Kings of Israel During Asa’s Reign

INTRODUCTION: Asa, king of Judah, had a long reign of forty-one years. During this time, the northern kingdom of Israel had several kings. This chapter tells the story of those kings.

1. THE REIGN OF BAASHA (1 Kings 16:1-7)
1. The Prophecy Against Baasha (1 Kings 16:1-4)
1. His promotion (1 Kings 16:1-2)
1. He was exalted out of the dust (1 Kings 16:2).
2. He was made prince over Israel (1 Kings 16:2).
2. His sin (1 Kings 16:2)
1. He walked in the way of Jeroboam.
2. He made Israel sin.
3. He provoked the Lord to anger.
3. His punishment (1 Kings 16:3-4)
1. His posterity will be taken away (1 Kings 16:3).
2. Their bodies will be dishonoured (1 Kings 16:4).
1. Him that dieth in the city shall the dogs eat.
2. Him that dieth in the fields shall the fowls eat.
2. The End of Baashas Reign (1 Kings 16:5-7)
1. The chronicles of his life (1 Kings 16:5)
2. The place of his burial (1 Kings 16:6)
3. The choice of his successor (1 Kings 16:6)
4. The fulfillment of his punishment (1 Kings 16:7)
2. THE REIGN OF ELAH (1 Kings 16:8-14)
1. The Time of His Reign (1 Kings 16:8)
1. He began in the twenty and sixth year of Asa.
2. He reigned two years.
2. The Conspiracy of His Reign (1 Kings 16:9-13)
1. The source of the conspiracy (1 Kings 16:9)
1. His servant Zimri
2. Captain of half his chariots
2. The act of conspiracy (1 Kings 16:9-10)
1. Elah was drinking himself drunk in the house of his steward (1 Kings 16:9).
2. Zimri entered the house and killed Elah and reigned in his stead (1 Kings 16:10).
3. The completion of the conspiracy (1 Kings 16:11)
1. Zimri slew the house of Baasha.
2. He killed all the men associated with Baasha including all his kinfolks and his friends.
4. The conspiracy fulfilled prophecy (1 Kings 16:12-13).
3. The Chronicle of His Life (1 Kings 16:14)
3. THE REIGN OF ZIMRI (1 Kings 16:15-20)
1. The Time of His Reign (1 Kings 16:15)
1. He began in the twenty and seventh year of Asa.
2. He reigned seven days.
2. The Downfall of His Reign (1 Kings 16:15-19)
1. Israel was prepared to battle against the Philistines (1 Kings 16:15).
2. The troops heard of Zimris conspiracy (1 Kings 16:16).
3. They made Omri, captain of the host, king (1 Kings 16:16).
4. The troops, under the leadership of Omri, left off fighting against the Philistines and besieged Tirzah, the city of Zimri (1 Kings 16:17).
5. Zimri burned himself with the kings house (1 Kings 16:18).
6. He walked in the sins of Jeroboam (1 Kings 16:19).
3. The Chronicle of His Life (1 Kings 16:20)
4. THE REIGN OF TIBNI (1 Kings 16:21-22)
1. The Division of His Reign (1 Kings 16:21)
1. Half of the people followed Tibni.
2. Half of the people followed Omri.
2. The Defeat of His Reign (1 Kings 16:22)
5. THE REIGN OF OMRI (1 Kings 16:23-28)
1. The Time of His Reign (1 Kings 16:23)
1. He began in the thirty and first year of Asa.
2. He reigned a total of twelve years, six of which were in Tirzah.
2. His Purchase of Samaria (1 Kings 16:24)
1. He purchased the hill for two talents of silver.
2. He built a city on the hill.
3. He named the city after the previous owner.
3. His Sins (1 Kings 16:25-26)
1. He wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD (1 Kings 16:25).
2. He did worse than all that were before him (1 Kings 16:25).
3. He walked in the way of Jeroboam (1 Kings 16:26).
4. The Chronicle of His Life (1 Kings 16:27-28)
6. THE REIGN OF AHAB (1 Kings 16:29-34)
1. The Time of His Reign (1 Kings 16:29)
1. He began in the thirty and eighth year of Asa.
2. He reigned in Samaria twenty and two years.
2. The Sins of His Reign (1 Kings 16:30-34)
1. He did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him (1 Kings 16:30).
2. He took Jezebel to be his wife (1 Kings 16:31).
3. He became engrossed in idolatry (1 Kings 16:31-33).
1. He worshipped and served Baal (1 Kings 16:31).
2. He built Baal a house in Samaria (1 Kings 16:32).
3. He reared up an altar for Baal (1 Kings 16:32).
4. He made a grove (1 Kings 16:33).
4. The rebuilding of Jericho (1 Kings 16:34; see Joshua 6:26)
1. Hiel, the Bethelite, built Jericho.
2. He laid the foundation at the expense of the life of Abiram his firstborn.
3. He set up the gates at the expense of the life of his youngest son Segub.
4. The punishment was in line with what was promised by the word of the Lord.

CONCLUSION: Righteousness brings stability. The absence of righteousness brings division and chaos. Gone were the days of the godly king who had a heart for God. Truly, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).