Ahab Complex (5) Consequences

The consequences of the Ahab/Jezebel complex are as follows.

1. Isolation
   God was not with him.

Vulnerability:Pastors can get isolated from their spiritual support.

2. Spiritual drought
   1 King 17:1.
   
   Vulnerability: Spiritual poverty.

3. Blown about like a reed
   Swaying like a reed in the water. 1 Kings 14:15
   Like sheep without a shepherd 1 Kings 22:17
   
   Vulnerability: Open to the Jezebel spirit (1 Kings 16).

4. Illness
   1 Kings 14:1; 13:6; 21:4
   Rev 2:22
   
   Vulnerability: Many sick in the church.
   

5. Depression, Suicidal
   Rev 2:22
   1 Kings 16:18; 21:4.
   
   Vulnerability: Many pastors are depressed.

6. Failure
   God began to reduce the size of Israel In those days.
   2 Kings 10:32.
   
   Vulnerability: Many churches are declining.

7. Died of Wounds
   Ahab was defeated
   1 Kings 22:35-37; 2 Kings 9:24; 8:28,29.
   He was routed. 2 Chron 13:12,15.
   God executed judgement on house of Ahab 2 Chron 22:8.
   
   Vulnerability: Many pastors die of their “wounds”.

8. Humiliation
   Blood licked by dogs
   1 Kings 14:10,11; 16:4; 21:24; 22:38; 2 Kings 9:10,36.
   
   Vulnerability: When pastors fall they are usually humiliated.

The full set of notes on the Ahab Complex can be found here.

Ahab Complex (4) Attitude to the Prophetic

Ahab had an ambivalent attitude to the prophetic.

1. User
   Ahab used other people for his purpose.
   1 Kings 21:3-11; 22 1-4: 18:5, 22:26
   He used a woman to do his dirty work
   1 Kings 14:2; 21:5-16; 19:1
   He was willing to use prophets when it suited.
   1 Kings 13:6, 14:2, 20:3.
   
   Vulnerability: Many pastors like to have pet prophets. Some use woman to achieve their goals.

2. Court Prophets
   They can be relied on to support what the leaders say.
   1 Kings 22:10-13,22,23.
   
   Vulnerability: Many churches have tame/pet prophets.

3. Hostile to Prophets
   Ahab attacked the prophets when challenged. He tried to destroy them
   1 Kings 13:4; 18:9, 14, 22:26,27
   He raised hand against the prophets
   
   Vulnerability: Many prophets have been destroyed by Pastors.

4. False Accusations
   He made false accusations against the prophets
   1 Kings 18:17, 21:20.
   
   Vulnerability: It is easy to spread rumours about prophets.

5. Rejected Prophetic Challenge
   Ahab was unable to accept a challenge.
   1 Kings 17:1, 13:4.
   
   Vulnerability: Many Pastors do not like being challenged.

Ahab Complex (3) Authority

Ahab had an interesting relationship with authority.

1. People Pleaser
   Jeroboam was appointed by the people not God
   1 Kings 12:20
   Ahab was willing to let the people decide.
   1 Kings 18:19,20
   1 Kings 12:20; 13:33; 20:32, 34 20:4; 18:19,39.
   
   Vulnerability: People pleasing is a danger for pastors.

2. Outsider
   Ahab came from a lower level position
   His mother was a widow 1 Kings 11:26
   God exalted him 1 Kings 14:7
   Jeroboam, Zimri, Baasha, Omri, Jehu were all outsiders who went to the top.
   This leads to insecurity
   1 Kings 11:28; 1 Kings 15:27; 16:9, 16:16.
   
   Vulnerability: Most pastors come from outside the church, invited by the people. They have to win acceptance of the people. This leads to insecurity.
   
   In the New Testament, leaders are raised up from within church. They were known and come with credibility. They did’nt have to establish themselves.

3. Deception
   Ahab used pretence, deception to achieve what he wanted
   1 Kings 14: 2,6; 22:30.
   
   Vulnerability: Many Christian leaders wear a mask. This covers up insecurity.

4. Factions
   Ahab and Jeroboam took advantage of the factions to consolidate their position
   1 Kings 12:19; 16:21; 18:21.
   
   Vulnerability: Pastors can be tempted to manipulate factions.

5. Usurper
   Ahab took a position that was not his by right.
   2 Chron 13:5,6. 1 Kings 16:9
   He plotted, conspired and took a position given to the house of David.
   
   Vulnerability: Jesus is the chief shepherd = senior pastor.
   It is dangerous to take that title.

6. Opportunist
   Ahab took advantage of people’s weakness to get his own way.
   2 Chron 13:6,7
   1 Kings 16:9, 15:27.
   
   Vulnerability: Pastors often surround themselves with weak leaders.

7. Ruthless
   Ahab dealt severely with predecessor’s heirs
   2 Kings 15:29, 16:1.
   
   Vulnerability: How do you treat the people loyal to your predecessor?

8. Control
   Ahab desired control
   1 Kings 13:4.
   
   Vulnerability: over-control is a temptation for all leaders.

9. Power Struggle
   Ahav won a power struggle. He prevailed
   1 Kings 16:22, 18:20.
   
   Vulnerability: joining power struggles is a temptation for all leaders.

Ahab Complex (2)

God held a plumbline against the house of Ahab and it failed the test. The house was not upright.

The Bible teaches quite a bit about the weaknesses in Ahab’s character. It provide important lessons for church leaders. These weaknesses leave church leaders vulnerable to the Ahab spirit, which opens the way for the Jezebel spirit. I have listed the vulnerabilities in the notes.

1. Populism
   Ahab walked in the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat (1 Kings 16:31)
   

   Jeroboam = the people increase, multiply
   Nebat = look.

   Ahab and Jeroboam looked to the people. They were populist leaders.
   
   Vulnerability: Insecure leaders find populism hard to resist.

2. Presumption
   Ahab thought to himself, he devised schemes in his heart
   1 Kings 12:28,29, 22:8, 12:33.
   
   Vulnerability: Many Christian leaders copy the ideas of other men.

3. Compromise
   Ahab was enticed into compromise when he should have stood firm.
   1 Kings 12:28,29; 16:31,33: 20:32,34; 11:40 II Kings 17:21; 8:18; 2 Chron 21:13 (prostitute themselves).
   
   Vulnerability: Just as harshness is always a temptation to prophets,
   compromise is always a temptation to pastors.
   

   Ahab = Brother is father

   Everyone was Ahab’s brother
   Hiel rebuilt Jericho in Ahab’s time 1( Kings 16:34).

4. Tolerate
   Ahab tolerated evil.
   Rev 2:20, 1 Kings 16:31, 20:4; 20:33.
   
   Vulnerability: This is risk for pastors in church without prophets. The problem is not Jezebel, but leaders who tolerate evil for the sake of peace.

5. Comfort
   Ahab enjoyed the comforts of the flesh
   1 Kings 16:9; 18:41; 21:1,2; 22:34; 21:16.
   
   Vulnerability: Enough said.

6. Jealous
   He was troubled by covetousness and jealousy
   1 Kings 21:2; 11:26,27.
   
   Vulnerability: what if some of your sheep go to another church. Will you be threatened.
   

7. Money
   He used money to achieve results, bribery
   1 Kings 13:7; 20:3,4; 21:2.
   
   Vulnerability: Money problems are common in churches.

8. Anger
   Ahab was sullen and angry (vexed NASB)
   1 Kings 20:43; 21:2.
   
   Vulnerability: sullenness and sulking are a slippery slope.
   

9. Threats
   Ahab used threats and intimidation to control people.
   1 Kings 18:10,11.
   
   Vulnerability: Controlling guilty or vulnerable people is easy for pastors/leaders.

10. Up and Down
    Sometimes Ahab was hard-hearted. Other times he was humble – a convenient humility
    1 Kings 20:25-29.
    
    Vulnerability: inconsistency is risky.

11. Rebellion
    Ahab ended in rebellion
    1 Kings 11:26; 12:19; 16:20; 21:25;
    He set up idols
    1 Kings 12:31; 21:26.
    
    Vulnerability: Some church programmes can become idols.

12. Resisted the Kingdom of God
    2 Chron 13:8,12
    Rev 2:26,27.
    Those who persevered in Thyatira were promised the Kingdom of God
    They would have the Morning Star, ie they will defeat Satan (Is 14:12).
    
    Vulnerability: there is not much interest in the kingdom among church leaders.

Ahab Complex (1)

Christians get worked up about the Jezebel spirit, but before there can be a Jezebel there must be an Ahab.
Ahab brought Jezebel to Israel.
The church must understand this.

There were a set of behaviours that were repeated again and again in Israel.
These behaviours opened the way for the Spirit of Jezebel
They started with Jeroboam

House of Jeroboam

This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth (1 Kings 13:34)

Because of this, I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:10).

These curses reached a climax in Ahab (2 Chron 22:8; 2 Kings 10:30).

Genealogy

Jeroboam
↓
Nadab
→ Baasha
↓
Elah
→ Zimri
→ Omri
↓
Ahab

Not a Wimp
Ahab has been totally misunderstood by Christians. We think of him as a wimp, but this is wrong. His father Omri was the commander of the army, and you only got that job in those days, if you were physically tough and totally ruthless. Omri killed off all the opposition to become king. Ahab was Omri’s son, so he would have been brought up tough (1 Kings 16:16).

Kings did not last long in those times, so Ahab’s twenty-two year reign was a record (1Kings 16:22). He built palaces and a fortified city (1 Kings 22:39). He was a very successful warrior-king at time when war was fought hand-to-hand. Ahab was mean, tough and strong, and had killed his share of men. He was a bully, not a wimp.

Ahab married Jezebel for political convenience. He needed a peace treaty with her father and their marriage was part of the deal.

Ahab was a hard, tough, mean political and military operator, who expected to get his own way. When he asked for something, people would jump to get it. This is why was sulking over the Naboth incident.

The Jezebel spirit cannot get a hold in church, unless an Ahab spirit that already exists among the leadership opens the way.

The full set of notes on the Ahab Complex can be found here.

Red Horse Rising

The news media have taken a long time to catch with the struggle in Syria. For a long time, they described it as another pro-democracy movement in the Spirit of the Arab spring. Only in the last few months have they admitted that a civil war is underway.

The situation in Syria is exacerbated by being the fault line for several larger struggles.

• Prior to the first world war, Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire, which was based in Turkey Some political leaders would like re-assert Turkish influence in Syria.

• The dregs of the Cold War still stewing in the Middle East. Russia has a naval base at Tartus in the western Syria that gives it access to the Mediterranean Sea. The US would love to see the Russians squeezed out of the Mediterranean.

• Syria is on the fragile fault line between the Shia and Sunni forms of Islam. The Assad government is Alawite, which is a sect of Shia Islam, while the majority of the population is Sunni.

• The Shia revival is centred on Iran. Syria is has been allied with Iran. The war in Iran has strengthened the position of Shia Islam in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and more recently Qatar are the leading Sunni nations, although they have much smaller populations. They see Syria as an opportunity to engage in a proxy battle against Iran.

• Between the wars, Syria was a French Mandate. The French have many economic interests in the area, and are always looking for to expand their influence by dabbling in the Middle East.

• Nations with major weapons industries are flooding the area with cheap weapons to sustain their economies through the economic turn down.

The existence of these vested interests make it almost impossible for the United Nations or any other group to mediate a solution. Every proposal for peace has an interested party from the other side that opposes it. Moreover, most of these external interests are fuelling the dispute by providing financial support and supplying weapons to the participants in the civil war.

Syria was part of the Ottoman Empire. It only became a nation at the end of the First World War. The Middle East was split by the Sykes-Picot Agreement between France and Britain in 1916 along artificial national borders that gave no recognition to the different people that populated the region. The European powers ignored local interests, because their main object was to ensure access and control of oil supply, but their short-sightedness is coming back to haunt the world.

Syria is a nation made up of different tribal groups. The majority of the population are Sunni Moslems, but most have been shut out of political power. A number of minority ethnic and religious groups are spread round the country. The Alawite people originally lived in the west of Syria, but many have moved to the big cities of Damascus and Aleppo. A significance group of Kurdish people lie in the North East of Syria. The tensions between these groups have been suppressed by the Assad government. The civil is creating a new set of hatreds that will make these tensions worse.

To understand Syria, we must recognise that Red Horse of Revelation has been released. This horse represents military struggles between ethnic groups that will tear apart nations that were established during the age of nationalism in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Assad family dictatorship has kept a lid on the ethnic tensions in Syria, but when the regime eventually falls, these cooped up ethnic forces will destroy the unity of the nation. The “big sword” indicates the ferocity of these struggles. The bitter struggle in Syria is an example of this big sword.

The capital of Syria is Damascus. It has had a continued existing going back to the time of the Old Testament. Isaiah prophesied the destruction of Damascus, but he did not explain how it would happen.

A prophecy against Damascus: See, Damascus will no longer be a city, but will become a heap of ruins (Is 17:1).

If the struggle for Syria continues on and grows in bitterness, Damascus could end up as a heap of ruins.

Note: the Red Horse is not a sign of the second coming of Jesus. Its role in God’s plan for history is described in Times an Seasons.

Consequences of the Ahab/Jeroboam Complex

The Ahab/Jeroboam Complex has serious consequences. They are evident in many churches.

1) Isolation
God was not with Ahab.

2) Spiritual drought

1 King 17:1

Vulnerability: Spiritual poverty.

3) Blown about like a reed
Swaying like a reed in the water. 1 Kings 14:15 Like sheep without a shepherd

1 Kings 22:17 cf. Eph 4:13,14

Vulnerability: Open to the Jezebel spirit (1 Kings 16.)

4) Illness

1 Kings 14:1; 13:6; 21:4; Rev 2:22

Vulnerability: Many sick in the church.

5) Depression, Suicidal

Rev 2:22,1 Kings 16:18; 21:4.

Vulnerability: Many pastors are depressed.

6) Failure
God began to reduce the size of Israel In those days.

2 Kings 10:32.

Vulnerability: Many churches are declining.

7) Died of Wounds
Ahab was defeated

1 Kings 22:35-37; 2 Kings 9:24; 8:28,29

He was routed. 2 Chron 13:12,15.
God executed judgement on house of Ahab 2 Chron 22:8.
Vulnerability: Many church leaders die of their wounds.

8) Humiliation
Blood licked by dogs

1 Kings 14:10,11; 16:4; 21:24; 22:38; 2 Kings 9:10,36

Vulnerability: Many Christians feel humiliated by the attitude of the world.

The reasons that the Jezebel spirit has gained such a stronghold in the church is that the Ahab spirit has opened the door. Before the Jezebel spirit can be expelled, we must repent of Ahab behaviour. Jezebel was the queen, but Ahab was King.

Elijah understood this problem. This is why he ran from Jezebel's threats. He knew that Ahab stood behind Jezebel, and he knew that Ahab was ruthless.

Ahab and Authority

Christian leaders can learn from Ahab's use and misuse of authority.

1) People Pleaser
Jeroboam was appointed by the people not God

1 Kings 12:20

Ahab was willing to let the people decide.

1 Kings 18:19,20; 1 Kings 12:20; 13:33; 20:32, 34 20:4; 8:19,39

Vulnerability: People pleasing is a danger for pastors.

2) Outsider
Ahab came from a lower level position
His mother was a widow 1 Kings 11:26
God exalted him 1 Kings 14:7
Jeroboam, Zimri, Baasha, Omri, Jehu were all outsiders who went to the top. This leads to insecurity

1 Kings 11:28; 1 Kings 15:27; 16:9, 16:16

Vulnerability: Most pastors come from outside the church, invited by the people. They have to win acceptance of the people. This leads to insecurity

In the New Testament, leaders were raised up from within church. They were known and came with credibility. They did not have to establish themselves.

3) Deception
Ahab used pretence, deception to achieve what he wanted

1 Kings 14: 2,6; 22:30.

Vulnerability: Many Christian leaders wear a mask. This covers up insecurity.

4) Factions
Ahab and Jeroboam took advantage of the factions to consolidate their position

1 Kings 12:19; 16:21; 18:21.

Vulnerability: Pastors can be tempted to manipulate factions.

5) Usurper
Ahab took a position that was not his by right.

2 Chron 13:5,6. 1 Kings 16:9

He plotted, conspired and took a position given to the house of David.

Vulnerability: Jesus is the chief shepherd = senior pastor.
It is dangerous to take that title.

6) Opportunist
Ahab took advantage of people’s weakness to get his own way.

2 Chron 13:6,7; 1 Kings 16:9, 15:27.

Vulnerability: Pastors often surround themselves with weak leaders.

7) Ruthless
Ahab dealt severely with predecessor’s heirs

2 Kings 15:29, 16:1

Vulnerability: How do you treat the people loyal to your predecessor?

8) Control
Ahab desired control

1 Kings 13:4

Vulnerability: over-control is a temptation for all leaders.

9) Power Struggle
Ahab won a power struggle. He prevailed

1 Kings 16:22, 18:20

Vulnerability: joining power struggles is a dangerous temptation for all leaders.

Ahab's Character

God held a plumbline against the house of Ahab and it failed the test. The house was not upright.

The Bible teaches quite a bit about Ahab’s character. They provide important lessons for church leaders. These vulnerabilities leave church leader vulnerable to the Ahab spirit, which opens the way for the Jezebel spirit.

1) Populism
Ahab walked in the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat (1 Kings 16:31)

Jeroboam = the people increase, multiply
Nebat = look.

Ahab and Jeroboam looked to the people. They were populist leaders.
Vulnerability: Insecure leaders find populism hard to resist.

2) Presumption
Ahab thought to himself, he devised schemes in his heart
1 Kings 12:28,29, 22:8, 12:33.
Vulnerability: Many Christian leaders copy the ideas of other men.

3)Compromise
Ahab was enticed into compromise when he should have stood firm.
1 Kings 12:28,29; 16:31,33: 20:32,34; 11:40 II Kings 17:21; 8:18; 2 Chron 21:13 (prostitute themselves)

Ahab = Brother is father

Everyone was Ahab’s brother
Hiel rebuilt Jericho in Ahab’s time 1( Kings 16:34).
Vulnerability: Just as harshness is always a temptation to prophets,
compromise is always a temptation to peace lovers.

4) Tolerate
Ahab tolerated evil.
Rev 2:20, 1 Kings 16:31, 20:4; 20:33.
Vulnerability: This is risk for pastors in church without prophets. The problem is not Jezebel, but leaders who tolerate evil for the sake of peace.

5) Comfort
Ahab enjoyed the comforts of the flesh
1 Kings 16:9; 18:41; 21:1,2; 22:34; 21:16
Vulnerability: Enough said

6) Jealous
He was troubled by covetousness and jealousy
1 Kings 21:2; 11:26,27
Vulnerability: what if some of your sheep go to another church. Will you be threatened

7) Money
He used money to achieve results, bribery
1 Kings 13:7; 20:3,4; 21:2.
Vulnerability: Money problems are common in churches.

8) Anger
Ahab was sullen and angry (vexed NASB)
1 Kings 20:43; 21,2
Vulnerability: sulleness and sulking are a slippery slope.

9) Threats and Control
Ahab used threats and intimidation to control people.
1 Kings 18:10,11.
Vulnerability: Controlling guilty or vulnerable people is easy for pastors/leaders.

10) Up and Down
Sometimes Ahab was hard hearted. Other times he was humble – aconvenient humility
1 Kings 20:25-29.
Vulnerability: inconsistency is risky

11) Rebellion
Ahab ended in rebellion
1 Kings 11:26; 12:19; 16:20; 21:25;
He set up idols
1 Kings 12:31; 21:26;
Vulnerability: Some church programmes can become idols

12) Resisted the Kingdom of God
2 Chron 13:8,12
Rev 2:26,27.
Those who persevered in Thyatira were promised the Kingdom of God
They would have the Morning Star,
ie they will defeat Satan Is 14:12
Vulnerability: there is not much interest in the kingdom among church leaders.

Ahab/Jeroboam Complex

Christians get worked up about the Jezebel spirit, but before there can be a Jezebel there must be an Ahab.

Ahab brought Jezebel to Israel.
The church must understand this.

There were a set of behaviours that were repeated again and again in Israel. It was these behaviours opened the way for the Spirit of Jezebel
They started with Jeroboam

House of Jeroboam
1 Kings 13:34
1 Kings 14:10

They reached a climax in Ahab.

The House of Ahab
2 Chron 22:8
2 Kings 10:30

Not a Wimp
Ahab has been totally misunderstood by Christians. We think of him as a wimp, but this is wrong. His father Omri was the commander of the army, and you only got that job in those days, if you were physically tough and totally ruthless. Omri killed off all the opposition to become king. Ahab was Omri’s son, so he would have been brought up tough (1 Kings 16:16).

Kings did not last long in those times, so Ahab’s twenty-two year reign was a record (1Kings 16:22). He built palaces and a fortified city (1 Kings 22:39). He was a very successful warrior-king at time when war was fought hand-to-hand. Ahab was mean, tough and strong, and had killed his share of men. He was a bully, not a wimp.
Ahab married Jezebel for political convenience. He needed a peace treaty with her father and their marriage was part of the deal.

Ahab was a hard, tough, mean political and military operator, who expected to get his own way. When he asked for something, people would jump to get it. This is why was sulking over the Naboth incident.

Genealogy

Jeroboam
↓ Nadab
→ Baasha
↓ Elah
→ Zimri
→ Omri
↓ Ahab

The Jezebel spirit cannot hold in church, unless an Ahab spirit already exists among the leadership opens the way.

Foreshore and Seabed

The foreshore and seabed has become a political issue again in New Zealand. A ministerial panel declared that the existing legislation should be repealed.

My article called Ahab and the Foreshore is still relevant.