Gilbert House Fellowship #449: 1 Kings 21–22

AHAB OBVIOUSLY didn’t wear the pants in his family.

This week, we discuss the episode of Naboth’s vineyard. Ahab pouted because Naboth refused to sell it to the king. Jezebel solved that problem by writing an order using Ahab’s royal seal—an early example of the autopen?—falsely accusing Naboth of cursing God and Ahab (an early example of lawfare!).

For this sin, Elijah was told by God to let Ahab know that his days were numbered and that his dynasty would end with his son.

1 Kings 22 gives us an example of the divine council in action:

“Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; 20 and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ (1 Kings 22:19–22, ESV)

It goes without saying that God knew how this would play out. And He certainly didn’t need the help of this unnamed spirit to carry out His will. God created the divine council for the same reason He created you and us: He desires family.

NOTE: We will be at the Mysteries of the BibleVerse conference in Indianapolis next weekend. If you are in the area, please consider joining us, Carl Gallups, Micah Van Huss, and others for a gathering based on things your Sunday School teacher didn't talk about. Registration at MarginalMysteries.com.

And there will be a live stream! Register for streaming video at faithnettv.lightcast.com.

Here’s the link to the excellent brace Derek wears to correct drop foot.

Sharon’s niece, Sarah Sachleben, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah.

Our new book The Gates of Hell is now available in paperback (https://amzn.to/4esHHgu), Kindle (https://amzn.to/3XR6KnV), and as an audiobook at Audible (https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Gates-of-Hell-Audiobook/B0DCX4YNVZ)!

Derek’s new book Destination: Earth, co-authored with Donna Howell and Allie Anderson, is now available in paperback (https://amzn.to/3YOHZJE), Kindle (https://amzn.to/3UBG1K5), and as an audiobook at Audible (https://www.audible.com/pd/Destination-Earth-Audiobook/B0DDV1ZC8R?qid=1730562326)!

If you are looking for a text of the Book of 1 Enoch to follow our monthly study, you can try these sources:

• Parallel translations by R. H. Charles (1917) and Richard Laurence (1821)