1 Kings 15-16: The Wages of Sin

While Judah enjoyed relative tranquility, the kings of ten tribes of Israel that had broken off from Judah seemed to have trouble learning from their mistakes.  God had promised Jeroboam that his line would not continue because of the sins Israel committed during his reign, so his son Nadab was overthrown and killed by Baasha.  Baasha killed all of Jeroboam's family but instead of turning over a new leaf, he followed the same course, committing the sins of Jeroboam.  Once more, as God promised, shortly after his son Elah became king, Baasha's entire family was wiped out and Elah was replaced by Zimri.  Zimri's reign lasted only seven days and he was succeeded by Omri and  later by Omri's son, Ahab.

During all of this time, forty-one years in all, Judah had only one king, the godly Asa.   Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life. (1 Kings 15:14 NIV)  What a difference that made.  Fully committed to the Lord meant he was secure.  The intrigue, fighting, and rebellion that characterized the reigns of the kings in Israel was absent in Judah.  There was a hedge of protection around Asa that the kings of Israel did not enjoy. 

These kings are a supreme ilustration of the wages of sin being death.  While the kings of Israel may have thought that they were in control, God was orchestrating their downfalls all along.  What is God doing now that we are not aware of?    What fate awaits those who are running after other gods?

2010 Post - 1 Kings 15-16:  Who's in Charge