Let’s continue our exploration of wickedness archetypes. Be sure to read Part 1 first.

State-Endorsed Wickedness—Jezebel

Jezebel used royal power to entrench idolatry and silence dissent. She financially supported hundreds of prophets of Baal and Asherah and normalised violence. She seized property and had a man killed just so her husband could have a garden he admired.

But Elijah thoroughly humiliates Jezebel’s prophets during a contest of power (and by extension her), inviting ire.

“‘Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who are supported by Jezebel.’

‘O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.’ Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench!

And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, ‘The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!’

Then Elijah commanded, ‘Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!’ So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there.

When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: ‘May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.’” 1 Kings 18:19, 37–40; 19:1–2 NLT

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“‘What’s the matter?’ his wife Jezebel asked him. ‘What’s made you so upset that you’re not eating?’

‘I asked Naboth to sell me his vineyard or trade it, but he refused!’ Ahab told her.

‘Are you the king of Israel or not?’ Jezebel demanded. ‘Get up and eat something, and don’t worry about it. I’ll get you Naboth’s vineyard!’

So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and other leaders of the town where Naboth lived. In her letters, she commanded them to call the citizens together for fasting and prayer and to give Naboth a place of honor. And then seat two scoundrels across from him who will accuse him of cursing God and the king. Take him out and stone him to death.

So the elders and other town leaders followed the instructions Jezebel had written in the letters. They called for a fast and put Naboth at a prominent place among the people. Then the two scoundrels came and sat across from him. They accused Naboth before all the people, saying, ‘This man cursed God and the king!’ So he was dragged outside the town and stoned to death.

The town leaders then sent word to Jezebel, ‘Naboth has been stoned to death.’

When Jezebel heard the news, she said to Ahab, ‘You know the vineyard Naboth wouldn’t sell you? Well, you can have it now! He’s dead!’ So Ahab immediately went down to the vineyard of Naboth to claim it.” 1 Kings 21:5–16 NLT

Aspirational but Hopeless Wickedness – Lucifer

This section describes ambition and aspiration without a sense of one’s limits. Also, how hopeless it is to war against God and hope to win. A for audacity.

“How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth.

‘I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’ Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths.” Isaiah 14:12, 14–15 NLT

Righteous Wickedness—Samuel

After King Saul disobeyed God in a sanctioned battle by sparing Agag, the Amalekite king, Samuel decides to complete the original judgment himself to set things right.

“Then Samuel said, ‘Bring King Agag to me.’ Agag arrived full of hope, for he thought, ‘Surely the worst is over, and I have been spared!’ But Samuel said, ‘As your sword has killed the sons of many mothers, now your mother will be childless.’ And Samuel cut Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.” 1 Samuel 15:32–33 NLT

Peer-Driven Wickedness—Darius and Joash

Darius

King Darius was manipulated through pressure and flattery by his officials. They persuaded him to enact a law that criminalized prayer to any god except the king. This put his top adviser, Daniel, in a tough spot as he publicly prayed to the God of heaven daily. The other officials orchestrated this fix in a bid to take Daniel out brutally.

“So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, ‘Long live King Darius!’ ‘Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions.’ And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed.’ So King Darius signed the law.

But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law… Then they told the king, ‘That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.’

So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, ‘May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.’ A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles.” Daniel 6:6–17 NLT

Joash

Jehoiada the priest preserved Joash’s life as a child, hiding him from Queen Athaliah and later orchestrating his coronation. When he died, his loyalty was repaid by the murder of his son, Zechariah.

“But after Jehoiada’s death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded him to listen to their advice. They decided to abandon the Temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and they worshiped Asherah poles and idols instead.

Yet the Lord sent prophets to bring them back to him. The prophets warned them, but still the people would not listen.

Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, ‘Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands and keep yourselves from prospering? You have abandoned the Lord, and now he has abandoned you!’

Then the leaders plotted to kill Zechariah, and King Joash ordered that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple.

Zechariah’s last words as he died were, “May the Lord see what they are doing and avenge my death!’” — 2 Kings 11:1–12; 2 Chronicles 24:17–22 NLT

Conclusion

Wickedness is not the sole preserve of villains. It shows up in all of us in fear, ambition, self-preservation, image management, and crisis management.

These portraits of wickedness should not only humble you but also point you to the knowledge that redemption always begins where self-righteousness ends.

Thank you for reading.