神按祂的应许赐土地给以色列民时，每一个支派都获得一片地，作为他们继承的遗产。神又清楚指示，这份遗产必须世世代代存留在每一个家庭里。当遇到逆境时，有些负债的家庭被逼卖了他们的地，然而在那些情况下的交易，都不应该是不能赎回的。（参看利未记 25章；约书亚记 13-21章。）
可是，邪恶的以色列王亚哈，却不愿意按神的命令生活。王宫附近有一个属于名叫拿伯之人的葡萄园。亚哈要求购买拿伯这块地，但拿伯拒绝了，因为神曾经说过，土地必须存留在当年得到这块地的家庭。
亚哈因此大怒，在妻子耶洗别的协助下，他想出一个诡计。他施计使拿伯被人诬告谤渎神和王，结果拿伯被处死了。亚哈便偷了死去之人的那块地。
身为以色列民的王，亚哈有责任做神——真正的王——的代表。然而这件漠视公平的事是无法被容忍的，亚哈和耶洗别最终为此付上了沉重的代价。（参看列王纪上 21:17-29；列王纪下 9:30-37）。
看到亚哈和耶洗别的所为，我们或许会感到怒火中烧；然而，今天当我们看见不公平的事时，我们会不会也大表不满呢？
祷告
父啊，你是一位公平的神，我们感谢你。求你叫我们也成为公平的人！奉耶稣名祈求，阿们。
列王纪上 21:1-19
1这事以后，又有一事。耶斯列人拿伯在耶斯列有一个葡萄园，靠近撒马利亚王亚哈的宫。
2亚哈对拿伯说：“你将你的葡萄园给我做菜园，因为是靠近我的宫。我就把更好的葡萄园换给你，或是你要银子，我就按着价值给你。”
3拿伯对亚哈说：“我敬畏耶和华，万不敢将我先人留下的产业给你。”
4亚哈因耶斯列人拿伯说‘我不敢将我先人留下的产业给你’，就闷闷不乐地回宫，躺在床上，转脸向内，也不吃饭。
5王后耶洗别来问他说：“你为什么心里这样忧闷，不吃饭呢？”
6他回答说：“因我向耶斯列人拿伯说：‘你将你的葡萄园给我，我给你价银，或是你愿意，我就把别的葡萄园换给你’，他却说：‘我不将我的葡萄园给你。’”
7王后耶洗别对亚哈说：“你现在是治理以色列国不是？只管起来，心里畅畅快快地吃饭，我必将耶斯列人拿伯的葡萄园给你。”
8于是托亚哈的名写信，用王的印印上，送给那些与拿伯同城居住的长老贵胄。
9信上写着说：“你们当宣告禁食，叫拿伯坐在民间的高位上，
10又叫两个匪徒坐在拿伯对面，作见证告他说‘你谤讟神和王了’。随后就把他拉出去，用石头打死。”
11那些与拿伯同城居住的长老贵胄得了耶洗别的信，就照信而行，
12宣告禁食，叫拿伯坐在民间的高位上。
13有两个匪徒来，坐在拿伯的对面，当着众民作见证告他说：“拿伯谤讟神和王了。”众人就把他拉到城外，用石头打死。
14于是打发人去见耶洗别，说：“拿伯被石头打死了。”
15耶洗别听见拿伯被石头打死，就对亚哈说：“你起来得耶斯列人拿伯不肯为价银给你的葡萄园吧，现在他已经死了。”
16亚哈听见拿伯死了，就起来，下去要得耶斯列人拿伯的葡萄园。
17耶和华的话临到提斯比人以利亚说：
18“你起来，去见住撒马利亚的以色列王亚哈，他下去要得拿伯的葡萄园，现今正在那园里。
19你要对他说，耶和华如此说：‘你杀了人，又得他的产业吗？’又要对他说，耶和华如此说：‘狗在何处舔拿伯的血，也必在何处舔你的血。’”
"Ahab said to Naboth, 'Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden.... ' But Naboth replied, 'The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.'" - 1 Kings 21:2-3
When God gave Israel the land he had promised them, each clan received a tract of land as their inheritance. God also made clear that this inheritance was to remain in each family throughout the generations. When times were hard, some families in debt had to sell their land, but in those cases the sale was never meant to be permanent. (See Leviticus 25; Joshua 13-21.)
However, King Ahab of Israel was wicked and did not want to live in line with God's way. Near the king's palace was a vineyard owned by a man named Naboth. Ahab offered to buy the land from Naboth, but Naboth refused to sell because God had said the land should remain in the family to whom it was given.
That made Ahab angry, so, with the help of his wife, Jezebel, he came up with a plan. They plotted to have Naboth put to death by having him accused of cursing both God and the king. Ahab then stole the dead man's land.
As the king of Israel, Ahab was responsible to be a representative of God, the true King. But this abuse of justice was intolerable, and Ahab and Jezebel would pay a heavy price. (See 1 Kings 21:17-29; 2 Kings 9:30-37.)
Perhaps our blood boils as we read of Ahab and Jezebel's actions, but are we outraged when we see injustice today?
Father, thank you for being a God of justice. Make us a people of justice too! In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
