1 Kings 15:1-34


Leaders can be a source of great blessing or great curse for the people they serve.  Both Judah and Israel suffered greatly because of the rebelliousness of their leaders and the consequences of their sins.  When a people forgets the blessings of God and turns their backs on the principles and promises of God; they are doomed to disaster.  With a few exceptions here and there the kings of Israel and Judah lead their people and the entire nation down a steady path of destruction.

ABIJAM REIGNED IN REBELLION AGAINST GOD: Abijam was the son of Rehoboam and only reigned for three years after his father had only reigned for half the time that Solomon and David had reigned.  It was a blessing that his reign was cut short as he did evil before the Lord and lived in rebellion against the Lord.  Constant war, fear and threat of destruction were the results of this rebellion.  God only spared the kingdom in the family because of His promise to David.  God is gracious and faithful even when we are not.  This is a blessed truth from the Lord.

ASA REIGNED IN RIGHTEOUSNESS TOWARDS GOD: Every now and then the Lord blessed His people with a leader who followed the Word of God.  Asa was one of these exceptions.  He was truly a man who demonstrated the character of David and had the courage to turn from idolatry, remove the idols that the queen mother had erected and destroy the other idols in the Land.  This is the attitude that we must always take towards sin in our lives.  Asa was able to experience victory in his battles with Israel and worship in the temple of the Lord because he was obedient and served the Lord in righteousness.  This should be an encouragement to all of us to live in faithfulness before the Lord.

NADAB REIGN WAS REJECTED BY GOD:  Nadab was a worthless king in Israel and the last descendant of Jeroboam to reign or live.  He continued in the evil idolatry of his father and God rejected him completely.  Baasha, the next king, killed him and every member of the family of Jeroboam just as the Lord had promised through His prophet.  God will not me mocked and He will keep His promises to judge the sins of men.  This truth should chill the hearts of every man who lives in rebellion against the Lord for they will be rejected for all of eternity by the Lord.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than a...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:3-7

I thank God   whom I serve, as did my ancestors,   with a clear conscience, as I remember you   constantly in my prayers night and day.    As I remember your tears,   I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.    I am reminded of   your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and   your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.    For this reason I remind you   to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us   a spirit not of fear but   of power and love and self-control. It is easy for us to forget many important things especially in the face of difficulty or danger.  Paul is in prison and Timothy is facing difficult times in ministry so there are important reminders that Paul wants to make sure that Timothy understands.  God has given us everything we need to face the difficulties He allows i...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:8-14

Therefore   do not be ashamed of   the testimony about our Lord, nor of   me his prisoner, but   share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,   who saved us and   called us to a holy calling,   not because of our works but because of   his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus   before the ages began, and which now has   been manifested through   the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,   who abolished death and   brought life and   immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But   I am not ashamed, for   I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until   that day   what has been entrusted to me.  Follow   the pattern of   the sound words   that you have heard from me, in   the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ...
Read more