Protecting Your Field
1. And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, near the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria.
2. And Ahab spoke to Naboth saying, “Give me your vineyard that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near to my house: and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you what it is worth in money.”
3. But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you.”
4. And Ahab came to his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth had spoken to him: for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he laid down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would not eat bread.
1 Kings 21:1-4
What are we giving up?
As children of God, we should all be aware of the threats and temptations that would tempt us to give up possessions that have been granted by the Almighty. The issue of inheritance, while it includes tangible possessions, actually goes beyond material things, and includes intangible treasures that have been passed down from generation to generation. Inheritance also speaks of the spiritual and cultural values that were transferred to us by our parents and grandparents. I am concerned that this generation stands in jeopardy of losing precious things because they do not appreciate the “spiritual gems” that once were so treasured by their ancestors. Are we giving up ground that we should be holding on to? Are we losing our inheritance from God and accepting thirty pieces of silver in exchange? It’s tempting to give up the spiritual field for the sake of gaining temporal things.
From the property perspective, family inheritances are being lost. There are some properties that were once owned by hard working families that have now reverted back to the localities due to the younger generation not paying the local taxes. What once was valued is now lost or even given away. Even more alarming are the spiritual losses that families are facing. On the spiritual side, the younger generation has devalued the religious practices that were once sacred to the Church. Baptism doesn’t mean much to young people of our day. Family prayer is just a bygone ritual. Reading the Bible together and talking about the things of God is rare these days. Folks dressing up and going to Church is considered unnecessary in today’s anything goes culture. Building a holy relationship with God is seen as old fashioned and outdated. Preachers don’t preach about Hell and Sin because that is considered too offensive and not seeker friendly. The bottom line is that we have given up our field for things that matter little in eternity. At some point, we need to ask ourselves if we are selling our field at a cheap price.
Resisting Ahab’s Offer
The Scripture text introduces us to an important truth about property inheritance in Israel. What made it such a critical practice was the fact that God granted the children of Israel their possessions in the land of Canaan. The land inheritance was a testimony of God’s gift. The land inheritance also spoke of a person’s faithfulness. Holding on to God’s gift was critical. The land inheritance provided a place of belonging. It was a home place that every Israelite took pride in. There was a ceremonial relationship between the people of Israel and God which centered on the land. God dwelt among His people as they cultivated and maintained the land. They would no longer be vagabonds, slaves, or aliens because they possess a land that was given to them by God.
It is no wonder that Naboth refused to give Ahab his inheritance. And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, near the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria. And Ahab spoke to Naboth saying, “Give me your vineyard that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near to my house: and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you what it is worth in money.” But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you.” Naboth was devoted to holding on to God’s gift.
There are some cautions that we must heed if we are to hold on to God’s gift and God’s field that has been granted to us. First, don’t allow those in authority to force you from your position in Christ. Ahab was the king and a very powerful influence in the land. Yet, this did not deter Naboth from holding on to God’s gift. His response was simply, “The Lord forbid me.” Property rights are one thing, but God’s authority over your life is the sole reason why you should not give up your field.
Not only was Naboth aware of his position as a gift from God, he did not allow where he was to compromise what he had. Please note that Naboth’s vineyard was adjacent to the king’s palace. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, near the palace of Ahab. It happens far too often that people will compromise what they have simply because of where they are at the present time. The excuses are, “well I was with friends and so I went along with them.” “I was at a weak point so I gave in.” “I was tired of being the only one standing for what was right.” The excuses go on and on but the results are the same. Back in the day, a popular group, Three Dog Night had released a song called Mama told me not to come. It was not only a tribute to the advice of the mother but also a testimony as to why you should not go certain places and do certain things. Just because it is different doesn’t change the fact that it is dangerous. If you compromise your gift as a result of your surroundings, then you will lose what God has given you. Stand in your field.
There is one final example that Naboth presents that is critical to holding on to your field in the face of temptation. Naboth was not just a property owner, Naboth was using God’s gift. When the gift is in use, the threat of compromise is less likely to happen. Use your gift. The land inheritance of Naboth was used as a vineyard, but Ahab wanted to turn it into a vegetable garden. And Ahab spoke to Naboth saying, “Give me your vineyard that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near to my house.” If you don’t use your gift, the enemy will always try to turn it into something else. For that reason, we should use the Gift God has given. Paul reminded his young protégé Timothy, that he needed to stir up the gift of God that was in him. (2 Timothy 1:6). Work the field that God has given you. Don’t try to be someone else and don’t allow others to sow their stuff in your field. It’s your field that God has granted you.
Field occupants have a much better praise record than field owners. There are a lot of folk that claim they are saved but they are not doing anything with their field. Your field is your life. It has been given to you by God. When you were lost in sin, your field was totally unfit. But God had mercy on you and called you out of the darkness and into His marvelous light. As a testimony to the goodness of God, you need to be thankful and useful to the Kingdom of God. Don’t allow the weeds of bad habits to overtake the possession that God has granted. Read God’s Word and allow His Spirit to work in your life and I guarantee you will start producing good fruit.
Dying but Still Holding On
Lest we forget who Ahab was married to, the story does not end with Ahab simply sulking in his selfishness. Oh no, that’s not how the story ends. When Jezebel found out that Naboth would not give her husband the vineyard, she conspired to have the man killed. She convinced the folks in Naboth’s hometown to hold a fast and invite Naboth. When everyone had gathered, two worthless men lied that they heard Naboth blaspheme God and the king. The townsfolk then stoned him to death. (see 1 Kings 21:8-15). Once the orders were carried out and Naboth was killed, Jezebel informed Ahab that he was the new property owner. I know that is not the happy ending we expected but we must realize that if you do right before God, there is no guarantee that you will not suffer. As a matter of fact, Jesus said, blessed are those who are persecuted for My Name sake, for great is their reward in Heaven. (Matthew 5:11-12). Stand in your field as Naboth did and God will avenge you of your enemies.
Here is where commitment to Christ applies to our life. Naboth was willing to die for what he believed in. Are you that committed? Look at it this way, you will die eventually any way – so why not stand? Tell the devil and everyone else that they cannot have your field. Defend your field and let God defend you.
When Ahab found out that Naboth was dead, he went down to see the vineyard but found out that taking possession was still not possible. Elijah the prophet met him in the field and informed him that, “the same place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth they would also lick up his blood.” In other words, he was going to die and so would Jezebel. Ahab did not realize that Naboth had God as his attorney. Any property disputes would be handled by the Master. Naboth was vindicated because he still was able to pass on his property to the next generation.
Charles Swindoll, nationally known preacher, and Bible teacher told a wonderful story of how we should stand in our field and share the love of Christ. Even when others mistreat you and reward you with evil, stand for what is right. Swindoll says that two men shared a hospital room as they recovered from their sickness. One man had a bed beside the window while the other was in a corner near the door. Both would be in the facility for a long time so they made the best of each day. The man near the window would tell of how the birds were singing in the trees. Somedays he would describe how children were playing in a nearby park. The man by the door would sit and listen but he longed to have the bed by the window. Then one night, the man in the bed by the window started gasping for breath. The other gentleman reached for the call bell but then thought to himself, “now is my time to get that bed by the window.” So he laid the call bell aside and waited until morning. Sure enough, the medical staff found the other man dead and quickly removed him from the room. The other man asked the nurse, “since the other man is deceased, could you move my bed by the window.” She said yes. She rolled his bed to the other side near the window. As she pulled open the drapes, the man gasped with amazement to find that the only view was a brick wall. The moral of the lesson is obvious. Enjoy what God has given you. That is your field. Do not envy what belongs to someone else. Always remember that your field is valuable to God.