Hope for the Worst of Us

 I Kings 21:25 (There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. 26 He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.) 

27 And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly. 28 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house.”

This chapter begins with the account of Ahab and Jezebel stealing Naboth's vineyard. It was in a sense the last straw, resulting in God pronouncing judgment on Ahab and all his heirs to the throne. Shockingly, after all the things Ahab had done, he humbled himself in repentant action and God gives a "stay" on his punishment.  Finally, Ahab had responded not to fire on the mountain, but words spoken by the Lord May God's Word penetrate hearts in the same way today.

Learning THE Lesson

 I Kings 20:26 In the spring, Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. 27 And the people of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went against them. The people of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the country. 28 And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” 

We notice here that Ahab is still around, living selfishly and leading Israel astray, even after rejecting God after Elijah's victory over the false prophets and priests of pagan gods.  One might wonder why God would allow him to be victorious in battle after all of this. The key is found in the last phrase. God was giving the victory not because Ahab was so good, but that he would know that God was Lord over all. That has been the point all along. As the passage goes on, we find Ahab still does not get it even after victory over the Syrians. He fails to obey and trust in God.  Have you learned the lesson? He is LORD. 

Deafening Silence

I Kings 18:25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

The best-known account of the Elijah-Ahab era is this one of the show-down between the Most High God and the false gods Ahab had brought into Israel.  The prophets of these false religions were endorsed and well-compensated by Ahab and Jezebel, but when it came down to it, no one answered, no one paid attention.  The True and Living God is personal: He hears; He cares; He answers.  On this occasion, He did so in a big way: especially compared to crickets.

A Major Downturn

I Kings 16:25 Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and did more evil than all who were before him. 26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins that he made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 28 And Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his place.

The downward spiritual spiral was increasing with each king of the Northern Kingdom.  When it seemed like it could get no worse, Omri did even more evil that those before him, increasing the idols in the land. Then came his son Ahab.  Many know that name more than all those before him. Several chapters are given to his reign and rivalry against the prophet Elijah. It is here that we will find how deeply seeded and rooted evil had become. What will it take to turn these people around? What will it take to turn us around?

Short-lived Dynasty

 I Kings 15:25 Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to sin. 27 Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. 28 So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. 29 And as soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. 

When we look at the history of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, two things become clear. This kind of kingdom was not going to work. The religion was fake at best and evil at worse.  The kings were leading the people down the wrong path with all their idols and alliances.  Secondly, most of the kings did not last long and those who did made things worse. As prophesied, Jeroboam's line fizzled out quickly, with nothing positive to leave behind.  Where do we lead others? Will it last? 

Going Downhill Fast

I Kings 14:25 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. 26 He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house. He took away everything. He also took away all the shields of gold that Solomon had made, 27 and King Rehoboam made in their place shields of bronze, and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house. 28 And as often as the king went into the house of the Lord, the guard carried them and brought them back to the guardroom.

The loss of the northern 10 tribes of Israel devastated the House of David. Note above that within 5 years the great wealth that Solomon had built up also went away.  Egypt, which Solomon had developed a close relationship with, was just waiting in the wings for their chance to attack. The gold everywhere became bronze hidden from view.  What is worse is what was not said about Rehoboam's reign. There is no long list of accomplishments, buildings, or impactful relationships like David or Solomon. The very next paragraph goes on to tell of his death. The only notable thing that happened in his reign was the ongoing civil war with Jeroboam and the Northern Kingdom of Israel. May we leave behind a much more positive epitaph. 

Moved to Change?

I Kings 13:26 And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the word of the Lord; therefore the Lord has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word that the Lord spoke to him.” 27 And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. 28 And he went and found his body thrown in the road, and the donkey and the lion standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body or torn the donkey. 29 And the prophet took up the body of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back to the city to mourn and to bury him. 30 And he laid the body in his own grave.

The sin of Jeroboam was far-reaching and infectious.  The prophet above who died has been sent by God to give warning that the worship established by Jeroboam was a false religion. He was supposed to deliver the message and return home immediately. He was intercepted by another prophet who lied to him and convinced him to stay and have fellowship. The first prophet was killed by God for his disobedience. After the funeral, the latter prophet told his sons that the first prophet was correct in announcing judgment on Jeroboam's false worship.  None of this moved Jeroboam to change. What death would to take to make you change?