The spirit of Jezebel had long reaching tentacles. She was the first female persecutor, filled with a spirit of pride and ambition. Jezebel was known for her remorseless, strong-mind and unforgiving temper. Jezebel lusted after power and was a religious fanatic for the evilest of the Canaanite gods, Baal. Murder was in her veins. The epitome of a woman using her voice for evil.

Jezebel Raised In Intrigue

Princess Jezebel, raised in an atmosphere of intrigue, covetousness, avarice, cruelty, perjury and death. She was the daughter of Ethbaal, the King of Zidonia. He was both king and priest of the worship of Baal and the female goddess Ashtaroth.

Jezebel married Ahab, king of Northern Israel. Jezebel was a Gentile and idolater. She conquered Ahab through her beauty and forceful character. Cleopatra exerted the same force when she captivated Caesar and Anthony.

Ahab built a Sun-god temple in Samaria that housed 450 Baal prophets. Jezebel also built a sanctuary in Samaria for a further 400 priests of Baal, and fed them at her own table. Worship of Baal involved superstition, cruelty and extreme licentiousness.

Godly And The Godless

Jezebel excelled in religious fervour. She was determined to exterminate the worship of Yahweh from the land. Jezebel became the first female persecutor, going after the prophets of God. Several managed to escape and hide in a cave.

Elijah appeared before King Ahab, predicting three years of drought. The prophet of God asked Ahab to gather all the priests of Baal to the top of Mt Carmel. Elijah knew the people had contaminated the worship of Yahweh with the worship of Baal.

Challenge

Elijah challenged the priests of Baal in a supreme test of power. The priests of Baal tried all day to get their god to consume the sacrifice they had prepared. Elijah openly taunted the priests, asking if Baal was in the toilet or asleep.

The prophet of God proved the impotency of the pagan gods in demonstrating the power of the one true God. The people seized the 850 Baal prophets and massacred them. Jezebel was livid. She vowed to kill Elijah within 23 hours.

Elijah had defied the king of Israel and stood alone against 850 pagan priests. But he fled from the fury of a murderous woman.

The haughty queen was left in undisputed possession of the land. She vowed to destroy Elijah but couldn’t find him.

The Spirit Of Jezebel Was Conspiracy

King Ahab coveted a particular vineyard that was next door to the palace, wanting to turn it into a herb garden. Naboth, the owner refused to sell. Ahab was so grieved he took to his bed. Jezebel arrogantly told her husband to stop moping because she would give him the vineyard.

Jezebel set up a conspiracy to do away with Naboth. She organized men to give false witness against Naboth. They claimed Naboth had blasphemed God and the king.

Jezebel was instrumental in the ruthless stoning to death of Naboth. Ahab took possession of the coveted vineyard.

Elijah Out Of Retirement

God called Elijah out of retirement to have an audience with Ahab. The prophet pronounced a death sentence for the murderous couple, including all their offspring.

War broke out between Israel and the Syria. Ahab was mortally wounded in the fighting. He remained in his chariot, but died at sundown. They took his chariot to the pool outside Samaria to wash it down. The pool was in the vineyard of Naboth. Scavenger dogs licked up the king’s blood, just at Elijah had prophesied.

Ahab and Jezebel’s son, Jehoram, became the king of Northern Israel, making Jezebel the Queen-Mother.

God raised up a godly king, Jehu. His mission was to wipe out the idolatrous Ahab dynasty and destroy Jezebel’s witchcraft that was polluting the people. He would also avenge the murder of Naboth.

The Spirit Of Jezebel Was Defiance

For twelve years, Jezebel gloried in being queen-mother to her son Jehoram. Jehu met with Jehoram and his son in Naboth’s vineyard. Jehu killed them both.

Jezebel knew that with the death of her son, her own death was imminent. She took time to paint her face, do her hair and put on her jewelled crown. She was determined to die as a Phoenician queen. Jezebel, at 59, was still proud and defiant.

Cleopatra did the same thing when she was about to die, aged 39. Cleopatra influenced the formation of the Roman Empire, while Jezebel influenced the nation of Israel through the worship of Baal, Lord of the Earth.

Jezebel stood at a palace window and watched Jehu’s chariot approach. She arrogantly goaded him with taunts. Enraged, Jehu commanded the two eunuchs standing beside Jezebel to throw her down. They obeyed.

Bizarre Death

Jezebel’s blood smeared the wall as she fell. Horses trampled her underfoot and scavenger dogs licked her blood.

Jehu went inside and sat down to a meal. Then, he remembered the woman who had died was a queen and worthy of burial. The soldiers found only her skull, hands, and feet. Elijah’s prophecy was fulfilled.

The spirit of Jezebel lived on. Her daughter, Athaliah, married Jeham, King of Judah. The worship of Baal was planted into the southern kingdom of Judah.

Jezebel Tyrant, Murderess, Idolater

Jezebel was a tyrant and murderess. She sowed to the wind and reaped a whirlwind as she prostituted her talents to evil ends. Jezebel’s resolute arrogance, persistence and idolatry destroyed a king and her own off-spring. She polluted a nation.

Jezebel’s name is synonymous with seductive power, worldliness, and acute evil. Eve was Adam’s help-meet, but Jezebel was Ahab’s downfall. The book of Revelation reveals that the spirit of Jezebel permeates end-times.

The influence of women is underestimated. Women have a powerful voice in their orb of influence and the glue that holds society together. Check out Deborah and Esther to see the power of godly women.

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