Hello,
This past week I was reading through 1 Kings. Certainly a
time of trial for the fledgling nation of Israel. Wars from the outside, struggles
for power from the inside – to the point of splitting Israel and Judah. While
there are many chapters written for David and Solomon (starting sooner in Samuel
for David) – those that follow were given less detail and description. But
watch what happens:
(All from NASB)
1 Kings 15:3 “He (Abijam) walked in the sins of his father
which he had committed before him; and his hear was not wholly devoted to the
Lord his God, like the heart of his father David.”
1 Kings 15:11 “Asa did what was right in the sight of the
Lord.”
1 Kings 15: 25-26 “Now Nadab the son of Jerboam became king
over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel
two years. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his
father and in his sin which he made Israel sin.”
1 Kings 15:33-34 “In the third year of Asa king of Judah,
Baasha the son of Ahijah become king over all Israel at Tirzah, and reigned
twenty-four years. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way
of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel sin.”
1 Kings 16:25 “Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, and
acted more wickedly than all who were before him.”
1 Kings 16:30 “Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of
the Lord more than all who were before him.”
1 Kings 22:43a “He (Jehoshaphat) walked in all the way of
Asa his father; he did not turn aside from it, doing right in the sight of the Lord.”
1 Kings 22:51 “Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel
in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned
two years over Israel. He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the
way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the
son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.”
While there are many ways to remember people, and things to
say – look at the characterization: either they followed God or they did not.
There is no middle ground. What will be said of us? If we follow, what will be
said of those we influence?
I pray this challenges you today.
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