1 Kings 15:23-33 – Being God’s perceptive instrument

First Kings15:23-33 tell us what happened to Kings Asa of Judah and Nadab of Israel. Verse 23 began by reminding us that Asa’s exploits were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. In our previous discussion, we learned that he brought reform to Judah during his earlier reign, but he did not end strong. He faltered as he progressed in his reign. Instead of putting his trust in God, he chose to trust man. So God sent Hanani, the seer to alert him of this flaw but he reacted. Instead of making amend he had the seer imprisoned. In 1 Kings 15:24, we are told that he suffered from foot disease toward the end of his life. Second Chronicles 16:12 said that it happened in the 39th year of his reign. When he died, he was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. Here was a case of a king who started well but ended weakly. He was succeeded by his son, Jehoshaphat.

In this passage, we are also told of the short reign of Nadab who succeeded his father Jeroboam as king of Israel. He ascended the throne in the second year of King Asa of Judah and ruled Israel for only two years. Nadab was an incorrigible king. Emulating and walking in his father’s footsteps, he caused all of Israel to sin just like his father. Then he was killed by Baasha in the third year of Asa’s reign. Whatever Nadab had done was recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

As soon as Baasha became king of Israel, he destroyed Jeroboam’s whole family till no one from his family was left alive. Verse 30 said that the annihilation of his family was foretold by Ahijah the prophet. Every word he said happened exactly. In our previous discussion, we saw how Baasha and Asa were in constant conflict. The former only withdrew when Asa solicited the help of Ben-hadad. We are told that Baasha's reign in Tirzah was no better than Nadab's. He did exactly what Nadab and Jeroboam had done, by making the people of Israel sin.

Having been used by God to deal with the sin of Jeroboam, one would have thought that Baasha would learn not to commit the same error. He was used to purge the evil of Jeroboam, yet he committed the very evil he was used to deal with. How blind could he be? Be perceptive, and don’t commit the same error of others that God had used us to correct. For the moment we think we are better than them, we will fall like them. First Corinthians 10:12 warns us saying, “…let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” So wise up!