The kingdoms of Judah and Israel witnessed the rise and fall of monarchs, most of whom did not honour Yahweh. These kings were meant to reverse the actions of the previous rulers, but instead, they perpetuated their mistakes. Both kingdoms descended into a spiral of decline, with no single family maintaining the throne of Israel or Judah. Assassinations, coups, and betrayals became common occurrences. Amidst this chaos, the only constant was God’s unwavering love for His people and His steadfast advancement of His plan for their redemption.
Sins of My Father
In the southern kingdom, Abijah succeeded Rehoboam as king of Judah, thus ending Solomon’s dynasty in Jerusalem. Abijah was from the lineage of Absalom, the son of David who had staged a coup against his father. Due to Rehoboam’s evil ways, Solomon’s royal lineage abruptly ended with his son. However, Abijah also repeated the same mistakes of his ancestors and did not follow the ways of the LORD. His short reign of three years was fraught with constant battles with Jeroboam, the ruler of the northern kingdom.
And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.
1 Kings 15:8 (NIV)
Asa’s Reign in Judah
Asa was nothing like his predecessors, as he strived to do what was right in the eyes of the LORD. He followed the ways of David and removed the male shrine prostitutes and idols from the land. Asa even removed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother perhaps due to her persistent persuasion for Judah to return to their pagan ways. This she did right after Asa had made the people renew their covenant with the LORD, prompting him to axe her grandmother from her royal post and burn the idols that she had set up in the Kidron Valley.
Despite the significant changes made during his reign, Asa chose not to remove all the high places. It seems that he was striving to bring about numerous transformations while maintaining the support of the people. Although he swiftly made changes when necessary, he may have allowed traditions to persist where they held strong influence. This is evident in his decision to depose his grandmother, who actively opposed God’s leadership. Implementing dramatic change is rarely simple. For example, a father may believe that Christmas traditions, such as the mythical Santa Claus and decorating a Christmas tree, lead people away from God. However, to uphold the joy for his children, he continues the charade until they can comprehend the futility of it. Despite not eradicating the high places, Asa remained dedicated to the LORD and ruled for forty-one years in Jerusalem.
During the latter years of his reign, Asa’s faith faltered as he turned to worldly kings for assistance. In the thirty-sixth year of his reign, the king of Israel amassed his forces and fortified the city of Ramah, located on Judah’s northern border. Distressed, Asa depleted the temple treasuries to secure the support of the king of Aram. While this action caused the king of Israel to abandon his invasion and withdraw, Asa’s decisions deeply disappointed the LORD. When a prophet was sent by the LORD to challenge Asa regarding his hasty choices, he remained resolute in his position.
At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God… You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war. ” Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time, Asa brutally oppressed some of the people.
2 Chronicles 16:7-10 (NIV)
In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa suffered from a severe foot disease. Despite the severity of his illness, he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians. In the forty-first year of his reign, Asa passed away and was laid to rest with his ancestors. He was buried in the tomb that he had prepared for himself in the City of David. His body was placed on a bier covered with spices and blended perfumes, while a large fire was made in his honour.
The House of Baasha
Nadab, son of Jeroboam, became king of Israel during Asa’s reign in Judah. He ruled for two years, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD by following his father’s sinful ways. Then one day, Baasha, from the tribe of Issachar, killed Nadab during a siege and took over as king. Baasha then wiped out Jeroboam’s entire family as foretold by the LORD. This was due to Jeroboam’s sins and his influence on Israel.
There was continuous war between Asa and Baasha throughout the latter’s twenty-four-year reign. Basha was no better than Nadab as he too did evil in the eyes of the LORD by following the ways of Jeroboam. Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu son of Hanani, rebuking Baasha for his sins and prophesying the downfall of his house. Baasha died and was succeeded by his son Elah.
In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel, and reigned in Tirzah for two years. Zimri, one of his officials, plotted against him and killed him while Elah was getting drunk in the home of Arza. Zimri then succeeded him as king and killed off Baasha’s entire family. This was in fulfilment of a prophecy against Baasha due to his and Elah’s sins and idolatry.
The Rise of Ahab to Power
Zimri ruled in Tirzah only for seven days. However, when the Israelites who were camped in Gibbethon learned about Zimri’s plot against the king and his subsequent murder, they declared Omri, the army commander, as the new king of Israel. Omri and the Israelites then besieged Tirzah, and upon seeing that the city was captured, Zimri set the royal palace on fire and died. This was due to the sins he had committed by following the ways of Jeroboam and causing Israel to sin.
Then the people of Israel were divided between supporting Tibni and supporting Omri for king. Omri’s followers proved to be stronger and he became king. Omri reigned for twelve years, six of them in Tirzah. He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer and built a city on it, naming it Samaria. However, Omri committed evil in the eyes of the LORD and sinned more than his predecessors. He followed the ways of Jeroboam and angered the LORD with worthless idols. Omri died and was buried in Samaria, and his son Ahab succeeded him as king.
In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri began to rule over Israel. He reigned for twenty-two years in Samaria and did more evil than any of his predecessors, marrying Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, the king of the Sidonians, and worshipping Baal. Ahab built an altar for Baal in Samaria and erected an Asherah pole, angering the LORD more than all the kings before him. During Ahab’s reign, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho, fulfilling the prophecy of Joshua son of Nun by sacrificing his two sons during the construction.
Like these kings who sought power and fame, there are times when we seek the admiration of those around us. Asa did everything right in the eyes of the LORD, yet when faced with difficulties, he sought the support of a neighbouring king for protection. Similarly, we may claim to trust in God completely, but when challenges arise, we often turn to the kings of the world for support.
Let’s learn from the mistakes of these kings and cultivate complete reliance on God. Even when adversaries seem formidable, we can find solace in knowing that God’s grace is always shielding us. Let’s turn to Him for protection and actively experience His grace. Only then will we find the confidence to completely depend on Him in times of trouble.
Discussion Questions
- Why did Asa not remove all the high places?
- What was Asa’s downfall?
- Do we depend on the kings of this world or is our faith in God enough to carry us through?
The Jordan Valley 
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