1 KINGS 15
The record introduces the changing fortunes of the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and Judah... The record in Chronicles at this time in the historical record helps to give a more complete picture. *
The wicked reign of Abijam, king of Judah
1 Now in the 18th year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.
Abijam's heart was not perfect before Yahweh; he began well, but fell away, and walked in all the sins of his father, following his bad example (2Chr. 13).
In Yahweh's purpose, David's family was continued as a lamp in Jerusalem, to maintain the true worship, even when the light of divine truth was extinguished in all other places. So it has been through all generations, Yahweh has promised and He will perform. The Son of David will still continue as the Star out of Jacob, to his ecclesia, to establish it in Truth and Righteousness to the end of time.
There are two kinds of fulfilling the Law, 'The Letter and the Spirit'. The letter is when men do all things required in the Law, but without understanding of the full purpose of Yahweh in it. The Spirit of the Law still requires an understanding of the Law, but also requires complete belief in Christ who fulfilled the Law for us (Ecc. 12:13-14). And this is acceptable to Yahweh, thus David and the other worthies are said to fulfil the Law. *
2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. and his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
It is interesting to note the number of times the name of the mothers of the kings are mentioned (vv. 1-8), showing the influence they had in those days.*
3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his Elohim, as the heart of David his father.
4 Nevertheless for David's sake did Yahweh his Elohim give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.
7 Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.
8 And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.
The good reign of Asa, king of Judah
9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
...for 'mother' see mg. more properly: 'grandmother'
11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, as did David his father.
Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Yahweh. His times were days of reformation. He removed that which was evil; and then reformation began, and a great deal he found to achieve. When Asa found idolatry in the court, he rooted it out. The exhortation is that reformation must begin at home.
Those in a position of power are happy when they have hearts to use it well. We must not only cease to do evil, but learn to do well. One without the other is pointless and worthless in the sight of the heavenly Father. We must not only cast away our idols, whatever they may be, but dedicate ourselves and our energies to Yahweh's honour and glory. Asa had a devotion to the service of Yahweh; his sins not arising from presumption. But his league with Benhadad arose from unbelief (see v. 18). Even true believers find it hard, in times of urgent danger, to trust in Yahweh with all their heart (cp. Mark 14:29-31, 66-72).
12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
13 And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.
14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with Yahweh all his days.
15 And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of Yahweh, silver, and gold, and vessels.
16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
17 And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.
18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
19 There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.
20 So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
21 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.
22 Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.
24 And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.
The evil reign of Nadab
25 And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.
26 And he did evil in the sight of Yahweh, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.
...during the reign of Asa in Judah, the government of Israel was in six or seven different hands. So came the ruin of the family of Jeroboam;
"So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it"
(Isa. 55:11).
The Word that goes forth from the Almighty is never 'just a word', judgments and commandments are not designed merely to terrify. When 'the appointed day arrives', the glorious Justice, Wisdom, Truth, and Mercy will be seen in all the earth, and shall last for ever. (Read, Isaiah 11). -
GEM, Logos.
https://www.logos.org.au/
27 And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.
The wicked reign of Baasha in Israel.
28 Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.
29 And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of Yahweh, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:
30 Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked Yahweh Elohim of Israel to anger.
31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.
33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.
34 And he did evil in the sight of Yahweh, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.