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The story of King Ahab shows us that a greedy heart can lead us to misery.

Hey kids! Today we have another outrageous story for you. This one is from the Old Testament! It’s about a king who wanted something that he couldn’t have and what happened when he found a way to get it. It’s a story about how a greedy heart can lead to misery.

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The king in this story is a guy named Ahab. He lived in a big palace. Right next door to his land was a really pretty vineyard. A vineyard is kind of like a farm for growing grapes. Ahab wanted the vineyard all for himself because it was so close to his palace. But the vineyard already belonged to another guy named Naboth. Ahab tried to buy the vineyard from Naboth but he didn’t want to sell it. Ahab took matters into his own hands and made a big mistake.

To understand this story, we’re going to break it down into three sections: before Ahab got the vineyard, how he got it, and what happened after. Let’s get started!

Before He Got the Vineyard: Ahab Pouted

When Ahab didn’t get his way, he threw a fit. Have you ever done that before? Maybe there was a toy you really liked but your parents wouldn’t buy it for you. Maybe you didn’t like what your mom cooked for dinner so you pouted about it?

Since Ahab was a king, he was used to getting his way. Whenever he wanted something, he got it. So, when Naboth wouldn’t sell the vineyard Ahab got really mad. In fact, he got so mad that he just laid in his bed all day and wouldn’t even eat! He didn’t have to pout for long, though, because he eventually got the vineyard all to himself.

How He Got the Vineyard: Ahab Did Some Bad Things

Ahab was so outrageously greedy that he was willing to do anything to get the vineyard. So Ahab’s wife plotted against Naboth and had him killed. That’s outrageous! After all of his pouting, Ahab got the vineyard. He should have been so happy about it, right? Well, he wasn’t.

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After He Got the Vineyard: Ahab Was Even More Sad

Ahab was so sad because he realized that what he did was wrong. He knew he shouldn’t have had Naboth killed. And he also knew that he was going to be punished for what he did. His greedy heart led him to make a terrible decision that made his life miserable.

Luke 12:15  Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.

We Should Learn a Lesson from Ahab’s Greedy Heart

Greed really ruined Ahab’s life. He made terrible choices and he wasn’t thankful for all the things he had already. Let’s not be like Ahab. Don’t be greedy. Don’t throw a fit when you don’t get your way.

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Key Points:

  • Before he got the vineyard, Ahab pouted. When Naboth wouldn’t sell the vineyard, Ahab got really mad. In fact, he got so mad that he just laid in his bed all day and wouldn’t even eat!
  • Ahab got the vineyard by doing bad things. Ahab was so outrageously greedy that he was willing to do anything to get the vineyard. So Ahab’s wife plotted against Naboth and had him killed.
  • After he got the vineyard, Ahab was even sadder. He realized that what he did was wrong. He knew he shouldn’t have had Naboth killed. His greedy heart led him to make a terrible decision that made his life miserable.
  • We should learn a lesson from Ahab’s greedy heart. Greed ruined Ahab’s life. He made terrible choices and he wasn’t thankful for all the things he had already. Let’s not be like Ahab.

Memory Verse:

Luke 12:15  Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.

See Also: Greed, Thankfulness

Talk About It
  1. What’s your favorite part of the video? What’s one thing you learned from it?
  2. Who was Ahab? What did his greedy heart want?
  3. How did Ahab respond when Naboth wouldn’t sell him the vineyard?
  4. How did Ahab take matters into his own hands? How did that choice make him feel in the end?
  5. Read 1 Timothy 6:6-8. What does it mean to be content? What does this passage say about our stuff?
  6. How will you apply this lesson to your life this week?

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