1 Kings 15 · 1 Kings 16

Devotion 1 of 2: 1 Kings 15

1) a) Abijam did not follow David but walked in the sins of his father Rehoboam (v.3). He warred with Jeroboam of Israel throughout his reign (v.7).
b) Asa did what was right, like David (v.11). He removed idols and male prostitutes and even his mother from being queen mother because she had made an image for Asherah (v.13). He warred with Baasha of Israel all his days (v.16). We can learn from Asa that we should be more faithful to the Lord than to our own family!

2) a) Nadab did evil, walking after his father (v.26), and was killed by Baasha (v.28).
b) Baasha also did evil, walking after the way of Jeroboam (v.34)! He also killed all the house of Jeroboam and fulfilled the prophecy spoken by Ahijah the prophet (v.29). So even though he was evil, God used Jeroboam as his servant to take 10 tribes away from Rehoboam, but in the end, he punished Jeroboam for his sins!

Devotion 2 of 2: 1 Kings 16

All the kings of Israel did evil. Baasha was told by the prophet Jehu that his house would be destroyed for his sins (v.3), and it came to pass (v.7). Our sins affect our whole house! Zimri became king by killing King Elah, son of Baasha and destroying the house of Baasha (v.8-11). But Zimri only lasted 7 days, as he was not recognized by the people and was replaced by Omri (v.15-18), so he was an example of someone who tried to make himself king and was rejected. We are also called to be kings (Rev 5:10), so we learn that we are not to try to become kings by fleshly means but only by obeying the leading of the Holy Spirit.