Elah Reigns in Israel

 

 

June 29, 2021

 

1 Kings 16:8-14

 

Elah Reigns in Israel

In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years.   But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah, Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.

When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he struck down all the house of Baasha. He did not leave him a single male of his relatives or his friends.   Thus, Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned and which they made Israel to sin, provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their idols.   Now the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

 

No surprise, God spoke through His prophet Jehu to Baasha, and he dismissed all that the prophet said. Have you given thought to the truth that God now speaks to us through His written Word and when we ignore its direction and teaching, we are in rebellion?  One example is God’s command to assemble ourselves together for worship, many today are not doing so and are setting themselves up for heartache.  Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have the habit of doing. Rather, let us encourage each other, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  I have a good friend who has quit coming to worship, and when asked why his answer was; "I’m getting everything I need on Sundays sitting at home watching the sermon."  This man was a deacon, a greeter at the door, and an encouragement to me and many others.  When he left his place in this army of Christ, he left a hole in the line.

 

Is the Church so slow to grasp, that we cannot have body life if we do not meet together to encourage one another?  Body Life is the Christian Army coming together for instruction, correction, encouragement, and to pray for one another.  If you can do that sitting at home in your PJ and drinking coffee and eating breakfast, please tell me how that works.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Baasha King of Israel

 

 

June 28, 2021

 

1Kings 15:32-34

 

There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.

Baasha King of Israel

In the third year of Asa’s king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years.   He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

Often, I have more questions than answers, so let me ask this question: Why did the kings of Israel keep repeating the evil of the last king?  That brings up a second question; should this be a wake-up for you and me who are followers of Jesus the Christ?

 

Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu son of Hanani concerning Baasha: “I lifted you up from the dust and appointed you ruler over my people Israel, but you followed the ways of Jeroboam and caused my people Israel to sin and to arouse my anger by their sins.   So, I am about to wipe out Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat.   Dogs will eat those belonging to Baasha who die in the city, and birds will feed on those who die in the country.”

As for the other events of Baasha’s reign, what he did, and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?   Baasha rested with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah. And Elah his son succeeded him as king.

Moreover, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Jehu son of Hanani to Baasha and his house, because of all the evil he had done in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger by the things he did, becoming like the house of Jeroboam—and also because he destroyed it.

I read that repeating the action of yourself or others and expecting a different result is insanity.  We know that God has said, the fool said in his heart there is no God.  So is the one that thing they can con God!

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Nadab King of Israel

 

1 Kings 15: 25-32

 

June 26, 2021

 

 

Nadab King of Israel

Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.   He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit.

 

Why would Israel’s leaders keep repeating the failed actions of the past?  Why did they desire the foolish and evil ways of the country and nations around them?  Why did they reject the God who parted the Red Sea and brought them out of being slaves in Egypt?  If one could answer those questions, then you have the answer to why the USA is doing the same thing.  Could it be like no fear of the Lord, and unbelief?

 

Baasha son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it.   Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king.

 

This was prophesied by Ahijah the Shilonite a servant of the Lord, in 1 Kings 14:7-10, “Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over my people Israel  and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes, but you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back, therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone.”  

 

This question comes to mind, God has not changed, and the leadership in the USA is going in the same way as Jeroboam why do they not fear God?  Are judgment on them and our nations going to get a pass from the LORD?  Let me answer those questions; they are ignorant of the God they claim to follow or they like Jeroboam are full of self and so proud and arrogant that they have no fear of God.

 

As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.   This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel.

 

The only thing we have to fear is God, He is the same today as He was yesterday, and His Church, looks big and like a powerless tiger without teeth, but it not big it is small and it is powerful, come be part of those few who fear God and obey his commandments.

 

As for the other events of Nadab’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?   There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

 

A Blockacle of Judah

                                                                     Kings 15:16-1 24

 

June 24, 2021

 

 

There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.   Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.

Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus.   “Let there be a treaty between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”

Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah, and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali.   When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah.   Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah—no one was exempt—and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using there. With them, King Asa built up Geba in Benjamin, and also Mizpah.

As for all the other events of Asa’s reign, all his achievements, all he did, and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? In his old age, however, his feet became diseased.   Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king.

 

If you recall The Soviet Union put missiles in Cuba pointing at the USA, and the blockade to stop any supplies from coming are going into Cuba.  It was very successful because we had the ability to back up our blockade.  This is what Baasha king of Israel was doing with Judah but Asa king of Judah bought his freedom by giving all the gold and silver in the house of God and his house to the King of Aram to break his treaty with Israel and attack some of its cities.

 

One must wonder if Asa inquired of the Lord, or did he look to a man?  When you read that God has not changed, He is the same today as yesterday, but man also has not changed, he also is leaning on his own understanding and not looking to the all-knowing God, and His Son Jesus Christ.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

Asa King of Judah

 

 

1 Kings 15:9-15

 

June 23, 2021

 

 Asa King of Judah

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.

 Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done.   He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made.   He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley.   Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.   He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.

 

Asa life was fully committed to the LORD all his life, it is not talking about perfection, no it is referring to obedience to the Lord’s word, written by Moses and the prophets.  What and epithet, and at 79 years of age this writer, no for sure that could not be put on my tombstone.  But that does not change the desire of my heart to finish strong, to never again bring shame on the name of my Lord and Savior.

 

Men of faith in Jesus Christ, I’ve met in my short stay on planet earth, men that I look up to all would share they wish those words could be put on their tombstone.  Most of them would say they at some point they did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  

 

Have you or are you giving in thought to what will be your epithet?  Remember we are not talking about perfection, we are talking about being true to the teaching of God’s Word, and nothing else, no other book, or teaching.  Remember your life on planet earth is a vaper, God, not doctor has numbered your days, and no one but God knows that date.  

 

So, if that date is today, this week, this month, what will be your epithet be, my hope is it will be said about you, as well as me, they loved God and were a follower of Jesus Christ, they also loved their wife, children, and grandchildren, and were looking more each day to Jesus for they knew that the world and its desires were passing away, and the Word of God would last forever.  They knew that they were aliens on this earth, and we're looking forward to an eternal home, where they would be with their Lord.

His that your desire?

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Abijam Reigns in Judah

 1 Kings 15:1-8

 

June 16, 2021

 

 

Abijam Reigns in Judah

 

 Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah.   He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom.   And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father.  Nevertheless, for David's sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem, because David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.   Now there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.   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.   And Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place.

 

I wanted to give you a better account of Abijam found in 2 Chronicles 13:2b-22 with no comment from this writer.

Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.   Abijah went out to battle, having an army of valiant men of war, 400,000 chosen men. And Jeroboam drew up his line of battle against him with 800,000 chosen mighty warriors.   Then Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim that is in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel!   Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?  Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord, and certain worthless scoundrels gathered about him and defied Rehoboam the son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young and irresolute and could not withstand them.

“And now you think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David because you are a great multitude and have with you the golden calves that 

Jeroboam made you for gods.  Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes for ordination with a young bull, or seven rams becomes a priest of what are not gods.   But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests ministering to the Lord who are sons of Aaron, and Levites for their service.   They offer to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt offerings and incense of sweet spices set out the showbread on the table of pure gold, and care for the golden lampstand that its lamps may burn every evening. For we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken him.   Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.”

Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to come upon them from behind. Thus his troops^[e] were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.   And when Judah looked, behold, the battle was in front of and behind them. And they cried to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets.   Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.   The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand.   Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men.   Thus, the men of Israel were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the Lord, the God of their fathers.   And Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took cities from him, Bethel with its villages and Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron with its villages.   Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah. And the Lord struck him down, and he died.   But Abijah grew mighty. And he took fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.  The rest of the acts of Abijah, his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

 

Rehoboam Reigns in Judah

 

 

June 14, 2021

 

1 Kings 14:21-28-31

 

Rehoboam Reigns in Judah

Now Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite.   And Judah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins that they committed, more than all that their fathers had done.   For they also built for themselves high places and pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, and there were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations that the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.

In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem.  He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house. He took away everything. He also took away all the shields of gold that Solomon had made, and King Rehoboam made in their place shields of bronze and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house.   And as often as the king went into the house of the Lord, the guard carried them and brought them back to the guardroom.

And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite. And Abijam his son reigned in his place.

 

Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, the wisest man with a human dad to walk on the earth and also the wealthiest man to do so, dropped the ball for his son who did not follow the command of God.  The people were not led back to God, instead, they went after the gods of their neighbors. 

 

If reading this account of this King, whom God had entrusted with so much, it was all taken from him because of his trust in the world's god.  And you and I live in the greatest nation on earth today, it has wealth and a powerful military, and today we still have the freedom to speak out against an evil group that controls our nation.  Often, I wonder who is pulling the string, but this I do know, what is done in secret will be exposed in the light, and those who are after the little god of power and wealth will find it is like chasing after the wind

 

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice