READ 1 Kings 14–17
Our world is filled with political conflict, upheaval, and
evil leadership. It becomes increasingly clear that human wisdom is not sufficient
for excellent leadership as conditions go from bad to worse.
After David and Solomon, the OT people of God had
centuries of bad government. God made Jeroboam leader over Israel, taking part
of the kingdom from David’s line, but this king didn’t do very well. He did evil
above all who were before him, provoking God to anger. God promised disaster and
eventually “burned up the house of
Jeroboam” and he died and his son Nadab reigned in his place. (1 Kings
14:7–20)
Nadab also “did what
was evil in the sight of the Lord
and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to
sin.” Baasha then killed him and reigned in his place. However, he also “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord” and died. His son Elah reigned.
However, Zimri, his commander chariots, conspired against him. Elah was drunk
when Zimri killed him and then reigned in his place.
Zimri didn’t last long. After seven days, word went around that
he had killed Elah so all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king
over Israel. He took the city where Zimri was and set fire to the king’s house with
the king dying in the flames. At this point, even Israel was divided for a little
while, but Omri’s reign was established. Then “Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, more evil than all who were before him.”
When Omri died, his son Ahab took over the throne. This king
was the worst yet . . .
As if it had been a light thing for (Ahab) to walk
in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the
daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and
worshiped him. He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he
built in Samaria. And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than
all the kings of Israel who were before him. (16:30–33)
At this point, God sent a prophet to deal with the rampant
decline. Elijah spoke to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before
whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my
word.”
Then God told Elijah, “Depart
from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is
east of the Jordan. You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the
ravens to feed you there.”
He obeyed and lived by the brook with food brought by ravens
and the water from the brook until it dried up. Then he was sent to a widow God
commanded to feed him. (17:1–9)
She didn’t have much but God miraculously kept filling her
jar of flour and jug of oil. She and Elijah and her household “ate for many days.” But then her son
became ill and stopped breathing. Again, God used Elijah for a miracle and the
son “came to life again” as the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. As
a result, the woman said to Elijah, “Now
I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.” (17:24)
God was also moving in Judah. After a succession of evil
kings and fighting between them and the kings in Israel, Asa came to the throne
(15:8) and he “did what was right in the eyes
of the Lord . . . and was wholly
true to the Lord all his days.” When
he died, Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place about the same time Ahab came
to the throne in Israel and when the ministry of Elijah began.
The story continues with the conflict and yet some cooperation
between these two leaders. These stories confirm the need for prayer in our modern
world. No matter who is in charge, seemingly good people or obviously selfish
and power-hungry people, all need the hand of God in their lives and all need
the prayers of God’s people.
First of all, then, I urge that supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and
all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life,
godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight
of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the
knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between
God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which
is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher
and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the
Gentiles in faith and truth. I desire then that in every place the men should
pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling. (1 Timothy 2:1–8)
This I can do!
