Lesson 27: THE NEXT FIVE KINGS OF ISRAEL

We have always said this statement around here and it is a biblical one: All Scripture is profitable but it is not all as profitable. John 3:16 is much more profitable than 1 Chronicles and the first nine chapters in the here and now or more profitable than the scripture on ceremonial cleansing or leper cleansing in Leviticus 14.

So it is this short passage of Scripture, we will go through four kings of the kingdom of Israel very quickly, while there may not be a lot exhortation and inspiration on the surface, there is instruction and application with in it.

I. The Second King Israel - Nadab: Volunteer

vv.25-28

“of ones free-will, willing.” Same name of Aaron, Moses’ brother, first born son who was slain by God for offering strange fire before the Lord.

A. The beginning of upheaval in leadership

B. He was evil

v. 26 - just like his father.

This will be a common thread in all the kings of Israel.

C. He was assinated by Baasha

vv.27-28

Now Baasha was a rebel.

Nadab would be the first of six northern kings to be murdered while in office.

C. He ruled for two years

II. The Third King of Israel - Baasha: Wicked, evil

- 15:27-16:7; 2 Chron. 16:1–6.

boldness, offensive, he who lays waste

A. Unwittingly fulfilling prophecy

He unknowingly fulfilled the prophecy given to Jeroboam’s wife by Ahijah the prophet, in killing Nadab and his relatives. (Compare 1 Ki. 14:14 with 15:29.)

He was destroying all of the house of Jeroboam for his purposes of protecting his kingdom, but this was actually God’s punishment for the sins of Jeroboam.

B. He declared war on Asa & Judah

(third king of Judah) and began building a wall fortress at Ramah to control the road to Judah, thus hoping to cut off all trade to Jerusalem

2 Chronicles 16:1 KJV

In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

We covered that in our last lesson. Remember we said that many of the studies will intersect because the kings of Judah and Israel were often contemporary.

C. His sin found him out

He was rejected by God because of his sin. Jehu, the prophet, predicted that Baasha’s descendants would suffer the same judgment God placed on Jeroboam.

D. He ruled for twenty-four years

A good amount of time compared to most of the northern kingdom of Israel kings that

E. He was just as evil as Jeroboam

He did not learn the lessons or understand the prophecy against Jeroboam.

III. The Fourth King - Elah: Chief

vv.6-14

A. The prophecy against Baasha’s house

v.7

Like Jeroboam, now there was prophecy again Baasha’s lineage. That won’t bode well from Elah.

B. He ruled two years

Being the son of Baasha, he was going to be wicked.

C. He was assassinated by Zimri

vv.9-10

he was the commander of half of the chariots in Israel, and conspired against Elah while he was drunk and being lazy.

D. Fulfillment of Jehu’s prophecy

vv.11-13

IV. The Fifth king - Zimri

vv.9-20

His name is tough to see the meaning, some said “awe of Yaweh”, then others Song of the LORD; celebrated; vine. My psalm.

Stelman Smith and Judson Cornwall, The Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names (North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos, 1998), 252.

Zimri, another proof that while meaning of names of the Bible don’t always mean anything

A. Fulfillment of Jehu’s prophecy

vv.11-13

1 Kings 16:12 KJV

Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,

Zimri was then trapped by Omri, Israel’s new commander-in-chief, in the palace, which resulted in a fiery suicidal death.

B. He reigned but seven days

This reminds us of the saying - He that liveth by the sword dieth by the sword. Of course that is taken from Christ statement in:

Matthew 26:52 KJV

Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

V. The Fifth King - Omri

vv.21-28

Omri’s name means - sheaf of corn.

Now, the title of the lesson contains short-lived kings. Omri wasn’t quite that, but he would be far less that those that would come after him.

Under him is what some commentators call the Omride period or dynasty. For it was his descendants or lineage that brought the Northern Kingdom of Israel into finally a powerful nation.

You may remember in our study of Abijah how that Jeroboam became weaker and weaker because of the wars he fought and it would be many years before they could come to power. But now that is starting to come to pass with Omri.

Remember how was first of all:

A. He was a strong general

The Bible says that he was captain of the host of Israel under Elah. He was so strong and his leadership inspiring, that Israel made him king on the spot upon hearing of Zimri assassinating Elah.

B. He moved the capital from Tirzah to Samaria

In modern times, this place is known as Sebastiyeh, but is is mainly just an archeological site.

But it takes a strong leader at any point to move a capital. One thing I liked about President Trump - was with all his pompousness he also kept his word. He said he would move the United States embassy back to Jerusalem and he did. He recognized it was there capital and quit playing around with it.

First Bush, Clinton, Second Bush, and Obama all said they supported it and had the right to do it, but never did for security reasons. If Jerusalem is their capital then support it by being bold and putting our embassy there.

C. He wrought more evil than ever before

1 Kings 16:25 KJV

But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.

He likely arranged the marriage of his son Ahab to Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians - in

1 Kings 16:31 KJV

And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.

Now can you guess what Ethbaal means: “Baal is with him”

But the Zidonians had many problems and wrong idolatrous influences.

1 Kings 11:5 KJV

For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

So the Zidonians were a wicked influence for Israel, under Solomon and we will see in the coming lessons in the lives of the next king of Israel, Omri’s son, Ahab.

D. He ruled for twelve years

Again, he set the stage for a new level of wickedness and evil in Israel and the generations to follow - to a point where they were beyond recovery.

Rom 1:28 is appropriate here along with much of the 1st two chapters of Romans that shows how bad things can get when you don’t repent.

Romans 1:28 KJV

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

VI. An important application - drive out sinfulness

There is a command that God gave to the Hebrews in Joshua. It was an important one.

Joshua 13:6 KJV

All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

God wants the believer to actively cutting out the wrong things in their lives. No one can do it for you, this is something that you must continually do. When you do, you will grow and become what God wants you to be.

When we become stagnant and comfortable with sin, we are in a dangerous place. Don’t do it that.

A. Rid yourself the wrong thought life

2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

B. Revenge the wickedness

Attack it at its core in your life. Don’t allow it to come back. Do everyrthing you can to protect and rid yourself of it.

2 Corinthians 10:6 KJV

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Sinful acts come from a sinful thought life or a sinful heart.

Politicians and people today always say - “What I said (or what I did) is not who I am.” God says otherwise:

Matthew 15:11 KJV

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

C. Beware of wicked influences and pursue holiness

Eph 4:22-27.

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