The Kindness and Severity of God

One of the attributes that is valued in parents is their consistency. Parents, it seems, should treat their kids the same way, day in and day out. Obviously if kids can't figure out what their parents care about or how they'll respond to the kids' actions, it is hard for them to learn or have confidence in what will come.

Given this, I find God's actions in 1 Kings 21 a bit confusing. Ahab was an awful king, the seventh of the kings in the Northern Kingdom of Israel none of whom could be considered good kings. In this chapter, he selfishly approaches Naboth, a commoner in his kingdom, to buy or trade for Naboth's vineyard. In a way it seems that Ahab does the honorable thing. He offers to buy the land, but Naboth views his land not as something to be bought or sold, but as God's gift to himself and to his descendants. Accordingly, Naboth says that the land isn't for sale or trade, no matter what is offered in return. In response, Ahab was 'vexed and sullen,' being so upset that he wouldn't eat.

Enter one of the worst characters in biblical history, Jezebel. She essentially says, "You are king. You can have whatever you want. Let me show you!" And she was right given the common view of kings in that day.

So she arranges to have Naboth killed and then tells Ahab to go claim the land. Ahab does and all seems fine, that is, until Elijah the prophet arrives. He has very harsh words from God to Ahab. Among his predictions: dogs will eat the flesh of Ahab's family in the city, and birds will eat the flesh of Ahab's family in the country. For a society that highly values care for bodies of the dead, it is hard to imagine a harsher judgment ... especially for a king! God is very severe with Ahab because Ahab had abused the trust God had given him as king, using it to murder and steal simply because he wanted a nice vineyard closer to his palace.

We are then given this awful assessment of Ahab: "There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited." (1 Kings 21:25) Ahab was as bad as he could get.

Notice that the ESV puts this statement in parentheses. It is as if this text is out of place. In fact, it interrupts the narrative flow. But rather than seeing it as a side comment that perhaps we aren't supposed to hear, perhaps the writer wanted to make sure that we realize that Ahab is as bad as it gets. He deserves the severity of God if anyone does!

So now we get the puzzle. Ahab again sulks, but this time, he sulks because of the message of the judgment of God against him. But God saw something more than a moody king who couldn't get his way. Notice God's words to Elijah: “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house.” (1 Kings 21:29)

God saw something good in Ahab. He had humbled himself before God. And God delays his judgment so that Ahab would personally miss the worst of it! Rather than inflict his awful judgment on Ahab himself, God would delay the punishment and bring it on his sons.

I find God's kindness here amazing! We have just been told that no one is as bad as Ahab, and yet when Ahab humbles himself, God is kind! And this is the God of the Old Testament who is often seen as judgmental and violent! But to be frank, it seems that God is too quick to relent. Imagine the worst rulers of today. God brings a message to them of judgment and they fast in response, then God relents in His judgment. If I were in a family like Naboth's, I probably wouldn't be very impressed with God's approach!

Paul says in Romans 11:22: "Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off." God is both kind and severe. His severity is shown to those who refuse to humble themselves to Him, and His kindness is shown to those who will. And it seems in Ahab's case, that it doesn't have to take long to shift the category in which we fit! In my view, Ahab was given too easy a shift, yet that is the kindness of God! Even in the Old Testament, we see a kindness in God that surpasses human kindness.

As Paul says, God is both severe and kind. And He perfectly navigates which of these two aspects of His character apparently takes predominance. My first challenge is that I must be humble before God! I want His kindness, not His severity. To be humble is (at least) to have true remorse for sin and for violating the ways of God, to turn to Him in confession, seeking His kindness, and to be humble in my view of other people, recognizing that they and I are in the same position before God. Might I follow the example of Ahab, seeking God's kindness even when, or especially when, I least deserve it.

My second challenge is to treat others the way God does. That is, I need to figure out when/how I should be 'severe' and when/how I should be 'kind.' Clearly God calls us to pursue justice, to confront those who are in rebellion against Him, and to rebuke especially those in His family who are straying from right doctrine and right practice. He also clearly calls us to show love which covers a multitude of sins. In Ahab's case, the attitude of the offender seems to be a primary determiner of which path to take.

The original readers of 1 Kings were probably children of Israel who were in exile. The accounts of the kings of Israel were meant to show the people that God was justified in sending them from their land. But the author wanted to make clear to the people that even the worst of these kinds had ready access to the kindness of God. So they too, even those who justly were sent into exile, had ready access to the kindness of God. All they had to do was humble themselves before Him.

Might we do the same.