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Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase “leadership turnstyle” or “revolving door leadership” or “constantly changing leadership culture”. Phrases like these are used to describe an environment in which the leadership changes frequently, and normally that is not a healthy sign. Usually it identifies some deep systemic problems within that organization. That’s true in a family, a business, a school, a church, a community, even a nation… right? Have you ever found yourself in this very unsettling environment?
We’re spending these weeks, as we ramp up to and through the US elections, asking God to show us important truths about both successful and failed leadership. Why? So when applied to your situation, God can lead you in WISELY making decisions and making a positive difference in your part of the world.
Yesterday we considered the remarkable turnaround experienced in Jerusalem, and the surrounding region known as Judah, during the first 35 years of the reign of king Asa. (910bc-875bc) It would have been a GREAT time to be alive in Jerusalem, raising a family, developing a business, leading a spiritual group of people, even being involved in politics in those days!
However, it was not so for their cousins living just to the north. You’ll remember the great nation of Israel had divided into two nations after king Solomon’s death, Judah in the south and Israel in the north. Sadly, leadership of both groups initially turned away from God and rejected their great heritage. King Asa, however, had proven that despair can be reversed by turning back to God, and yesterday we saw the very practical reality of that on a national level, as God’s blessing returned, and the southern nation of Judah had peace and prosperity for 35 years, under king Asa’s wise leadership.
Today let’s consider the sad alternative which happened in Israel and has happened in countless nations all around our world. Question: Could it happen here in America? Please look with me at 1 Kings 15:25 through all of chapter 16. It’s only 44 verses, and only covers a period of 40 years, but would you believe there are 6 changes of leadership in that time?! It will be a discouraging read, but my friends, it’s an important read, for as you know, we either learn from the past or we are destined to repeat the terrible things of the past.
Nadab followed his father king Jeroboam, who had led the rebellion against king Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, after king Solomon died. But Nabad only served as King for 2 years and there was a ‘coup d’etat’ in which Nadab was killed (1 Kings 15:25-28) and Baasha, the man who led the rebellion, took over as king! Now before we shake our heads, we’ve seen that type of thing happen many times in our world haven’t we? When my wife and I served as missionaries in Haiti in the ’80’s, there were several changes of government pretty much like this.
However Baasha took things to the extreme by killing every living member of Jeroboam’s family. 1 Kings 15:28 says “As soon as Baasha 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. This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and caused Israel to commit…”
Does God take leadership seriously my friends? Oh yes, especially the leadership of His people! What had Jeroboam done that was so evil? We looked at it a couple of days ago in 1 Kings 12. King Jeroboam had set up two golden calf idols, one in Bethel and one in Dan, and he told the people to stop worshiping God, and instead worship these idols. Now once again before we shake our heads in disbelief and condemnation, let’s look around. What efforts do you see where you live, to turn people AWAY from worshiping the one true God, or having a wonderful relationship with Jesus Christ, or living their lives according to the truths of God’s Word? Is it accomplished through the peer pressure of social media, or laws being passed which reject God’s truth, or redefine marriage, or fund with taxpayer dollars the murder of the unborn, or prohibit gathering for worship, or outlaw the Bible or prayer in schools? How is it being done where you live and how is your society responding?
Now Baasha, because he had taken control in a bloodbath, reigned 24 years, and we can only imagine how many people died if they disobeyed him or in any way were viewed as a threat to his leadership! Does that happen in our day? Oh my goodness how often has this been seen in our lifetime in Asia, Africa, South America and the Islands, and even in North America. Many of our major global cities, including American cities, have extremely high homicide rates and most are directly tied to leadership struggles… gangs, family feuds, drug turf wars, even business competition! This little phrase summarizes Baasha’s life: “He did evil in the eyes of the LORD…” (1 Kings 15:34) Does that sound like too many people where you live?
We don’t have a description in 1 Kings of exactly how or where Bassha was killed but it’s clear God’s patience ran out, and He raised up someone to end the horrific rule of Baasha, and his son Elah took over as king. But he too was wicked and his reign only lasted 2 years. Elah was assassinated by one of his military commanders, Zimri, who immediately put to death Elah’s entire family. (1 Kings 16:8-13) Believe it or not commander Zimri only served as self-imposed king of Israel for 1 week… 7 days! The people revolted and named another army commnader Omri to be their king and in fear, Zimri committed suicide by setting the palace ablaze around him, and dying in the fire. (1 Kings 16:15-20)
Are you out of breath yet my friends? Have you lost track of how many different leaders and how much time? We’ve seen Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri and now Omri all claim the throne for periods of time between 1 week and 24 years! All this time, king Asa and the people of Jerusalem and Judah, have been experiencing those wonderful 35 years of peace and prosperity and God’s blessing. Can you see the ONE thing that distinguishes the difference?
The leader of Judah king Asa humbled himself before God, removed the evil idols from Jerusalem and led the people to seek Almighty, Holy God. Each of those 5 men who led Israel did the opposite, and these were bloody, wicked, desperate years in Israel! Now friends, look closely at where you live in the world… can you see some comparisons?
In closing today, please notice three significant things about Omri who led Israel for only 12 years.
First, Omri is the man who built up Samaria to be the capital of the northern kingdom. (1 Kings 16:24) Do you remember how often Samaria and the Samaritans are mentioned in the days of Jesus?
Second, 1 Kings 16:25 says “Omri did evil in the eyes of the LORD and sinned more than all those before him…so that they aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel by their idols.” Wow, what an epitaph!
Third, Omri was the father of perhaps the most famous of all the wicked kings of Israel…king Ahab! 1 Kings 16:30 says “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam…but he also married Jezebel…and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria…He did more to arouse the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than did all the kings before him.”
Now, let’s stop right here and take a deep breath and reflect. A dramatic, wicked, evil, bloody, devastating time covering 38 years of horrible history… and it was about to actually get worse, if that was even possible, under the reign of king Ahab and queen Jezebel! But God, my friends, even in the darkest times, the most desperate times, God is looking to see if there is anyone whose heart is fully committed to God and ready to be used by God to bring great change. God found such a man. We’ll look at his remarkable impact on this mess tomorrow!
Meanwhile… look around your world. How similar is it to what we’ve seen in 1 Kings 16 and what are your spheres of influence where you can make a God honoring impact in your world? What is God leading you to see and do? Here’s a video clip to help you consider this question:
“The Heart affects your Sight”
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Click to read today’s chapter: 1 Kings 15:25-34; 1 Kings 16. (At the top you can choose a different translation.)
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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