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1 Kings Chapter 16
- 1Kings 16:1 Then the
word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha,
saying,
- 2 Forasmuch as I
exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my
people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and
hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with
their sins;
- 3 Behold, I will
take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his
house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the
son of Nebat.
- 4 Him that dieth of
Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his
in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
- 5 Now the rest of
the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
- 6 So Baasha slept
with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son
reigned in his stead.
- 7 And also by the
hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the
LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the
evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to
anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of
Jeroboam; and because he killed him.
These things grieve me. How much more
must it grieve our God who has much better things for us that the
things of the world that seem to lure us into the wrong direction.
These kings knew better. They knew their ways were evil. They were
not ignorant of the law of God. They seem to deliberately sin
against God when they come to power as kings. At His (God's) word
kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall, yet so many act as if they are
going to live forever without any consequences for their actions.
Elah Reigns in Israel
- 1Kings 16:8 In the
twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of
Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
- 9 And his servant
Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as
he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza
steward of his house in Tirzah.
- 10 And Zimri went in
and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of
Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.
- 11 And it came to
pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne,
that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that
pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his
friends.
- 12 Thus did Zimri
destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the
LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,
- 13 For all the sins
of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned,
and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God
of Israel to anger with their vanities.
- 14 Now the rest of
the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in
the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
So the prophecy of Jehu comes to pass
and Baasha and his whole household is destroyed by Zimri. In chapter
15 of 1 Kings we read that Baasha conspired against Nahab fulfilling
a previous prophecy against the house of Nahab that Ahijah
prophesied against that king. All these kings that sinned, did not
get by with it. They all knew better but it seems as if they become
kings and forget God. Some people cannot handle being in authority
for some reason.
Zimri Reigns in Israel
- 1Kings 16:15 In the
twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign
seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against
Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
- 16 And the people
that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath
also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain
of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.
- 17 And Omri went up
from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged
Tirzah.
- 18 And it came to
pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into
the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over
him with fire, and died,
- 19 For his sins
which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in
walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to
make Israel to sin.
- 20 Now the rest of
the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
This king also was evil and only
reigned 7 days. He ended up committing suicide. The bible surely
shows us plainly how important it is to raise our children in the
ways of God by word and by example. This king even used force to
cause Israel to sin by worshipping golden calves according to other
sources. That part is not in the bible.
Omri Reigns in Israel
- 1Kings 16:21 Then
were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the
people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and
half followed Omri.
- 22 But the people
that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed
Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
As I've said many times, why do these
people want to be king so bad that they war and fight to become
king? I wouldn't want the job if someone paid me millions and I
didn't have to fight to get it.
- 1Kings 16:23 In the
thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign
over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
- 24 And he bought the
hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on
the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after
the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.
- 25 But Omri wrought
evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were
before him.
- 26 For he walked in
all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin
wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of
Israel to anger with their vanities.
- 27 Now the rest of
the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Israel?
- 28 So Omri slept
with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son
reigned in his stead.
Omri ended up being more evil that
those before him. It is the sin of idolatry that is destroying these
people. They seem to be so blind and weak in this area wanting to
turn away from the real God to worship things that have no power. It
could be they use idol worship to control the people. Many leaders
in the pass used false religions to hold control and cause people to
obey the kings because of having the spirit of fear.
I noticed when the covid virus came
upon nations that people began to fight each other and had such fear
they wanted everyone to stay home, wear masks and get injections
that did not have enough time to be tested properly. It was awful.
Fear has always been a tool of those that wanted to control the
masses.
Ahab Reigns in Israel
- 1Kings 16:29 And in
the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the
son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri
reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.
- 30 And Ahab the son
of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were
before him.
- 31 And it came to
pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the
sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel
the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and
served Baal, and worshipped him.
- 32 And he reared up
an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in
Samaria.
- 33 And Ahab made a
grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to
anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
- 34 In his days did
Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof
in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his
youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he
spake by Joshua the son of Nun.
Ahab and his wife Jezebel were wicked
than all before him. It kept getting worse and worse. There is a
prophet coming though that walked with God and was a powerful
prophet we've all heard of. His name is Elijah.
Ahab and Jezebel built altars to
worship Baal. The city of Jericho was rebuilt in spite of the curse
Joshua put upon any who would rebuild Jericho. Jericho became a very
wicked city which is why God allowed Joshua to burn the city with
fire after saving Rahab out of it because she hid the spies that
came to spy out the city. Ahab and Jezebel didn't seem to care
anything about God or His word and ignored anything to do with God
but worshipped Baal who had no power to do good or evil.
Here is a little history of Jericho:
- Joshua 6:20 So
the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and
it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet,
and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell
down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man
straight before him, and they took the city.
- 21 And they
utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman,
young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the
sword.
- 22 But Joshua
had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go
into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all
that she hath, as ye sware unto her.
- 23 And the young
men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her
father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had;
and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the
camp of Israel.
- 24 And they
burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the
silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they
put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.
- 25 And Joshua
saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and
all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day;
because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out
Jericho.
- 26 And Joshua
adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the
LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall
lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest
son shall he set up the gates of it.
Idolatry is a serious sin and will destroy
nations. It is an direct insult to our God who created us and gave
us so many good things. It is foolish to worship idols. It will
cause whole nations to end up in heaps of nothing. It's not worth
it. Our God has so many things better for those that trust in Him.
- Revelation 22:12
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give
every man according as his work shall be.
- 13 I am Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
- 14 Blessed are
they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the
tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
- 15 For without
are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and
idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
- 16 I Jesus have
sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the
churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the
bright and morning star.
- 17 And the
Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say,
Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let
him take the water of life freely.
AS for me and my household, we will trust in
the name of our God. -DC
1 Kings Chapter 17
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