Ahab was weak in moral power. He did not have a high sense of sacred things; he was selfish and unprincipled. His union by marriage with a woman of decided character and positive temperament, who was devoted to idolatry, made them both special agents of Satan to lead the people of God into idolatry and terrible apostasy. The determined spirit of Jezebel molded the character of Ahab. His selfish nature was incapable of appreciating the mercies of God to His people and his obligation to God as the guardian and leader of Israel. The fear of God was daily growing less in Israel. The blasphemous tokens of their blind idolatry were to be seen among the Israel of God. There were none who dared to expose their lives by openly standing forth in opposition to the prevailing blasphemous idolatry. The altars of Baal, and the priests of Baal who sacrificed to the sun, moon, and stars, were conspicuous everywhere. They had consecrated temples and groves wherein the work of men’s hands was placed to be worshiped. The benefits which God gave to this people called forth from them no gratitude to the Giver. All the bounties of heaven,—the running brooks, the streams of living waters, the gentle dew, the showers of rain which refreshed the earth and caused their fields to bring forth abundantly,—these they ascribed to the favor of their gods. {3T 262.3}

Akab var svag i moralsk kraft. Han havde ikke en høj fornemmelse af hellige ting; han var selvisk og uden principper. Hans ægteskabsforbindelse med en kvinde af beslutsom karakter og tydeligt temperament, som var overgivet til afguderi, gjorde dem begge til særlige Satans agenter der ledte Guds folk til afguderi og frygteligt frafald. Jezabels bestemte ånd dannede Akabs karakter. Hans egenkærlige natur var ude af stand til at fatte Guds nådegaver til sit folk og sin egen forpligtelse til Gud som fører og leder for Israel. Gudsfrygt herskede mindre i Israel. Blasfemiske (263) tegn på deres blinde afguderi kunne ses midt iblandt Guds Israel. Der var ingen som vovede at udsætte deres liv ved at stå åbent frem i modstand for den fremherskende blasfemiske afgudsdyrkelse. Baals altre og Baals præster som ofrede til solen, månen og stjerne, var alle steder iøjnefaldende. De havde indviede templer og trælunde hvor menneskehænders arbejde var placeret til tilbedelse. De goder som Gud gav sit folk fremkaldte ingen taknemmelighed til Giveren. Alle himlens gaver, de løbende bække, levende vandes strømme, den milde dug, regnens vand som fornyede jorden og fik dens marker til at give i overfold, - dette tilskrev de deres guders gunst.