The Cursed Woman

No one will get away with sin forever. God delays His judgment to give people time to repent (2 Peter 3:9), but His patience can run out. After neglecting to repent when given numerous opportunities, Jezebel would eventually meet her unhappy end (see 1 Kings 21:23–25). Ahab’s desire to own a vineyard drove Jezebel to plot the death of an innocent man, Naboth. An obsession such as greed can severely taint our sense of good and bad.

If we allow sinful passions to control us, then we are in danger of committing a multitude of other sins. If we allow God to help us follow in His footsteps, however, our lives will reflect honesty, genuineness, kindness, and empathy. He will be able to fulfill His plan for our lives. We follow Him when we surrender our lives to Him through faith in Jesus Christ.

What kind of influence are we in our homes, churches, workplaces, and communities? Some people behave righteously on the Sabbath day but not on weekdays. In their everyday lives, some people move fence lines, coveting the property, jobs, or positions of others. They appear to be no different than those who do not profess to be Christians.

Ahab and Jezebel surrounded themselves with people of like mind. They avoided—or punished—people who held them accountable. When we are surrounded by people with bad behavior and evil hearts, we can be influenced by their characters. Ahab and Jezebel were “good examples” of bad role models and bad behaviors. They had opportunities to understand and pursue the ways of God since the righteous prophet Elijah often confronted them in the name of God. However, they chose to work against God.

Jezebel was a self-styled prophetess who encouraged a profligate lifestyle (see Revelation 2:18–23). Her fury knew no bounds when the God of Israel was victorious on Mount Carmel—and her false prophets were killed. Jezebel’s story of rebellion and punishment reminds us how dangerous it is to have relationships with people who would lead us astray. We need to choose friends wisely and spend time with people who would point us to God.

Friends, let’s be careful to walk in the light of God’s Word and be good role models.

Pauline Gesare Okemwa