Naboth's Vineyard

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Naboth, a typical example of the true Israelite, valued his vineyard, his delight, an inheritance handed down from his fathers, truly a gift from Jehovah.
The true "Israel of God" look on to the fulfillment of God's promises when they will have peace and rest for one thousand years under their King, the One of whom David was a type. At the time of our narrative, conditions were far from this hope.
Although only national resurrection was taught (Ezek. 37:1-141The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, 2And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. 3And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, thou knowest. 4Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 6And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. 7So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 8And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. 9Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. 10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. 11Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. 12Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord. (Ezekiel 37:1‑14); Dan. 12:22And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2)), the general understanding was that all men would be raised again and that every work must come into judgment (Eccl. 12:1414For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)).
We should be thankful that we have been given so much light and truth in our day. What a hope we have in resurrection life!
"And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreel- ite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria" (1 Kings 21:11And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. (1 Kings 21:1)). Naboth's vineyard in Jezreel, which means "seed of Jehovah", was near the dwelling of King Ahab.
The king of God's people was not to oppress them, but he was to be a shepherd, protecting, feeding, and caring for them. Ahab's record was bad, for he did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him.
The heart of man can never be satisfied outside of Christ. There are many examples of this in the Word of God, one being King Solomon, who, from very youth, sampled every earthly joy or pleasure and found all to be vanity (Eccl. 2:1-101I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 2I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. 4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: 8I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labor: and this was my portion of all my labor. (Ecclesiastes 2:1‑10)).
Lust, or desire, characterizes the man of the flesh; contentment, the man of the Spirit. Naboth was content with his vineyard, but Ahab was covetous of Naboth's vineyard. From his window he could view the beautiful inheritance next to his dwelling.
"And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money" (1 Kings 21:22And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. (1 Kings 21:2)).
Ahab, in asking for Naboth's vineyard, wished to destroy it and replace it with a garden of herbs, which have only a temporary savoring effect, nothing permanent. It takes years to bring to maturity a vineyard enclosed with hedges. Wine in Scripture is a figure of joy; hedges speak of separation from the world, also of stability.
Joy and stability result from meditating on the handed-down ministry prepared for us by our fathers, but these things of worth the world, especially the religious world, would replace with a garden of herbs.
Money cannot replace heavenly values. "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:36, 3736For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36‑37)) "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding" (Prow. 23:23).
It is proper to honor the king, and we should obey those who are over us and pay tribute to them, but when it comes to vital matters which have to do with our souls, we have to obey God rather than man. We are not to remove the old "landmarks" (Deut. 19:1414Thou shalt not remove thy neighbor's landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it. (Deuteronomy 19:14)); the "hedges" must not be broken, lest a serpent bite the offender (Eccl. 10:88He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. (Ecclesiastes 10:8)).
Leaders can be used by Satan to upset God's people, and because of their "itching ears" they turn the ears of the people away from the truth to fables.
"And Naboth said to Ahab, The
LORD forbid it me, that I
should give the inheritance of my
Naboth was firm. How could he give away the inheritance of his fathers? It would be giving up his hope.
"And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the fez- reelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread" (1 Kings 21:44And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. (1 Kings 21:4)).
The actions of Ahab, resulting from his talk with Naboth, did not manifest much character, but rather poor fostering on the part of his parents. Often the characteristics of a parent are seen in his children.
All Ahab needed was a Jezebel to prompt the wickedness which smoldered within him. What right had anyone, even the king, to the inheritance of Naboth?
The account of Naboth is a picture of what will take place in Judah after the return of the two tribes to their land. We see the return of Judah and Benjamin to the Land already under way in our day.
Among those returning, there will arise a little remnant, of whom Naboth is a type. God will awaken a few of the Jews to teach this remnant the truth of the Messiah and His return to earth to set up His kingdom. These truths are found in the Scriptures of the prophets.
"But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eat- est no bread? And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Na- both the Jezreelite, and said un- to him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vine- yard. And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now gov- ern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezree- lite" (1 Kings 21:5-75But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? 6And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. 7And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. (1 Kings 21:5‑7)).
Jezebel typifies the corrupt, wicked woman (the Gentile Roman church) who will control the Roman Empire (beast) during a part of the last half of the prophetic seven years yet to be fulfilled (Rev. 17:77And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:7)).
He is the "idol shepherd" (Zech. 11:1717Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened. (Zechariah 11:17)), "an hireling," or "the Antichrist," spoken of by John the apostle. He will have gained power among the apostate Jews, and soon after the breaking of the covenant which had been made with the western nations (Europe, etc.) for a seven-year period, he will set up idolatry. This idol set up in the holy place will be the signal for the godly remnant to flee (Matt. 24:15, 1615When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: (Matthew 24:15‑16)).
There will never be found a more diabolical and wicked trio than Jezebel, the Antichrist, and the Roman beast (Rev. 16:1313And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. (Revelation 16:13)). The deaths of all martyrs will be required of Jezebel (Rev. 8:24).
The will of man is never subject to God. The natural man is controlled by his lusts and by public opinion. The days will come when public opinion will not govern any longer, but man will give vent to his own will.
Conditions at the time this narrative typifies will be such that man's lust will be unbridled. To witness an absolute dictator giving way to an uncontrolled will would be frightening, but what our passage describes is an idolatrous woman, Jezebel, dictating to the king of Israel, even usurping his authority. It was Jezebel who ordered the death of Naboth so that the king might have Naboth's inheritance.
In describing Jezebel of a later day (Rev. 17;18), the Word also declares, "In her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth" (Rev. 18:2424And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. (Revelation 18:24)).
"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.... And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles.... proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, e- ven against Naboth, in the pres- ence of the people, saying, Na- both did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. Then they sent to Jezebel, say- ing, Naboth is stoned, and is dead"
Naboth lost his earthly inheritance, but he will receive a better, a heavenly, one, for there never is any loss for faith, only gain. Literally, "But there shall not an hair of your head perish" (Luke 21:1818But there shall not an hair of your head perish. (Luke 21:18)).
If we would remain as true to the light given to us as Naboth was to the light afforded him, what a blessing would result.
The unregenerate man would never own any connection with such wickedness as the slaying of a righteous man such as Naboth in his own vineyard. Yet, what happened at the cross of Jesus?
Did not Simeon prophesy to Mary that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed at the death of Jesus? (Luke 2:3535(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. (Luke 2:35)) The natural man is led about by Satan at his will. Such was the case with Jezebel and the nobles of Jezreel.
"And it came to pass, when Jez- ebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jez- ebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Na- both the Jezreelite, which he re- fused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead. And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it" (1 Kings 21:15,1615And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead. 16And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. (1 Kings 21:15‑16)).
The wealth of the land of Israel has become an object of envy to the nations about it, even to the countries of Europe.
The prince of the West will make a league with the returned Jews, but after the middle of the seven years of prophecy yet to be fulfilled, they will break the covenant and take possession of the Land, subjecting the people to the worst form of tyranny and idolatry that Israel has ever known. It will be a time of persecution and martyrdom (Matt. 24:99Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. (Matthew 24:9); Rev. 9:1-111And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. (Revelation 9:1‑11)).
"And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, say- ing, Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Sa- maria: behold, he is in the vine- yard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. And thou shalt speak unto him, say- ing, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken pos- session? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine"
After the king had taken possession of the land that belonged to Naboth, he discovered that his powerful enemy Elijah had found him again.
It is bad enough to persecute any man, but to persecute the people of God is intolerable to God. In Rev. 6:9-12; 2-5; 11:7-13; 15:2-89And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. 12And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; (Revelation 6:9‑12)
7And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 11And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11:7‑13)
2And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 3And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. 5And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. 7And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. (Revelation 15:2‑8), and in chapter 16, the cries of the persecuted call down the judgments from heaven.
What Elijah had to say to Ahab reminds us of the "two witnesses" (Rev. 11:3-133And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 7And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 11And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11:3‑13)) who will prophesy against evil, witnessing for the God of the earth for three and one-half years during the reign of the false king.
In days of declension and weakness God always has a man, or men, whom He has empowered to meet the wickedness of the enemy by His Word.
Elijah fearlessly prophesied to Ahab in Naboth's vineyard of Ahab's and Jezebel's disgraceful end and total destruction without an heir to the throne. "Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish" (Psa. 49:2020Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. (Psalm 49:20)).
In the present day, which is so near to the end of the church's history upon the earth, the forces of evil are being marshaled for the last crisis which will usher in the thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth (Rev. 10:77But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. (Revelation 10:7)).
It could be that many of the actors in the coming drama are ready to take their parts. Events will happen swiftly after the true church is taken home. We will be snatched away out of that hour of temptation which is to try the habitable earth.
"And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sack- cloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tish- bite, saying, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth him- self 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" (1 Kings 21:27-2927And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. 28And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29Seest 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. (1 Kings 21:27‑29)).
Ahab is singularly marked out as an idolater who worked wickedness in Israel as none before him.
Upon the pronouncing of judgment upon Ahab's house so that there would be no remnant, Ahab repented.
We are called upon to notice how ready God is to forgive where there is repentance. As Ahab gives evidence of a change of mind, God lifts the judgment which was impending, and He spares Ahab in his day. God delights in mercy; judgment is His strange work.
Elijah is given to see the mercy of God in His government with Ahab.
Thus we see the repentance of Ahab by the word of Elijah. What tremendous power is found in the hand of a true servant walking under the eye of God. His word will command the conscience of all who hear him whether there is true repentance or not. This should encourage all who seek to witness for God as sent by Him.
In the present day, so near the coming of our Lord Jesu's Christ for His church, should we not be greatly concerned about the truth committed to us? May we dread the breaking of a hedge (that which separates us from the world) or the removing of any landmark (doctrine), but remain, contending for the faith until Jesus comes (Jude 33Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 3)).
The story of Naboth shows the spirit in which every believer, armed with purpose of heart, should strive diligently against sin, "resisting unto blood" if necessary (Heb. 12:44Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. (Hebrews 12:4)).