Omri Success Without God

L E A R N I N G F R O M T H E L E A D E R S Old Testament Portraits of Life OMRI SUCCESS WITHOUT GOD

Text: 1 Kings 16:23–28 analyze, and choose the excellent, the righteous, and the good. In order to make it possible for us The freedom to choose is a treasured privi- to choose what is right, He had to make it pos- lege and a fearful responsibility. What a pro- sible for us to choose what is wrong. He allowed found thought it is that God has granted us the the existence of evil so that man would have the opportunity to choose our characters and our ability to will the existence of good. destinies! It would be hard to find another con- cept that is as heavily laden, as packed from Free Choice and Man beginning to end, with implications about God, The moral freedom of man also points to man, and life as this truth. When God created us, what man is, the nature and essence of man. He He put in our hearts the power to shut Him out is not a robot or a senseless animal, but a think- of our lives forever if we so desire. He gave us the ing soul made in God’s image. He is a being who right to say “no” to Him, the Sovereign God who can think, love, and respect; he is also a being is the Creator and Ruler of the universe! who can hate, despise, and reject. Man’s freedom does not come without a price, Free Choice and God for he is ultimately responsible to the One who The gift of freedom implies that God has made him for his thoughts and actions. God took chosen to make Himself vulnerable to the think- a risk to give us this freedom, but we take a risk ing, decisions, and whims of man. He wanted in having it. If we choose to reject God and truth, children, not mannequins. He wants us to wor- we will have to answer for the wrong choices we ship Him because of a loving choice we have have made. Privilege requires responsibility. made about Him, a conscious recognition of who He is, and not because we are forced to worship Free Choice and Life Him against our wishes. God elected to expose God sustains humanity even as He gives us Himself to the risk of being rejected so that we the freedom to choose. Yes, there are parameters may have the opportunity to serve Him because to His sustenance, but within them—for a time— we have decided it is right and good to do so. man may do as he pleases. We can live com- This willingness of God to empower man with pletely in the energy of the flesh, without God choice may be called His divine condescension. and in conflict with His will, if we so decide. We God gave us minds with which to research, live, breathe, and have our being within the

1 sphere of life that God gives us. Even though we twelve years; he reigned six years at Tirzah are partaking of His goodness every moment (16:23). that we live, God will not make us walk with What is especially noticeable and thought- Him. For the length of our time on earth, we can provoking about Omri is that he lived his life choose to live without Him, ignoring the addi- without God. He achieved amazing success, but tional help He offers and living only in the hu- he achieved it through the arm of the flesh, not man strength we receive from Him. through divine strength. He reminds us of the God is active in our lives, eager to show high accomplishments that one can reach with- Himself strong on our behalf (2 Chronicles 16:9). out God due to the freedom of choice endowed He walks with the righteous man to strengthen upon man by God. and sustain him, but He pulls back His fellow- Using Omri as an illustration, look at what ship from the wicked man (Proverbs 28:9). He God’s bequeathing of the freedom of choice to turns him over to sheer human energy—or, as man allows a man to do without God. we sometimes say, to “the arm of the flesh.” In each person’s heart is an emptiness that only POWERFUL STRENGTH God can fill, a “God-shaped hole”; but a person First, Omri, in the flesh, in human energy, may choose to live without ever allowing God to acquired great strength. He became a renowned fill that emptiness. God gives special blessings to soldier, respected for his skill on the field of the obedient man to encourage, empower, and battle even beyond Israel. The ability he had and enliven him; but a man may choose to live with- developed is highlighted by two words that the out ever receiving these special blessings from Holy Spirit used: “his might.” Notice these words God’s hand of grace and approval. as part of the summary of his life in 16:27: What kind of life can a person actually live without God? What kind of achievements can he Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did attain? Because of the freedom He has given us, and his might which he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the God has permitted a man to even excel, to a Kings of Israel? (Emphasis mine.) measure, outside the circle of His will and spiritual family. This permission to live somewhat Even in his pagan approach to life, Omri was successfully without Him shows the grace and probably the means of rescuing the nation from goodness of God as well as the extent of the free destruction. After the death of Tibni, Omri’s moral agency He has given us. vigorous leadership brought stability to a des- A life of accomplishment without God is perate nation. Weakened by division, Israel was illustrated by Omri, the seventh king of Israel, vulnerable to the rising Aramean and Assyrian who reigned from 885 to 874 B.C., four or five kingdoms which had become dominant powers years during a divided rule and six or seven as nearby. Had not strong direction been im- the sole king.1 He was the founder of the third mediately forthcoming in Israel, the nation surely dynasty, which lasted for three generations and would have been overcome. Omri provided es- four kings. He was certainly the most capable sential guidance. and aggressive king the Northern Kingdom had So powerful was Omri’s leadership that the had thus far. Assyrian rulers Adad-nirari, Tiglath-pileser, and Sargon referred to Palestine as “the house of In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri” a century later—long after Omri’s dy- Omri became king over Israel, and reigned nasty had been overthrown. He was undoubt- edly the most capable ruler of Israel thus far. 1 It is said that Omri ruled twelve years, beginning his Remember, however, that Omri’s strength reign during the thirty-first year of Asa, king of Judah was not the strength of the Lord but the strength (1 Kings 16:23), but it is also said that Zimri, in the twenty- seventh year of Asa, reigned seven days at Tirzah and was of the flesh. It is erroneous to say, as some do, killed by Omri as Omri took the throne (1 Kings 16:15). that any human achievement comes through the Ahab, it is later said, began to rule during the thirty-eighth strength of the Lord. God allows it, but He does year of Asa (1 Kings 16:29). The notice of Omri’s beginning to reign in Asa’s thirty-first year (1 Kings 16:23) must be in not necessarily provide it. Omri was strong, but reference to his sole rule after the death of Tibni. not in the Lord. David was strong in the Lord;

2 Omri was strong in the flesh. Be sure to note the hill “Samaria,” probably meaning “fortified hill.” difference. Looking around today, we can see world- And he bought the hill Samaria from Shemer dominating empires, successful organizations, for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and named the city which he built Samaria, and mighty movements that have been built by after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill human foresight, energy, and endless toil. They (16:24). did not come from God; they came from the strength of man. The fact that someone leads an The hill of Samaria was located seven miles army to win a battle, leads a team to victory, or northwest of Shechem. It stood three hundred leads a group to build a legend is not proof that feet high and was ringed by other mountains God is with them. All of these things can be done which would force attackers to charge uphill without making God a part of it. God has given from any side. Also, it was strategically located, people brains, energy, and freedom to achieve since it commanded north-south trade routes. without Him if we so choose. History has confirmed the vision and wis- A few years ago an outstanding athlete dom regarding Omri’s selecting this site for a achieved worldwide acclaim. His name became capital. Samaria continued as the prized capital a household word. When he played, he always of the nation until the end of the Northern King- won. He was labeled “the best ever.” His com- dom in 722 B.C. petitors feared him. It was as if the hand of God Saints do not have a corner on wisdom. A was upon him, and he could not lose. As the pagan oftentimes uses his head and makes a years passed, the way he had lived during his decent decision that affects the good of the soci- “glory days” became public knowledge. He was ety and the nation. His making solid decisions, notorious for his sin, selfishness, and inhumanity however, does not mean, in and of itself, that to others. He had experienced success through God is with him. It may just mean that he is using natural ability, preparation, and human wis- the good sense God gave him to make a good dom—that is, the arm of flesh. He did it without decision. When good decisions are made, good the fellowship and special guidance of God. results usually come. So it was with Omri. He achieved in the I have known parents who were pagans but strength of the flesh—even though his spirit or were making fairly good choices about rearing heart was in disobedience to God. People may their children. They were choosing to spend time have looked at him and said, “There is a man with their children, choosing to protect their truly blessed of God!”—but in reality, he was health, and choosing to provide for their futures; outside the companionship of God. He was the yet they were living their lives without God. recipient of natural talent and ability, but we A show on TV one year pictured a family’s have the testimony of the Scriptures to declare Thanksgiving meal together. Their typical, up- that he was wicked and in continual violation of per class home conveyed love, coziness, accep- God’s will. tance, peace, and togetherness. It seemed to have everything anyone could want in a home. PRACTICAL VISION As they prepared to eat their meal, the father Another way Omri excelled in the energy of asked each one to mention something for which the flesh was in his use of practical wisdom and he or she was grateful. They went around the vision. As he contemplated the leading of the table expressing their gratitude. One idea was nation, he decided that a new capital was needed, missing, though: God was not mentioned. This one that would be easily defended and one that family gave no thanks to God. That should break would be more appropriate for the nation. He your heart. This picture is seen too often. Every- chose Samaria to be the new site. Shechem, thing is in place—house, family, food, fun, and Penuel, and Tirzah had been used as capitals warmth—but it is a life without God! from the days of Jeroboam to Omri, but Omri Omri was apparently an intelligent man. He recognized that they had been inadequate. After had foresight for the nation. He made some good weighing the possibilities, he chose a hill that decisions. Nevertheless, he had a terrible blind was owned by one named Shemer. He called the spot: He was living totally without God. Sup-

3 porting him were only the hands of flesh, not the strong Omri was during his reign. It testifies that everlasting arms of God. Omri was capable of raising a sufficient army from his country, so recently weakened by in- PERMANENT NOTORIETY surrection, to defeat a land with Moab’s status. Still another accomplishment of Omri with- This means that he was an able person—not only out God was notoriety. He had a popularity that in maintaining but also in enlarging the land he few people ever achieve. Not only was Omri’s had. Mesha’s bragging the way he did would be name revered in Israel, but it was also respected somewhat like saying, “You know the man who outside of Israel for years to come. is the greatest? I got back the land that he had He is the first Jewish king whose name is taken. That means I am really great, greater than alluded to in the Assyrian inscriptions, being the greatest!” mentioned twice by name on the Moabite Stone. Yes, Omri achieved notoriety among Israel On August 19, 1868, a German missionary was and among other nations, but he did it outside encamped near the ruins of the ancient Moabite the fellowship of God. The Bible does not waste town of Dibon. A sheik told him that within a words in telling about his spiritual condition. It ten-minute walk from his tent there lay an in- says that he was more wicked than all who were scribed stone. Arriving at the spot, he found before him. lying on its back a slab of black basalt, three 1 And Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, and feet ten inches high, two feet broad, and 10 /2 acted more wickedly than all who were before inches thick, rounded at the top in nearly a him. For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam semicircle. The inscription on it was later found the son of Nebat and in his sins which he made to be thirty-four lines long.2 Israel sin, provoking the Lord God of Israel with their idols (16:25, 26). After much labor and intrigue, through squeezes made of the stone, translations eventu- He arranged the marriage of his son Ahab to ally were made. In lines five and seven Omri is Jezebel, probably to confirm an agreement be- referred to by name. Written by Mesha, king of tween his nation and Tyre, a match that would Moab, the lines on the stone say of Omri: afflict Israel for years to come. Of Ahab, it is said:

Omri was king of Israel, and he afflicted Moab And it came about, as though it had been a many days, . . . trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of . . . Now Omri had taken possession of all Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married the land of Medeba, and dwelt in it during his Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the days and half the days of his sons [or his son], Sidonians, and went to serve Baal and wor- forty years; . . .3 shiped him (16:31).

Mesha, the Moabite king who wrote the inscrip- Omri walked without God, and his son was tion for the stone, is referred to in 2 Kings 3:4: influenced by his conduct.

Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep CONCLUSION breeder, and used to pay the king of Israel Omri was one of the greatest kings of Israel. 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. He provided unity for the nation, an effective On the stone, Mesha was bragging. His father standing army, and international publicity. He had been defeated by Omri, but Mesha had had strength, vision, and notoriety. His success, been able to recover the land his father had lost. however, was fleshly, physical, and human. Mesha gloried in the fact that he had been able to The dynasty he founded surpassed all that take back the territory. The stone was inscribed had gone before him in wickedness, so that “the late in Mesha’s reign, which would have been statutes of Omri” became a byword for a course after the death of Ahab. The stone shows how of life opposed to the law of Jehovah. Later, in Micah’s day, to reprimand someone because of 2John D. Davis, “Moabite Stone,” Davis Dictionary of his conduct, one would say, “You are living by the Bible, rev. ed. (n.p.: Trustees of the Presbyterian Board the statutes of Omri.” Micah 6:16 says, “The of Publication and Sabbath School Work, 1898; reprint, Nashville, Tenn.: The Varsity Company, 1973), 530. statutes of Omri and all the works of the house 3Ibid. of Ahab are observed; and in their devices

4 you walk. . . .” Today we might say, “Your hopeless. Because of the freedom God has given conduct is so disgusting that it is as if you have each of us, we may choose to live without Him, taken a page out of Omri’s rulebook on how to thinking, doing, and saying whatever we wish. live.” If we choose to live without God, however, we Omri left his throne to his son in the thirty- will experience an emptiness that only God could eighth year of Asa, king of Judah. Not much else have filled. We will miss a covering of God’s can be said of him. When it comes to someone’s providence that only God’s children receive. death, we would like to say that he went to be Above all, our lives will be marked “Failure!” with God or something similar, but nothing like when we come to the day of reckoning before the this could be said of Omri. What can be said final Judge, regardless of the success we have about one who has lived without God? Just three had in life. We can know a measure of success in things: He died; he was buried; and his son this world without God, but we cannot live as He became king in his place. intended without His fellowship. If we walk without Him in this life, we will have a long So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried walk without Him in eternity. ■ in Samaria; and Ahab his son became king in his place (16:28). Lesson To Be Learned: Omri’s life and death stand as silent witnesses to One can have a measure of the truth that any success achieved in life with- success without God, but it out God is empty, hollow, and, in the end, is vain and fruitless.