阅读经文 

整本旧约圣经中的君王，大部分都是邪恶的，而其中最邪恶的就是亚哈。在他作王的二十二年中，他“行耶和华眼中看为恶的事，比他以前的列王更甚”；（参王上 16:30）在他的王后耶洗别的协助下，他积极和暴力地在以色列提倡敬拜别的神。

在今天的经文中，我们看到亚哈所作的其中一件最卑鄙的事，他的贪婪因耶洗别妄用权力而变得更加夸张，与此同时，我们更看到长老贵胄的合作和两个匪徒的诬告，情形就像整个政府都有份参与谋害一个无辜的人那样，目的是要抢夺他的地土。

这是以色列历史上黑暗的一页，然而，在这黑暗中，以利亚却像闪电般发出光芒，他向所有人传讲神的话，他一次又一次指责亚哈和以色列民的罪恶和呼召他们悔改。耶和华是不会容许这邪恶的王继续误导祂的子民偏离正路的。

有些时候，我们需要落在非常厌恶自己的罪恶的地步，才能激发我们渴望得到恩典的；有些时候，我们需要诚实地评估我们的领导人的腐败和偶像崇拜，才能再次令我们渴慕我们真正的君王耶稣的良善的。

Throughout the Old Testament most of the kings are bad. But the worst is King Ahab. In his 22 years as king he does "more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him" (1 Kings 16:30). With the help of his queen, Jezebel, he vigorously and violently promotes the worship of other gods in Israel.

In today's reading we hear of one of Ahab's most dastardly acts. And his greed gets magnified by Jezebel's drive for power. Along with this we also see the cooperation of the elders and nobles and the lies of two scoundrels. It's as if the whole government is participating in this plot to kill an innocent man and steal his land.

This is a dark chapter in Israel's history. But into that darkness comes the lightning flash of Elijah, who speaks God's word to all the people. Again and again, he confronts Ahab and Israel with their sins and calls them to repent. The Lord will not allow this vile king to lead his people astray forever.

Sometimes we have to be sufficiently disgusted with our sinful ways in order to gain an appetite for grace. Sometimes it takes an honest assessment of the corruption and idolatry of our leaders to make us hunger afresh for the goodness of our true King, Jesus.