“The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me.”
—Leviticus 25:23
“The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another, for every one of the people of Israel shall hold on to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.”
—Numbers 36:7
But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”
—1 Kings 21:3
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
—Matthew 5:5
In a short meditation on the Hebrew word for "vineyard", Chad Bird made a connection between the murder of Naboth and the parable Jesus taught about tenants of a vineyard who murdered the owner's son in hopes of seizing the vineyard for themselves. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record that the religious rulers “perceived” that Jesus was talking about them. It is a tragedy that they weren't as perceptive about themselves and the One who was walking among them!
And the contrast between Ahab's request and Naboth's response points to issues that go much deeper.
Deuteronomy records that Moses had long before warned the Israelites against imagining that “My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.” He instructed them to remember that the Lord was giver of all, in faithfulness to His covenant. But obsession with power and wealth had infected Ahab, magnified by the "might-of-hands" madness of Jezebel. Ahab ignored the Law of Moses; Jezebel opposed and fought against it.
The gospel writers don't state the connection explicitly, nor did Bird, but I suspect that people who knew the Law and Prophets would also recall that Ahab did more evil “in the sight of the Lord...than all who were before him” and then compounded his evils by marrying the murderous Sidonian princess Jezebel and following her lead in worshiping Baal.
In Psalm 37, in addition to singing that “the meek shall inherit the land”, David urges his audience not to fret about or be envious of evildoers. Jesus also taught His followers not to become consumed in anxiety. But He also knew that evildoers can cause great harm (now as then).
And when the Owner of the vineyard returns, He will hold them accountable.
Inheritance
The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
—Psalm 24:1-4
“The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me.”
—Leviticus 25:23
“The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another, for every one of the people of Israel shall hold on to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.”
—Numbers 36:7
But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”
—1 Kings 21:3
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
—Matthew 5:5
In a short meditation on the Hebrew word for "vineyard", Chad Bird made a connection between the murder of Naboth and the parable Jesus taught about tenants of a vineyard who murdered the owner's son in hopes of seizing the vineyard for themselves. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record that the religious rulers “perceived” that Jesus was talking about them. It is a tragedy that they weren't as perceptive about themselves and the One who was walking among them!
And the contrast between Ahab's request and Naboth's response points to issues that go much deeper.
Deuteronomy records that Moses had long before warned the Israelites against imagining that “My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.” He instructed them to remember that the Lord was giver of all, in faithfulness to His covenant. But obsession with power and wealth had infected Ahab, magnified by the "might-of-hands" madness of Jezebel. Ahab ignored the Law of Moses; Jezebel opposed and fought against it.
The gospel writers don't state the connection explicitly, nor did Bird, but I suspect that people who knew the Law and Prophets would also recall that Ahab did more evil “in the sight of the Lord...than all who were before him” and then compounded his evils by marrying the murderous Sidonian princess Jezebel and following her lead in worshiping Baal.
In Psalm 37, in addition to singing that “the meek shall inherit the land”, David urges his audience not to fret about or be envious of evildoers. Jesus also taught His followers not to become consumed in anxiety. But He also knew that evildoers can cause great harm (now as then).
And when the Owner of the vineyard returns, He will hold them accountable.