OF VIPs: VINEYARDS, INHERITANCE AND POSSESSIONS
There is a story in the Bible about a vineyard that was owned by a man named Naboth of Jezreel.
I Kings 21: 1-16. He was from a family of Jezreelites, and he had inheritance rights to a vineyard that was family land. He called it the inheritance of his fathers. As it so happened, that vineyard was right next to king Ahab of Israel’s palace. One day the king looked out of the palace window, and then really looked out again to pay attention to the plot of fertile land sitting next door to his house. And he decided he wanted it.
Being king and a VIP, Ahab did not beat around the bush. He simply called Naboth before him and said, Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is next to my house. That was actually quite a remarkable encounter between king and subject, when you think about it. The king of Israel was the king of Israel. He could have had any piece of land available for sale or by some other means of proper acquisition, yet he had fixed his heart on something that was right under his nose but which he was not permitted under God’s law to own. This land, however, was a symbol of the value of familial right and privilege, and of proper succession and inheritance. It was a reminder of the stability given by passing the same property down through generations that were born to care for it. Ahab coveted Naboth’s sense of inheritance, and the deep knowledge that this land connected its owner with generations of fore-parents who had rightfully held it before he was even born.
I’m not writing of Ahab to represent any one person, but rather an attitude among God’s people. Ahab wanted to own what he could not buy. And he wanted to convert the use of it altogether - from vineyard to vegetable garden. Under his hand, land which had always borne the fruit of the vine would become a provision ground for the back-bending work of growing vegetables. We can view the vineyard as a heart that produces the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, only to have it diverted to meeting the carnal desire of its new owner. That sounds like a cruel attempt at aborting its purpose. This story led me to wonder what enticements come our way each day that are sent by the deceiver to derail our own purpose. It will always be an offer that is attractive in some way, but will the result be that we end up serving another master, eking vegetables out of the ground for his food, instead of honoring our Father’s inheritance?
Ahab offered Naboth a new place - a replacement vineyard, but he said no. He offered Naboth money, but this man responded, The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance that was passed down by my ancestors. Translating this to our everyday lives, Naboth’s response might sound like this: No, it would be wrong for me to change the way I worship God to make you feel more comfortable with my expressions of praise - this oil is not for you! Or no, I cannot pretend that God didn’t bless me so that you can feel better about your situation. No, I cannot give up what God has called me to do to make you happy. Or no, I will not be swayed by some doctrine of convenience from what the Word of God has said.
There is a new doctrine these days that says before a spiritual leader can receive you into his or her care you must first make that person rich, or give into their control whatever God has placed in your hands. The rationale for this doctrine is often based on scriptures such as Abraham giving a tenth of the plunder from war to Melchizedek (Hebrews 7: 4-5), the poor widow of Zarephath making a cake for Elijah out of the flour and oil she had left in her house (I Kings 17: 10-11), or the wealthy Shunammite woman who built a room for Elisha in her home (2 Kings 4: 8-10).
These scriptures all reflect principles that I understand and fully agree with. One of these principles is that we should honor God with a portion of what He has already blessed us with, and He will bless us even more, and in ways that do not necessarily include money. Sometimes that portion, which we give to God by giving to a person or an institution, may draw on all or nearly all of our natural resources, as with the widow. However, it will not take away the active faith that God has put in us - that was never taken from the widow for she did not stop making bread. Another principle in these scriptures is that we ought to be concerned about those in need whom God puts in our way. This is true. Christ said whatever we do (or do not do) for the least of our brothers we do unto Him. Matt. 25: 40. Yet another principle is that we should favor those who God has placed in positions of spiritual authority. Also, Paul said to the Philippians, Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Phil. 2:4. In other words, don’t focus only on your own affairs but also serve and help others.
But this new doctrine that I have heard seems to say that there is more. It says the spiritual leaders should be given the whole, and the giver should relinquish everything to the leaders’ control. Focus only on their affairs, not on what you have to do. Only then will they offer counsel and leadership. In other words, this doctrine says, If we don’t have your heart, we will not receive you, and the way to show us that we have your heart is for you to give us everything that has been given into your hand. Until you yield, no matter what or how much you give, unless it is everything you have (first) and everything you are (next), you will be ostracized. It seems to me that a doctrine like this could be used as a very aggressive means of control. However, dear readers, maybe I just don’t understand, and maybe this is not some strange new doctrine at all. I would like to know what you think the basis for this teaching might be if I am indeed interpreting this in the wrong way.
Getting back to the story of Ahab, when Naboth said no, this king of all the land sulked. He was eaten up with covetousness, anxiety and weakness. He took to his bed, so greatly was he consumed with the need to triumph over the commoner, who for some reason he saw as a challenge to his position as king. Ahab had not become king through a lineage of kings, and in that he perhaps saw Naboth as having something to covet. Every time he looked out that window he saw the succulent fruitfulness of that vineyard. He saw the thing rightly placed with a clear title of ownership, and he wanted to conform it in a way that would reflect his own desires. A vegetable garden!
Ahab’s wife Jezebel spoke to him then, and reminded him that he was king and could have anything he wanted. Even better, he didn’t have to lift a finger, she would see to it that his dream came to fruition. So she came up with a plot to frame Naboth, and then have him convicted and stoned to death. I am not thinking of Jezebel as any person, but rather as a representation of a spiritual mindset that can take root in believers and the Church, or in our homes or places of work for that matter. It seeks to distort our perceptions and desires, and works to control us through means that are both overt and subtle. Jezebel reminded Ahab that after all, he was now king. Meaning, no matter how you came to rule, you now have the power and you can use it over your subjects, institution or order, because they are now subject to you. We hear this all the time. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The spirit of husbandry is vulnerable to compromise. It can happen that we begin to see what God has given us to do as work for Him as an entitlement to riches. Or we think that the role in which God has placed us gives us feudal rights over the lives of others. Jesus told the parable of the Owner who built a vineyard, put a hedge around to protect it, and gave it into the care of vinedressers. This speaks to me of people God has called and given responsibility to produce fruitfulness for Him. Then these vinedressers lost sight of their role as husbandmen, and wanted to control the vineyard as their own. When the Owner sent His servants to collect Fruit from the vineyard as a return on His investment, these vinedressers beat and abused the servants who were sent. When the Owner sent His Son, the vinedressers plotted to kill Him and take His inheritance so that they would no longer be husbandmen but they would instead be the owners of that vineyard. Mark 12: 1-7.
TV programs and sermons are full of promises that God is going to make us rich. Material wealth will indeed come to us if our hearts are committed to God’s Kingdom and purpose as a first priority. Material wealth may even come to those whose hearts are committed to their kingdoms first, but the difference will be in how this wealth is obtained. I believe getting God’s wealth requires putting His interests as our first priority, as well as our application of faith, obedience and dedication. But the other kind of wealth requires that someone’s vineyard be stolen, that spiritual innocence be lost, or that there be a forced abortion of someone else’s destiny in God. There will also be a difference in how this wealth is retained, and how we will account for it before God later on.
Deanna
