The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Kings 15:33-34,
"In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit."
The sinful condition of mankind is certainly represented in the many kings of both the northern ten tribes in Israel from 931 BC to 722 BC and the southern two tribes in Judah from 931 BC to 586 BC. A few in Judah were good kings, such as Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, etc. All the kings of Israel, the northern ten tribes, appeared as evil in the eyes of the Lord.
Baasha, the third king of the northern ten tribes of divided Israel, "did evil in the eyes of the Lord." We are told his evil followed the pattern of Jeroboam, the first king of the northern ten tribes. So, what exactly was the evil King Jeroboam committed that Baasha emulated?
In his pronouncement of judgment upon Jeroboam's throne, the Lord made this accusation, "You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have aroused my anger and turned your back on me." 1 Kings 14:9. This was the Lord's view following his observations of Jeroboam's activities, "Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites. He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made. On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to make offerings." 1 Kings 12:31-33.
In the church today sin is often (and appropriately) reviled and preached against amongst the brethren, with warnings of the consequences it may have on our personal lives, the vitality of the fellowship, our communion with the Lord and one another. Often the sins in view are of sexual immorality, addictions, gossip, arrogance, unforgiveness and so forth. What of the sins represented in the kings of Israel?
Very simply, Jeroboam, whom Baasha followed, turned his back on the Lord, "you have aroused my anger and turned your back on me." Sin is simply turning our backs on the Lord as we allow it to find its expression in our lives. All sin is condemned by the Lord, as it has as its very nature a turning from him. To engage in sin requires the sin of Jeroboam in our lives- turning our backs on God.
And what of the religious pursuits of Jeroboam? As a very religious man he instituted his own flavor as he pursued the idolatry of the pagans around him. Are we engaged in these kinds of things today? Do we follow "priests" that are really no priests at all? Do we engage in "sacraments", follow doctrines and engage in religious activities never encouraged by God that may actually take our eyes off the Lord or distort our view of him? How about all the differences encountered in doctrine among all the denominations and fellowships we see today? Somebody clearly is following in Jeroboam's and Baasha's footsteps.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit."
The sinful condition of mankind is certainly represented in the many kings of both the northern ten tribes in Israel from 931 BC to 722 BC and the southern two tribes in Judah from 931 BC to 586 BC. A few in Judah were good kings, such as Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, etc. All the kings of Israel, the northern ten tribes, appeared as evil in the eyes of the Lord.
Baasha, the third king of the northern ten tribes of divided Israel, "did evil in the eyes of the Lord." We are told his evil followed the pattern of Jeroboam, the first king of the northern ten tribes. So, what exactly was the evil King Jeroboam committed that Baasha emulated?
In his pronouncement of judgment upon Jeroboam's throne, the Lord made this accusation, "You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have aroused my anger and turned your back on me." 1 Kings 14:9. This was the Lord's view following his observations of Jeroboam's activities, "Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites. He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made. On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to make offerings." 1 Kings 12:31-33.
In the church today sin is often (and appropriately) reviled and preached against amongst the brethren, with warnings of the consequences it may have on our personal lives, the vitality of the fellowship, our communion with the Lord and one another. Often the sins in view are of sexual immorality, addictions, gossip, arrogance, unforgiveness and so forth. What of the sins represented in the kings of Israel?
Very simply, Jeroboam, whom Baasha followed, turned his back on the Lord, "you have aroused my anger and turned your back on me." Sin is simply turning our backs on the Lord as we allow it to find its expression in our lives. All sin is condemned by the Lord, as it has as its very nature a turning from him. To engage in sin requires the sin of Jeroboam in our lives- turning our backs on God.
And what of the religious pursuits of Jeroboam? As a very religious man he instituted his own flavor as he pursued the idolatry of the pagans around him. Are we engaged in these kinds of things today? Do we follow "priests" that are really no priests at all? Do we engage in "sacraments", follow doctrines and engage in religious activities never encouraged by God that may actually take our eyes off the Lord or distort our view of him? How about all the differences encountered in doctrine among all the denominations and fellowships we see today? Somebody clearly is following in Jeroboam's and Baasha's footsteps.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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