#483 Recycling

Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,

2 Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;

3 Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

4 Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.

5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

6 So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.

7 And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the Lord against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.

8 In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.

9 And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.

10 And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.

11 And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.

12 Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet.

13 For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the Lord God of Israel to anger with their vanities.

14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

15 In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.

16 And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.

17 And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.

18 And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died.

19 For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the Lord, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.

20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

21 Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.

22 But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.

23 In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.

24 And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.

25 But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all that were before him.

26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger with their vanities.

27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

29 And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him.

31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.

32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun. 1 Kings 16 KJV

Judah has a good king in Asa, but Israel cannot in many kings during this time find a man of integrity. Even so, those that ascend to the throne may only be there by God's allowance, and often to the correction by representation of the hearts of a hardened people. Baasha inherits Jeroboam's kingdom but does not seek reform, so he pays Jeroboam's  wages, the same. Then Elah, like Absalom's brother, finds no security at the bottom of a bottle. For everything alcohol means to so many, she can be most cruel at times, but as the dog returns to it's vomit, so have I a thousand times, I may not laugh at Elah. Asa's reign was cut short by his own man, Zimri has now laid claim. 7 days and that is enough for Israel, they elect Omri, a military leader, but he does even more evil in the sight of the Lord. As he lays siege of the capital, Zimri commits suicide by fire, burning down the kings house. Omri now reigns, but half of Israel is not now so sure, this seemed like such a good idea yesterday, still no rest for the wicked. Some follow Tibni, but he is put down by Omri, and Omri reigns till he is put to rest with his fathers. Enter the dragon, Omri's son will make everyone before him seem like a champion of righteousness. People follow, and to their shame, for Ahab will lead them into every abomination, but in the darkest hour, God always sends the brightest light. Is there a prophet in Israel? Here it is, the country that would not exist and yet the Lord saw fit, but she is like a whore, yet He still claims her. As if the sins of his father and those going back to Jeroboam were too small for him, a light thing in his mind, not wicked enough to be to his liking, nor to the honor of such vanity, he marries a heart more depraved than his own. A teacher has come to Israel, one that can instruct in the ways of vanity, a worshiper of Baal, a princess of the occult will now become the queen over God's people. Ahab will build a temple for Baal and mock the only true God, that allows men to rule, that makes men in the first place and has brought Israel here. What has God done for me lately, this Baal is more like unto me, and this woman entices me. I call You out, God of the Hebrews, if You are still alive, I dare You, that's what I thought, the god of my temple still stands. You are old, a Jewish nursery rhyme, look here I will build up Jericho. Oh yea, remember, from the fables of Joshua, some 500 years ago?

And Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her father’s household and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho. So she has lived among the Israelites to this day. 26At that time Joshua invoked this solemn oath: “Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho; at the cost of his firstborn he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.” 27So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.…Joshua 6: 25-27

Some things never seem to change. It is the same wisdom in this age, but is there anyone left who knows Who is "I am", the name too sacred? Who will face Ahab to take up the honor and proclaim the glory of the Lord?

And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” Luke 1: 14-17 ESV