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1 Kings Chapter 15
Abijam Reigns in Judah
- 1Kings 15:1 Now in
the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned
Abijam over Judah.
- 2 Three years
reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the
daughter of Abishalom.
During the last 4 years of Jeroboam's
reign Abijam also known as Abijah, the son of Rehoboam became king
over the tribe of Judah.
- 1Kings 15:3 And he
walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before
him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the
heart of David his father.
- 4 Nevertheless for
David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem,
to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
- 5 Because David did
that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not
aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his
life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
David never once worshipped idols or
turned away from God. When Solomon became king, he started out just
like David but in his latter years his many wives turned him away
from the real God and he turned to false gods and idols. This
influenced his sons but God allowed the tribe to continue on because
of David's sake.
Because of idolatry, the kingdom of the
other 10 tribes fell before the tribe of Judah. Judah continued
until the Babylonian kingdom was allowed to destroy it years later
as many prophets warned would come because of idolatry and many evil
practices which accompany the worship of idols.
- 1Kings 15:6 And
there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his
life.
- 7 Now the rest of
the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in
the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was
war between Abijam and Jeroboam.
- 8 And Abijam slept
with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and
Asa his son reigned in his stead.
There was war because neither side
accepted the will of God in separating the tribes because of the
sins of Solomon. We see this in chapter 11 of 1 Kings.
Asa Reigns In Judah
- 1Kings 15:9 And in
the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over
Judah.
- 10 And forty and one
years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah,
the daughter of Abishalom.
- 11 And Asa did that
which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his
father.
At last a good king that did right.
This is refreshing. He got to reign 40 years. I rejoice when I see a
good leader. I see corruption in leaders today and can see how it
brings trouble on the whole country. We need the fear of the Lord
back and leaders that acknowledge righteousness and will not try to
take down the good people but the evil ones. We need leaders that
care about the people instead of wanting to control them.
- 1Kings 15:12 And he
took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the
idols that his fathers had made.
- 13 And also Maachah
his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she
had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and
burnt it by the brook Kidron.
- 14 But the high
places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect
with the LORD all his days.
He even removed his own mother from
being queen because of idolatry. Sodomites were those that were
joined to men in their relationship instead of desiring women for
wives. It was forbidden under the law of Moses. Asa removed these
from the land. At least those he found. He also removed idols. It
would seem as if he just removed them from out of the land he was
king over or made the leave. He didn't put anyone to death at least
this is my understanding of it.
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1Kings 15:15 And he brought
in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things
which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver,
and gold, and vessels.
Asa tried his best to restore the
kingdom to the way David would have done it. He tried to bring back
the law of God and restore the worship of God.
- 1Kings 15:16 And
there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their
days.
- 17 And Baasha king
of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might
not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
- 18 Then Asa took all
the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the
house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and
delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent
them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king
of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
- 19 There is a league
between me and thee, and between my father and thy father:
behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come
and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may
depart from me.
- 20 So Benhadad
hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts
which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and
Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land
of Naphtali.
- 21 And it came to
pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of
Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.
- 22 Then king Asa
made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and
they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof,
wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba
of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
- 23 The rest of all
the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the
cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of
his old age he was diseased in his feet.
- 24 And Asa slept
with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of
David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
Baasha became king of Israel during the
3rd year of Asa and tried to cause trouble and strife. He was not
satisfied to stay within his own territory. Abijam had made a league
with the father of Benhadad so Baasha asked for his help but Asa
tried to break up this league. This type of rivalry continued until
years later when both the northern tribes and the southern tribe of
Judah were destroyed as nations. It doesn't pay to leave God out and
do our own thing. It leads to evil and corruption.
Nadab Reigns in Israel
- 1Kings 15:25 And
Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the
second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two
years.
- 26 And he did evil
in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father,
and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
- 27 And Baasha the
son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him;
and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the
Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.
This son of Jeroboam reigned over
Israel before Baasha. Baasha actually took that kingdom over after
he killed Nadab.
- 1Kings 15:28 Even in
the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and
reigned in his stead.
- 29 And it came to
pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam;
he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had
destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he
spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:
- 30 Because of the
sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin,
by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel
to anger.
- 31 Now the rest of
the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in
the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
- 32 And there was war
between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
Baasha wasn't a good guy but we see that he
fulfills the prophecy that Ahijah spoke against the house of
Jeroboam. We see this in chapter 14 of 1 Kings. So sad to read of
these things. They could have trusted in God and not suffer such
evil.
Baasha Reigns in Israel
- 1Kings 15:33 In the
third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah
to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.
- 34 And he did evil
in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and
in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
Baasha instead of being a good king did
exactly like the people he took over the kingdom from. We see this
throughout history. When a nation does evil and gets to the point of
no return, another evil nation is allowed to take over. After a few
years of evil, that nation also will be overthrowed. This will
continue until the glorious coming of Jesus Christ. DC
1 Kings Chapter 16
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