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AHAB AND ELIJAH IN NABOTH’S VINEYARD
THE office of a minister is doubtless the most honourable that can be sustained by man; but it is at the same time the most arduous. If indeed the people to whom we carry the glad tidings of salvation were willing to put away their sins and embrace the proffered mercy, there would be comparatively little difficulty in discharging our duty: but men are averse to receive our message: they “love darkness rather than light;” yea, “they hate the light,” and would even extinguish it, rather than be constrained to see the evil of their ways. Hence those ministers who are faithful, are universally accounted “the troublers of Israel,” and the “enemies” of those whom they labour to convert: and they must go with their lives in their hands, if they will approve themselves to God and to their own conscience. The justice of this observation is manifest from the address of Ahab to the Prophet Elijah: in which we see,
I. How greedily men commit sin—
Horrible beyond measure was the conduct of Ahab which is here recorded—
[We blame not his wish to be accommodated with Naboth’s vineyard, nor the equitable offers which he made to obtain it: but we blame the inordinate desire which he entertained for so worthless an object, and the vexation which the disappointment of it occasioned. What a striking proof have we here of the misery which unsubdued lusts create! A king possessed of large dominions, augmented lately by the acquisition of immense power, is dejected, and sick at heart, because he cannot obtain a little plot of ground adjoining to his palace, of ground which the owner could not alienate consistently with the commands of God.
Jezebel his wife, indignant that a potent monarch, like him, should be thwarted in his desires, undertakes that they shall not long be ungratified. She takes his seal, and gives orders in his name, that the elders of Israel shall proclaim a fast, as if some great iniquity which menaced the safety of the state had been committed; that then they shall arrest Naboth as the guilty person, and suborn false witnesses, who shall accuse him of blaspheming God and the king; and that they shall instantly proceed to stone him to death. Shocking as this injustice was, methinks its enormity was small in comparison of that impious mockery of religion with which it was cloked. But what must have been the state of that nation where such an order could be given so confidently, and be carried into execution with such facility! Truly we can never be sufficiently thankful for the equity with which our laws are administered in Britain, and the security which we enjoy, both of our lives and properly, under their protection.
The tidings of Naboth’s death being announced by Jezebel, Ahab instantly proceeded to take possession of his vineyard; manifesting thereby his perfect approbation of all that Jezebel had done. Conscious of his cordial participation in her crimes, he could make no reply to the prophet’s accusation, “Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?” He could only say, “Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?” In truth, his own conscience testified against him, that “he had sold himself to work evil in the sight of the Lord.”]
Horrible as this was, and far surpassing any thing which is commonly found amongst us, it yet is in many respects imitated by the great mass of mankind—
[It is surely no uncommon thing for men at this day to covet what belongs not to them, and so inordinately to desire it as to use unlawful and dishonest means of obtaining it. Nor is it uncommon for men to feel a disappointment so acutely, as to lose the enjoyment of every thing they possess through vexation about something unpossessed. And so are the consciences of some men formed, that they will connive at wickedness which of themselves they would not perpetrate, and avail themselves of the advantages which the iniquity of others has procured for them. Let valuable articles be offered for sale as having been clandestinely imported without a payment of the accustomed due; how few will turn away from them on account of the unlawful way in which they have been procured! How few will say, “Perhaps a conflict has been maintained for these, and the blood of some revenue-officer has been shed to preserve them:” at all events such risks are incurred by this traffic, and the lives of multitudes are daily endangered by it; and shall I satisfy my appetite with that for which so many “have jeoparded their lives [Note: 2Sa_23:15-17.]?” No: the generality of persons, who yet pretend to be honest and humane, will be as pleased with the possession of what has been thus iniquitously gained, as ever Ahab was with the acquisition of Naboth’s vineyard.
Again, there are those who for lucre sake will aid in betraying or corrupting an innocent unsuspecting female: and how many are there who would readily enough avail themselves of an advantage so obtained; or at least conspire to rivet the chains once forged, and to derive pleasure to themselves from the misery of their fellow-creatures!
Alas! the world is full of characters, whose “hearts are exercised with covetous practices [Note: 2Pe_2:14.],” and who “work all uncleanness with greediness [Note: Eph_4:19.],” or, as the prophet expresses it, “do evil with both hands earnestly [Note: Mic_7:2-3. This paints with great exactness the conduct of multitudes who tread in the steps of Ahab: and the last clause expresses their complacency in their sins.].”]
If we presume to remonstrate with such persons, we shall soon see,
II. How indignantly they take reproof—
Great was the indignation which Ahab expressed against Elijah—
[Possibly there might be some surprise expressed in that question, “Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?” Certain it is that Ahab little expected to find Elijah there; nor would he have gone down to the vineyard of Naboth, if he had at all conceived that he should have met there such an unwelcome monitor. But there was also much wrath contained in this address: “What business hast thou here? What dost thou mean by presuming to interfere with me? Art thou privy to what has been done? and art thou come to gratify thy spleen as in past times by denouncing judgments against me?” Never was a human being so odious in Ahab’s eyes, as Elijah was at this moment.]
This however only shews what is in the heart of all against the faithful servants of the Lord—
[Ministers are sent by God as monitors, to “shew the house of Jacob their sins [Note: Isa_58:1.]:” but who welcomes them in that character? Let them go to any company, or even to an individual, that is violating the laws of God, and let them testify against the evil that is committed; will their admonitions be received with thankfulness? Will not their interposition be deemed rather an impertinent intrusion? Yes; such is the light in which it will be viewed, however gross and unjustifiable the sin it that has been committed. When Amaziah had conquered the Edomites, he took their gods to be his gods in preference to Jehovah: and when Jehovah sent him a prophet to remonstrate with him on the folly and impiety of his conduct, instead of yielding to the reproof, he threatened the prophet with death, if he did not instantly “forbear [Note: 2Ch_25:16.].” In the same light it is viewed, however gentle and kind the expostulation may be. When the inhabitants of Sodom required of Lot to deliver up to them the men whom he had received under his roof, nothing could exceed the tenderness of his reproof; “I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.” Nay, he even adopted the unjustifiable expedient of offering them his two daughters in their stead: yet, notwithstanding this astonishing condescension, they were full of wrath against him, and threatened to “deal worse with him than with them [Note: Gen_19:5-9.].” We must further say, that it was viewed in this light, when God himself became the monitor. When Cain had murdered his brother Abel, God came to him and asked, “Where is Abel thy brother?” to which this impious reply was made, “I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper [Note: Gen_4:9.]?” The truth is, that men think themselves at liberty to do what they please against God; but no one is to presume to espouse the cause of God against them [Note: Amo_5:10.]. The plain language of their hearts is, “Our lips are our own: Who is Lord over us [Note: Psa_12:4.]?”
It would be well too if this presumptuous spirit were confined to those who are the open enemies of God: but it is not unfrequently found even amongst the professed followers of Christ; for it was to such that the Apostle addressed himself, when he said, “Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth [Note: Gal_4:16.]?” Let religious professors be on their guard against this great evil; for, in proportion as it prevails, it gives reason to fear that they are deceiving their own souls, and that their religion is vain.]
But how boldly soever they reply against God, we may see in the answer of Elijah,
III. How certainly they ruin their own souls—
The fearless prophet soon taught the murderous monarch what he was to expect—
[“I have found thee;” and God has found thee, and his judgments ere long will find thee too. Agreeably to the prediction of Elijah, though the judgments were deferred in consequence of Ahab’s forced humiliation, the blood of Ahab, like Naboth’s, was licked by dogs, and the body of Jezebel was devoured by them in the very place where Naboth had been destroyed by her command. And, not long after, the elders of that very city Jezreel, who at the command of Ahab had slain Naboth, slew all the seventy sons of Ahab in one single night at the command of Jehu [Note: 2Ki_9:26.]: so exactly were the threatened judgments of Elijah executed upon him and upon his whole family.]
In like manner shall the judgments of God overtake all who continue obstinate in their sins—
[“He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, saith the Lord, and that without remedy.” Men hope that “they shall escape for their wickedness:” but God beholds it, and will call them to account for it in due season. It is in vain to think that any thing shall be hid from him: for “there is no darkness nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves [Note: Job_34:21-22.].” Adam, after the commission of his sin, hoped to hide himself from God; but God sought him out; “Adam, where art thou?” Achan thought he had altogether escaped notice; but God appointed the lot to fall upon him, when, according to human calculations, the chance was two millions to one in favour of his escape. On many occasions too the punishment has instantly followed the detection, as in Gehazi’s leprosy, and the sudden death of Ananias. But where the sins of men remain concealed or unpunished in this world, they shall not escape notice in the world to come; for “God will bring every secret thing into judgment;” and fulfil in its utmost extent that awful declaration of the Psalmist, “making them like a fiery oven in his anger, and swallowing them up in his wrath [Note: Psa_21:8-9.].”]
This subject speaks powerfully to different characters;
1. To wilful and impenitent transgressors—
[What Moses said to all Israel, we must say to you, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” You may glory in your success, and “roll your iniquity under your tongue as a sweet morsel, as Ahab did, but your sin shall ere long meet you to your sorrow and confusion; yea, every sin that you have ever committed shall meet you at the bar of judgment; and, when addressed by you as Elijah was, shall return you the same answer as he did to Ahab; “Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? I have found thee.” The long-suffering of God may bear with you for a season; but “your judgment lingereth not, and your damnation slumbereth not [Note: 2Pe_2:3; 2Pe_3:9.].”]
2. To those who have repented of their sin—
[Your sins, purged away by the precious blood of Christ, shall be sought for, but not be found [Note: Jer_50:20.]: God has “blotted them out as a morning cloud,” and “cast them all behind him into the very depths of the sea [Note: Mic_7:18-19.].” It is an express engagement of his covenant, that “your sins and iniquities he will remember no more [Note: Heb_10:17.].” Think, my Brethren, what an unspeakable mercy this is, and let it be your daily and hourly employment to abase yourselves before God, and to wash in the fountain of your Redeemer’s blood.]
3. To those who are God’s messengers to a guilty world—
[It is at the peril of the watchman’s soul, if through sloth or cowardice he neglect to warn men of their approaching danger. Brethren, we must, like Elijah, put ourselves in the way of sinners, and bear testimony for God against them. This is a painful, but necessary duty. You admire the discharge of it in Elijah; do not then disapprove of it in us. But we must “speak, whether ye will hear, or whether ye will forbear.” God’s command is plain, “He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully [Note: Jer_23:28-29.].” O that every servant of the Lord might resemble this man of God! and that instead of having to appear as witnesses against you at the bar of judgment, we might now find you obedient to the word, and have you in that day as “our joy and crown of rejoicing” for evermore!]