Jezebel the queen taunted her husband, the king of Israel: “Do you now govern Israel?” (I Kings 21:7) Ahab was sulking as the land he coveted to possess belonged to Naboth who refused to sell it even for a fair price. For Jezebel, sulking was foolishness and Ahab did not have the capacity or know-how to rule the nation. Like Jezebel, there are courtiers around rulers (kings, dictators, emperors…) who provoke them to do evil. Jezebel sets two scoundrels as false witnesses, and Naboth is executed for blasphemy and treason. Ahab possessed the land. Only prophet Elijah had the guts to oppose Ahab, while all others sided with Ahab and Jezebel.
No God: In Jezebel’s worldview the king is god, or equal to god, and behaves like a god. The king has all authority, power, and mandate over the whole nation, all people, and all resources. In many cultures, the king is considered divine, and some elected representatives also claim to have an unfettered divine mandate.
No Law: Worldly rulers consider themselves as the embodiment of law. They proclaim laws, interpret laws, and declare justice based on law. In other words, the king is a law unto himself or above all laws. In their worldview, the laws are for mortals and kings are immortals.
No Rights: As a consequence of the worldview of divinity bestowed upon the leaders, others lose their rights. Whatever the king says, is correct and it should be accepted without any defiance. Dissidents will be punished as anti-nationals. Ahab’s desire is the nation’s desire, and refusal to give the land is anti-national. No private property rights.
No Truth: The governance need not be based on truth. Trumped-up charges, false accusations, and witnesses of scoundrels are enough to kill a loyal citizen. Not only Naboth was slaughtered, but the truth and justice also.
No mercy: For Jezebel, the governance should be ruthless and brutal. There is no room for love or mercy. Harsh punishment for such dissidents should deter others from speaking the truth, raising their voices or demanding their rights.
Do I have the courage to stand for truth and justice?