1 Kings 17 "Elijah's Prayer Heard"

“Then the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.” (v.22)

It was not the miracle of the meal and the oil (vv.15-16) that convinced the widow of Zarephath that Elijah’s God was real. It was the resurrection of her son that convinced her. Sound familiar?

The heart of the gospel is built on the death and resurrection of Jesus. He proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Word of God is truth and those who believe will be raised up to eternal life with Him.

The Truth

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

1 Kings 16 "Evil Begets Evil"

After the death of Asa dark times once again had a hold on the northern kingdom. Life in Israel was full of betrayal, idolatry, rival temples, and accumulating evil. It almost seemed that Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, and Ahab were each trying to outdo the wickedness of the previous generation (vv. 25, 30). Each Israelite king “did evil in the eyes of the Lord,” provoking Him to anger and judgment (15:26, 30, 34; 16:2, 7, 13, 19, 25, 26, 30, 33).

The underlying message here is that sin does not go unpunished. In fact, sin becomes its own punishment. Look at the results of doing evil for these kings: constant war, numerous plotting and betrayal, rivalry, insecurity, even murder. Evil begets more evil. Any promise of happiness or pleasure is shattered by the choice to engage in wickedness. The only way to break the chain is to repent, turn from your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall (Ezekiel 18:30).

During these dark times, God’s people desperately needed a true leader, one who would follow the Word of the Lord with all his heart as king David did. A shining light is about to appear..........Elijah.

The Truth

“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.” (Revelation 2:5)

1 Kings 15 "Asa Chose Well"

“So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam the king of Israel, Asa began to reign as king of Judah. He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. Asa did what was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father.” (vv.9-11)

Since Solomon's fall, the royal line had been in sin. Now in Asa, there is a ray of light in Judah's line of kings!

Asa's story here in chapter 15 is an encouraging example for two reasons. First, we see how each of us can choose our spiritual path. Even though our descendants may not have walked with God, we can by His grace.

Second, God does not give up on His people. No matter how often the royal line had turned their back on Him, God remained steadfast in His promise to His servant David, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel’ (1 Kings 2:4).

Asa, like David his father, chose well and did what was right in the sight of the Lord. May our hearts desire be the same.

The Truth

“A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

1 Kings 14 "Jeroboam's Judgment"

“You have made for yourself other gods . . . you have provoked me to anger and thrust me behind your back.” (v.9)

The root of God’s judgment against Jeroboam is in His declaration against idolatry. As a result, Jeroboam's fate is disastrous: his child will die, all male descendants will be cut off, his dynasty will be destroyed, his house utterly burned, and all of Israel will be taken into exile (vv. 6-16). Although God had shown Jeroboam great grace in raising him up and giving him a kingdom, his failure was this: “You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods . . . you have provoked me to anger and thrust me behind your back” (v.9).

Jeroboam may have had lots of military and political accomplishments (v.19), but Scripture's assessment is clear: Jeroboam was an utter failure where it counted most. His early choice of idolatry ruined everything. Jeroboam ruled twenty-two years trying to make something of himself and his kingdom (v.20), but in the end it was all misguided. What truly mattered, his walk with God, was neglected.

Today's passage highlights the importance of a heart committed to the Lord, what Scripture sometimes calls a pure heart. None of us is without sin; even David failed miserably but, he was a man after God’s own heart. May we be the same.

The Truth

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

1 Kings 13 "Jeroboam's Judgment Prophesied"

By the word of the Lord a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. By the word of the Lord he cried out against the altar: “Altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’” (vv.1-3)

Jeroboam never got the picture, spiritually speaking. As we learned earlier, God brought the king face-to-face with some incredible promises. But evidently, Jeroboam did not consider God's promises worth the necessary obedience on his part. He looked the other way, plunging the northern kingdom into idolatry and false worship that would cling to them for several centuries.

Since Jeroboam rejected God's goodness, God confronted the king with the truth of His judgment through the prophecy of 1 Kings 13. But ""even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways"" (13:33). He rejected God's word and warning. All that was left was for the sentence of judgment to be carried out.

Although the king reigned for twenty-two years in Israel, nothing else he did is recorded. Jeroboam's apostasy, his departure from the truth, brought disaster on his entire family and even on the nation (1 Kings 14:15). His descendants would not even get a decent burial, and Israel itself would one day be uprooted from its land.

Jeroboam's demise, and the damage he left behind, is a graphic example of poor leadership and his refusal to follow God's word or head His warnings. Nations, like people, can be either blessed by God or allowed to suffer the consequences of their own folly. Whether you agree with the governing leadership of our country or not, pray continually for those in authority. For their success or failure will be shared by us all.

The Truth

“I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)