A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

Kingdom of Israel. The political turmoil in the north during this era of stability in Judah had a
marked effect on the people of God in both kingdoms. God’s dealings with His people during
these years were consistent with His unchanging nature. As Judah experienced revival and drew
closer to God, He blessed that kingdom. But as apostate Israel followed its wandering kings and
continued to stray from God, they moved closer to the inevitable judgment of the Lord for their
sin.
THE WANDERING KINGS OF ISRAEL
Nadab (1 Kings 15:25-28) (910-909 B.C.)
Nadab, the second king in the north, did not assume the throne until the second year of
Asa’s reign in Jerusalem. When he did become king, his reign lasted only two years. They were
years marked by his evil character. “And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the
way of his father, and in his sin by which he made Israel sin” (1 Kings 15:26). So great was the
sin of Jeroboam and his son Nadab that they succeeded in provoking “the Lord God of Israel to
anger” (v. 30). In light of the consistent teaching of Scripture concerning the long-suffering
nature of God, the provocation of God by the house of Jeroboam suggests something of the
severity of its evil behavior.
That being the case, it is not surprising that Nadab had enemies even within his own
nation. Neither is it surprising that those who opposed this second king of the northern tribes did
so violently. While Nadab and his army were laying siege to the Philistine city of Gibbethon, a
soldier from the tribe of Issachar named Baasha saw and seized an opportunity to rid Israel of an
evil king and insure for himself a position in the nation. “Baasha killed him in the third year of
Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place” (v. 28). Though there is no suggestion in the biblical
text that Baasha acted in this coup at the specific directive of God, the action was the means by
which an earlier promise of judgment on the house of Jeroboam was fulfilled. But a precedent
was set. Many of the northern kings would be assassinated and each family reign would be shortlived.
In the south, the bloodline of David would continue on the throne and the nation generally
respected the monarchy.
Baasha (15:28-16:7) (909-886 B.C.)
If northern Israel was relieved to escape the oppressive rule of evil King Nadab, their
sense of relief was short-lived. As is often the case in political revolutions, the cure proved worse
than the disease. The character of Baasha, new king of Israel, was consistent with that of the
previous two. “He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in
his sin by which he had made Israel sin” (15:34). It was not long before God would again
intervene in the affairs of the Northern Kingdom and send His prophet with a message for the
one who sat on the throne.
“Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu the son of Hanani” (16:1). When God needed a
prophet He could trust to faithfully communicate His word to Baasha, the Prophet Jehu (not to be
confused with the later King Jehu) was the man He chose. The message was severe. Baasha had
been the instrument of judgment on the house of Jeroboam, but was himself guilty of the same
sins. As the prophet spoke the message of the Lord in his hearing, Baasha learned his family was
to be placed under the same curse as the former dynasty. “Surely I will take away the posterity of
Baasha and the posterity of his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the
son of Nebat” (v. 3). Baasha reigned as king in Israel for twenty-four years, but they were years