This week's Theme: My Portion Forever
Day 1: A Time for Justice
I watched, intrigued, as Ms. Emily* piled food from the hearthside iron pot onto the huge enamel plate. A glance in the pot showed me that she had taken out most of the meat, and a good portion of the ground provisions (root vegetables). They lay on the heaping plate she was preparing for her husband, Wilfred*.
Even my child’s brain calculated that the portion remaining in the pot could barely feed the rest of the family—about nine or ten in total. And I knew there was no chance everyone would get a portion of meat from the scanty remains of the pot.
But I also knew this was a common custom in the farming community where we lived—the "lion’s share" of any meal was reserved for the man of the household. And In many households where resources were limited or barely enough, this often meant some level of lack or deprivation for women and children.
The conventional wisdom was that the man worked long, arduous hours farming in the mountains, and should be given a generous portion of the fruit of his labor. But the custom was present even in some households where the man’s presence was transient or where he contributed little or nothing to the household.
The issue of resource-allocation has been part of the human experience almost from the beginning of time. Questions about fairness, justice, wisdom, judgment and balance are attached to all levels of human activities and transactions—from family decisions and interactions, to local, national, and international governance and geo-political decisions. Greed, covetousness, and competition have fueled conflict of every kind—from family squabbles and local skirmishes to full-scale global war.
Scripture gives us many insights into these issues—a stolen birthright (Genesis 25:27-34; Genesis 27), a special coat (Genesis 37:3). And then there is the account in 1 Kings 21:1-16 that shows more of the ugliness, darkness, and depravity of human covetousness and greed:
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.” But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors” (vs. 1-3).
Naboth exercised his right to keep the inheritance of his ancestors—land that had been in his family for generations—land that fell under the inheritance rules God had established to ensure fairness, continuity and resource preservation (Leviticus 25:23).
But Ahab did not like Naboth’s answer and threw a full-fledged tantrum: 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 (vs.4).
Enter Jezebel his wife, with a diabolical plot to frame Naboth and have him executed so Ahab could get the vineyard he coveted. With the full power of their royal position, Jezebel and Ahab are unstoppable and the plot succeeds:
…Jezebel 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 (vs. 15-16).
But the story did not end there. God sent the prophet Elijah to confront Ahab:
… [The Lord} says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel’… “And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel’ (vs. 21-23; see also vs. 17-19, 24).
Ahab and Jezebel ultimately faced the justice of the God whose power transcends all human rule, authority, and sway (see 1 Kings 22:29-39; 2 Kings 9:6-10; 14-26; 30-37). Their crimes had extended far beyond the matter of Naboth, but God had set a time for justice and accountability.
We cannot minimize the pain, frustration, and fallout of human injustice and oppression. But for everyone who has had a “vineyard” unjustly seized in the cruel machinations of familial, corporate, organizational, religious, political, government, and world power, God sees. He sees every encroachment, every illegal seizure, every theft, every evil deception, every land-grab.
Not everyone faces the swift justice of Ahab and Jezebel. But God has promised that eventually the time of accountability will come when the Ancient of Days takes His seat (Daniel 7:9)—when the divine court [is] seated, and the books [are] opened (Daniel 7:10; see also Revelation 20:12).
And every wrong will be made right.
*Names have been changed
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