SCRIPTURE: 1 KINGS 15
ABIJAH – KING OF JUDAH (vs. 1-8)
Abijah became king of Judah and reigned in Jerusalem for 3 years. He committed the sins that his father did and his heart was not fully devoted to God. There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout Abijah’s lifetime. Abijah rested with his father and was buried in the city of David. His son Asa succeeded him as king.
ASA – KING OF JUDAH (vs. 9-24)
In the 20th year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah and he reigned for 41 years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his fathers had made. He even deposed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive Asherah pole. Asa cut the pole down and burned it in the Kidron Valley. Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.
There was war between Asa and Baasha, king of Israel throughout their reigns. Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace. He entrusted them to his officials and sent them to Ben-Hadad, he king of Aram. Ben-Hadad agreed to break his treaty with Baasha, king of Israel. He sent the commander of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali. Then Baasha stopped building Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah. King Asa issued an order to all Judah to carry away from Ramah the stones and token and built up at Geba in Benjamin and also in Mizpah. Asa rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David. Then Jehosphaphat, his son succeeded him as king.
NADAB – KING OF ISRAEL (vs. 25-32)
Nadab, son of Jeroboam became king of Israel and he reigned over Israel for two years. As soon as Nadab began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family. He did evil and walked in the ways of his father. Baasha struck down Nadab while he was besieging a Philistine town at Gibbethon. And Baasha succeeded him as king.
BAASHA – KING OF ISRAEL (vs. 3334)
Baasha became king of Israel and ruled for 24 years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and walked in the ways of Jeroboam.
THOUGHTS:
Asa was a good king who tried to take away the sins established by Rehoboam. He even deposed his own mother for idol worship. There was a brief period of rest and revival under his leadership. However, his reign did not end well because he trusted in men for protection and used the temple wealth to hire Syria to fight for him. This ungodly alliance cost him a lot.