1 Kings 17

WEEK  13                                              1 Kings 17

FRIDAY  Reflections

We are now introduced to the most famous prophet in the Old Testament, Elijah. The picture we have of him is that of one like John the Baptist, a person dressed in the garments of repentance, but this is because John was the one who came in the spirit of Elijah later. What we do know is he obeyed God.

The interesting note is the people of God were living in disobedience, so who did God get to provide for Elijah during the time of famine? First, ravens were unclean birds as they were carrion eaters, and secondly, a widow in the city belonged to the enemies of Israel. God provides for his prophet among those that should have normally been avoided. This shows the power of providence to supply from sources we might never have expected. In the latter case, it brought a foreign widow, I believe, to faith in the God of Israel. 

This reminds me, as it does today, God will provide, and he is great at providing through means we might never expect or think are possible. The others were starving and yet Elijah is provided daily by a poor widow with a little flour and a little oil. Don't underestimate what God can do with a little, coupled with obedience. 

1Ki 17:1-24
(1)  And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
(2)  And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
(3)  Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
(4)  And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
(5)  So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
(6)  And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
(7)  And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
(8)  And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
(9)  Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
(10)  So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
(11)  And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
(12)  And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
(13)  And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.
(14)  For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.
(15)  And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
(16)  And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.
(17)  And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
(18)  And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
(19)  And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
(20)  And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
(21)  And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.
(22)  And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
(23)  And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
(24)  And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

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Matthew 13

WEEK  13                                             Matthew 13

THURSDAY  Reflections

This chapter contains several parables of Jesus. They all have one theme though each has truths that each of us should learn from. The theme is growth and reward. In each parable, the desired outcome is that there is to be growth but in the parable of the sower and the weeds there are complications. In the parable of the hidden treasure and pearl, there is a great reward for those who give it all. In the parable of the net, we are shown there is going to be a reward of fish with the bad thrown out. The parables end with Jesus giving a story about storing the truths from the past and the new ones together.

 

The lesson I like to take from the sower is the sower has to realize that not all the seed he cast out is going to bring forth a harvest. Yes, a harvest is coming but ¾ of the seeds landed on places that would not bring forth a harvest. It is discouraging at times to work for God and think growth is taking place, but people ignore the truth, get distracted from the truth and fall away. Yet the sower has to realize a harvest is coming. The difficulty for most of those who are sowers is that we don’t know which heart is stone, weedy, rocky, or good. Often, we think someone is hard but later the harvest comes forth. At the end of the day, we must realize a harvest is coming.

 

The parable of the weeds reminds us that not everyone in our midst is true blue. God will judge and separate at his time. Here we learn to trust God to separate the true from those that look good, the false from those who are immature. At the end of the day, God will separate, but know this, there will be a harvest in spite of the weeds.

 

The parable of the mustard seed and the yeast remind us that small things can bring big results. The old saying is “Don’t despise small beginnings.” We never know what may come so don’t be discouraged.  

 

The parables of the hidden Treasure and the Pearl remind us that in order to get the greater reward we need to be willing to leave everything else behind.

 

The parable of the net reminds us again that God is going to separate the good from the bad. In the end, God will take care of it all. There will be a reward in a great harvest of fish and God will take care of those that aren’t good.

 

We get to the final story, Jesus tells us to store the truths away both the past (Old Testament) and the new (New Testament) truths. There is great reward in holding onto the truth.  

 

Finally, we come to the end of the chapter where Jesus is rejected by those who know him best. Instead of accepting the miracles and the teaching, they doubt him because they know him. This is a reminder that there are some who will never accept us no matter what we do. They rejected Jesus and he was perfect, so don’t be discouraged when people decide to reject what God is doing in your life.

Mat 13:1-58
(1)  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
(2)  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
(3)  And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
(4)  And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
(5)  Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
(6)  And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
(7)  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
(8)  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
(9)  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
(10)  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
(11)  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
(12)  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
(13)  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
(14)  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
(15)  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
(16)  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
(17)  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
(18)  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
(19)  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
(20)  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
(21)  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
(22)  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
(23)  But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
(24)  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
(25)  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
(26)  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
(27)  So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
(28)  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
(29)  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
(30)  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
(31)  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
(32)  Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
(33)  Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
(34)  All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
(35)  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
(36)  Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
(37)  He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
(38)  The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
(39)  The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
(40)  As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
(41)  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
(42)  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
(43)  Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
(44)  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
(45)  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
(46)  Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
(47)  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
(48)  Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
(49)  So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
(50)  And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
(51)  Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
(52)  Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
(53)  And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
(54)  And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
(55)  Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
(56)  And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
(57)  And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
(58)  And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

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Ecclesiastes 10

WEEK  13                                        Ecclesiastes 10

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

Are we in Ecclesiastes? This chapter sounds much more like Proverbs though maybe a darker version. The one idea which hits me is how life is bad when the leaders aren't doing what they are supposed to do. Either they have been placed low or their actions are selfish. Even in life under the sun there are some constants. Bad leaders make life miserable and good leaders are a source of life.

 

What bit of wisdom do you see in this chapter?

Ecc 10:1-20
(1)  Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
(2)  A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
(3)  Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
(4)  If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
(5)  There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler:
(6)  Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place.
(7)  I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
(8)  He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.
(9)  Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.
(10)  If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
(11)  Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
(12)  The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
(13)  The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
(14)  A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
(15)  The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
(16)  Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!
(17)  Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
(18)  By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.
(19)  A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.
(20)  Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

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1 Kings 16

WEEK  13                                              1 Kings 16

TUESDAY  Reflections

Why did God prophecy that all the sons of Jeroboam and now Baasha would die? Did God cause these sons to die? Though it could be argued that since God didn't stop it that He did, but I don’t agree.

When ungodly kings and dictators take over the first thing they normally do is eliminate any threat to their power. The children of previous kings are the first threat as they have a claim to the throne by birthright. Jeroboam and Baasha both could have been blessed by God but choose to rule their own way. This resulted in their kingdom not being protected by God and therefore they were wiped out. This isn't God being mean. God giving them what they wanted. They wanted to do things on their own and God let them have the reward of it but the reward was death for their family line. 

Read carefully, do you see another prophecy come to pass? It's an old one from the days of the beginning of Israel. 

1Ki 16:1-34
(1)  Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,
(2)  Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;
(3)  Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
(4)  Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
(5)  Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
(6)  So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.
(7)  And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.
(8)  In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
(9)  And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.
(10)  And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.
(11)  And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.
(12)  Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet,
(13)  For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
(14)  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?
(15)  In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
(16)  And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.
(17)  And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
(18)  And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died,
(19)  For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.
(20)  Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
(21)  Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.
(22)  But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
(23)  In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
(24)  And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.
(25)  But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.
(26)  For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
(27)  Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
(28)  So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
(29)  And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.
(30)  And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.
(31)  And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
(32)  And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
(33)  And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
(34)  In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

1 Kings 15 Family Division

WEEK  13                                              1 Kings 15

MONDAY  Reflections

At times, following God means there will be division in the family. Jesus said, “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.  From now on there will be five in one family, divided against each other, three against two, and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter, and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

 

When we look into 1 Kings 15:13, we see that Asa removed his own grandmother from being queen because she made an idol. Asa was determined to serve the Lord even if it meant he had to choose to depose his own grandmother. Jesus knew that the choice to follow him would cause this because others in the family would refuse.

 

It must have been a tough decision for Asa, but he chose God over his family. Throughout history, people have been forced to choose; some had to do like Asa, others have been put out of their families, and others lost their lives. Choosing God may have negative ramifications in this life, but the eternal rewards are worth it.

1Ki 15:1-34
(1)  Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
(2)  Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
(3)  And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.
(4)  Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
(5)  Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
(6)  And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
(7)  Now 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.
(8)  And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
(9)  And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
(10)  And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
(11)  And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.
(12)  And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
(13)  And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.
(14)  But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.
(15)  And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.
(16)  And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
(17)  And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
(18)  Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
(19)  There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
(20)  So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
(21)  And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.
(22)  Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
(23)  The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.
(24)  And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
(25)  And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.
(26)  And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
(27)  And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.
(28)  Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.
(29)  And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:
(30)  Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.
(31)  Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
(32)  And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
(33)  In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.
(34)  And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

Photo by Mohammad Metri on Unsplash