According to historians, we are told Jezebel was
the daughter of the Phoenician King Ethbaal. Her name means “unexalted,” or “where is the prince?” Jezebel was a very ambitious woman
as well as strong minded, and it is virtually impossible to write of her apart from her husband. Her marriage to Israel’s King Ahab
was “arranged” for the purpose of strengthening the “relationship” between Israel and Phoenicia. So, let’s not embrace the false assumptions
about Jezebel being the ruin of Ahab, for he was as idolatrous as she! In addition, he was the most wicked king ever to rule over
Israel. Ahab was primarily a worshiper of Yahweh, yet a large part of his kingdom remained Canaanite, and Ahab accommodated those
subjects by granting the Canaanite god Baal the same standing as Yahweh![1] (Sounds like the church today as she embraces all the
philosophy solemnly warned against!) Jezebel stood in strong partnership with Ahab. We see the same partnership in the church today
and depicted in the church at Pergamum (Rev. 2:12), for the name Pergamum implies “marriage or union.” Jezebel was devoted to Baal
worship, slew the prophets of God and abolished Jehovah worship (I Kings 18:13,19). Her name has been given to later prophetesses
who sought to fasten the practices of idol worship on the church. Money from the royal treasury was used by Jezebel to support 450
prophets of Baal and 400 goddesses of Asherah as she led forth the persecuting and killing of God’s prophets.
The Lord’s judgment
came upon Israel as He sent drought to the land. All of us are familiar with the account of the prophet Elijah as he came on the scene
and challenged the prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel. The false prophets were exposed and swallowed up as the ONE TRUE GOD proved Himself
that day. Jezebel’s fury was copious when she learned of the death of the 850 prophets she had supported. Consequently, she vowed
the life of Elijah come to an end, but her evil plot turned unsuccessful. As the story goes, Elijah fled in fear; and God sent ministering
angels to feed him. Jezebel came to a horrible death as dogs devoured her body, leaving no more than her skull, feet and the palms
of her hands. (II Kings 9:35) You may read the details in I & II Kings.
We hear no more about this woman until she is referred
to figuratively in the book of Revelation as an example of idolatry leading to false teaching. This picture sets in context, the teaching
that has been so rampant in the last few years, namely, “The Jezebel Spirit”.
Just as Jezebel led many astray with her false
teaching and beguiling spirit, the same spirit has continued within the church; for we read the Lord’s warning in the Revelation passage.
The warning is to the entire church, composed of male and female, in which gender is of no consequence, for in Christ Jesus “there
is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28).” How profuse the words
prohibiting women to teach, lead, or minister have become because of the propulsion of another spirit the Bible calls a lying spirit.
Jesus never forbade women to teach or minister. The issue He addresses is FALSE TEACHERS, whether male or female. The Apostle Paul’s
words to us, “quench not” and “grieve not” the Holy Spirit come to mind as we contemplate what the centuries have imparted down through
the history of the church.
Many teachers of the Scripture have promoted the false teaching that if women are permitted to teach
men, they will lead the whole church into witchcraft! This lie has quenched the spirit of many women called of God, and they have
been forced to keep silent while men have walked in the liberty of their calling. Actually, there is no such spirit as a “Jezebel
spirit”, but what is in question is a beguiling and lying spirit, leading people away from the one true God. The contrast between
this woman and the ones at the empty tomb is vivid, for they were commissioned to “go and tell”. The commission of our Lord has been
superseded by traditions based on mistranslations of Paul’s intent.
Shortly after she received the baptism in the Holy Spirit,
a close friend shared with me that she had been told that she had a “Jezebel spirit.” The word given was by the very pastor who had
prayed for her to receive the baptism. Isn’t it amazing how quickly one who would dare to proclaim the good news of the Gospel is
labeled and branded as a “Jezebel?” Isn’t it a bit perplexing to see how absent the “Ahab spirit” is, for Ahab and Jezebel were partners
in all? It’s long past time to bury the miserable, void-of-the-Spirit, teachings on the “Jezebel spirit.”
Church! No wonder the
Apostle James admonished there not be many teachers, for they will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity than other
people. Thus, as teachers, we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation. (James 3:1). It behooves us to yield to
the voice of the Spirit and pursue His truth as the church makes known to the powers and principalities of darkness the manifold wisdom
of God.
Again, the Word reminds us in Psalm 68:11 of the wonderful ministry ordained, by God for multitudes of women. That day
is here, for the Spirit of the Lord says, “Arise, O women of God; you who are so great a company! Be released to publish abroad the
good news of Jesus Christ. Speak His truth; declare His wonderful name!”
