Jump Start # 689

1 Kings 21:25 “Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife incited him.”

  There’s hardly a more wicked couple in all the Bible than Ahab and Jezebel. They were a continual thorn in the flesh to Elijah. They promoted the worship of Baal, killed the prophets of God and promoted wrong and evil with every step that they took. Jezebel ran the nation. She killed so her husband could get some land that he wanted. She signed his names to papers. She had no respect for God or His ways. In time, they both died violent deaths.

  There are people just like this couple today. It’s not that they don’t care for religion, they are obsessed with making life hard on anyone who does. They love to mock, ridicule, make fun of, and put believers in very uncomfortable situations. It is like a sport to some. They can be nasty and mean at the same time. When they get in positions of management, they spew their hatred of religion upon all who are under them. They have an agenda to force all believers to quit and they will stop at nothing until they accomplish that. It’s always a dark day when Jezebel is around. Some of you know exactly what I mean. You suffer greatly because of this. You try to be kind, but they are hostile. You go out of your way and they slam you. They take credit for the good you do and pass the blame on to you for the wrong that they do. It’s hard to be civil. Busting them in the chops comes to your mind more than once. You don’t and you feel bad about thinking that way, but life would be so better off if they moved to Iceland.

  Ahab sold himself to do evil. What a sad commentary. What price did he have to pay to accomplish that evil? The price everyone must pay…with his soul. What follows is BECAUSE. He sold himself BECAUSE Jezebel incited him. She talked him into it. She pressured him. She led him into wrong. He is responsible. He is the king. He is the husband. He should have set her out with the trash, instead he became trash as she was. Can you tell that I don’t like Jezebel? Her kind abounds in college campuses where under the title of professor, she ridicules all believers in the Bible. She is elected into political office where she sets forth a social agenda that aborts babies, legalizes homosexual marriages, allows the use of drugs and would close all churches if she could get away with it. The spirit of Jezebel lives on. She hates Jesus. She has no use for Jesus. She is profane in her talk, loose in her morals and ungodly in her attitude. Jezebel—she is Satan’s daughter, even though she was created by God in His image.

  What does a person do when they encounter Jezebel? You can’t punch her, even though that sounds good. She may be your professor, your boss, your congressman, your president, your neighbor, or worse, your sister-in-law or, daughter-in-law. You can’t always ignore them. You can’t always avoid them. You can’t always exclude them. Situations force your paths to cross. You and Jezebel. It’s enough for a major headache. It unnerves you, upsets you, steals your sleep, your appetite and your health. You and Jezebel.

  First, pray. Do this often. Pray for something to happen. Pray for peace from her. Pray for her to change her heart. Pray for understanding. Pray for patience. Pray for you to remember that you are salt and light in this world, even her world.

 Second, consider and reflect upon Scripture. You are not the first to deal with Jezebel. Actually, Elijah was. See what he did. Learn from him. David had his King Saul, who acted like a Jezebel, at times. See what David did. Jesus had the Pharisees. See what the Lord did. These lessons will help you. You will notice good and bad.

  Third, be yourself. Don’t change because Jezebel wants you to. Don’t be a coward nor silent simply because she likes that. Be yourself. Remember, if she hates you, it’s the Lord she really hates. Remember Peter’s words to the suffering Christians, “rejoice.”

  Fourth, overcome. That is the key word in Revelation, the book written to Christians who lived under the thumb of Rome. Overcome through faith. Overcome through righteousness. Overcome through hope.

  One of three things will happen: either Jezebel will die, or, you will die, or the Lord will come. Anyway you look at it, the situation will change. It will not carry over into eternity.

  Finally, one thing we often forget to do, pray for Jezebel’s soul. She’s not living right. Her life would be so much better if she walked with Christ. Pray for her. That’s hard. That’s praying for  your enemies, but that is exactly what the Lord wants. Invite her to church services. She might explode, but invite her anyway.

  There are Jezebels. We must remember that we are Christians. That never changes.

  Roger