By Margaret Ogbebor SSMA
If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land” (2 chronicle 7:14). From the above scriptural passage we would see that if we are willing to turn to God in all sincerity that He would listen to us and come to our aid. Wickedness is the keyword that is really disturbing our land. In every nook and cranny there is disregard for justice, the innocent ones are been oppressed no one to fight for them. A lot of truth are kept secret or swept under the carpet only God, who knows all, is capable of sweeping it out because every truth is open to Him. Wickedness in our land today has taken a different shape and it has spread across both far and near, making our land to be unhealthy and unsafe to live in. People no longer share their success stories because they are afraid of the consequences. There are lots of negative things that do happen after people might have shared their success stories. Some are been kidnapped, by those who see themselves as unfortunate people in the society, they do this so that they can steal from the hard earned income of those who are successful. Some are even killed so that they do not exist at all in other to prevent more good fortune from manifesting. Just like what happened to Joseph in the Bible in the book of Genesis (5:36-50) where his brothers were jealous of him because of his gift of dreams. They kidnapped him and later sold him as a slave and put their father Isaac who was very old in pain. But as destiny would have it, his life was preserved by God and his destiny was fulfilled.
However, another form of wickedness in the land is the issue of killing. People now kill without fear or honour for the human person. Some people now kill and sell human parts as if they are selling goat meat or cow meat. They no longer value the sacredness of the human life. Abortion has become a normal thing, once you are pregnant and you do not need the baby you can remove it just like that. Our land that was supposed to be flowing with milk and honey now flows with the blood of the innocent souls; everywhere is covered with darkness because of our sins and wickedness. Travelling along the road has become scary because unknown gunmen are often seen rushing out from every corner of the bush to attack any moving vehicle passing to either kidnap them or steal their belongings. Our National Flag is green white green because we had independence without the shedding of blood. But it is very unfortunate that after the independence that our beautiful flag is now stained and no one has the courage to raise it up due to the blood of the innocent souls who have no one to fight for them. Killing in our society today is becoming normal no one is ready to be the voice of the voiceless. Some people are suffering due to their colour, race or religion; these entire attitudes make our land to be sick and unhealthy. Some even sell their children because of money; the growth of wickedness in the heart of men has grown into a very big tree no fear of God. What we have is religiosity without spirituality. What a wicked world! Money ritual is the order of the day; everybody wants to become rich either by hook or crook means.
Furthermore, the act of wickedness is not acceptable in any society because of it negative consequences. In the book of 1 Kings (21: 1 – 21) we see in the story how King Ahab told Naboth the Jezreelite to give him his vegetable garden that is close to his house so that he would use it. But Naboth refused because the vegetable garden serves as a symbol of his family inheritance. He saw the proposal as exchanging the treasure of his family for money and he refused. And King Ahab who was very greedy was bent on collecting it. Since he spoke to Naboth and he refused. King Ahab felt depressed and frustrated, to the extent that his wicked wife was able to notice it. Instead of her to give her husband good advice, she said, “you govern the kingdom of Israel and you still bother yourself? Arise and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite” (1King 21:7). This was how the wicked queen Jezebel made an evil agreement with some elders to forge a letter to accuse Naboth falsely and had the seal of the King on the letter in other to make it look authentic. They went and hired two men, who testified falsely. They succeeded but this wicked act was very disgusting in the sight of God. After the death of Naboth the Jezreelite, Queen Jezebel said to Ahab “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive but dead” (1King 21:15). This is the height of wickedness and the Bible says “ When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it” ( 1Kings 21:16). We could see how wickedness had really blinded his eyes and killed his conscience, many wicked act like this provoke the wrath of God and even bring sickness to the land.
The shedding of the blood of the innocents often cries to God for vengeance. “ And the word of the lord came to Elijah the Tishbite saying, Arise, go down to meet Ahab King of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to possess it” (1 King 21:17 -18). The worst part of it was that King Ahab did not see the wrong his wife (Jezebel) had done, what he was after was the garden he wanted to possess. Wickedness had blinded his eyes that he could not differentiate evil from good. Jezebel was in control of the whole kingdom; Ahab was just there as a figurehead.
King Ahab was so blinded with wickedness that he did not feel remorse, the next thing was for him to acquire the land. But the eyes of God was not blind, He knows and sees all things that was why He quickly sent prophet Elijah to him to inform him of his atrocity and He was going to punish him for his crime and Queen Jezebel as well. He said “ thus says the lord, thou had killed and also taken possession, and thou shall speak unto him, saying thus say the lord, in the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your blood, even thine. And Ahab said to Elijah, has thou found me, o mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou have sold thyself to works of evil in the sight of the lord… (1 kings 21:19 – 26). No wicked man or woman will go unpunished because God is the God of Justice. As soon as King Ahab heard the word of the lord from Prophet Elijah he knew that his crime and wickedness was exposed. He prayed, fasted, repented, asked for forgiveness and above all he humbled himself before God. God had pity on him, and spared him. Just like king Ahab, we too have sinned against God, our wickedness is nothing to write home about, the consequences of these acts are affecting our land, many innocent bloods are crying for vengeance, we need God’s forgiveness, and mercies. Let us beg him to heal our land so that we can live in peace and tranquillity as in the days of old.
Sr Margret Ogbebor SSMA is a Catholic Nun, working in the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. She is the Head Teacher of St Martin de Porres Nursery and Primary School Katsina. [email protected]
