Session 16

Jezebel

From Eve & Adam: 30-Day Bible Study

King Ahab was the most evil of the kings of Israel, and his wife Jezebel, the most evil woman mentioned in the Bible. I think only two folks in all of history since were named after these two—in fiction. One of them got taken out by a whale; the other was only nicknamed so infamously. One doesn’t hear a mom standing on the porch yelling, “Jezebel, it’s time for lunch!”

Ahab’s wife murdered the prophets of the Lord. She was trying to wipe out the worship of God and turn Israel over to Baal, a false God. She forged Ahab’s name to documents, used her wiles to convince others to lie and for greed’s sake had a man stoned to death so Ahab could obtain his property—for a garden!

However, though she was able to turn a king and a country against the Lord God, no matter what she heard about Him, or what she knew to be true, though her priests of Baal, Asherah, her husband and even one of her sons were dead at the hand and prophesy of this God—in spite of what was about to happen to her, she refused to repent and see what was before her.

We are the women who are urging on our husbands. What are we missing in our urging? Are we listening to the world’s demands to direct our encouragement, or are we looking to scripture for our guide so that “they may be won over by the behavior…of a gentle and quiet spirit.”? (1 Peter 3)

1. As women who are constantly 'in the world,' and thereby struggling with what the world says is important—having the bigger home, the children with the most activities, baking the best chocolate chip cookies and/or being at the highest rung of the corporate woman ladder, where can you find the peace to know the role Jesus is calling you to?

2. Is it time for you to take stock of your 'Jezebel tendencies' to see if the god's you are serving might be those that could be labeled: greed, false witness, intimidation, abuse of power, pursuit of beauty instead of purity? Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to pursue whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. (Phil 4:8)