1 Kings 21:5-15 ESV
5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?” 6 And 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 please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” 7 And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city. 9 And she wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people. 10 And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11 And the men of his city, the elders and the leaders who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, 12 they proclaimed a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people. 13 And the two worthless men came in and sat opposite him. And the worthless men brought a charge against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.”

15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” 16 And as soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

GIVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO THE DEVIL.
Jezebel is a type of the devil. As the devil influenced Eve, so she influenced Ahab. In fact, she devised a wicked plan for Ahab to get what he wanted. She masterminded to accuse Naboth falsely that he cursed God and the king, which had led to his stoning to death. Definitely, she reflected her father, the devil, who is the father of lies and death. [John 8:44]

An angry heart like Ahab is Satan’s workshop. A man filled with passion is an easy prey for the devil’s manipulation. Anger is the key that open the flood gates for the evil one to overwhelm him. That is why Paul had admonished us to dissipate anger as soon as possible. He said, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.”[ Eph 4:26,27]

Let us not be ignorant to the devil’s devices. Therefore, “be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”[1 Pet 5:8] He would jump at us during our weakest moment. James has articulated this moment, saying, “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.”[Jas 4:1-2b]

Indeed, Naboth got what he always wanted. However, he was oblivious that Satan through Jezebel had captured his heart first. He was locked in his own prison without knowing it. He saw the lush vegetable garden beside his palace. But, he did not see the weeds of evil consuming his heart.

Today, let’s clear the walls of our hearts from any buttresses of anger and bitterness. Lest, the devil can make these as foothold to climb over and ruin our souls. Let’s confess and be cleansed from all these unrighteous nesses. [1 John 1:9]

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