The story from 1 Kings 21:1-16
Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”
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| Jezreel is in Northern Israel, Southwest of the Sea of Galilee |
But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?” He answered her, (I imagine in a whiny voice) “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” (Can you hear him whining?)
Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? (This is funny to me.) Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him. In those letters she wrote: “Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges that he has blasphemed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth has blasphemed both God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.
Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.” As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.” When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.
Then, a few verses later (25-26), the writer of Kings tells us, "There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel."
So let me make sure I understand this story...
There was a man from Galilee who owned a vineyard. Then the "Evil One" told him to give up his vineyard and that he would give him a "better one". But the man from Galilee refused and the "Evil One" left him. (Read Matthew 4:1-11) Then the "Evil One" conspired a plan to get what he wanted. He had the man from Galilee falsely accused of blaspheming God by two "witnesses". (Read Mark 14:55-65) Then the man from Galilee was killed outside of the city. (Read John 19 and Hebrews 13:12) Hmmmm...
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
Jesus said in Matthew 20:1-16, "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard... (you can read the rest of the parable)
Immediately after telling this parable, Jesus said to them, (vv 18-19) "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law (the two scoundrels). They will condemn him to death (falsely accused of blaspheming God) and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified (outside of the city). On the third day he will be raised to life!”
Christ The First Fruits
About the resurrection, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him."
Oh yeah, one more thing, remember Naboth? His name literally means "fruits" (Strong's H5022). Look it up!
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