1 Kings chapter 16 shows the contrast between the stability in Judah, being led by a man following God’s Word, and the turmoil in Israel, being ruled by a series of evil kings. I believe, when your life is firmly anchored in God’s truth, there is more stability. Everyone faces the storms of life, but some face them from dry land while others are tossed around by the waves. There is no one more miserable than the one who knows ABOUT the things of God, but does not stand firmly on the rock. I can tell you from experience, the worst place to be during a storm is NEAR the rock. “For he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:6). The chapter begins with God speaking to Baasha, king of Israel through the prophet Jehu “I lifted you up from the dust and made you leader of my people Israel, but you walked in the ways of Jeroboam and caused my people Israel to sin and to provoke me to anger… I will make your house like that of Jeroboam” In the previous chapter Baasha killed the entire family of Jeroboam. Now he will face the same judgment. Even the most corrupt and evil men are subject to God’s ultimate will.
As the chapter continues we see seven different corrupt kings over Israel, while in Judah, “Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord“. “In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel, and he reigned… two years“. Another evil king, another change, “Elah was… getting drunk … Zimri came in, struck him down and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah. Then he succeeded him as king. As soon as he began to reign and was seated on the throne, he killed off Baasha’s whole family“. And once again, without the wisdom of God’s Word, we see chaos, “Zimri reigned in Tirzah seven days… and set the palace on fire around him. So he died“. Many people live in this kind of helpless embroilment. It seems that life is out of control and there is nothing to hold onto. We struggle to find some exact, profound words that are worthy for God to hear. I love the simple prayer that the people shouted to Jesus as He made His entry into Jerusalem. They shouted “Hosanna” which simply means, “Save us, please“. When you are drowning, it is not as important what you say as Who hears your cry for help.
Without God’s Word, each new king of Israel became more evil. “In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned twelve years… Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord and sinned more than all those before him“. “In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel… he married Jezebel… began to serve Baal and worship him… did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him“. I don’t know anyone that thinks of himself as “evil”, but many are deceived into thinking they can worship God according to their own beliefs. Romans 3:20 reminds us that God’s Word provides His impossible standard for perfection in order to show our need for the Savior. “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin“. Don’t struggle alone. No matter what today’s storm brings, God’s Word offers new hope.