A Lamp in Jerusalem

A Lamp in Jerusalem

1 Kings 14:21–16:34

Main Idea: Several kings in Judah and Israel were corrupt, but God made a faithful promise to bring the ultimate King through the line of David.

Occasionally you hear truth in strange places. In an episode of The Simpsons, Homer said of the Bible, “All these people are a mess . . . except this one guy.” True words! Even the best of men in the Bible fail, like Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Peter. Even some of the men who wrote the Bible were murderers (Moses, David, Solomon, and Paul). The whole Bible shows us that we are a mess, and we need a Savior.

The fact that God used men such as these reminds us that God can save and use anyone. It also reminds us that we shouldn’t put our ultimate hope in mere mortals. People will disappoint us.

In the book of Kings we see this reality of sin lived out. Many of the individuals in Kings are in fact a mess. But a promised King is coming who will keep God’s law perfectly. What keeps Kings from being a depressing book is the promise that God is going to preserve a remnant through the ultimate Son of David who will come and reign forever. God will preserve “a lamp in Jerusalem” (11:36; 15:4). This passage of Scripture reminds us of this divine promise.

I could entitle the message “Eight Wicked Kings and One Mostly Good King” or “A Really Bad Baseball Team” (or “The Astros!”). We basically have a description of nine rulers, three in Judah and six in Israel. One of them, Asa, stands out as a mostly good example. Ahab is the final batter in the lineup, and like a pitcher, he’s the worst hitter! Here’s the batting order:

The writer of Kings follows a consistent pattern in describing these kings. It’s sort of like a Wikipedia page. We’re given (1) the identity of the king, (2) the length of his reign, (3) his relationship to the king in the other kingdom, (4) the identity of the king’s mother (in the case of Judah’s kings), (5) occasionally an explanation of the divine point of view, (6) a statement of death, and (7) recommendations for further study.

The reigns of the three Judean kings cover about 60 years (930–870 BC). Thus, this is but a brief survey. Two other “survey sections” appear later, in 2 Kings 8:16–13:25 and 2 Kings 14:1–17:6.

After explaining the latter part of Rehoboam’s reign and the short reign of Abijam, the writer recounts the long reign of Asa. He brought stability. As a whole, the southern kingdom of Judah was more stable—nationally and internationally—than the northern kingdom of Israel. It certainly wasn’t honorable in every way, but it was more stable. The northern kingdom partook in more idolatry and was exposed to other threatening nations, including Assyria. But the most important detail is God’s promise to David. Other matters are important, but this is most important. David set an example (albeit an imperfect one), and God made a promise to him. The other kings are compared to him. How will each king respond to God’s covenant? This question lingers throughout the narrative.

We have many lessons to learn as we observe nine kings—especially the lesson not to waste your life on things that don’t matter—but we have one overarching word of hope: God will preserve a lamp in Jerusalem. This should encourage us. God was and is faithful. Jesus came. He came to live and die and rise for sinners, and He forever reigns as our King. So let us learn from these nine kings, and let us worship and give ourselves wholeheartedly to the King of kings.

To help us remember a significant detail about each king, I have given each a nickname or tagline. The author has been talking about Jeroboam in Israel, but he switches to Judah in 14:21 and then comes back to Israel’s rulers. It’s similar to the MLB network that goes back and forth between games.

Kings of Judah

1 Kings 14:21–15:24

1: Rehoboam, “The Conformer” (14:21-31)

After a note on Rehoboam’s famous dad (Solomon), Rehoboam’s age, and his 17-year reign, we read of Solomon’s folly: namely, his marriage to Naamah the Ammonite. The writer of Kings finds this so important that he bookends this section with a note about this Ammonite mother (v. 31). Bookends are significant in the Bible. They provide a lens by which we can read everything in the middle. Why is it that Rehoboam conformed to the culture and began to worship idols? It was partially due to the influence of his mother, whom Solomon should have never married in the first place.

Rehoboam didn’t have to follow his mother, but he did. We will see that all of these kings have a choice to make. Rehoboam made the wrong choice. The Chronicler puts the blame on Rehoboam, saying, “He did not determine in his heart to seek the Lord” (2 Chr 12:14). Rehoboam didn’t curb the idolatry. The sin introduced by Solomon and his foreign wives worsens in Rehoboam’s reign.

Next, we read about the entire community of Israel. The writer says, “Judah did what was evil in the Lord’s eyes” (1 Kgs 14:22). Even though we’re examining kings, God’s people remain in view. They identify with the king. The writer says the people provoked God to “jealous anger.” Modern readers may have trouble with this concept of jealousy, but this is holy jealousy. God isn’t careless about His people. Like a husband who wants to protect his wife with a righteous jealousy, God wants to protect His people. God is jealous for His bride and jealous for His glory.

The evil committed by the nation was “more than all that their ancestors had done.” It was a dark day in Israel. The writer then outlines some of the dark practices: “They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree; there were even male cult prostitutes in the land” (vv. 23-24). High places were altars to pagan deities, often located on hilltops. Asherah poles were wooden representations of a female deity. Such idols were supposed to be destroyed (Deut 12:3-4). Asherah was often seen as the partner of a male god, Baal (more on Baal in 1 Kgs 17), giving an obvious sexual message. In light of the sexual nature of his cult, the presence of prostitutes was common at the shrines. Worshipers would fulfill their obligations to the fertility gods (House, 1, 2 Kings, 194). The reference to “male cult prostitutes” means ritual sodomy was practiced (Deut 23:17).

These practices were the reasons God drove out the other nations in the first place, but now Judah conformed to their customs. Instead of exclusive allegiance to Yahweh, they adopted Canaanite idolatry.

How could this be? What would attract anyone to male cult prostitution? Rehoboam is simply conforming to the surrounding culture. Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world” (Rom 12:2 ESV), and John says, “Do not love the world” (1 John 2:15). Just because culture deems something acceptable doesn’t mean God approves of it. Some say, “We have progressed. The Bible was written a long time ago.” No, God was opposed to these sinful practices then, and He still opposes them now.

The bottom line is, God’s people are to live differently. Jesus said that we are “the salt of the earth,” and we are no good if we lose our saltiness (Matt 5:13). We’re all susceptible to popular sins of the culture like greed, racism, and laziness. But we’re supposed to be different.

In verses 25-28 idolatry led to political problems. The nation encountered an enemy from Egypt: Shishak. The Chronicler says this attack was because Rehoboam “abandoned the law of the Lord,” which is affirmed by the prophet Shemaiah (2 Chr 12:1,5). Then the Chronicler says the people humbled themselves and God promised to “grant them a little deliverance” (2 Chr 12:6-7). But Rehoboam had to give up treasures from the temple to pay him off. The king then replaced the gold shields he lost with bronze shields. This signifies the fading splendor of the nation.

Besides the idolatry and the political weakness, we also read of Rehoboam’s lack of peace. Unlike David he couldn’t defeat his enemies, and unlike Solomon he couldn’t establish peace (House, 1, 2  Kings, 195). Rehoboam was at war with Jeroboam “throughout their reigns” (1 Kgs 14:30). In every way the kingdom was in decline because Rehoboam “did what was evil, because he did not determine in his heart to seek the Lord” (2 Chr 12:14).

But even in the midst of decline, we read, “His son Abijam became king in his place” (1 Kgs 14:31). You can read about this genealogy in Matthew’s Gospel as he introduces Jesus (Matt 1:7-8). In the midst of darkness, God preserves a light. A lamp continues to burn in Jerusalem. That’s grace!

2: Abijam, “A Lamp for David’s Sake” (15:1-8)

In the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s rule, we see that Abijam (aka Abijah) reigned in Judah, and he apparently married within the faith. The writer says he married “Maacah daughter of Abishalom [Absalom]” (v. 2). However, he “walked in all the sins his father before him had committed” (v. 3). What does this mean? It means “he was not completely devoted to the Lord his God as his ancestor David had been” (v. 3). Literally, “his heart was not whole with Yahweh his God, like the heart of David his father.”

God is after the heart. He wants you to be true to Him. Like the other kings Abijam is compared to David, and the writer says he falls short.

In 2 Chronicles 13 we read a bit more positive story about him. Abijam opposed Jeroboam in Ephraim, and because the men of Judah actually “cried out to the Lord,” they prevailed (2 Chr 13:14). Judah took Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, with their dependent villages. Compared to David, Abijam was less faithful. Compared to Jeroboam, he was better. But the Chronicler still agrees with the assessment in Kings since he too notes the idolatrous practice; the Chronicler simply neglects to give an explicit comment on his personal godliness.

Abijam does provide some relief from the north, but he still walked in the sins of his father. Why does God not wipe him out? “But because of David, the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem to raise up his son after him” (vv. 4-5; cf. 1 Kgs 11:36; 2 Kgs 8:19).

Lamps are common symbols of God’s continuing presence (1 Sam 3:3) and of a ruler’s continuity (2 Sam 21:17; also of ancient Near Eastern practice). A burning coal symbolizes family continuity (2 Sam 14:7). Today we can visit the “eternal flame” at Arlington National Cemetery commemorating John F. Kennedy. In our homes the presence of light means someone is home. In Psalm 132:17 God promises to prepare “a lamp for My anointed one.” All of these images provide a stunning backdrop to statements made in Revelation: “Its lamp is the Lamb” (Rev 21:23).

The Lord is gracious, and the Lord keeps His promises. God promised to continue David’s dynasty. David wasn’t perfect, for he sinned in “the matter of Uriah the Hittite” (1 Kgs 15:5), but he was repentant. Though the kings don’t keep their promises, God does. Sacrifices continue to be offered for sins. Lambs are slaughtered. Atonement is provided. The light continues to burn as all of this prepares the way for the Savior. Despite the sins of these kings, God was faithful, and consequently we have forgiveness of sins.

3: Asa, “A Seeker of the Lord (for the Majority of His Life)” (15:9-14)

The writer tells of Asa’s unusually long reign (41 years) and presents this king as a breath of fresh air. Rehoboam was a conformer, but Asa was a reformer. We read of his personal reformation, as the writer says, “Asa did what was right in the Lord’s eyes, as his ancestor David had done” (v. 11). Only Hezekiah and Josiah receive higher praise than Asa.

This is what matters in life: personal godliness. Are you living before the eyes of God with loving faithfulness to Him? You see, Asa chose to live differently from his fathers. Perhaps you grew up in a hard family. Don’t let this reality keep you from living for the glory of God. Kings doesn’t promote fatalism. God is sovereign, but you’re responsible.

The next positive statement refers to his worship reform. Asa puts away the “male cult prostitutes” and “the idols” (v. 12). Asa does physically what we must do spiritually, that is, destroy the idols of our hearts. He opposes Asherah poles so much that he gets rid of his grandmother, Maacah, “the queen mother,” because she possessed one of these idols. Asa destroyed it. Asa’s reform cost him. And following Jesus will cost us too. You might have to break ties with family members in order to follow Jesus (Luke 12:52-53). While you should be gracious and patient with your family, you must realize that not everyone will approve of your walking in the ways of Christ.

Asa also collects some gold and silver for the temple. He gives attention to this holy place. The only negative point is that he didn’t remove the high places completely, indicating some inconsistency. However, in 2 Chronicles we read that the high places were destroyed (14:3-5), at least in Judah. It appears that he destroyed them in the southern kingdom, but those in the north still had non-Jerusalem places for worship. Nevertheless, the text says his heart was true to the Lord (1 Kgs 15:14).

The Chronicler highlights Asa’s spiritual leadership saying that he “told the people of Judah to seek the Lord . . . and to carry out the instruction and the commands” (2 Chr 14:4; emphasis added). Asa points the nation in the right direction.

Have you ever been serious about seeking the Lord? If not, follow Asa’s example: put away the idols and seek the Lord. James says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (Jas 4:8). This happened to me in college. I had been around the church growing up, but I didn’t earnestly seek the Lord until then. Perhaps you have some religious practices but no living relationship with the God of the Bible. Let me urge you to follow this model of seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

We also read of another positive example of Asa’s leadership when Zerah the Cushite (Ethiopian) came against him with his massive army. The Chronicler writes that Asa “cried out to the Lord his God: ‘. . . Help us, Lord our God, for we depend on You, and in Your name we have come against this large army’” (2 Chr 14:11). As a result, “the Lord routed the Cushites” (v. 12). Asa and his men pursued them until “the Cushites fell” (v. 13; a miracle that anyone could exhaust Ethiopian runners!).

Additionally, the Chronicler notes that a prophet Azariah spoke to Asa, saying, “If you seek Him [the Lord], He will be found by you, but if you abandon Him, He will abandon you” (2 Chr 15:2). Asa responded to this message positively (vv. 8-18).

Despite the positive lessons we learn from Asa, we also learn a negative example. Asa falls later in life due to unbelief. Against the Ethiopians, he trusted in God, not human methods, and won the victory. But then we read of the sad account of Asa paying Aram’s Ben-hadad to break his covenant with Israel’s Baasha in order to protect Judah from Baasha’s threat (1 Kgs 15:16-24). When the pressure was on, he abandoned his convictions and made a terrible compromise.

On a purely human level, this looked like a military genius at work. Baasha had fortified Ramah, a strategic economic area just north of Jerusalem, and in response Asa pays off the greedy Ben-hadad with treasures from the temple. As a result of Aram’s attack on Israel’s cities, Baasha leaves, and then Asa’s people cart off all of the construction materials Baasha left behind, using these items to fortify Geba and Mizpah! Great move, right? Wrong. It may look good on paper, but in Chronicles we read of how Hanani the seer rebuked Asa:

Because you depended on the king of Aram and have not depended on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. Were not the Cushites and Libyans a vast army with many chariots and horsemen? When you depended on Yahweh, He handed them over to you. (2 Chr 16:7-8)

The seer then describes how God is looking for “those whose hearts are completely His” (2 Chr 16:9). As a result of the stinging rebuke, Asa got “angry with the seer and put him in prison,” and “Asa mistreated some of the people at that time” (v. 10).

Finally, his last years included more tragedy as we read that he “developed a disease in his feet,” and even with this disease, “he didn’t seek the Lord but only the physicians” (2 Chr 16:12). This verse isn’t a proof text to argue against using doctors; it’s simply a statement of Asa’s lack of trust in God in his final years.

Asa, the wonderful king, fails to trust in God, turns against the seer, inflicts cruelties, and doesn’t seek the Lord. What a warning to us! A person may seek the Lord and command others to seek the Lord for many years but then fall at the end of life. God is looking for, in the words of Eugene Peterson’s book title, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. Every day we must begin afresh with God, repenting of sin, reading His Word, and asking for His help. Let us pursue a life of faithfulness. We also learn that success in the eyes of the world may be unfaithfulness to God. Asa won a victory but not the way God desired.

Nevertheless, Asa did slow the slide of Judah, and we read that his son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place (1 Kgs 15:24). We will study his reign later, in 1 Kings 22:41. God continues to keep the light burning in Jerusalem.

Kings of Israel

1 Kings 15:25–16:34

As we shift to the northern kingdom, there are many changes in leadership. There are also civil strife, darkness, and political conspiracies. In the midst of this, we read of the prophetic word frequently—old and new predictions coming true (House, 1, 2 Kings, 198). With the prophetic word, we see how God is in control of history. From Nadab to Ahab, we see that all of the northern kings of this era are evil.

4: Nadab, “Like His Bad Dad” (15:25-32)

I give Nadab this title because the writer says the new king did evil and “followed the example of his father.” He has an opportunity to lead a reformation, but instead he continues in the sins of his father.

While Nadab is besieging Gibbethon, Baasha strikes him down. Baasha goes on to wipe out the house of Jeroboam, which fulfilled the word of the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite. Thus, the sins of Jeroboam affected his descendants. House rightly notes, “Persons who lead a nation to embrace empty religious and ethical systems often create an environment of violence, greed, and oppression” (1, 2 Kings, 198).

5: Baasha, “The Basher” (15:33–16:7)

Baasha rules for 24 years after he assassinates Nadab. (He isn’t the only king that comes into power by killing another king.) He is the first king to reign in Tirzah (although it was previously mentioned as Jeroboam’s base; 14:17). Tirzah remained the capital until Omri moved it to Samaria. Tirzah was rich with gardens and groves and abundant water. Reference to Tirzah is made in Song of Songs 6:4: “You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling.” But Baasha “did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of Jeroboam” (1 Kgs 15:34), demonstrating that some people, in the midst of beauty, don’t worship its Creator. We see plenty of examples of this in our own day—people worshiping creation instead of Creator (see Rom 1).

In 16:1-4 we read of another prophet—Jehu. He comes to bring a word against Baasha. He basically says the Lord gave the king an opportunity to change things, but he acted like Jeroboam, and consequently Baasha will share Jeroboam’s fate. It was pretty simple: you live like Jeroboam, you will die like Jeroboam.

In verse 7 a curious statement is made. We read that he will suffer the fate of Jeroboam because of “all the evil he had done in the Lord’s sight.” Understandable. But then the writer says, “And because Baasha had struck down the house of Jeroboam.” In 1 Kings 15:29 we read that when Baasha took out Nadab and all of Jeroboam’s family that it was “according to the word of the Lord.” So wasn’t Baasha acting as an agent of God’s judgment? Yes. We see this tension elsewhere (1 Kgs 21:21-24; 2 Kgs 9–10). God accomplishes His purposes through wicked men, but their actions don’t remove their moral responsibility. When Peter preached at Pentecost, he said a similar thing: lawless men killed Jesus, yet it happened according to God’s plan (Acts 2:22-23).

The problem with these Jeroboam-like kings is their lack of obedience to God’s word, not lack of information about God’s word. They could never plead, “I didn’t know how to rule.” God wants His people to obey His Word. Simple, childlike obedience to God’s Word is what makes a faithful believer.

6: Elah, “The (Drunken) Frat Boy” (16:8-10)

Still in Asa’s era, we read of another king, Elah, who reigned for two years. He isn’t viewed positively either. We read that he gets drunk at the home of one of his officials and is killed by Zimri. Up to this point we have read nothing about alcohol abuse, so Elah appears to add to the sins of the previous kings.

His drunken stupor took place while Zimri, his servant, was conspiring against him and apparently while Elah’s army was in Philistia (16:15). But Elah wasn’t with his army. He was getting drunk. Zimri struck Elah down and killed him. Thus, Zimri follows Baasha’s example of assassination to secure the throne. While Nadab died in the context of war, Elah dies a completely dishonorable death.

Next we read that Zimri went on to wipe out the house of Baasha (vv. 11-14). This too fulfilled prophecy (v. 12). Jehu told Baasha, Elah’s father, that his house would be like the house of Jeroboam (v. 7).

A few applications emerge from this story, particularly the sin of drunkenness and the problem of diversion. Drunkenness is prohibited in Scripture (Eph 5:18). It also carries several practical dangers, like impairing one’s judgment and diverting one’s time and energy away from what matters. In Elah’s case it was even more problematic since kings were to set an example of responsibility and maturity (Prov 31:4-5). Instead, Elah is reigning like a frat boy, getting hammered and neglecting his responsibility.

Elah reminds me of what Darrin Patrick calls a “Ban” (Church Planter, 10–12). Patrick describes the problem we have with prolonged adolescence among males in our culture. We have guys who are neither boys nor men. They live suspended between childhood and adulthood; thus he says they are a hybrid of boy and man, a “Ban.”

Remember, David told the future King Solomon to “be courageous like a man” (1 Kgs 2:2). We pointed out that what makes a man is obedience to Gods’ Word (1 Kgs 2:3; Ps 1). Elah isn’t showing himself a man.

Unfortunately, a great number of Bans exist today. We need young men that will grow up, be men. We need men who will get serious about Jesus, study the Bible, serve others, keep their pants on, stop looking at porn, fight injustice, serve the poor, and take the gospel to hard places. Young dudes, don’t waste your life playing World of Warcraft or inventing drinking games. You’re only young once, but immaturity can last a lifetime.

Finally, before we get self-righteous, let’s remember that we also can have our attention diverted away from what’s important in other ways, with other vices. For some the problem may not be with Jack Daniels but with their favorite sports team. I know some who can name starting lineups of their favorite college team for the past 10 years but have never taught their kids the basic doctrines of the faith. Elah gets diverted. Let’s pray for grace that we don’t get diverted. Let’s stay focused on the kingdom of God.

7: Zimri, “The Weeklong Warrior” (16:10-20)

Zimri reigns for only seven days. When the pro-Omri army hears of the assassination of Elah, they declare that Omri, the military leader, should be king. Zimri carried out a conspiracy without the army’s support, and now he will pay. Omri and the people besiege Tirzah, and when Zimri sees that the city has been taken, he “entered the citadel of the royal palace and burned it down over himself” (v. 18). The writer than tells why he did this: “Because of the sin he committed by doing what was evil in the Lord’s sight and by following the example of Jeroboam and the sin he caused Israel to commit” (v. 19). He was just as bad as the previous kings.

What’s striking about this comment is that God held him just as responsible for not making appropriate changes, even though he reigned only seven days (Davis, 1 Kings, 188)! Idolatry needs to be dealt with aggressively and immediately. But Zimri, like the other kings, was more interested in power than in faithfulness to God.

Another lesson we might draw here is about the fleeting nature of success. Zimri probably thought he was on top of the world as he washed Elah’s blood off his hands. He had taken out the king and was reigning in the beautiful land of Tirzah. And he was indeed the king—for seven days. But how fleeting his success was. Our life is a vapor; let’s make the most of it.

8: Omri, “The Seashell Collector” (16:21-28)

Omri was an important ruler. He reigned for 12 years. He had several challenges, like dealing with division in Israel because some were devoted to Tibni, his rival for the throne. However, Omri takes over after Tibni dies. We don’t know how he died. Old age? Illness? Murder? All we know is Tibni had a funeral, and Omri had a coronation (Davis, 1 Kings, 189).

Omri also had the challenge of dealing with the ruins of Tirzah, which Zimri burned. We read that he reigned for six years there, but then he “bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for 150 pounds of silver” and called it Samaria, after the previous owner (v. 24). Establishing Samaria as the new capital city of the northern kingdom was one of his most significant achievements. It was a strategic place militarily and economically, overlooking important trade routes. It remained Israel’s capital until Assyria plundered it in 722 BC.

Unlike the drunken Elah and the shooting star Zimri, Omri was a real leader. He brought stability to the north. From a worldly perspective, he was an effective king. Foreign armies were kept out, he gave the people the religion they wanted, he made foreign alliances through marriages, and Israel stopped fighting Judah during his reign (House, 1, 2 Kings, 203). Outsiders recognized him as a great king, for the Assyrian documents refer to Israel as “the land of Omri” (ibid.).

But the biblical writer is unimpressed with his political and military achievements. One can imagine him being praised by the modern media. Surely he would get book deals and be on magazine covers. But the writer of Kings says, “Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; he did more evil than all who were before him” (v. 25). He too walked in the ways of Jeroboam. The writer would simply put something like this on his tombstone: “He reigned; he bought a hill; he did evil; he was buried. If you want to know more, watch the documentary.” It all amounts to a hill of beans if the leader isn’t pursuing faithfulness to God.

Davis points out, “The writer isn’t saying he is ignorant of Omri’s achievements—he is saying they don’t matter” (1 Kings, 191). “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matt 16:26 ESV). At the end of the day, he was playing Trivial Pursuit, wasting his life and his influence. Don’t go the way of Omri. Others may admire you, but if you don’t love God and neighbor, it doesn’t matter. Assyrians had his name in their books, but his name was not in the Book of Life. Let that serve as a warning to us. What may look like success to others may actually be a tragedy in the making.

John Piper has a now famous illustration about collecting seashells, which is where I get Omri’s tag line. Piper contrasts the life of a successful American couple with the life of two female missionaries serving in Cameroon. Ruby, over 80 years old, single her whole life, and Laura, a widowed medical doctor, pushing 80 years old, gave their whole lives to make Christ known. Their lives were taken in a car accident. Piper asked, “Was that a tragedy?” Two lives driven by a passion to make Christ known among the poor, even in their old age? Piper says, “No, that isn’t a tragedy. That is glory. These lives were not wasted.” He goes on to say, “I will tell you what a tragedy is.” He then describes an article about a couple who took early retirement to move to Florida where they “cruise on their 30-foot trawler, play softball, and collect shells.” He says, “Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgment: ‘Look, Lord. See my shells.’ That is a tragedy” (Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life, 45–46; emphasis in original).

Take a vacation? Yes. Enjoy creation? Of course. Make this your ambition? Absolutely not! Don’t waste your life on things that don’t matter. Invest in the kingdom. Don’t go the way of Omri.

At this point you might be crying, “This is boring!” All of these kings, these confusing names, and these different dates that are impossible to keep track of! Ryken says, “Maybe this is part of the point. These stories of these bad kings show the monotony of idolatry” (1 Kings, 429; emphasis added). He adds, “The people who live the most interesting lives are the ones who live for God and not themselves” (ibid.).

9: Ahab, “The Atrocious King” (16:29-34)

Ahab actually inherits a relatively stable kingdom. His rule continues for 22 years. While we don’t read of any crazy coups, his reign was atrocious. He was the worst of the kings during Asa’s reign in Judah. The writer says that Ahab did more evil than anyone before him.

Not only does he walk in the sins of Jeroboam, but he also marries a wicked woman, Jezebel of Tyre. She was a Baal worshiper; her father’s name was “Ethbaal” (“Baal is with him”). Baal was an appealing and influential god in Israel, as we read about him throughout the Old Testament. Some believed Asherah was his female consort. Baal was known as the god of the storm who granted fertility. He was a popular alternative to Yahweh since people were so dependent on the rain. “Holy prostitutes” were given to worshipers in hopes of bringing about fertility in the land and among people.

Atrocious Ahab sets up an altar for Baal in a temple he built in Samaria. He is also the first Israelite king to serve Baal himself. Solomon gave his wives some places to worship; Jeroboam made altars for bulls; Ahab gives official endorsement to Baal worship. What is more, Jezebel, who wore the pants in the house, oversaw 400 prophets for Baal. She evangelized for this false god. She also persecuted and killed God’s prophets (18:4,13).

The writer concludes this section by providing a few interesting notes about the rebuilding of Jericho. First, two children die in the process, either because there was a vile religious practice of child sacrifice or as an act of judgment. This happened “in Ahab’s day,” implying that he endorsed this vile religious practice and that he sponsored the rebuilding of Jericho as a fortress. This brings us to the second note: Joshua had pronounced a curse on anyone who rebuilt Jericho (Josh 6:26). The writer refers to this pronouncement in the last half of the verse. Who would ever want to defy God’s word and rebuild Jericho? Ahab, the atrocious king. God promised through Joshua that anyone who sought to rebuild it would lose his or her children, yet Ahab disregarded this word.

What characterizes Ahab’s leadership? It’s a total disregard for God and His Word. The stage is set for Elijah, God’s prophet in the following chapters, to confront him and exalt the true and living God.

Final Applications

How can we sum up all of this history? Let me try to do so by making two final points of application.

See the Sinfulness of Sin

Recognize that sin has short-term and long-term effects. Sin affects you and others, both now and in the future. It leads you into stupidity and bondage. Sin never sleeps. You cannot let your guard down. You never get to an age where temptation isn’t a problem. Don’t think you will ever reach an age where you can cease fighting sin. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and seek the King afresh every day.

See the Faithfulness of God

In the mist of this dark period of history, we can step back and see that God is faithful. Despite the sin, folly, and rebellion we read of in Kings, God kept a lamp in Jerusalem (15:4). “All of these people are a mess” and so are we, “except this one guy,” Jesus. Praise God, we have a King who always did right in the eyes of the Father, then died on our behalf—for us who have done evil in God’s sight. There is one way to be saved, forgiven, redeemed, and made part of the eternal kingdom: through Jesus Christ, the ultimate Son of David. Embrace Him as your Lord. Then you can know the power of the resurrection that enables us grow in godliness. We don’t have to remain stuck in our own sin, doomed to repeat the sins of our ancestors. Through Christ, by the power of the Spirit, we can be made right with God and given strength to live a life that matters. So rejoice in the faithfulness of God, who kept His word, leaving a lamp burning until Christ came. This King has a title I don’t need to make up: King of kings and Lord of lords.

Reflect and Discuss

1. How do the pressures of culture lead believers astray?
2. Why do people long to be like those around them?
3. What sort of spiritual compromises do some believers make in order to fit in with their culture?
4. Why is sin so offensive to God?
5. Asa removed his own mother from a position of authority because of her idolatry. What costs might believers pay today to be faithful?
6. How might the sins of one person affect others?
7. How might the faithfulness of one person affect others?
8. How was God faithful to His people while many of these kings went astray?
9. Describe how God’s steadfast love has been manifested in your life.
10. In what ways does Jesus show Himself a good king in contrast to Israel’s evil kings?