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Home , 1 Kings 16, King Elah, Omri

CALVARY PANDAN - Judah too suffered from spiritual PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH backsliding. did not walk in the ways of but did evil in the [Adapted from Bethel Bible-Presbyterian eyes of the LORD. His son Abijam Church, 10 Downing St. Oakleigh, Vic., 3166] followed in his footsteps. But God was merciful - for David’s sake, a good king DHW BIBLE CLASS would ascend to the throne. Asa (Abijam’s son) reigned for 41 years LESSON 11A and carried out religious reforms in the THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS land. He led the people away from CHAPTER 16 their idolatrous worship back to the LORD their God. For a time, there was spiritual revival. INTRODUCTION Chapter 16 gives an account of ’s relationship with God five kings. Baasha reigned for 24 years was sliding further downhill. When – this showed that he was a strong was king over Israel, he king who could control the land. He made graven images in the form of died a natural death (16:1-7), and was golden calves and called the people to succeeded by his son, Elah who worship them as their God who had reigned only for 2 years (16:8-10). delivered them out of bondage from Elah was assassinated by , an Egypt. In about 60 years of Israel’s officer in his army, who made himself history from Jeroboam to (930- king. But Zimri reigned for only 7 days. 874 B.C.), the people of Israel bowed He committed suicide when another down and worshipped Baal, the contender to the throne attacked him Canaanite god of fertility. They had (16:11-20). After the death of Zimri, the forsaken the LORD their God and people made king over Israel but turned to pagan gods. Bear in mind not before he defeated , a rival that they did not stop using the name contender for the throne (16:21-28). Jehovah. Their sin was to worship Omri was succeeded by his son Ahab Jehovah in front of the golden calves (16:29-24). The divine writer devoted and mouthing the Name Jehovah and only 14 verses to chronicle the reign of Baal at the same time. They Omri, but used no less than five hyphenated the name Jehovah with chapters relating the reign of Ahab (1 Baal! Kings 16-22). The political scene was no better. Men who aspired to the throne OUTLINE resorted to assassination to gain power. A country could not be stable 1. Baasha, Elah & Zimri (vv.1-22); when the rule of the land changed 2. Omri the Achiever (vv.23-28); hands so frequently. 3. Ahab -Like Father Like Son (vv.29-34) DHW LESSON 11A

COMMENTARY Elah (vv.7-14) ruled only for two Baasha, Elah & Zimri – 16:1-22 years (886-885 B.C.). He was a weak king who followed in the footsteps of Baasha (vv.1-6) assassinated his father, Baasha. One flaw in his Nadab, Jeroboam’s son, in order to character was his addiction to alcohol. make himself king over Israel. He ruled He got himself drunk in the house of for 24 years (908-886 B.C.). He was his steward Arza instead of enduring not a good king. When he became the hardship of battle in the field king, he wasted no time in killing all the against the Philistines (16:15-16). descendants of Jeroboam. This Zimri was ’s military fulfilled the word of the LORD through commander to one half of his army of the Ahijah (14:10). Baasha chariots. When the king was drunk, was not punished by God for this deed Zimri assassinated him in the house of of killing Jeroboam and his Arza. It was possible that Azra was descendants. He was punished for his one of the conspirators who helped to own sins. The Bible described his 24 get the king drunk, and subsequently years of ministry in one verse. 1 Kings killed. This ended Elah’s brief rule as 16:2 say, “Forasmuch as I exalted thee king over Israel. out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast Elah is known as the king who walked in the way of Jeroboam, and drank his kingdom away. hast made my people Israel to sin, Zimri (vv.15-22) declared to provoke me to anger with their himself king over Israel but he ruled for sins;” [Emphasis added] only seven days (885 B.C). He wasted , the LORD’S prophet was no time in securing his position by sent to pronounce God’s judgment killing all the members of Baasha’s against Baasha for he had made the family. He did not spare “one that people of Israel sin, and provoked the pisseth against the wall”, that is he did LORD to anger with their sins of not leave a single male alive. Zimri’s idolatry. God would destroy his dastardly act fulfilled the word of the posterity like he destroyed the house LORD, which was spoken against of Jeroboam (16:2, 3). Baasha died a Baasha by the prophet Jehu. natural death, and was succeeded by At the time of the assassination, his son, Elah (16:6, 8). The same the other half of the army was consequence of sin that happened to encamped against Gibbethon, a city of Jeroboam was told to Baasha. In fact the Philistines. When the soldiers Baasah was the instrument raised by heard that Zimri had assassinated God to punish Jeroboam. Instead of Elah, they, together with the rest of learning from Jeroboam’s mistakes, Israel, made Omri, who was the other Baasha like a fool repeated them. military commander, the king of Israel Baasha is known as the king (16:16). Omri led his army to the who never learned. capital city which was defended by the armies of Zimri. But Omri soon

2 DHW LESSON 11A 1 KINGS 16 defeated Zimri’s men and took control than Tirzah. It had great economic of the city. Zimri fled to the royal potential being nearer to the trade palace, set it on fire and committed routes. And militarily, it was on a hill, suicide (the first for a king of Israel). which made the city more secure and Zimri is known as the king gave much easier to defend. It remained the up a kingdom by suicide. capital of Israel until the Assyrians destroyed it in 722 B.C. Omri the Achiever – 16:23-28 The second fact was that Omri Omri’s succession to the throne did evil in the eyes of the LORD and was not without obstacles. Tibni, the he “earned” the dubious reputation of son of Ginath (nothing more was having done “worse than all that were mentioned about him) led some people before him” (16:25). The divine writer to oppose Omri (16:22). In the civil war was not interested in Omri’s political, that ensued, Omri and his followers economic and military achievements defeated Tibni who died in battle. Omri for these were temporal. ascended to the throne and ruled over Israel for 12 years (885-874 B.C.). Omri was noted for other achievements during his rule over Omri became one of the most Israel. Apart from securing the hill of significant rulers of Israel. Although and building the capital city the divine author devoted a short on it, he rescued the land from passage to his reign, he made anarchy. Before he ascended to the considerable development to the throne, the land was politically nation. The intent of the divine writer unstable and there was much unrest was not to chronicle the reign of a king among the people. He managed to just for secular purposes but to record bring stability to the nation. In the short events, people and places from the period of his reign, the nation became perspective of God’s plan. The writer a power to be reckoned with among was interested in whether King Omri the neighbouring countries of Syria walked in the ways of the LORD. Two and , which would otherwise facts were recorded in regard to Omri. have crushed it. A strong alliance was The first fact was that Omri established with the Phoenicians when bought a hill called Samaria from the his son, Ahab, married . Thus owner, Shemer for two talents of silver, they enjoyed the advantage of the which was equivalent to US$8,448 at Phoenician seaport for their overseas modern day silver prices. He built a trade. city and named it Samaria, retaining Omri is known as a political king the name of the hill. He then shifted who trusted in the arm of flesh. the capital city from Tirzah to Samaria where he ruled for six years until his death. The purchase of Samaria was Ahab -Like Father Like Son 16:29-34 politically, economically, and militarily Omri died and was buried in wise. Samaria was more strategic Samaria. Ahab, his son, reigned over

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Israel in Samaria for 22 years (874- (16:33). We could safely conclude that 853 B.C.). The historical record of Jezebel (the name means Ahab’s reign began in chapter 16 and “unhusbanded or unexalted”) was a ended in chapter 22. In Judah, it was very active worshipper. She wanted Asa’s 38th year when Ahab ascended Ahab and the people to worship Baal. the throne of the Northern Kingdom. Later we will learn that she recruited The writer described Ahab as a her own priests. She therefore made wicked king who robbed his father of sure that Ahab worshipped her gods. the reputation for being the worst king During his reign, Ahab must (16:30). It was mentioned twice that have engaged Hiel the Bethelite to Ahab was the son of Omri (16:29 and rebuild (16:33). The rebuilding 16:30) – like father like son! The name of Jericho was a dangerous task Ahab even suggested that he took because years earlier Joshua had after his father for it can be translated pronounced a curse on it (Joshua “resembling the father.” 6:26): Cursed be the man before the Ahab’s marriage to Jezebel was LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this highlighted suggesting that it had a city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation great impact on him. Jezebel was a thereof in his firstborn, and in his princess. She was the daughter of youngest son shall he set up the gates Ethbaal, the king of the Zidonians (or of it. Sidionians). Ahab was strongly Hiel lost his two sons, the influenced by his wife in the worship of firstborn whose name was Abiram Baal. The word “Baal” which meant when the foundation was laid, and his “lord” or “master” was the supreme youngest son, Segub when the gates name of the Phoenician and Canaanite were erected. god of fertility -- the god of rain and grain. Ahab added to the worship of the graven images of the calves which PRACTICAL VALUE Jeroboam said represent the LORD One salient lesson from the (YAHWEH), with a third place of sacred account is that, in the final worship in Samaria, his capital city. He analysis, the one thing that really jumped from the frying pan into the fire counts is our relationship with God. If when he turned to the worship of Baal. we have a right relationship with God, It was pure unadulterated serving Him and walking in His ways, idolatry, a very grave sin against the we will receive His approval and LORD. Ahab went on to build an altar favour. On the other hand, those who in honour of Baal. As if that was not worshipped other gods and sinned enough, he built a temple in Samaria against God can be assured of God’s for Baal too. Then he added the image wrath. We ought to be constantly of the goddess of fortune Asherah (a mindful of this truth. Omri was a sad grove). The divine writer charged Ahab example. He achieved great things for for provoking the LORD God of Israel himself and the land, but all that did

4 DHW LESSON 11A 1 KINGS 16 not impress God at all. God requires ______our fear, love, and obedience. We ______need to be careful that we do not measure a person’s worth based on ______his achievements, financial standing, ______and social status. ______Little sins will grow into bigger ______sins. From to Abijam and ______from Jeroboam to Ahab, we see the evil in Judah and Israel gaining ______momentum. Each king was more wicked than the last – to borrow the 2. What sin of Ahab provoked the words of Hosea, the prophet, “for they LORD to anger? How did he go have sown the wind, and they shall beyond what previous kings of reap the whirlwind” (8:7). Only Israel had done, and what led him repentance and God’s forgiveness can to do it? reverse the moral decline in the nation, church or individual. AMEN ______DAILY READINGS & DISCUSSION ______QUESTIONS ______Daily Readings ______MONDAY: 1 Kings 16:1-14; 2 ______Chronicles 16:7-10. ______TUESDAY: 1 Kings 16:15-28; Mark 8:34-37. 3. Describe who is a modern day WEDNESDAY: 1 Kings 16:29-34; Baasha? Joshua 6:26-27. ______THURSDAY: 1 Kings 16:1-34 ______FRIDAY: 1 Kings 16:1-34 ______Discussion Questions ______1. What do you observe about the ______sinful ways of Omri (v.25) and ______Ahab (v.30)? What do these teach ______us regarding the self-propagating power of sin?

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4. Describe who is a modern day ______Elah? ______5. Describe who is a modern day Zimri?

______

6. Describe a modern day Omri?

______

7. Describe who is a modern day Jezebel?

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