The name “Jezebel” has been tossed out without discernment. To label a woman as a Jezebel has become too flippant, especially when it’s being used to describe a strong female leader who is spiritually stronger than the weak men who accuse her of being a Jezebel.

Jezebel and her husband, Ahab, who was the king of Israel, brought great evil into the nation. Jezebel was a power-hungry and murderous woman who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. She used her marriage to Ahab to deceive and manipulate people. She even had people murdered who she considered her opponents.

Jezebel lived without a moral compass. She influenced her husband and opened the door in Israel for the worship of false gods, chief among them being the worship of Baal. Baal emasculated men and opened the door for the sexual depravity that surrounded the worship of Baal. As a result, Jezebel became the master of her husband, Ahab, a weak man and a weak leader.

In Jesus’ complaint against the church in Thyatira, He said, “But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman – that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet – to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality” (Revelation 2:20-21).

After Jezebel orchestrated Naboth’s death to steal his property, Elijah confronted Ahab. “So, my enemy, you have found me!” Ahab exclaimed to Elijah. “Yes,” Elijah answered, “I have come because you have sold yourself to what is evil in the Lord’s sight” (I Kings 21:20). Ahab gave his leadership role to his wife, Jezebel, to do as she pleased.

Because of Ahab’s evil and his willingness to let his wife lead the nation under the influence of his position, he would be removed from office, “And regarding Jezebel, the Lord says, ‘Dogs will eat Jezebel’s body at the plot of land in Jezreel” (vs.23).

The prophesied death of Jezebel happened later when she dressed herself seductively and sat atop the wall of the city to greet Jehu and his approaching army. The eunuchs who served her knew her end was near, so they threw her off the city wall to her death below, where she lay exposed to be eaten by dogs.

As a result, “When they returned and told Jehu, he stated, “This fulfills the message from the Lord, which he spoke through his servant Elijah from Tishbe: ‘At the plot of land in Jezreel, dogs will eat Jezebel’s body. Her remains will be scattered like dung on the plot of land in Jezreel, so that no one will be able to recognize her” (II Kings 9 36-37).

The next time someone tosses out the name Jezebel to describe a spiritually strong female leader in an attempt to discredit her, be careful about using that name without understanding what it means. It was a name used by Elijah and Jesus to describe something more evil and sinister than seeing a strong woman doing what the Lord asked her to do under His direction.