• Apologetics,  Old Testament

    Was Elijah Wrong? Looking at a ‘Failed Prophecy’ in 1 Kings 21 about Jezebel and Ahab

    The stories of the Old Testament sometimes contain difficult-to-swallow elements. One such story is the account of King Ahab, his wife Jezebel, and the stolen vineyard belonging to Naboth. This story, found in 1 Kings 21, reveals both the depths of human treachery and the certainty of God’s justice. It also offers a vivid look at how prophecy, geography, and historical context come together to shape our understanding of Scripture and prophecy. Although this is a relatively well-known story, there is a particular prophecy here that merits further consideration. Was Elijah guilty of false prophecy concerning the death of Ahab? The Background of Ahab and Naboth Whenever I’m in Israel, it is always one of the highlights to visit the Jezreel Valley. As long as it is a clear day (and not foggy), the views are breathtaking. It is easy to visualize many of the stories that occurred (and will…

  • Old Testament

    Hosea’s Kindergarten Disaster and the Bloodshed of Jezreel

    The names of the children of the prophet Hosea surely raised eyebrows in the Hebrew kindergartens of ancient Israel. God told Hosea to name the first child Jezreel, which means “May God sow” or “God will scatter.” The name could either be a blessing or a curse depending on how one looked at it. Furthermore, the Jezreel valley was notoriously known as a location of much fighting and bloodshed (1 Samuel 29:1-2 Samuel 2:8, 1 Kings 21:1, 2 Kings 9:24ff). One child with a strange symbolic name was not enough. Hosea’s second child was given the name Lo-Ruhamah, meaning “Not loved” or “Unloved.” Can you imagine the awkwardness during roll call when that name came up? “Is ‘unloved’ here?” For Hosea’s third child, God told Hosea name him Lo-Ammi, which means “Not my people.” Each of these names were rather shocking to the Israelites. Most importantly, they were symbolic names…