1 Kings 16:1-34

The expression “going from bad to worse” appropriately describes the status of the kingdom is Israel.  One evil and idolatrous king would be replaced by another and each one would progress in their sinfulness, pride and worship of other gods.  The Law of God and the fear of God seems to have vanished from the nation and each king is simply making up his own laws and leading the people according to his own fleshly desires.  This lack of knowledge of God and refusal to serve and submit to God brought about great disaster in the lives of each of these kings.  While Asa ruled in the fear of God and in obedience to God; Israel changed kings at least five times.  Obedience leads to stability and the blessing of God, while rebellion brings about great volatility and suffering.

IDOLATRY LEADS TO TREACHERY: The kings of Israel lived under constant threat of treachery.  Since there was not a family that God had established as the king is Israel the kingdom seems to be up for grabs and many different people were grabbing for it.  The kingdom would not pass from one generation to other as it did in Judah.  Instead, one member of the leadership would conspire against the current king, kill him and all of his family and then set himself up as king.  It is a dangerous thing to abandon the protection of God as He is completely able to use others that will bring us down.

IDOLATRY LEADS TO INSTABILITY: The first kings in the nation ruled for decades while these rebellious and idolatrous kings ruled for very short periods of time.  The kingdom changed hands every couple of years and on one occasion after only a few days.  There was no continuity in the kingdom or the leadership in the nations.  This constant instability within the nation made for a lack of progress or security in the nation.  God had intended for Israel to be a light for the other nations and show His protection of the children who are walking in obedience to His Word.  When we abandon God’s Word, we abandon His protection in our lives and we lose all stability.

IDOLATRY LEADS TO PERVERSITY:  The kings seemed to become progressively worse as time went on.  The level of Idolatry grew worse and the pagan practices of the kings began to look more and more like that nations whom God had called them to replace and judge.  Each king was described as having been worse than all the kings that had gone before them.  However, in all the perversity we can still see that God is in control and had predicted that things would be like this. When Ahab builds the city of Jericho, his sons are killed just as the Lord had promised through the word of the prophets.  We must never forget that God is always in control of every circumstance and we can never flee from His presence.