I Kings 21 tells the story of Ahab and Naboth's vineyard.  Jezebel plotted the death of Naboth, but it was Ahab's sin of coveting that instigated this tragedy.  Elijah confronts Ahab with these words, " I have found you because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord." (v20) The CJB translates it this way, " .. you have given yourself over to do what is evil from Adonai's perspective." 

When Elijah told Ahab what judgements he and his family would suffer, Ahab humbled himself by tearing his clothes and putting on sackcloth and by fasting.  God granted Ahab 3 more years before he was killed in battle.  

I Kings 22 tells of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, coming to Ahab and joining forces against the king of Aram.  Although Ahab went in disguise, he suffered a fatal wound and died.  His ivory palaces and many cities.. did nothing to stop the Word of the Lord - ".. and the dogs licked up his blood." 

Ahaziah, Ahab's son followed his father's reign with one as evil.. he "provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger according to all that his father had done." 

This passage reminds us that we each choose to give ourselves - either we give ourselves to do what is right in God's perspective or we chose to do what is evil. There is no middle ground.  Men want to define good and evil from their own perspectives these days.. but that is not what God will judge us by.  Our liberal world wants to justify immorality and murder of unborn children, claiming the "rights" of human individuality.  But, that is a wicked deception that people are "selling" themselves over to... These sins will always provoke our Holy God to anger. May God wake up this nation to the Truth!

God, our Father, You are holy and completely true.  You judge with perfect righteousness . As your word declares.. none of us are righteous, no not one. Forgive us, we pray.   We are so thankful for the Savior, Jesus Christ, who came to set us free from all unrighteousness by becoming the propitiation for our sins. Only in Jesus can we be bought from the slave market of evil and brought into the Kingdom of God.  We are thankful for the cross. Thank You for Life eternal through Jesus the Messiah.  We celebrate the holy birth of Jesus, amazed that while we were all sinners, He came to earth, setting aside His Majesty, for us. Help us to grasp this truth in a deeper way this Christmas season.  Bring us nearer to Your heart we pray... in Jesus' name. Amen.