So Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?”

And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord: ‘Behold, I will bring calamity on you. I will take away your posterity, and will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both bond and free. I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and made Israel sin.’ And concerning Jezebel the Lord also spoke, saying, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field.” vs20-24

A curse does not come without cause: it is because of our sin that the Lord God punishes us. If we repent, then there is mercy; if we get mad at God and sorrow the wrong way, then there is a curse!

First, Ahab was warned by God that he was wrong, yet rather than humbling himself in repentance, he continued in sin.

But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!”

So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no food. [1 Kings 21:3-4]

He sorrowed but it was not according to God; it was the sorrow of the world that leads to death. This is sorrow without repentance.

Paul says,

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” [2 Cor 7:10]

Worldly sorrow says,

1. It’s not fair for God to punish me. He is too strict.

2. I can fix myself, I do not need Christ.

3. It sorrows over SOME SINS but not all. Herod did many things that John the Baptist said, but he never repented in godly sorrow [Mark 6:20].

The sorrow God gives leads us to Christ.

I saw a man recently who refused to repent of his sins, so he pretended righteousness. I preached, and then he acted like he said the same things all the time, when we both know it isn’t true. Rather than admit his wrong and humble himself (not to me but before God,) he played the hypocrite. Sometimes, it’s got to hurt and we realize that we are wrong, so we can turn. There is forgiveness and cleansing. The Physician comes to heal the sick, not the healthy, and if we are wounded, then He will help us. Let us be unafraid to ADMIT our sins before the throne of a gracious God.

Secondly, Ahab and Jezebel were evil! They were not punished for being nice or trying to be good and failing: they were punished for absolute rebellion and murder.

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who lives in Samaria. There he is, in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it. You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Have you murdered and also taken possession?” ’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs shall lick your blood, even yours.” ’ ” [1 Kings 21:17-19]

You will be punished for the same reason, because you are not a good person at all.

One man’s sister was dying of cancer. She called him one night, after many months of conversations. “Brother,” she said, “I’m not good enough.” His response, “You’re not good at all!”

You are not a sinner who needs a little clean up, but we are TOTALLY depraved and unable to come to Christ. We are so sinful that it takes a miracle to save us: It must be grace, 100%, so that even faith is provided.

“As it is written:

There is no one righteous, not even one.

There is no one who understands;

There is no one who seeks after God.

All have turned away; all alike have become useless.

There is no one who does what is good,

Not even one.” [Rom 3:10-12]

1. You are elected, and you added nothing to it.

2. You are saved by sovereign grace and sovereign mercy: You could not stop it, even if you wanted to, because God would change your heart and give you obedience, as promised in the covenant [Ezek 36:26-27]. Your willingness is the gift of God.

“For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift.” [Eph 2:8]

3. Works don’t save you. All our works are filthy rags, but we are created in Christ unto good works that He ordained [ordered and commanded in absolute sovereignty] that we would walk in [Eph 2:10].

If sinners took their place under God’s wrath, then they’d be spared, but they refuse to believe their filthiness, so they reject His grace and kindness! They will not go to the feast because they are good enough without God. People I preach to despise election and wiggle around like worms, trying to get off the hook, but bless God, He draws some of them.

Thirdly, Naboth was right for refusing to give up his inheritance:

But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!” [1 Kings 21:3]

Let us do likewise, unto the death, refusing to give up what God’s given us, which is eternal life.

The inheritance is not money, which may be here today and gone tomorrow; it is not health, because all die. God’s inheritance is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit; it is a new life that brings Him glory in the forgiveness of sins and good works that He produces; it is in heavenly bliss, where there’s no more pain, sorrow, or tears, forever, but only endless joy. God’s inheritance is the things that CAN’T BE SEEN.

“So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” [2 Cor 4:18]