Thursday, July 18, 2013

Nadab and Baasha

I Kings 15:25-16:7

“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.  And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.” (I Kings 15:25-26)

Jeroboam had deliberately established his own religion in an effort to ensure Israel would not turn again to Judah, in much the same way various countries adopted their own form of Christianity during the Reformation in an effort to break away from the Roman Empire.  In the process, by example, he taught his son Nadab that God’s commands didn’t really matter.  Nadab followed his father’s example, and God ended his reign after about two years because encouraging the people to sin.

“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.   Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.” (I Kings 15:27-28)

Nadab led the army to attack the Philistines at Gibbethon.  Baasha conspired to kill him during the siege, and seized the kingdom, during the third year of Asa’s reign.

“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 the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite: Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.” (I Kings 15:29-30)

Ahijah had prophesied that Jeroboam’s family would be completely wiped out because he had caused Israel to turn away from God to another religion.  After killing Nadab and assuming the throne, Baasha killed every member of Jeroboam’s family to ensure none of them could try to regain the throne, fulfilling Ahijah’s prophecy.

“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?” (I Kings 15:31)

I and II Chronicles are the history of Judah.  The kings of Israel only appear as they impacted Judah’s history.  Nadab had no inpact during his two year reign.  The official transcripts of his reign is not included in scripture, so we do not know what else he may have done as they have been lost..

“And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.  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.  And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.” (I Kings 15:32-34)

Baasha’s only concern was with political power.  He spent the next twenty four years trying to weaken Asa’s power and capture some of his territory.  He simply followed Jeroboam’s religious policies, leading Israel further into sin.

“Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins; Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.  Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.” (I Kings 16:1-4)

One  of the basic principles of chemistry is that if you mix the same things together the same way, you will always get the same results.  This doesn’t just apply to chemistry, but to everything.  Einstein is quoted as having said one sign of insanity was doing the same thing and expecting different results.

Jehu’s prophecy against Baasha said basically the same thing.  Because he had done exactly the same things as Jeroboam, the same things would happen to his family.  Just as Baasha had killed Jeroboam’s descendants, Baasha’s descendants would be killed, and no one would even be concerned enough to bury them, just leaving them to be eaten by scavengers.

“Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?  So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead. 

And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.” (I Kings 16:5-7) 

We are reminded again that Baasha and his family would be destroyed for following Jeroboam’s example, and also because he murdered him, even though Jeroboam was so wicked.  

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