Live Devoted to the Lord

Date: July 3, 2022

Scripture: 1 Kings 15-16:5

Theme: Live Devoted to the Lord

Introduction: Last week, Jessy considered for us Jeroboam’s rise and subsequent efforts to insulate his reign over the northern tribes, despite the fact that the Lord promised to prosper his kingdom if he remained faithful. Ultimately, Jeroboam was driven by fear instead of being faithful to the Lord.

1 Kings 13 introduces us to an unnamed Judaean prophet who proclaims the coming of King Josiah 290 years before the events that would destroy the idolatrous worship Jeroboam setup.

When Jeroboam tries to use his authority to arrest the prophet, signified by his outstretched arm, Jeroboam’s hand withers. What is the significance of Jeroboam’s hand withering when he extends it out towards God’s prophet? Jeroboam’s authority is no match for the Lord’s authority, as represented through the prophet of the Lord (BKC).

This unnamed prophet meets an unfortunate end as he buys into the lie of a complacent, older prophet living in Bethel, the center of Jeroboam’s idolatrous worship (BKC; MSB).

The unnamed Judaean prophet is killed on account of God’s punishment of his sin in disregarding God’s Word to him to refrain from meals until he returned home.

What we see is just how serious God is about punishing sin. Jeroboam should have repented after hearing about this incident. Unfortunately, Jeroboam only increased his idolatry by appointing more priests.

1 Kings 14 reintroduces Ahijah the Shilonite the prophet who proclaimed to Jeroboam that the Lord would set him as king over Israel. This time Jeroboam’s wife has sought Ahijah concerning the health of their son. Ahijah, through the power of the Lord, sees through her deception, even though he is blind and prophesies of the destruction of the destruction of Jeroboam’s line. Tragically, we will see this come to pass in 1 Kings 15. The tragedy of this concerns the fact that Jeroboam held such promise and even received a conditional promise from the Lord to be prospered like David’s line. However, Jeroboam refused to follow the Lord.

The Lord has systematically prophesied the destruction of a rival religious system and the person responsible for its institution. The danger of idolatry concerns the fact how it robs the Lord of one’s devotion that He deserves! Today, I want for us to consider from our passage: Live Devoted to the Lord.

Transition: The previous two chapters have focused on the nation of Israel composed of 10 tribes. However, our passage before us is going to start with focusing on 2 kings of Judah and then conclude with 2 kings of Israel. Let’s look at Rehoboam’s son who succeeded him in the kingdom of Judah and consider …

Live Devoted to the Faithful Lord (1 Ki 15:1-7)

We’re all tempted to live without devotion to the Faithful Lord, regardless of circumstances (vv. 1-3).

Abijam is the second king of Judah and the fourth king in the line of David.

He is also known as Abijah in 2 Chronicles, meaning ‘the Lord is my father’.

Here, the employment of the name ‘Abijam’, meaning ‘father of the sea’ may be used in reference to his idolatrous practices.

Notice the emphasis on activity here.

He walked, or continually practiced and engaged in, the same sins as his father Rehoboam.

What were the sins of Rehoboam?

1 Kings 14:23, built the high places and pillars for use in idolatry.

1 Kings 14:24, employed male cult prostitutes in immoral practices that sought to promote fertility in the land.

When we think about it, these practices are no different than what was going on in the land when the Lord used Joshua to conquer the Promised Land - these were the practices that prompted the Lord to drive out the other nations!

Abijam’s activities are compared to his devoted great-grandfather, David.

As Kings is given to, the narrator compares Abijam to David.

By implication, since David is mentioned as a well-known example of devotion, Abijam would have known about the same.

Thus, Abijam had no excuse for his sinful actions as he had an example of devotion in his ancestor David.

We are no different since we have God’s Word filled with its countless examples of devotion to the Lord that serve as witnesses to us.

Live Devoted to the Faithful Lord because of His unstoppable faithfulness (v. 4).

What we have here is an evidence of the Lord’s faithfulness to His promises to promote the line of David in the city where the Lord has put His name.

This is set in contrast to Abijam’s lack of devotion to the Lord, thus demonstrating unfaithfulness.

Hence, even Abijam’s unfaithfulness is no deterrent to God’s faithfulness to His promises.

Additionally, the items that Abijam gave his devotion to prove worthless when compared to the Lord’s faithfulness.

The idolatrous practices that Abijam engaged in offered no guarantee of fulfilling the wishes that their adherents sought them for; hence, they were untrustworthy.

Instead, the Lord faithfully keeps His promises, proving His trustworthiness.

Thus, the Lord’s faithfulness should have prompted humble repentance.

Live Devoted to the Faithful Lord always, regardless of failures (v. 5).

Notice how David is referenced as doing what is right in the Lord’s sight.

The emphasis on the Lord’s sight includes what the Lord determines is right.

It also includes doing what the Lord considered to be right if it’s only the Lord who can see your actions.

Even though David had failures, as summarized in the reference to Uriah the Hittite, he did not let that hinder him from seeking to do what was right in the Lord’s sight following that incident and others.

The temptation here is to focus on the failures of the past that strangles any hope for obedience in the present.

Instead, our hope of obeying the Lord is dependent on His grace that forgives of sin and provides for our ongoing growth in holiness as we humbly repent of sin.

Live Devoted to the Faithful Lord in obedience to His Word (v. 5).

David had God’s authoritative Word by which He received the commands of the Lord to do what is right.

By implication, since the narrator freely references these commands, they were widely available to anyone, to include King Abijam; hence, he had no excuse to disobey the Lord.

Thankfully, we also have the same through which we learn how to live in devotion to the Faithful Lord.

Live Devoted to the Faithful Lord by fighting the other enemy (vv. 6-7).

Notice how both Rehoboam and Abijam are referenced as having fought the same enemy, with no indication of victory for either.

Interestingly, a similar reference is made concerning Solomon in 1 Ki 11:40 wherein he ‘attacked’ Jeroboam.

Significantly, all 3 of these men are referenced as having been involved in altercations with the same enemy.

Jeroboam was their enemy on account of Solomon’s and the people’s sins.

However, we don’t see either of these 3 men dealing with sin and not making any headway with their enemy.

Hence, their enemy existed on account of sin that they had not dealt with.

Thus, they should have also been addressing their sin in humble repentance.

We can’t forget to address our sin in humble repentance in the midst of life’s circumstances.

We fight the temptation to sin with God’s Word, as did Jesus.

We combat sin that we’re guilty of with humble repentance before the Lord.

Transition: Abijam’s/Abijah’s short reign is filled with opportunities to obey that ultimately failed as he gave his devotion to something other than the Lord. In the next example, we see great devotion but a failure of a different kind.

Live Devoted to the Lord by completely dealing with sin (vv. 8-15).

Notice the emphasis on Asa’s positive actions in vv. 8-15.

‘Put away’ (v. 12); ‘removed’ (v. 12, 13); ‘cut down’ (v. 13); ‘burned’ (v. 13); ‘brought’ (v. 15).

The brook Kidron was a place that surfaces in other parts of Scripture where idols were destroyed.

All these elements refer to the seriousness with which Asa took the sin of idolatry and the evidence of his devotion to the Lord in the effort to remove its influence.

Thus, Asa’s efforts serve as an example for how we are to radically deal with sin (cf. Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount; Mt 5:27-30)!

Also, with Asa bringing in the dedicated items of silver and gold, he’s supporting the Temple, thereby encouraging worship of the Lord among the people through his influence!

However, there’s a negative action that’s also referenced in v. 14.

The high places were still in use.

The high places are referenced throughout Kings as being problematic since the Temple has been built.

In Dt 12:11, the Lord promised that His Name, or His reputation, would be closely associated with Jerusalem, where His people were to worship Him.

Thus, with the establishment of the Temple, the use of the high places came down to obedience.

Hence, even after dealing with sin and worship in the comprehensive way that Asa did, there’s still room for more obedience.

We will never come to a point where obedience to the Lord is not necessary.

Thus, we are prompted to seek the Lord more and more to help us obey Him in all things, whether great or small.

Transition: Asa’s dealing with sin is a remarkable example of how we are to get radical with our sin. However, we must continue to seek Him to help us to obey Him completely. The next example of Asa’s life also prompts us to recall how we need to seek the Lord always.

Live Devoted to the Lord by seeking Him instead of relying on others (vv. 16-24).

When we look at this account, we might be tempted to think, “Look at the good that Asa was able to accomplish.”

He protected the people.

He built cities.

However, at what cost did these things come?

He took from the Lord’s treasuries to pay off Ben-Hadad to form an alliance against Baasha.

Baasha, king of Israel, is now defeated at the hands of a foreign enemy.

Notice, the only reference to the Lord in these verses is what Asa took from the Lord’s house.

Asa did not seek the Lord concerning this altercation with Baasha.

Asa did not seek the Lord concerning his health at the end of this life.

What we see here is that the ends never justify the means.

Instead of responding to these threats (war & health) by seeking the Lord, Asa turns to his own reasoning and seeks the help of what becomes Israel’s enemy.

Whether we encounter threats or otherwise, we must seek the Lord.

Transition: While Asa was singly devoted to the Lord and no other idols, he did not seek the Lord when faced with a threat. Our passage shifts from a focus on Judaean kings to witness the continued tragedy of the kings associated with Israel in the North. Let’s look first at Nadab, Jeroboam’s only successor to the throne and consider …

Live Devoted to the Lord because He faithfully punishes sin (vv. 25-31).

The tragedy of Nadab’s life concerns how he demonstrates the justification for the Lord’s punishment of his and his father’s sins.

Ironically, the Lord prophesied through Ahijah the Shilonite both the rise and downfall of the line of Jeroboam as king over Israel.

Further, there’s nothing referenced in Nadab’s epilogue of significance.

All we’re left with is his sin and predicted demise in his short reign.

Thus, we are meant to focus squarely on how the Lord must punish sin and reflect that, since we are alive, we have the opportunity to repent of sin, by God’s good grace.

Transition: The tragedy of Nadab is only eclipsed by the treachery of Baasha, the king of Israel who usurped the throne by destroying Jeroboam’s line. Let’s consider as our final observation for today …

Live Devoted to the Lord by rejecting sinful influences (vv. 32-16:5).

The Lord identifies Himself as the One responsible for placing Baasha on the throne.

Instead of learning from the demise of Jeroboam and acknowledging the Lord’s providence in placing Baasha on the throne, Baasha is presented as being no different from Jeroboam.

Baasha should have learned from Jeroboam’s demise how the Lord must punish sin.

Instead, he embraced Jeroboam’s influence and perpetuated the same sins.

Thus, Baasha will suffer the same fate.

Conclusion: When we see sin punished, our immediate response should be, “I don’t want that.” Unfortunately, that’s not what happened with Baasha. Let’s look to Asa’s example of radically dealing with sin, remembering to seek the Lord in all things in single devotion.