Bad Guys of the Bible: Ahab, Weak in Character and Faith

by David Chadwick

The only thing worse than a bad guy is a bad guy married to a bad gal. Yesterday, we learned about Jezebel. She was one evil woman. What made her extra dangerous was the fact that she was married to a really passive bad guy. Meet her husband Ahab. You’ll find his story right alongside Jezebel’s story in 1 Kings 16 to 2 Kings 9.

Ahab was a man known for his weakness and godlessness. He allowed Jezebel to control the religious worship in the northern kingdom unabated. Their marriage seemed to be what led him to his downfall. Ahab eventually devoted himself to the worship of the false gods of Baal and Asherah. These gods were the sexual deities of the larger Baal pantheon.

As a side note, if you’re a man, you need to vigilantly guard yourself against sexual perversion. Evil, lustful desires will destroy you and everyone around you!

Elijah confronted Ahab regularly for his passivity and compromise, which led to the famous Super Bowl of faith on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18 between Elijah and the 400 prophets of Baal. Ahab was the primary sponsor of these godless prophets. Elijah won a dramatic and decisive victory.

Eventually, Ahab was killed in battle in 1 Kings 20. He was warned not to go, but his pride didn’t allow him to listen. Ahab is remembered and renowned for his weakness of character and faith. What a terrible legacy he left!

Ahab didn’t know how to handle his problems in a clear, decisive, strong way. Instead, he pouted, which only furthered Jezebel’s controlling nature. She would overcompensate for his weakness by doubling down on her control and manipulation.

In one situation that I mentioned yesterday, Ahab wanted a vineyard that Naboth owned but couldn’t convince him to sell it. Jezebel stepped in and killed Naboth to accommodate her weak husband’s desires. Ahab never stood up against her and always gave in to Jezebel’s wiles. The ultimate passivity. He followed her, not God. Do you now see why Jesus corrects the church of Thyatira for tolerating Jezebel in Revelation 2:20? This type of woman, if unwilling to repent, should be avoided at all costs, especially inside the church!

May we, as Christian men, never model our lives after Ahab. He is not to be emulated, but someone to watch in order to learn what not to do. So often, life’s best lessons are taught by knowing who you don’t want to become!

Follow Jesus, not Ahab!