Continuing with the same passage as the previous article, let’s consider the cause of King Ahab of Israel’s affront to God, and the behaviors and choices that led God to pronounce punishment upon him.
(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the LORD drove out before Israel.)
1 Kings 21:25-26 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/1ki.21.25-26.NIV
The root cause of Ahab’s evil seems to have fundamentally been in building idols, worshiping false gods, and leading the people of Israel to do the same.
This should have been an obvious error. The first of the Ten Commandments told the Israelites to not do that, after all (see Exodus 20:3-6): Don’t have any other gods except the real God, and don’t make idols. I think that there was a reason that God put those commands first.
Now, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ahab still gave lip service – and maybe even sacrifices – to the true God, but the thing about the truth is that if you mix it with anything else, it’s no longer the truth. We can learn elsewhere how worship of other gods in that era led to some pretty evil practices, but even if other beliefs seem like they are “pretty good”, they have missed the true Source of love, power, and salvation. Even in the modern world, there are groups today that might seem like good people and good citizens, but when their god isn’t the real God, they are still on the wrong path.
Now, when it comes to idolatrous people who used to live in the Promised Land before the Israelites, there are those – even Christians – who struggle with God’s command for the Israelites to completely destroy the former occupants of the land of Canaan. I can understand the challenge of sorting that out, since this is a complicated topic.
However, the fact is that idolatry is so, so, so evil that it had to be removed entirely from God’s people. If they left this poison in their midst, they had little chance of being a healthy, strong nation who could be blessed by God. And, when they did not fully drive out idolatry from their land, or when they went to lengths to invite it back in, the consequences were just as bad as God knew that they would be.
In the end, it just doesn’t make sense to sit in what you know will hurt you.
- Imagine an alcoholic who leaves a 6-pack of beer or a bottle of whiskey with shot glasses out on the counter, and walks by it every day.
- Imagine a person struggling with pornography who keeps bookmarks to the wrong websites right there on their browser.
- Imagine the girl whose boyfriend abuses her, yet she moves in with him.
Regrettably, these situations are not only real today, but you and I have probably lived right next to temptations that we’re weak against. Sometimes, these scenarios are unavoidable. Other times, we can try to rationalize choices that surround us with temptation. However, when we have a choice, it’s best to get away and stay away!
From Sunday School lesson prepared for May 25, 2025
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – 1 & 2 Kings, by Jesse C. Long, Jr. © 2002 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 