R. G. Lee based his famous sermon, “Payday Someday,” on the account of God’s judgment on Ahab in 1 Kings 21. The king and his wife, Jezebel, arranged for an innocent man to be stoned so he could seize the coveted vineyard owned by Naboth.
Because the people didn’t know better, Naboth was believed to be guilty of cursing God and the king. In fact, the entire community was involved in his death. Behind the scenes, Jezebel used two dishonest witnesses to convict an innocent man to death.
Everything seemed to be going Ahab’s way until God revealed His will to the prophet.
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria; he is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession.
You shall say to him: Thus says the Lord: Have you killed and also taken possession? You shall say to him: Thus says the Lord:
In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood” (1 Kings 21:17-19).
Jezebel plotted behind the back of Naboth to unjustly acquire his property. Unknown to the king and queen, God planned to reveal His judgment on the evil couple. He sent Elijah to the king to declare that there is always a “payday someday” for evil behavior.
Selling Yourself to Evil
Ahab was right to view the prophet as his enemy. He had become an enemy of God and Elijah stood on God’s side.
Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” (1 Kings 21:20a).
Notice the prophet’s answer: “I have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord,
I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel,
And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin” (1 Kings 21:20b-22).
The phrase that caught my attention was “You have sold yourself to do what is evil.” How do you sell yourself to do evil?
Ahab and Jezebel believed Naboth’s vineyard was more valuable than the vine grower’s life. They sold themselves to evil to acquire his property.
Ancient rulers are not the only ones to sell out their integrity and moral character to fulfill their lusts. The news media would have to find different sources of information if people didn’t sell out to evil on a daily basis.
What truth escapes humankind in our age is that there will be a “payday someday” for human sin. We may look at gross injustice and believe we will escape God’s judgment. The death of God’s only Son on the cross reveals God’s perspective.
If the cross is God’s solution to our sin-problem, then we have a serious problem indeed.
Human Repentance and God’s Response
When the king heard the pronouncement of God’s judgment on him, he asked for God’s mercy.
When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about dejectedly (1 Kings 21:27).
The good news is that God saw Ahab’s acts of repentance and responded with grace and mercy.
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me?
Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days, but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster on his house” (1 Kings 21:28-29).
We don’t know what the outcome would have been if Ahab and Jezebel returned to God with their whole heart. They wanted mercy, but not faithfulness and obedience. The result was they experienced the judgment Elijah prophesied.
The good news we can report is that Jesus is a friend of sinners. Jesus defeats His enemies by making them a friend.
Multitudes of people are like me, and first found God because they were afraid of eternal punishment. They heard a message like Lee’s “Payday Sunday” and turned to God.
As we hoped to escape God’s wrath, we discovered a loving heavenly Father. Our relationship turned from fear to friendship and love. We join the chorus of redeemed sinners and proclaim the goodness of the Lord.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 