How satan speaks 5: Jezebel - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) May 19, 2023
Remember our previous discussions on Queen Jezebel? We looked at her and how she mirrored the power and influence of the occult in a way that translates to our modern times. Today, however, we examine the things she said in the Bible and how they are a reflection of how satan speaks. Jezebel's evil communications can be divided into the verbal and non-verbal. Regardless of the form it took, the basis was evil and used to serve her master, the devil. It is important for us to recognize such patterns of expression so we are more aware of how satan speaks around us.
The Bible only focuses on certain specific discussions and communications she made. Chief among her verbal statements was the message she sent to Prophet Elijah following his execution of 850 false prophets. Men for whom she was a benefactor, as they represented the gods she worshipped. 1 Kings 19:2 - So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
Here, she threatened to murder God's servant. This was no idle promise. It triggered Elijah, sending him running for his life. Similarly, satan uses threats to people's lives in order to induce the crippling spirit of fear. It could be a whisper in a person's ear that their ailment will cause death. Or, someone else could utter such a prediction. Certainly, there are life-threatening illnesses in the world. However, when satan speaks such words, they are a lie that must not be believed (John 8:44). These untruths cause individuals to forget that the Lord heals. They cause people (and their loved ones) to believe that all hope is lost, and loss of life is imminent. This despite the fact that God has given us scripture to silence the devil in Psalm 118:17 - I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.
Another common way satan speaks is to make hypocritical statements. Jezebel did just that when confronted by a soldier named Jehu. He'd been anointed by God to take down the royal family. The Bible records that when challenged by Jehu, Jezebel took a dig at the soldier that included an insult. The insult made little sense given her history. She called him a murderer. This from a woman who conspired with others to plot and execute the murder of a man who'd refused to sell her husband his vineyard. Alas, such hypocrisy is common in our society. So much so that many of us don't understand that hypocrites do the work of satan. Hypocrisy is founded on deception and lies, both things God detests. Jesus Himself had no kind words for the hypocrites of His day and in 1 Peter 2:1 we are told, "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind."
Regarding her non-verbal communication, Jezebel wrote a letter to entrap Naboth, the man who refused to sell his vineyard to her husband. It reflected her knowledge of God's word and His law, combining them for a solitary purpose - to kill a man for land. (Again, another hallmark of the devil.) Pretending to be the king, she wrote to the elders in Naboth's city, instructing them to set him up for a crime. She ensured that "scoundrels" would flank him and claim he violated Exodus 22:28 by cursing God and the king - an offense punishable by death if two or more witnesses confirmed the violation (Deuteronomy 17:6). To that end Jezebel was no different from the scoundrels she connived with according to Isaiah 32:7 - Scoundrels use wicked methods, they make up evil schemes to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.
Another example of her non-verbal communication was her use of makeup. 2 Kings 9:30 - Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she put on eye makeup, arranged her hair and looked out of a window. While there is nothing wrong with a person beautifying themselves, Jezebel's reason was categorically evil. She hoped to seduce Jehu to keep him from fulfilling his God-given directive. The devil frequently uses beauty to distract people from their mandates because human brains often see beauty as good. Nevertheless, her scheme failed as she was thrown out a window by her own staff.
Nothing Jezebel did is abnormal nowadays. Countless men and women apply her tactics to steal, kill and destroy, thereby doing satan's work (John 10:10). We all need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help us navigate these types in addition to the many ways satan and its operatives speak. We need Holy Spirit to help us tune in to God's frequency and tune out satan's deceptive speech. Let us also use this opportunity to examine ourselves. Do our lives coincide in any way with Jezebel's behavior? If so, let us allow the good Lord to excise those parts so we do not do satan's work and can resist the devil when it comes with its evil communication. The Lord will help us, IJMN, Amen.
For more on the How satan speaks series, please consider the following:
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