15/06/2026
Good morning!
There Is No Human Being Who Does Not Suffer
Monday, June 15, 2026
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 21:1–16
“The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” (1 Kings 21:3)
Reflection on the Scripture:
Naboth of Jezreel owned a vineyard that had been passed down through his family. According to Leviticus 25:8–28, inherited land could not simply be sold, because it represented each family’s share in the land given by God. For this reason, Naboth refused the king’s request to sell his vineyard so that it could be turned into a vegetable garden. Here we see that even the kings of Israel had limits to their authority.
King Ahab, however, reacted by sulking and refusing to eat, thereby pressuring his wife Jezebel to take action. She devised a plot against Naboth, leading to his death by stoning so that the vineyard could pass into the king’s possession. In God’s eyes, Ahab bears primary responsibility for Naboth’s death, because he knew the law and should never have allowed his wife to eliminate Naboth. Ahab would eventually face God’s judgment.
God does not remain silent in the face of injustice. Although it may sometimes appear that evildoers escape punishment, in time they are brought before a just judgment. So far, every one of them has been. Yet the question naturally arises: Why does God allow innocent people to suffer? It is not God who causes suffering, but human beings, deceived by the dragon described in the Book of Revelation. Everyone who submits to the dragon will one day be called to account, while those who suffer innocently will be exalted in the Kingdom of God.
Let us pray:
Lord, grant me the spirit of discernment between good and evil. Do not let me walk down false paths, but lead me along the ways that bring salvation according to Your holy will. Amen.