Sunday Morning September 2, 2001 Bel Aire Baptist Church, Hobbs, New Mexico
Series: Finding Freedom From Sin #5
WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?
1 Kings 21
Introduction:
1. There is a popular song amongst our youth and children titled “Who Let The Dogs Out?” The lyrics go like this, “Who let the dogs out?” and then they bark. I really get a good laugh each time I hear the song.
2. As we study this text this morning we will see some things about the dogs being let out, but more importantly, I want us to compare two people: Ahab and Naboth.
3. As we continue in our series “Finding Freedom From Sin,” I want us to see what living in sin and living in God’s will looks like.
4. Turn with me to 1 Kings 21.
I. The Story
A. An Offer No One Could Refuse- Or Could They? (1 Kings 21:1-4)
1. Ahab decides he wants to plant a garden and since he wants it to be “close to home”, he decides he will buy or trade for Naboth’s land.
2. Now Ahab was shocked that Naboth rejected his offer.
a) Who wouldn’t take this great deal?
b) This was something Ahab could not really understand because he had such little concern about God’s law.
3. Naboth’s decision was not based upon a business decision but by Biblical principles.
4. When God gave the land of Canaan to Israel, He divided it among the tribes and God set down some laws that prevented the land from permanently changing hands outside the tribe to which it was allotted.
a) This is why Naboth said, “the Lord forbid”.
5. We now see Ahab pouting like a big baby.
a) He went home and got in bed and refused to eat.
B. Jezebel Acquires Ahab’s Forbidden Fruit” (1 Kings 21:5-16).
1. Jezebel finds her husband being a crybaby and wants to find out what has happened.
2. Notice how Ahab changes the story.
a) He mentions nothing about why Naboth said no.
3. Now we see Jezebel telling her husband to dry his eyes and act like the king.
a) She also tells him she will take care of the problem.
4. Jezebel sets up a scheme that has Naboth killed.
a) Jezebel gets trumped up charges on this innocent man and he is put to death.
b) Who else did this happen to? Jesus.
5. As soon as Jezebel knew that Naboth was dead she told her husband to take his new land.
C. Ahab’s Kingdom Is “Going To The Dogs” (1 Kings 21:17-26)
1. Imagine, King Ahab is standing on his new land thinking, “I’ll put my tomatoes over here and my peppers over there,” when all of a sudden appears Elijah.
2. Obviously, Ahab is not real fond of Elijah and we see Elijah delivering the message of God’s judgment.
3. God’s message was that dogs would lick Ahab’s blood up.
4. Dogs would devour Jezebel’s body.
5. These were not very royal burials were they?
D. And Can It Be? (1 Kings 21:27-29)
1. We have become use to Ahab pouting, but it is hard to believe this.
2. Ahab repented to God.
3. Talk about mercy.
4. God forgives Ahab.
5. Now Ahab would still have to face the consequences of his sin, but God had forgiven him.
II. The Comparison
A. Ahab
1. Ahab was the most evil king Israel had seen up to that point in history.
2. Ahab definitely deserved the judgment of God, but then all sinners deserve God’s eternal wrath.
Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
3. I am surprised that Ahab repented, but when he did, God was delighted in his repentance.
a) We see here that there will be a “pay day some day”.
b) We will all be judged for those things we have done.
4. As Christians those sins, those things that were not for the Kingdom, will be burned up.
a) What will be left of your life?
b) For those without Christ as your Savior, you will have to face eternal judgment in hell forever and ever.
5. There is only one way to escape God’s eternal judgment in hell and that way is Jesus Christ.
B. Naboth
1. As I was considering the way God works to accomplish His will in our text, I turned to Psalm 37, which tells Christians to not worry about the success of the wicked.
2. Let’s turn to Psalm 37.
a) Did you notice how many times it says, “They will possess the land”?
3. Folks, this land being talked about was an eternal land. Heaven!
4. If you are a Christian, you have an eternal, inherited land in heaven.
5. Naboth lived for God and it cost him his life.
a) What are you willing to sacrifice for God?
Conclusion:
1) If you follow the rest of this story, you will find that Ahab fell back into sin and the prophecy was fulfilled.
a) Dogs licked his blood up.
2) You will also find that Jezebel was pushed from a high window and before anyone could get to her body to bury her, the dogs devoured her.
3) Let me assure you this morning that sin will devour your life if you allow it to and you may think that you are getting away with it, but God is a holy and just God and He cannot and will not let you get away with it.
4) Right now your life is representative of one of these three characters:
a) Ahab: A terrible sinner that repented and God forgave him.
b) Jezebel: A terrible sinner that never repented and was devoured by that sin and landed in hell.
c) Naboth: A man of God that trusted the promises of God so much that he lost his life here on earth but gained his eternal inheritance in heaven.
5) Where do you stand with God today?
