Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Oct 2nd, 2012 Just for Ladies – by Camille Stahl

Today’s Passage –Zechariah 6 – 9 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Psalms 6 – 10; Proverbs 2)

Scripture Memory for July – Matthew 5:1 – 16

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 3:5 & 6

Read “Are You a Curse Among the Heathen?” from Zecharaiah 8

The Study of Women in the Bible

JEZEBEL, A VERY WICKED WOMAN

“And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.” (1Kings 16:29-31)

“And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. 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.” (1Kings 21:4-7)

“And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.” (1Kings 21:23)

After rereading the life of Jezebel, I wondered what kind of childhood she had that would make her so evil. With not much thought, it was from serving pagan gods instead of the One True God. She was a Zidonian princess who married King Ahab of Israel. As leaders of Israel, God’s people, one would think they would be serving God. But Ahab did more to provoke the Lord then all the other kings of Israel before him. King Ahab allowed Jezebel to kill God’s prophets. Not even after knowing about the fire God sent down from heaven, she would not believe in God. In fact, she was so mad that she wanted to kill Elijah, but God protected him.

Later we see Ahab in the corner sucking his thumb sulking because he didn’t get what he wanted, Naboth’s vineyard. This enraged Jezebel even more. She comes to her husbands rescue and takes charge, by falsely accusing Naboth, and having him stoned to death. God then sent Elijah to the Jezebel to inform her of her bleak future. In a battle with Aram, Ahab died, but Jezebel stayed powerful for another 10 years by manipulating her sons Ahaziah and Joram. They were as wicked as their father Ahab. Elijah’s prophecy came to pass when God raised up Jehu to kill off Ahab’s family. With Jehu as the new king, he had her thrown out of her window where she was trampled by horses. When the men went to bury her, there was little to bury.

What a sad ending to a Queen of Israel. How much better her life would have been if she just excepted the God of Israel. I’m sure she heard the profits teachings, but rejected it. Her heart was hard. Her life was filled with anger. She loved to manipulate people. She was an overbearing wife and one who wanted to be in control.

Do you know someone like that? They are all around us. You know that person who when they walk into the room, the hair on your neck stands up. They are as lost as Jezebel was. How do you treat them? Have you tried to share the love of Christ to them? When I sit down to write a blog, I ask the Lord to take a situation from the previous week to use and give me a woman for the example. Believe it or not God gave me Jezebel. Let me explain. This past Saturday my husband and I were selling items at the Galloway Community Yard Sale. I had a negative run-in with a male customer. Later he came back and motioned me to pick up an item we had on the ground. I did, and gave it to him. He then threw it back on the ground and walked away. I was so angry, to my shame, I wanted to spit in his face. I knew he wasn’t saved (reason, I will not share). Now, I am so mad at myself for not giving him a John and Romans booklet with a church track. Why? Pride and prejudice. His blood is on my hands. He was my Jezebel. An unloved typed of person. Christ died for him too. Will you join me in looking for today’s Jezebels and share the “Good News of Salvation”? I blew it more than many times. Now I am sending you a warning so you don’t blow it to.

VOICES – By Harvest

Voices in the cities, Voices in the Streets, Voices in each home across the land. Voices in the churches, saying peace be still, but where are all the voices in my fields. – Millions and millions are dying, millions and millions are crying, millions and millions don’t know who I am. – Children on the highways, children on the run, mothers in the ally ways, their killing off their sons. The world is blinded in darkness, I’ve given them the way, but where are all my voices who’ll lead them out today. – Millions and millions are dying, millions and millions are crying, millions and millions don’t know who I am. Where are the millions who love me, and where are the millions who say they know me, where are the millions who stand and follow me. – Millions of people. Hear them crying. See them dying.

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (1John 5:11-13)

Thank You