Bible In One Year-Day 128 (Wednesday, May 08, 2013)

Commentary: 1Kings19-21. It was easier for Elijah to confront, disgrace and execute 450 Baal prophets, but to stand the vow of Jezebel, he had to run for his dear life. He probably ran because he did not hear any word from God concerning Jezebel who captured her preys by the power called ‘Jezebel’s Table’. People might consider this to be a sign of weakness, but in the spirit of education in the things of the spirit, it isn’t. Elijah did things the way God directed him. As at this very time, there was not any direction or word from God concerning Jezebel. The message he received was to King Ahab. This is a lesson to us all; don’t jump into what God had not commanded. You could only find God where His word is. Many go into the ministry God had not called them. We must seek God, like Moses, in cogent matters. God is never late as we think. When things seemed threatening, let us go into retreat to seek God’s mind. We should regard Elijah’s escape for Jezebel as a retreat, because the angel of the Lord eventually came to him and strengthened him with angelic food twice. His was different from the 450 prophets who ate from Jezebel’s table and became weak. It was at this retreat that he received from God concerning Jezebel, the powerful evil influence on Israel; 1 Kings 21:23 “And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.” When you find yourself in an unplanned battle with Jezebel, run to God for the right weapon; don’t stand on your past experience or logic, RUN. She captured a whole church in Rev2:20 and a whole nation through the perversion of her husband’s elevation; she could subtly capture a whole ministry.  The power of Jezebel was so great that even the Ministry or Department of Justice was under her influence. Ahab, even in his perverted ways, still enjoyed God’s protection, but this protection was broken when his wife, Jezebel, schemed to kill Naboth through the ministry of injustice and took his inheritance. Ahab’s atrocities were because he was under the influence of Jezebel, 1 Kings 21:25 “But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.” The problem of Ahab started when he went to marry Jezebel (1Kings16:31); Ecclesiastes 7:26 “And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.” Ahab displeased God and he fell into the trap of Jezebel.

Ahab, in his natural sense, was a good man. And this is evident in the display of humility when he heard God’s judgment over his life and family. This gesture pleased God to the extent that God shifted the judgment to another generation; 1 Kings 21:29 “Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.” Though Ahab was humble, this was not pleasing to Jezebel; she clamored for authority to propagate her evil motive and intention. She wanted to take charge. It is a lesson to us the Christians. Jezebel is a symbol of evil enticement, influence and seduction. When you see yourself compromising God’s word, you might be under the influence of this spirit. This spirit operates where those with God’s covenant are, and the mission is to influence the worship of material things, position and power. Many churches can now be regarded as Hollywood where fashion parades are the order of the day. Check the pastor and the wife, you will be surprised to see that you are seeing a celebrity from Hollywood. On the fingers are 6 different types of rings and on the neck is the most expensive layers of jewelries; 1 Timothy 2:9 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;” The appearance of Jezebel’s spirit isn’t only in this manner. Some don’t even use jewelries but their influence in some other forms, manners or ways is quite subtle; Revelation 2:20 “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.” Jezebel found her husband in a sad mood; on realizing that it was because somebody refused him what he wanted, she moved to kill the person. That is exactly what a Jezebel does; to make sure she gets anything the husband wanted even at the detriment of another’s woe. Jezebel spirit promotes slandering and perverts protocols. She goes out of her ways to manipulate things in order to get recognized. She is very good in bribery and corruption and her targets are people that matters in her pursuit; no wonder she got the prophets with her foods and gifts. She lies and changes stories, falsifies documents; 1 Kings 21:8 “So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.” Jezebel used the name and seal of an authority to propagate her evil intentions and pervert justice. Jezebel cleaves to authority and not to average men. Perhaps you are already a victim of Jezebel; check who your friends are. Are any of them influencing you against people? She will first act as a good friend to you but with another agenda. She comes in sympathetically but to work on your emotion;

Proverbs 17:9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth veryfriends.

Ahab claimed what Jezebel had gotten for him. To him, he was progressing because his wife was getting for him all he wanted, not knowing that judgment of woe had been divinely passed over his lineage. Jezebel was death in the palace without Ahab’s knowledge. Prophets who never agreed to eat from her table were killed. Without any doubt, she was self-centered. The battle against Jezebel isn’t a battle against any gender but against evil influences. Christians should be aware of negative influences; they break the wall of divine protection, destroy unity amongst brethren and bring calamity into a person’s future. May the Lord deliver us from the claws of the Jezebels of our days. Our next reading is 1Kings22-2Kings2. Keep the fire burning and alive.

Pastor Supo Abayode (+1-302-230-6792)