STAND UP FOR JUSTICE. BIBLE STUDY – SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER by Major Margaret Stafford (Southern Africa Territory), based on 1 Kings 21 In South Africa we have recently gone through a very turbulent time, but in this period some people stood out because they were not afraid to ‘speak truth to power’. One such person was our former Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, who spoke out against corruption in high office on more than one occasion. Our Bible study is found in the book of the history of the kings of Israel and Judah, and of all the things Old Testament prophets were appointed by God to do, speaking the truth to kings was perhaps the most difficult. Under David the nation of Israel was united but after Solomon (who had a ‘divided heart’) the kingdom was split into a southern section – the kingdom of Judah (which included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin) – and a northern section – the kingdom of Israel (which comprised the other 10 tribes). King Ahab was the seventh king of the northern half of Israel and, according to 1 Kings 16:33, he did more to provoke God’s anger than any king of Israel before him. He married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon. Her father was a high priest of the god Baal, a god of land and produce and Jezebel brought this religion into Israel with her. Of Ahab and Jezebel it has been said that ‘Satan had his couple on the throne but God had his man [referring to the prophet Elijah] in the field’. Naboth – the king’s neighbour in Jezreel (the summer home of the King) – owned a vineyard. The king, wanting to expand his garden, offered to buy the vineyard for a more than fair price or relocate the vineyard for Naboth, but being bound by a biblical injunction not to sell ancestral land (see Leviticus 25:15), Naboth refused to sell the land to Ahab. Ahab, ‘sullen and angry’ (v 4) went home and refused to eat – a situation which brought his wife, Jezebel, into matters. Ahab told her that Naboth wouldn’t sell the land – but he did not tell her that Naboth wouldn’t sell because of a command from God. Jezebel devised a plan to get rid of Naboth for good. This plan included a fast (making it religious), a town council (involving the community) and two liars (corruption, creating injustice). The end result of the plan was that Naboth was stoned to death and Ahab acquired the land he coveted. Let’s pick up the study from verse 17: 17
‘Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: 18 “Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. 19 Say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: in the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood – yes, yours!’” 20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!” “I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD. 21
He says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel – slave or free. [See 2 Kings chapter 10 – the killing of Ahab’s family.] 22 I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.’ (See 1 Kings 15:29 and 16:3.) 23 “And also concerning Jezebel the LORD says: ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ (See 2 Kings 9:10, 34-38.) 24
“Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country.”