Her Name Means "Where is the Prince?"
Key Scriptures: 1 Kings 16:29-33; 18:1-19:2; 21:1-25; 2 Kings 9
The account of Jezebel's character in our text spoke volumns about her even if we read no further. Her character was not good, her triumph was not good, and her tragedy was just that, a tragedy. She is depicted as not only one of the worst queens, but one of the Bible's most infamous women who literally went to the dogs!
The lesson of serving false gods and seeking to impose that belief on others proved to be punishable by death for Jezebel. It is a lesson to us to be mindful of who were serve, and not to fall prey to letting the wrong things become gods of our lives.
Continue to reflect on Jezebel's demise as you answer one or all of the questions below:
1. In 1 Kings 18:4, what does Jezebel's action in the verse tell you about her devotion to Baal?
2. What makes it obvious to people you meet that you serve the Lord?
3. The story of Jezebel's demise is a disturbing one. She eventually got what we think se deserved, but consider: What do any of us truly deserve? And what, if we're followers of Christ, will we git instead?
I found the "Lift Your Heart" text in this story enlightening especially when it talked about taking thirty minutes to imagine your last day on earth. Something definately to think about.
5 comments:
Jezebel was very zealous and devoted to her evil religion and did whatever it took to spread her religious beliefs throughout her palace. This is like dejavu when you think of Saul before he bacame Paul. Jezebel was so convincing that she even converted Ahab over to her God. Although Ahab was a skilled military man and capable ruler, he let his wife dominate him. She had a very forceful and selfish personality where some would probably say that she was actually the King instead of the Queen (remember Naboth's vineyard?). She really set the tone of the whole kingdom. This sort of reminds me of us as women. We are very powerful beings and we can control a lot of things with our wit and sexuality. We have to be very cautious of our role as women and wives as we can sometimes tend to manipulate things to go our way. We have to channel our gifts as sisters to glorify God and to help strengthen His kingdom to edify one another and those of us who are married, strenghthen our husbands to make them better men.
Just think if Jezebel was working for the Lord. How great a king Ahab could have been for the Lord instead of the opposite. In addition, there would have been a lot of saved individuals based on her ability to convince and persuade.
Jezebel because of her evil ways died a very tragic and humiliating death. The consequences of her evil ways returned as a boomerang. Remember we will always reap what we sow.
Sisters, let's use our gifts to honor God so that when we die, people will remember and mourn for us instead of celebrate. To God be ALL the glory!!!
Jezebel
We worship false gods when we put money, children, movie stars, sport heroes, newspaper, homes, television shows, jobs, friends, games, computers, alcohol, church buildings and preachers before God. It is a very serious business when we loose our focus and put it on materials things which profited nothing but would cause us to loose our souls. Jezebel was a strong woman but also a foolish one. She could use that energy for good instead of evil. These lessons are helping me tremendously. They make me reflect and search myself, reaffirming my love for the Lord and to keep my focus on things above. If we are not careful we can easily become a Jezebel today. My last preacher called Jezebel a woman man! She was the head of her home. Her husband was to blame for that.
Luv ya,
mj
Jezebel, Jezebel oh Jezebel!!!
Ahab was evil and he was urged on by his wife Jezebel. Jezebel was devoted to her gods and her family traditions. Unfortunately, Ahab was not. He forsook God and began to follow after Baal ( the gods of Jezebel). The Bible says that Ahab did more to provoke God than any other King before him. To the end Jezebel was dedicated to her gods. Her death was gruesome, but it was God's will for her. It really speaks to me of how we handle God's people. God is patient and longsuffering, but when He gets tired of you beating on His children. WATCH OUT!!!
I think it's interesting that today the name Jezebel is used to describe a loose woman. In my reading I didn't see any mention of her being promiscuos.
Any thoughts Ladies?
Roz,
Jezebel was known to seduce people into doing what she wanted. It is said that most of her power over Ahab was rooted in her sexuality. Jezebel was known to teach and seduce God's people to commit sexual immoralities. She also seduced God's people to eat things sacrificed to idols. Even before her death, you can see where she was relying on her sexuality when she painted her face and adorned her head before approaching Jehu at the window. Little did she know that she would be thrown from the window. I'd say her beauty was in vain, wouldn't you. LOL!
Society has names for women with similar controlling characteristics as Jezebel. These women abuse their power and authority and are quick to look down on others.
The spirit of Jezebel can be found in Greek organizations, certain religious groups, cheerleading squads, etc. We find women in charge of organizations who will exploit, manipulate and mistreat the underdogs to achieve their sense of power and dedication to the idol of their belief.
The spirit can dominate and possess a person’s being until that “thing” becomes an idol and it is important to the individual(s) for others to adore and reverence the “thing” as they do. Jezebel was raised to believe in a false god and wanted others to believe also.
Regardless of what the idol is or may become, it is important that we not to put anything before our Heavenly Father. One of the great 10 commandments states that one shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (New International Bible.)
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