YOU CAUSED MY PEOPLE TO SIN
1 Kings 15:25-16:14
“I lifted you up from the dust and appointed you ruler over my people Israel, but you followed the ways of Jeroboam and caused my people Israel to sin and to arouse my anger by their sins. (16:2)
chapter 15
25. Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.
26. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the ways of his father and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit.
27. Baasha son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it.
28. Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king.
29. As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the LORD given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.
30. This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel.
31. As for the other events of Nadab’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
32. There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.
33. In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years.
34. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.
chapter 16
1. Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu son of Hanani concerning Baasha:
2. "I lifted you up from the dust and appointed you ruler over my people Israel, but you followed the ways of Jeroboam and caused my people Israel to sin and to arouse my anger by their sins.
3. So I am about to wipe out Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat.
4. Dogs will eat those belonging to Baasha who die in the city, and birds will feed on those who die in the country."
5. As for the other events of Baasha’s reign, what he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
6. Baasha rested with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah. And Elah his son succeeded him as king.
7. Moreover, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani to Baasha and his house, because of all the evil he had done in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger by the things he did, becoming like the house of Jeroboam - and also because he destroyed it.
8. In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah two years.
9. Zimri, one of his officials, who had command of half his chariots, plotted against him. Elah was in Tirzah at the time, getting drunk in the home of Arza, the palace administrator at Tirzah.
10. Zimri came in, struck him down and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah. Then he succeeded him as king.
11. As soon as he began to reign and was seated on the throne, he killed off Baasha’s whole family. He did not spare a single male, whether relative or friend.
12. So Zimri destroyed the whole family of Baasha, in accordance with the word of the LORD spoken against Baasha through the prophet Jehu -
13. because of all the sins Baasha and his son Elah had committed and had caused Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, by their worthless idols.
14. As for the other events of Elah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
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1. Just as King David was the prototype of a king seeking after God’s own heart, so King Jeroboam of Israel because the prototype of wicked kings. He became the king that other wicked kings in Israel were compared against. Nadab was a descendant of Jeroboam. Jeroboam set up idol worship in Israel. Nadab followed in that sin and caused Israel to continue idol worship too. God punished him through Baasha. Baasha also killed off everyone left from Jeroboam’s family—fulfilling the prophesy God gave to the prophet Ahijah concerning Jeroboam and his whole family (1KI 14:9,10). But then Baasha, too, fell into idol worship himself. This sin would continue in Israel until God thrust them from his presence.
2. God then raised up the prophet Jehu to bring judgment on Baasha. Jehu prophesied that the Lord would do to Baasha’s family what he had done to Jeroboam’s. God had called Jeroboam to lead his people Israel, just as he had called David. But Jeroboam didn’t follow in God’s ways. He rebelled against God and instituted idolatry and caused God’s nation Israel to sin greatly against the Lord. Baasha’s son became king when Baasha died. After two years, he was assassinated by Zimri, who became king and killed off all of Baasha’s family, fulfilling God’s word to Jehu.
Prayer: Father, strengthen us that we may walk in your ways and keep us from the way of sin.
One Word: Walk in the word of the Lord