First Kings 14:25

The Bible says in First Kings 14:25-31, “And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:[26] And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.[27] And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king's house.[28] And it was so, when the king went into the house of the LORD, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.[29] Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?[30] And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.[31] And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.” These are terrible things said about King Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. Egypt comes in and plunders the temple. Rehoboam replaces all of the objects that were made with gold with objects made with brass: symbolic of how much the nation was now on a downward path. There was civil war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of their lives. Rehoboam had to live in fear for his own life and thus as it says in verse twenty-eight that he always had to have an armed escort. And of course, then Rehoboam died. What a terrible life he had because he did not seek the Lord like David.

After Rehoboam died, Solomon’s grandson, Abijam, became king. As bad as Rehoboam was, notice that the lineage did not get destroyed. The lineage of David continued because God promised that it would continue. Because God loved David, God said that the Messiah would come in the lineage of David. That is why the lineage was not destroyed with Rehoboam and will never be destroyed. Jesus will reign forever upon the throne of David. This truth is stated very clearly in the following verses.

The Bible says in First Kings 15:1-5, “Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.[2] Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.[3] And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.[4] Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:[5] Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” In verse three it says about the next king, Abijam, “And he walked in all the sins of his father.” Unfortunately, he learned from his father. Normally, we want children to learn from their fathers, but not if the fathers are doing wrong. Sometimes you are blessed if you do not learn from your parents. Sometimes you are blessed if you cast away their examples because you know that you need a better example than what they can give. How about using Jesus as your example to follow? That is a good idea. Jesus said to the apostles, “Follow me…” Once again in verses four and five we are told that God blessed Jerusalem in spite of the leader that they had. God remembered David, and God remembered what God promised to David. Hopefully, we will have the same kind of grace from God. Of course, for God to be gracious like that, He had to be merciful. We are all sinners, and David was no exception. Thankfully, there is mercy available to all because of the blood of Christ that was shed on Calvary.

The Bible says in First Kings 15:6-11, “And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.[7] Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.[8] And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.[9] And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.[10] And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.[11] And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.” Finally, there is a king who has something good said about him: Asa. It says in verse eleven that “Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD.” How did Asa know what to do? We know the answer to that because it says at the end of verse eleven, “as did David his father.” David lived several generations before Asa. Is your life ever compared to your great great grandfather? What an impact David had. Live for the Lord: at the judgment it will be wonderful to see how the Lord used your life.

The Bible says in First Kings 15:12-15, “And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.[13] And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.[14] But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.[15] And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.” These verses tell us some of the good things that a good ruler does. Verse twelve says that “he took away the sodomites.” The word “sodomites” refers to those who were sexually immoral. The leader of a country should stand for what is decent and good and right. Too many people are involved in immoral lifestyles. One man and one woman united in marriage is God’s way.

Asa also did a lot to help the nation to return to the true worship of God. It says in verse twelve that Asa “removed all the idols that his fathers had made.” And then it says in verse thirteen, “And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.” Interesting that in order for Asa to serve God, he had to undo the efforts of his father and mother. Sometimes we are not given godly parents, but we can still serve the Lord as we mature and make our own decisions in life.

The Bible says in First Kings 15:16-24, “And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.[17] And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.[18] Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,[19] There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.[20] So Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.[21] And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.[22] Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.[23] The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.[24] And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.” Often when we see the name “Israel” the Bible is talking about the ten northern kingdoms that broke away from Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. There is constant civil war most of the life of Asa. It sounds like Asa was the best king since King David, but he still had the troubles of life. He still had civil war. He still got old. And he eventually got sick died. That is the life that each of us have. Notice that it says at the end of verse twenty-three, “in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.” That is what often happens in this life. As we get older our bodies start having problems. But we can still serve the Lord. We can still have a ministry of prayer and faith even lying in a bed of affliction.

The Bible says in First Kings 15:25-34, “And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.[26] And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.[27] And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.[28] Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.[29] And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:[30] Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.[31] Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?[32] And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.[33] In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.[34] And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.” As we are told about the kings of Israel (the ten northern kingdoms), we are seeing a pattern that will continue throughout their history: wickedness, wickedness, and more wickedness. Notice how Baasha came into power: he killed King Nadab. And then Baasha killed all the family of Jeroboam to make sure that Baasha would have fewer rivals for the throne. By the way, this lust for power and this wickedness of the leaders: those are the things that normally happen in most countries. Do not be surprised if things like that are going on in your country. That is one of the reasons that we need Jesus to return and to rule the earth.

The Bible says in First Kings 16:1-7, “Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,[2] Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;[3] Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.[4] Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.[5] Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?[6] So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.[7] And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.” God has decided to judge Baasha, and notice the first thing that God says to him for the reason that this judgment comes: “I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel.” Baasha did not give God the glory, and he was not thankful for what God had done for him. That is a very common sin for the rich and the famous and those who have known success in this world. They think they did it, but it was God all along. What the Lord giveth, He can take away. And God will do that just like He did with Baasha because everyone’s life is in God’s hands, and God decides our fate. Turn to Jesus while you have time. The judge is at the door.

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