ahaziah) to do wickedness on the throne of Judah. She discipled him into wickedness. Not only that, she herself actively practised wickedness.
What are we saying here? Jezebel spread and perpetuated wickedness even beyond her own generations by bearing fruit and discipling her children in the way of wickedness. Discipleship is God’s means of perpetuating His work from one generation to the other. Even the devil knows this and he is using this godly method to perpetuate evil. Not only must we ensure that we train (disciple) our own children in the way of the Lord, we must also ensure proper discipling of the souls we win.
Conclusion
Jezebel was a wicked woman, a bundle of evil. She not only did wickedness herself but also stirred up her husband to evil. She also stirred up Israel and later Judah into wickedness. She used all that was available to her to do wickedness: her position, and opportunity, her possessions and her children. She was so wicked that she became a force to reckon with in the spiritual realm. And the Bible says
“I know your works… Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess to teach and seduce my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols.” (Rev. 2:19-20)
She became a principality whose name rings a bell in the Spiritual world. And her works were basically the same and her judgement the same as what happened to the physical Jezebel the wife of Ahab.
Are you a Jezebel by birth, the daughter of the man of Baal? You must repent and let the Lord take away your evil heart and change your nature. He will give you a new heart. Are you a Jezebel in action? What are your activities behind your husband? Do you stir him up to do God’s will or to do evil? Your sins will surely find you out unless you repent.
Jezebel practised hospitality and used discipleship to further the course of wickedness. She hijacked godly principles to serve Baal. What is your response towards hospitality and discipleship? How committed and how faithful are you using this lifestyle of the kingdom to do kingdom business? You will only be remembered for what you have done.
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