1 Kings 16:15-20 – Cultivate right ambition

Having assassinated Elah, Zimri then took the throne. This took place in the 27^th year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. However, in 1 Kings 16:15-20, we learned that his reign was very, very short, the shortest of all the kings. He only stayed in power for seven days. At this point, the army of Israel was camped at Ginnethon in Philistine. When news reached them that Zimri had murdered Elah, they all made Omri, their leader the king. They then came to Tirzah and laid siege on the city, forcing Zimri to hide in the citadel of the palace and commit suicide. He killed himself in the fire. Verse 19 reveals that he was no better than all the previous kings. Not only was his reign very brief, but his ways were exactly like that of Jeroboam, He did evil in the sight of the Lord by emulating Jeroboam in making Israel sin. The rest of his acts and conspiracy were all written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

However, we learn from verses 21-24, that not everyone wanted Omri as the king. Some prefer Tibni the son of Ginath to be king. So the Northern Kingdom was divided. But the followers of Omri had proven themselves to be stronger. They prevailed over the fraction that preferred Tibni. So when Tibni died, Omri became the sixth king of Israel. He became king in the 31^st year of Asa’s reign and reigned for 12 years. From verse 29 we learn that he died in the 38^th year of Asa’s reign. Based on the calculation that would only be eight years. How then could verse 23 said that he reigned for 12 years? It made sense if we supposed that for the first four years he was in conflict with Tibni.   

He reigned for six years at Tirzah before shifting the capital to Samaria. Verse 24 reveals that he “bought the hill Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver; he built on the hill, and named the city which he built Samaria.” The name was derived from Shemer, the owner of the hill. Both Zimri and Omri were ambitious. If only their ambition was to reform the nation and bring her back to God. They would have changed the course and destiny of the nation. But theirs were wicked ambitions. So peace eluded them and instead, they found only strife and more strife.  

Regarding ambition, God in Jeremiah 45:5 asked a rhetorical but very pertinent question. He asked: “But you, are you seeking great things for yourself ?” In this same verse, God also answered the question by saying, “Do not seek them….” There is one ambition the Lord would want us to have and it is recorded in Jeremiah 9:23-24. God said, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things.” Have ambition, but only the right of kind ambition that will deepen our knowledge of God and advance His kingdom. That will be a successful life!