Again, on Jezebel - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) December 23, 2022

We recently looked at Jezebel and learned that she is not one whose example we want to follow. She was a Biblical queen who married Ahab, King of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Described as an idolater and witch in 2 Kings 9:22, she had God's prophets killed, arranged the murder of a man who refused to sell her husband his vineyard, and threatened to kill Prophet Elijah.

She seduced with beauty and wealth, all symbolic of the kingdom she came from. Understandably, many would aspire to be like her. What these people didn't realize was that the elegance she represented came with the false gods she served. And by delving deeper and deeper into this idolatry, the citizens of Israel walked further away from their God.

To be fair, Jezebel cannot be blamed for the Northern Kingdom turning to false gods and idols. That started long before she arrived on the scene. Using her influence and power, she ensured that God's prophets were hunted and killed (with the knowledge and sanction of her husband), resulting in the 100 remaining prophets hiding in caves (1 Kings 18:4). The prophets and priests of her gods on the other hand, were well fed and feted in a time of severe famine (1 Kings 18:19).

In this way, she led more and more people from serving God. Imagine living in a land where food and water were scarce, only to learn the queen had food and drinks for those who worshipped her false gods. As such, the nation largely turned away from the Lord and eventually, only 7000 remained who hadn't honored other gods (1 Kings 19:18).

Let us not think such is impossible in our day and age. Instead, guard against being seduced by the deceptive image Jezebel presents, thinking that following in those footsteps will produce certain desired results. Remember that the Jezebel spirit aims to cause people to rebel against God. This is not achieved through brute force at first, so the strategy may not be immediately obvious. The Jezebel spirit subtly encourages others to stop obeying the Lord in order to achieve a form of success that is separate from God's word. One compromise at a time.

We are commanded in Isaiah 8:20 - Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. Whatever does not have God's light belongs in the darkness. It is something we should not approach. In order to recognize a rebellious Jezebel-type and identify the absence of God's light in them, we must become familiar with God's word in the Bible. The more that happens, the easier it is to recognize His voice and recognize what does not align with it. In that way, His faithful children can flee from what seeks to separate them from the Lord and the fullness that comes from living in His light.

This way, Jezebel's end will not be our portion for she was pushed out of a window and her remains were stripped by dogs with only her skull, hands and feet found (2 Kings 9:35-37). This had been prophesied by God's prophet, Elijah, in 1 Kings 21:19-24. As God cannot lie, His word came to pass.

May we each ask the Lord for the spiritual fruit and gifts which lend to spiritual fullness. That we may be in tune with God Almighty and stay far away from Jezebels and the spirit they carry, IJMN, Amen.

PS: If you're wondering what happened to Jezebel's husband, Ahab, the Bible records him as having done more evil than all the kings that came before him (1 Kings 16:30). 1 Kings 21:25-26 states, "[t]here was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel." He was cursed by God to die and did so in a battle. The men cleaned Ahab’s chariot at a pool in Samaria where prostitutes bathed, and the dogs licked his blood from the chariot. These things happened as the Lord had said they would (1 Kings 22:38).

Please find the first Jezebel post here - Jezebel: An Introduction - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) December 20, 2022