Bad Girls of the Bible Jezebel the Heathen

Bad Girls of the Bible Jezebel: the Heathen Queen 1 Kings 16: 29 -31

Jezebel -- The Pagan Princess – Daughter of the King of Sidon (1 Kings 16: 31) • Long history of idol worship (Jdg 10: 6, 1 Ki 11: 5) • Future history of wickedness (Matt 11: 22) – Fierce in her worship of false gods • Baal - nature-god, believed to control fertility in agriculture, animals & humans; son of Dagon, grain god of the Amorites (1 Kings 17: 1 -7, 1 Sam 5: 2 -7) • Ashtoreth - mother & companion to Baal, cultic worship encouraged sexual abandon (Judges 2: 13) – Ahab took her as his queen in direct opposition to the will of God (Deut 7: 3 -4) • This intensified an ongoing problem that began with Solomon (1 Kings 11: 1 -5)

Jezebel Led Her Husband Astray – Encouraged a corrupt worship to false gods • Served & worshiped Baal (1 Kings 16: 31) • Built a temple for Baal in Samaria (1 Kings 16: 32) • Maintained 450 false prophets in palace (1 Kings 18: 19) • Persecuted God’s followers (1 Kings 18: 4, 13; 19: 1 -3) – Incited ungodly behavior unbecoming of a king • Urged change in Jewish land ownership laws (1 Kings 21: 1 -3, Lev. 25: 23) • Practiced deceit, treachery, superiority in order to fulfill a covetous, controlling nature (1 Kings 21: 416)

Jezebel Led the Nation of Israel Away – Ahab (with his wife) did more to anger the Lord than all who reigned before Him (1 Kings 21: 25) • He led the people to worship idols • He turned his back on the laws of God concerning ownership • He allowed deceit and murder to fulfill his own selfish desires – They left a legacy of wickedness in their children • Athaliah, queen of Judah, who murdered all her grandchildren except Joash so she could rule (2 Kings 11: 1 -16) • Ahaziah, made Israel sin like Jeroboam (1 Kings 22: 52 -53) • Jehoram, ruled after Ahaziah’s death, and followed the sins of Jeroboam (2 Kings 3: 1 -3) – The fickle hearts of the people frustrated the servants of God (1 Kings 18: 21, 19: 10)

Jezebel Assured Her Own Destruction – God’s response to this wicked king and queen – a three-fold commission (1 Kings 19: 15 -17): • Hazael of Aram to wage war against Ahab • Jehu, son of Nimshi, to become the next king of Israel • Elisha, to succeed as prophet of the Lord – Fulfillment of this commission: • Ahab is killed (1 Kings 22: 29 -37) • Family of Ahab is killed (2 Kings 1: 16 -17, 9: 24, 10: 6 -11, 10: 17) • Prophets of Baal were killed (2 Kings 10: 17 -28) • Jezebel’s own dramatic death (1 Kings 21: 23, 2 Kings 9: 30 -37)

Lessons for us from the life of Jezebel – Our influence over our husbands and families is a powerful thing, indeed: • 1 Peter 3: 1 -2 • Ephesians 6: 4 • 1 Samuel 1: 27 -28 – Our choice of spouse has far-reaching significance: • 2 Corinthians 6: 14 • 1 Corinthians 15: 33 – Our decisions can and should have national significance: • • • Proverbs 14: 34 Luke 20: 25 Romans 13: 1