1 Kings 21:25
25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
It has been said that anyone can be a teacher. Some can teach us what to do while others can teach us what not to do, Ahab was definitely of the the latter sort. It is good to excel in your field, and Ahab certainly excelled, "There was none like Ahab," but it was wickedness that he excelled at. Our one verse of Scripture summarizes the life of our wicked teacher and teaches us several lessons about sin.
It tells us of the Wages of sin, "Which did sell himself." That is the high cost of sin, self. That's what men have to trade with in the market of sin, sure they get some pleasure, some fame, some fortune, some earthly wealth, that's if they play their cards right. Others have gone to the exchangers and lost themselves and everything in this life. While Ahab's cards fell right and he got what he wanted here on earth don't think that he came out on top, still he "did sell himself." It cost him his soul, which is more valuable than everything this world has to offer, "What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?" So it is with all men, the wages of sin is death. Men at first trade their lives here on earth for their sins; The drunkard trades his money for his sin, then his job, then his family, then his home, and eventually his soul is lost for eternity, he sold himself to work wickedness. The Fornicator sells his dignity for his wickedness, then his conscience, then his family, then his body, and one day his soul awakes in hell, he sold himself to work wickedness. The wages of sin is death, which is where Ahab is headed in a few short chapters.
Then our verse shows us the Work of sin, "To work wickedness." Sin is an industry and some men are professionals in their trade. A tradesman becomes a professional by years of experience and many investments of time and money. So do sinners become great sinners by working wickedness. The longer you do it, the easier it becomes, A liar can become a master by long years of practice. Many professional thieves started as petty pickpockets but kept up their work. That is the danger of sin, that it is like any other industry a man gives himself to, eventually you'll become talented in your trade and your conscience becomes seared to the effects of your sinfulness. Be careful not to work wickedness, because in the end it will be the one working you.
Our next phrase shows us the Witness of sin, "In the sight of the LORD." All sin is in the sight of the Lord. There is not one deed that he has ever missed, one lie he has not heard, one deceptive plot he has not seen right through, or one wrong motive that he did not know. "Nothing is hid to him." I think men forget or purposely put it out of their minds that the judge we will stand before, in the end, knows and sees all things, hears all words, knows all thoughts, and weighs all actions with the motive they were worked in. We must remember there is a witness to our sins, The LORD. This is his All-powerful name Jehovah, the creator, the one who possesses All power, all might, all knowledge, the self-existent one, and it is his personal name. This is not a force we will stand before, but a personal God, with a mind and a will, and with wrath. There is a personal God who sees all we have ever done, hears all we will ever say, and knows our intentions. Yet Ahab was above others in his life of sin because his sin was not in ignorance but in knowledge, he sinned against the light of the Prophets preaching to him, the scriptures warning him, God's mercy extended to him time and time again, and all of these will stand witness against him in the judgment, and the judge that saw it all will compound the sentence because of all the witness that he had and all the light that was shed to bring him to repentance.
Lastly, we see the wife of sin, "Whom Jezebel his wife stirred up." The only person more wicked than Ahab was his wife Jezebel. She was the one who was often "Stirring him up" to do so wickedly. A wife is meant to be a helpmeet, and she was but the wrong sort, she is the anti-wife, that is, she did everything that a wife should not do. The Words "Stirred up" are very interesting, the first time these words are used in the scripture is in Deuteronomy 13:6-10. In those verses, there are instructions to stone whoever may "Entice" you to serve false gods, even if it be mother, brother, father, and yes, even wife. According to the Law, Ahab should have never taken Jezebel as a wife in the first place, then when she started her idolatry she should have been put to death, rather he kept her around and the initial sin of disregarding God's law gave way to more and more wickedness until "There was none like unto Ahab." This a warning to watch the company we keep. Do the people around us stir us up to do right or wrong? Caleb's daughter shows us a positive example of the use of this word when she "Moved" her husband to ask her father for a field. She provoked her husband to ask her father for a portion of the promised land which was blessed. Who we marry matters, who we associate with matters, if we are joined to wicked people they will stir us up to more wickedness but if we are joined to holy people, they will stir us up to holiness. What a teacher Ahab has been for us today, be sure to learn from his mistakes and not your own.
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