1 Kings 15
Today's Passage: 1 Kings 15
Chapter 15 begins by summarizing the reign of two kings of Judah: Abijam and Asa.
Abijam reigned for only 3 years, and the text makes it clear that this brevity was due to Abijam's lack of trust in God. In verse 3, the author says that “his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God.”
A few verses later we see the reign of Asa. He is accredited with doing “what was right in the eyes of the LORD.” He removes the idols and he even takes away his mother’s position because of the idolatry she had encouraged. His heart is described as being “wholly true to the LORD all his days.”
In Asa’s rule he pointed his people to the One True God, and his life ended from disease. In 2 Chronicles 16 verse 12 we get a better picture of what this disease was like. It says, “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians.”
The end of Asa’s life was marked by pain, disease, and unbelief.
When we look at the descendants of David we see that they all turned from the Lord in some way. Some were repentant, but many lived in disobedience.
However, in verses 4 and 5 we see that God established and continued the lineage of David for the sake of David. God made this covenant with David in 1 Samuel 7…
“...I will raise up your offspring after you… I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him… And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” 1 Samuel 7:12-16.
God saw that David was loyal and faithful. He was repentant when he sinned, and overall he is regarded as a man after God’s own heart. But even then we see that the covenant God made with David was built primarily on God’s character, and so, we can trust that even in the broken reign of earthly kings, God is fulfilling His promise for His glory and for our good.
Written By: Paulette Carwile
Chapter 15 begins by summarizing the reign of two kings of Judah: Abijam and Asa.
Abijam reigned for only 3 years, and the text makes it clear that this brevity was due to Abijam's lack of trust in God. In verse 3, the author says that “his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God.”
A few verses later we see the reign of Asa. He is accredited with doing “what was right in the eyes of the LORD.” He removes the idols and he even takes away his mother’s position because of the idolatry she had encouraged. His heart is described as being “wholly true to the LORD all his days.”
In Asa’s rule he pointed his people to the One True God, and his life ended from disease. In 2 Chronicles 16 verse 12 we get a better picture of what this disease was like. It says, “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians.”
The end of Asa’s life was marked by pain, disease, and unbelief.
When we look at the descendants of David we see that they all turned from the Lord in some way. Some were repentant, but many lived in disobedience.
However, in verses 4 and 5 we see that God established and continued the lineage of David for the sake of David. God made this covenant with David in 1 Samuel 7…
“...I will raise up your offspring after you… I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him… And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” 1 Samuel 7:12-16.
God saw that David was loyal and faithful. He was repentant when he sinned, and overall he is regarded as a man after God’s own heart. But even then we see that the covenant God made with David was built primarily on God’s character, and so, we can trust that even in the broken reign of earthly kings, God is fulfilling His promise for His glory and for our good.
Written By: Paulette Carwile
No Comments