ESOCS Devotional 20 March 2023

ESOCS Devotional 20 March 2023

MEMORY VERSE: “And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Have you killed and also taken possession?”’ And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.” 1 Kings 21:19 ESV

In these verses, we may observe the very bad character that is given of Ahab, there was none like him, so ingenious and industrious in sin, and that he made a trade of it. He himself to work wickedness, that is, he made himself a perfect slave to his lusts, and was as much at their beck and command as ever any servant was at his master’s. He was wholly given up to sin, and, upon condition he might have the pleasures of it, he would take the wages of it, which is death, Rom. 6:23. Ahab voluntarily sold himself to sin; of choice, and as his own act and deed, he submitted to the dominion of sin.

In many things he did ill, but he did most abominably in following idols, like the Canaanites; his immoralities were very provoking to God, but his idolatries were especially so. Israel’s case was sad when a prince of such a character as this reigned over them.

Hitherto God kept silence, did not intercept Jezebel’s letters, nor stay the process of the elders of Jezreel; but now Ahab is reproved and his sin set in order before his eyes.

Elijah the prophet is sent to try him, and condemn him, for his murder. The place is Naboth’s vineyard and the time just when he is taking possession of it; then, and there, must his doom be read to him. By taking possession, he avowed and consented to all that was done, and made himself guilty.

Note, those that give up themselves to sin will certainly be found out, sooner or later, to their unspeakable horror and amazement. Ahab is now set to the bar, as Naboth was, and trembles more than he did. Elijah finds the indictment against him, and convicts him upon the notorious evidence of the fact (v. 19): Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? He was thus charged with the murder of Naboth, and he had shown himself pleased with it, and so had made himself guilty of all that was done in the unjust prosecution of Naboth. He killed, for he took possession. If he takes the garden, he takes the guilt with it.