Coveting has always been seen as desiring that which is not yours. From sex, to power, and money. The lust for this corrupts the heart and drives one away from God. But what we see in Donald Trump rivals any story in the bible. From childhood on, Trump has sought to acquire wealth and power by any means necessary with no regard to how his actions affected others. At no time has he felt the need to make amends or repent. Nor does he seek to hide the evil he does.
In 1 Kings 21 we see King Ahab coveting a vineyard owned by Naboth the Jezreelite which was next to Ahab’s palace. He told Naboth to give him the vineyard and he would pay him what it was worth. Naboth replied that he would not give away what was an inheritance from his fathers. So, Ahab sulked and his wife Jezebel told him that he exercised authority over Israel and she would get him the vineyard he coveted. But she used subterfuge to steal this vineyard and hired two scoundrels to say Naboth had blasphemed both the King and God. So Naboth was stoned and killed and Ahab got his vineyard.
This evil did not go unpunished. God saw this and told His prophet Elijah to tell Ahab, “Have you murdered and also taken possession?” (1 Kings 21:19) Elijah then speaks judgement on Ahab, Jezebel, and his house and tells him God will bring calamity on him and take away his posterity and bring destruction on him. Ahab became so convicted by this judgement that he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted and went about mourning. Because Ahab humbled himself before God the coming judgement was delayed but not removed. Ahab showed fear of God.
I believe that if Donald Trump was not kept in check, even to the degree he is, we would see him doing worse than King Ahab. He had no problem orchestrating an insurrection on 1/6/21. Because of this, 8 people died. Trump sat for hours watching this evil unfold on TV refusing to tell his supporters storming our capitol to disperse. His evil invective caused many in the crowd to attempt to hang his Vice President, Mike Pence. He has continued to keep the lie alive that the 2020 election was stolen. And on the first day of his second term as President, he pardoned all those jailed or convicted of attacking our Capitol. He has had suspected drug smugglers killed off the coast of Venezuela and Ecuador. No trial. And survivors clinging to wreckage were killed. His jealousy of Obama caused him to tear up the JCPOA treaty and bring us into a bungled fiasco in Iran that has produced deaths of too many innocents and needless deaths of our service people because of moronic planning. The list is too long. But how many would die if he had Ahab’s power? How many of his perceived enemies would be dispatched?
Trump’s coveting is unlike that of any man that has served as our president. He has made a fool of our country with his attempts to own Greenland. His coveting wealth which he feels will bring him power and status has enriched himself and his family at the expense of our own economy and status in the world. His obsession with being seen as “better than” has caused him to tear up anything having to do with J.F. Kennedy. He seeks to have his name above every name. There is no evil that he will not put in place if not restrained. Even murder. Look at ICE. There is no grift he is ashamed of. He will use the judicial branch to go after anyone he perceives to be against him. His insatiable desire for power, wealth and status will cause him to use any means to take what he covets. Even sexually. At no point has Trump ever humbled himself before God and expressed remorse for his actions. For his coveting. He will one day see the god that he serves. Hebrews 13:5 tells us to have our conduct be without covetousness. And Ephesians 5:5 warns us that no idolater, no covetous man has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. It is imperative that we have no part in the works of darkness that are permanent fixtures of Trump’s world. Turn from all this evil. It is vital that we pray without ceasing. These are dark times. Stand. Blessings.
