¹⁷ Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: ¹⁸ “Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. ¹⁹ Say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’” ²⁰ Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!” “I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD. ²¹ He says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free. ²² I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.’ ²³ “And also concerning Jezebel the LORD says: ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ ²⁴ “Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country.” ²⁵ (There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. ²⁶ He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the LORD drove out before Israel.) ²⁷ When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. ²⁸ Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: ²⁹ “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.”

–1 Kings 21.17-29 (NIV)

Yesterday we saw that Scripture contains stories of God’s interaction with his people and that the latter do not always behave in ways that are pleasing to God. Today’s lesson concludes yesterday’s sad story. You recall that Ahab had coveted an Israelite’s vineyard and pouted when his offer to buy it was rejected. This didn’t stop his wife Jezebel from taking matters into her own hands and having Naboth, the vineyard’s owner, murdered so that Ahab could possess what he coveted. Not exactly godly behavior on the part of a ruler of God’s people. Rather, it’s more indicative of the ways of the world God had called his people to help him heal and redeem.

As you might guess, this was very displeasing in God’s sight and so he speaks to Ahab through God’s prophet, Elijah (the “Troubler of Israel” as Ahab had called him). The writer makes clear that Ahab was the worst of the worse. As a leader of God’s people, he had led them to idolatry and all kinds of other wickedness that would surely separate them from God and result in their death. This latest episode was simply the icing on the cake and indicative of Ahab’s (and Jezebel’s) hard heart. So in quite graphic and earthy language, Elijah explains to Ahab what will be the consequences of his sins. You can’t read this and not wince–if you care at all about people, yourself included.

Again, we must read this story within the broader context of God’s rescue plan for sinful humanity. God in his wisdom has determined to help bring about his healing and redemption through his chosen people and through his Messiah Jesus, Israel’s true representative man. So it is is no surprise that God condemns Ahab and Jezebel for their waywardness and wickedness. Think of it this way.  As a parent you entrust your family’s good name and heritage to your children. You depend on them to pass your treasures on, by rehearsing your family story by being a good role model for others. But instead of embracing this gift they reject it and act in ways that are contrary to your wishes. If you care at all about your family, you will surely be grieved and displeased. This is essentially what we are seeing here in this interaction between God and his wayward ruler, Ahab.

But then the most wonderful thing happens.

When hearing God’s terrible condemnation pronounced on his family and him, Ahab repents. And what do God do? He extends grace to Ahab. Unbelievable! And totally undeserved! The punishment is not rescinded completely, but it doesn’t fall on Ahab because Ahab has humbled himself before God.

Think about this for a minute. Here comes pardon for a man who has led God’s people astray and who is guilty of murder. God does not tell Elijah to set a bunch of further conditions on Ahab before he receives this partial reprieve. No, because Ahab humbled himself before God by repenting, God spared his life. Let that sink in. There apparently is nothing too great that God is not willing to forgive except our unwillingness to turn away from our pride and waywardness. Consequences remain but pardon is given. Amazing (grace).

This story, then, is a powerful and poignant statement about the heart of God and anyone who reads this and whose heart is not completely hardened cannot help but be encouraged by it and take hope. It doesn’t matter what you have done or who you are. Nothing is beyond God’s forgiveness except your stubborn refusal to accept it by refusing to stop acting like you are God. Whatever it is that separates you from God, give it up to God by confessing it to him and then let him forgive and heal you.

You can find countless stories of God’s mind-blowing grace bestowed on the most wretched of people, people that most of us would run away from as fast as we can. Not God. God created us to have a relationship with him and to enjoy life. We just have to be smart enough to accept his terms for having that kind of relationship, which of course is for our good. When we do, we will find immediate forgiveness and release from all that weighs us down and keeps us separated from God. We learn to grow in faith and in the process, we learn what it means to be truly human. What does that look like? Take a look at the life of Jesus of Nazareth and there you will find your answer. But it all starts with us having the good sense to respond positively to God’s call to us to turn our lives around and make him the center of our world instead of ourselves.