Interview with Old Testament Figures – King Ahab

Interview with Old Testament Figures – King Ahab: Once again, we have the pleasure of presenting another scion of the Israeli family in our monthly interview with Old Testament figures. Today’s guest is King Ahab. The picture chosen to represent him captures the forces at play during his reign. On the one hand, his wife Jezebel had the most influence on him, while his major adversary was none other than one of the most famous prophets in ancient Israel, Elijah from Tishbe in Gilead.

Shepherd Heart: We are glad to have you with us, King Ahab.

King Ahab: The pleasure is mutual.

Shepherd Heart: Before we start the interview, it is important to emphasise to you and our readers that the exercise is not meant to judge anyone or apportion blame for the things that happened in ancient Israel. The idea is for our generation to learn from your experiences.

King Ahab: That is very kind of you. Actually, I would be the first to judge myself because I can now look back objectively and see how I failed God and my people miserably.

Shepherd Heart: Everyone living on this earth right now could say the same thing dear King, because we have all sinned and lost the glory of God. So, you are in good company! Kindly tell our readers whatever you want them to know about your person.

King Ahab: I succeeded my father, Omri as king of the Northern Kingdom in 874 BC. I reigned for twenty-two years until my physical death in 853 BC. My downfall actually started when I disobeyed God and went ahead to marry from the pagan nation of Sidon. My wife, Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians.

Shepherd Heart: What was the major attraction in Jezebel that made you to spit on God’s face by disobeying His command?

King Ahab: If you read the story of ancient Israel, particularly the rift that led to the emergence of the Northern Kingdom, it would be clear to you that Jeroboam, its first king laid the foundation of idolatry and the worship of Baal in the land. I was not raised by a godly father, neither did I have any personal encounter with the God of Israel.

Shepherd Heart: Acts 14:17 in the New Testament of the Holy Bible declares that God does not leave Himself without a witness. All through history, he had people like Noah, Abraham, Job and Daniel who made Him known to their generations. You had Elijah, a godly man who tried to bring revival to the Northern Kingdom by turning its people away from idolatry. Why did you not listen to him?

King Ahab: How could I have known that Elijah represented the true God? I had no conception of who God was because my parents did not know him as well. The entire Northern Kingdom was given to idolatry before I was born. I am not trying to excuse myself.

The truth is that I did not see my conflict with Elijah from your perspective. Of course, you have the entire Bible and can put all the pieces from Genesis to Revelation together to form a whole. People in our generation did not have the benefit of knowing God through the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

Shepherd Heart: Okay. Let us move on to your relationship with your wife, Jezebel. After the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, one of the curses God placed on women was that they would be subservient to their husbands thenceforth. That was the genesis of authority and submission in the home. Your relationship with Jezebel was clearly contrary to God’s design. She became the head of the home, while you tagged along as her lap dog. Why did you submit to the authority of your wife?

King Ahab: When you are a king with a wide range of responsibilities, you do not have too many people to trust through delegation of duties. I trusted my wife to look out for me and to protect my interest. I did not see her as a nuisance or one that had usurped my authority.

Shepherd Heart: When she goaded you into murdering Naboth, the Jezreelite to take over his vineyard, you believed this was a godly thing for anyone to do?

King Ahab: The conscience of man dies progressively when it is fed with evil continuously. At the time in consideration, I had no concept of right or wrong. I know many people operate from this realm of selfishness even in your generation.

Shepherd Heart: I hate to admit that you are correct in your assessment. Many people’s consciences have been seared (obliterated) with hot iron as 1 Timothy 4:2 said it would in the last days. Even then, did it never occur to you that you would not live forever? Killing a man just to take his vineyard would satisfy your cravings only as long as you are alive. Did you ever think of eternity and what would befall you when you die?

King Ahab: (Laughs) I can assure you that 90% of humans do not think about death and the afterlife. If they do, the world would be a kinder, friendlier and more accommodating place for everyone. When you are a king, as I was, the pomp and pageantry of the kingdom dominated your thoughts. Who would think of death under such a circumstance?

Shepherd Heart: Now, you are aware of the implications of man ignoring God and His will. You are certainly not where you expected to be. What is your advice to people in our generation that have no concept of right or wrong because their consciences are dead?

King Ahab: Everyone should know that heaven and earth may disappear, but God’s word is eternal, immutable, infallible and sacrosanct. He is strict, but also loving. There is forgiveness available for anyone who desires it. My candid advice is that everyone should embrace God’s mercy in the Messiah today, NOW.

Tomorrow may be too late. I also hasten to add that it is wrong for humans to put anything above God, including their spouses, children and careers. I learnt this rather late; but others do not have to wait until death knocks on their doors.

Shepherd Heart: Thank you very much dear King. We agree with you that is foolhardy for anyone to presume on God’s mercy by being reckless with his or her life. The time to make an about turn from darkness to light, from death to life is NOW.

King Ahab: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my experiences. I did not have the opportunity to make an about turn. Others who are fortunate by God’s grace to have a second chance should do themselves a favour by surrendering their lives to God immediately.

Shepherd Heart: We appreciate your wise counsel. Thanks once again for honouring us with your presence.

King Ahab: Many thanks for having me.