What is the Ahab spirit? It’s fairly commonplace to hear Christians speak of a woman having the “spirit of Jezebel,” but what exactly do they mean by that? And if someone can have the spirit of Jezebel, might someone have the Ahab spirit?
Why Is It Called the Ahab Spirit?
Usually, when a Christian refers to a person by the name of a biblical figure, such as “She’s such a Jezebel” or “He has the heart of Daniel,” they mean to say the individual has characteristics or behaviors like that person. In some Christian traditions (such as charismatic denominations or individuals who attribute significant patterns of sin to demonic involvement), “a Jezebel or Ahab spirit” may be a more specific reference to a type of demon either possessing or oppressing the individual.
Queen Jezebel and King Ahab were a notoriously evil pairing who ruled over Old Testament Israel. This is our introduction to them:
“In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.” (1 Kings 16:29-33 ESV)
Jezebel was known as idolatrous, manipulative, conniving, greedy, deceitful, and murderous. She was intent on silencing the voice of God in Israel by killing all His prophets, even threatening Elijah. At one point, when Jezebel was slaughtering God’s prophets, Obadiah hid them in groups of 50 in caves, feeding them rations of bread and water (1 Kings 18:3). Jezebel filled Israel with the prophets of Baal and Ahsherah, but Elijah called them out to a great showdown in the second half of 1 Kings 18.
When the God of Israel showed the idolatrous prophets to be false, Elijah destroyed them. This enraged Jezebel, and she sent word to him, vowing to kill him in revenge. For this and many other evils, God warned Jezebel and Ahab that they would come to a terrible end. Eventually, Jezebel died after being thrown from her window by her eunuchs, and dogs ate her body.
In Revelation 2:20, Jesus refers to a woman as Jezebel, whether that was her given name or Jesus is simply referring to her behavior. She was guilty of “seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.” Sexual immorality, idolatry, and false prophecy are heavily associated with Jezebel.
But what traits of Ahab may be evident if someone has an Ahab spirit?
What Are the Traits of the Ahab Spirit?
Three behaviors mentioned in the 1 Kings 16:29-33 passage are certainly characteristic of Ahab:
- taking sins lightly
- marrying outside the faith
- committing and encouraging idolatry
Baal worship is closely associated with infant or human sacrifice as well as sensual forms of worship such as temple prostitution and orgies. By this, we can surmise that other traits of an Ahab spirit would be devaluing life and ignoring biblical boundaries on sexual relationships.
Throughout the stories of Ahab and Jezebel in 1 and 2 Kings, it would appear that Ahab ceded much of his authority to the queen. She is feared. She is the person of action. She pulls the strings of power. This is very evident in 1 Kings 21, where we read the story of Naboth’s vineyard. After Jezebel finds Ahab pouting, she asks the reason. Ahab explains that he wants Naboth’s field, but Naboth has refused to sell it. Her response is quick and cruel:
“And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” (1 Kings 21:7 ESV)
Jezebel carries out a plan of deceit and manipulation that results in Naboth’s death so Ahab can have the little plot of land he desires.
Other verses make it clear how much harm Ahab did and how Jezebel influenced him:
“There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.” (1 Kings 21:25 ESV)
Because of these verses, it’s not uncommon for people to associate “the spirit of Ahab” with traits like passivity, pettiness, and abdication of responsibility.
Does the Bible Ever Mention an Ahab Spirit?
The Bible does not mention a specific “spirit of Ahab.”
There are brief references to demons who have unusual traits. The Old Testament mentions demons who demanded children be sacrificed to them (Psalm 106:37) and “goat demons” (Leviticus 17:7). During Jesus’s earthly ministry, He delivered many people from demonic spirits. Some spirits specifically caused individuals to be blind (Matthew 12:22), mute (Matthew 9:33), or disabled (Luke 13:11). Others caused the people they inhabited to seize or convulse so that they fell into water or fires (Matthew 17:15).
Demons are fallen angels, and we know that angels have names. Two angels mentioned by name are Gabriel and Michael. Satan or Lucifer is, of course, the primary demon we know by name. But in Mark 5, in the country of the Gerasenes, Jesus encountered a man possessed by a demon who announced, “My name is Legion, for we are many” Mark 5:9 ESV). Most other recorded instances of deliverance from demons, however, don’t mention specific demonic names. Having the demon or unclean spirit identify themselves doesn’t appear to be a key characteristic of removing the demon from the person.
Should Christians Worry about the Ahab Spirit?
Followers of Jesus are commanded to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6 ESV). While the Bible is clear that there are angels and demons at work in the world, it is also clear that God has provided protection from all evil. Ephesians 6 describes the armor of God supplied to each of us for defense against spiritual forces. James 4:7 declares, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Of course, we should be on guard against the traits and behaviors Ahab displayed. We are capable of sin—sinful behaviors, attitudes, and behavior patterns that can allow footholds or even strongholds for evil in our lives.
Flirting with idolatry and sexual sin on any level can become snares that open all kinds of spiritual traps that will lead us astray from spiritual effectiveness and maturity. Christians are to follow biblical guidelines for marriage, or we leave the door open for conflict or backsliding. We are to value life, respect the truth, and rise to the responsibility that is ours in life, in the church, in relationships, and in marriage.
If we have wandered into any of these sinful behaviors or attitudes, we can turn from them, repent, and draw near to God, knowing the devil must flee.
The most fascinating thing about Jezebel and Ahab in the Bible is how boring and ridiculous their self-indulgent sins made them to be. Elijah is a much more compelling and interesting person, and he is the one who chooses to live according to God’s ways. Sin reduces us to caricatures of the wondrous humans God designed us to be, and these two infamous sinners demonstrate all too clearly.
It would be a tragedy to live in a way that we might be considered as someone having the spirit of Ahab. We should always strive to be full of the Holy Spirit, walking only in the spirit of Jesus Christ.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/ardasavasciogullari
This article is part of our Christian Terms catalog, exploring words and phrases of Christian theology and history. Here are some of our most popular articles covering Christian terms to help your journey of knowledge and faith:
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