DESTRUCTIVE DEDICATION
I Kings 16:30-31
INTRODUCTION
Those of us who are older probably will smile remembering when we were younger and older people would say, “This younger generation doesn’t know what work is! Why I remember … ” And off they would go. Now we catch ourselves doing the same thing. We want to quote to this younger generation words of wisdom like:
Thomas Edison said there is no substitute for hard work.
The best inheritance a parent can leave a child is a will to work.
There has never yet been man or woman in our history who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering Theodore Roosevelt
And each generation of older people are surprised by the fact that, “this young generation who has never had to work as hard as we did” does work that hard, and maybe harder in ways we never had to work.
As we mature, with rare exceptions, every generation learns the need of dedication, determination, and good old “sweat equity” in order to get ahead. Some even like it so much they become “work – holics.”
Work is good. Dedication to work is good. There is only one really important question: Is the work of any value? There are some people who wear themselves out working and have nothing to show or it at the end of their lives. Their hard work is “wasted years.”
For us as Christians we can dedicate ourselves to hard work knowing it will not be “wasted years” if it is in the work of the Lord.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
I Corinthians 15:58
Today is Mother’s Day. The word “mother” in the Greek should mean “work,” “long hours,” and “dedication.” It is doubtful that there is a mother here who has not done the “long hours” of dedication. But there can be sorrow in being a mother and a wife. The greatest sorrow that can come to being a mother or wife is when her life has been dedicated to ideas that destroy her family.
THEME: HOW CAN THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE DESTROY A FAMILY?
I. THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE CAN DESTROY A FAMILY WHEN SHE IS DEDICATED TO THE WRONG GOALS
A. The Goal Of “Cutting Off” God’s Message I Kings 18:4
1. The first religious female persecutor in history
2. Fanatical religious enthusiasm
3. Her power over Elijah
a. Elijah brought a three year drought to Israel
b. Elijah challenged the 850 prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel
c. When Jezebel said she was going to kill Elijah, he left the stage of Israel’s history and fled to the desert until God talked him into returning
B. The Goal Of Feeding The Wrong Message In The Home
NOTE:… the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table I Kings 18:19
1. A tremendous force of intellect and will
a. She challenged Elijah after Mount Carmel I Kings 19:2
NOTE: Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah … I Kings 19:2
b. She got Ahab Naboth’s vineyard I Kings 21:7
NOTE: … I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. I Kings 21:7
2. Relentless in her personal goals
a. She “cut off” the prophets of the LORD
b. She fed the prophets of Baal
3. Savage towards those who crossed her
C. All She Did Was In The Presence Of Her Children
1. She was their role model
2. Her children exhibited the same dedications in their lives as she displayed in her home
T.S. HOW CAN THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE DESTROY A FAMILY?
I. THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE CAN DESTROY A FAMILY WHEN SHE IS DEDICATED TO THE WRONG GOALS
II. THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE CAN DESTROY A FAMILY WHEN SHE IS DEDICATED TO THE WRONG DESIRES OF HER HUSBAND
A. Instead Of Encouraging Her Husband To Do Righteous I Kings 21:1-15
NOTE: She has been called the “Lady Macbeth” of Hebrew history
a. Her fanaticism has been liken to Mary, Queen of Scots
b. Also called “Bloody Mary” because of Mary’s zeal of killing Protestants and protection of the Catholic church
c. Her death parallels the death of Marie Antoinette
1. An outstanding example of what a woman ought not to be
a. And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. I Kings 21:7
b. And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Rahab, Rise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
c. And it came to pass, when Rahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Rahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. I Kings 21:15-16
2. She did not ask him to pray for God or Baal to get the vineyard for him
a. Baal was not a god interested in the personal needs of his subjects
b. She probably knew that God would not give them what was wrong for them to have
NOTE: And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14:13
3. She did not pray with him
4. She manipulated the laws of God with lies to get what she and her husband wanted
B. By Encouraging Her Husband To Sin I Kings 21:25
NOTE: Husband with weak family leadership; wife with strong family leadership
1. By the forcefulness of her character
2. She denied the ultimate value of spiritual victory
3. Because of her dedication to sin on behalf of her husband she became the enemy of God
NOTE: Both Caesar and Antony, after conquering almost the whole known world, were conquered by a woman, Cleopatra
4. She became the master of her husband instead of helping her husband to be mastered by God
T.S. HOW CAN THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE DESTROY A FAMILY?
I. THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE CAN DESTROY A FAMILY WHEN SHE IS DEDICATED TO THE WRONG GOALS
II. THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE CAN DESTROY A FAMILY WHEN SHE IS DEDICATED TO THE WRONG DESIRES OF HER HUSBAND
III. THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE CAN DESTROY A FAMILY WHEN SHE IS DEDICATED TO THE WRONG GOD
A. She Was Dedicated In Her Name
1. “Baal exalts”
2. “Baal is husband to”
3. “Unchaste”
4. By New Testament times the name Jezebel had come to mean the opposite of “unchaste” – “chaste”
a. “Free from carnal connection”
NOTE: The only time “Jezebel” is found in the New Testament Revelation 2:20
NOTE: The symbolic name of a woman who pretended to be a prophetess, and who, addicted to antinomianism (refusing to follow the laws of God), claimed Christian liberty of living in sexual sins and eating things sacrificed to idols
b. An important lesson
c. Originally she represented ‘unchasteness’ or soiled by sin
d. By the New Testament the definition had been changed by people to the opposite – ‘chaste’ or ‘spotless’
e. But the meaning of the name had never been changed by God
NOTE: There was a forceful, influential woman in the church who held sway over those who prided themselves in their liberty of carnality
NOTE: It is interesting to observe how many false religious systems have begun by a misguided woman
B. She Never Took Her Husband’s God
1. Her father
a. Ethbaal
b. “With baal”
c. He murdered his own brother in order to become king
NOTE: Phoenician
a. Outstanding entrepreneurs
b. Hard workers
c. Great sales people
d. Noted for their maritime trade routes
e. In the book of Isaiah the great sin of the King of Tyre was arrogant pride
2. Even though he named their children after Jehovah
NOTE: ‘Yeah, whatever’ (The meaning of their names meant nothing to her)
NOTE: The nut does not fall far from the tree
a. Ahaziah: Jehovah supports
1) Followed the sin of Jeroboam and Jezebel
2) He was religiously ecumenical
3) Worshipped the golden calves
4) Worshipped Baal
5) No record he ever even attempted to worship Jehovah
6) He died at an early age without God
b. Jehoram: Jehovah is exalted
1) He joined with the godly king of Judah, Jehoshaphat
2) They fought Moab
3) Because they could not win by themselves, he went along with Jehoshaphat and enlisted the aid of Elisha
NOTE: ‘Yeah, whatever,’ just like his mother
4) Then he walked away from Jehovah and was murdered by Jehu, the murdering king
c. Athaliah: Jehovah is strong
1) The daughter of Ahab and Jezebel
2) She copied the role model set by her mother
3) She married the king of Judah
4) She dedicated herself to two missions
a) She closed the Temple
b) She required everyone to worship Baal
5) She went so far as to order the murder of all her own grandchildren so Baal would prevail
C. Jezebel Died Dedicated To Baal
1. She died defiantly
NOTE: “A painted Jezebel” – In the 16th century painting the face was evidence that a woman had loose morals
2. She died violently
a. She stands out as a beacon to the Scripture that says, The wages of sin is death … Romans 6:23
b. She was dishonored in death
NOTE: Remember lot’s wife Luke 17:32
3. Her death reflected the fruits of her life
a. She died a violent death
b. Dogs ate her body
c. … the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalm 1:6
d. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. Proverbs 4:19
e. … the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. Proverbs 13:2
f. … the way of transgressors is hard. Proverbs 13:15
g. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not …
… and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Revelation 2:20-23
D. She Was The Opposite Of The Natural Outworking Of A Godly Mother
1. It is not that a Godly mother has to do something; she simply is something
2. The love of a mother can be a window for a child to see God
NOTE: Historical examples of Godly mothers
a. “Men are what their mothers made them” Ralph Waldo Emerson
b. Daniel Webster claimed that his masterful use of the English language was the result of his mother’s teaching
c. D. L. Moody attributed all of his accomplishments to the influence of his mother
d. An influential London pastor from a previous century said the tried unsuccessfully to be an infidel all because of his mother; he could never get away from the beauty, elegance and power of the Christian life of his mother
NOTE: Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Proverbs 31:28
NOTE: It has been said that outside of salvation, the greatest gift that a person can have in life is a godly mother
CONCLUSION
HOW CAN THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE DESTROY A FAMILY?
I. THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE CAN DESTROY A FAMILY WHEN SHE IS DEDICATED TO THE WRONG GOALS
II. THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE CAN DESTROY A FAMILY WHEN SHE IS DEDICATED TO THE WRONG DESIRES OF HER HUSBAND
III. THE DEDICATION OF A FAITHFUL WIFE CAN DESTROY A FAMILY WHEN SHE IS DEDICATED TO THE WRONG GOD
Sermons And Lessons From The Old Testament 