Twelve men went to spy out Canaan,
(Ten were bad, two were good)
What do you think they saw in Canaan?
(Ten were bad, two were good)
Some saw giants, big and tall!
Some saw grapes in clusters fall,
Some saw God was in it all.
(Ten were bad, two were good).

Moses sent twelve spies, one from each of Israel’s tribes, to explore the land of Canaan, a mission described in the book of Numbers 13. The spies were given the mission to assess the Promised Land’s fruitfulness and the strength of its inhabitants, but while they confirmed the land flowed with milk and honey, like God had promised, the majority brought back a negative report, focusing on the giants and fortified cities, leading to a 40-year period of wandering in the wilderness for the Israelites. The wandering was a result of their lack of trust in God who led them all that He had promised to them. 

God’s people are still wandering, relying on their own strength, to live life.  Idols they can see have taken the place of living in God’s Holy Presence. Instead of people like Moses who led them in the past, God’s people demanded kings to rule over them “like other nations.”  God gave them what they asked for and allowed them to live with the consequences of their decisions.  Throughout the history of Israel some kings “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” and “some were aligned with evil—doing all things detestable and dishonoring to God. God’s people followed whoever was in charge at the time—a kind of “king of the hill” situation.  Whoever survived the climb to the top of the heap of humanity ruled until they were pushed off the top. But God was still evolving His Plan.  When it seems like God is not watching; He is. God is preparing the world for a King greater David, greater than anyone they could possibly imagine! God’s prophets will give real clues for His coming. But in the meantime, God’s people who wanted kings are now living with the consequences of getting what they asked.

I Kings 15

Abijah King of Judah

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah became king of Judah, ² and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.

³ He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been. ⁴ Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and by making Jerusalem strong. ⁵ For David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life—except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.

⁶ There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam throughout Abijah’s lifetime. ⁷ As for the other events of Abijah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. ⁸ And Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. And Asa his son succeeded him as king.

Asa King of Judah

⁹ In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, ¹⁰ and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years. His grandmother’s name was Maakah daughter of Abishalom.

¹¹ Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done. ¹² He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made. ¹³ He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley. ¹⁴ Although he did not remove the high places, Asa’s heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life. ¹⁵ He brought into the temple of the Lord the silver and gold and the articles that he and his father had dedicated.

¹⁶ There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns. ¹⁷ Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah.

¹⁸ Asa then took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace. He entrusted it to his officials and sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, the king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. ¹⁹ “Let there be a treaty between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.”

²⁰ Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali. ²¹ When Baasha heard this, he stopped building Ramah and withdrew to Tirzah. ²² Then King Asa issued an order to all Judah—no one was exempt—and they carried away from Ramah the stones and timber Baasha had been using there. With them King Asa built up Geba in Benjamin, and also Mizpah.

²³ As for all the other events of Asa’s reign, all his achievements, all he did and the cities he built, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? In his old age, however, his feet became diseased. ²⁴ Then Asa rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king.

Nadab King of Israel

²⁵ Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. ²⁶ He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit.

²⁷ Baasha son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar plotted against him, and he struck him down at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it. ²⁸ Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa king of Judah and succeeded him as king.

²⁹ As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. ³⁰ This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel.

³¹ As for the other events of Nadab’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? ³² There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel throughout their reigns.

Baasha King of Israel

³³ In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years. ³⁴ He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

We can learn much about God between the lines of these recorded generational kings and kingdoms.  The main lesson we learn is that through it all, not matter the circumstances; God is still watching over His people with great love, care, and concern.  There will be times when God must discipline who He loves so they may rise from their fall to see God for who He really is.

God is also preparing all nations for the coming of His Son, Jesus, Promised Messiah, who would reconcile whoever believed in Him to God. Complete forgiveness will be provided by His Son, who died on a cruel cross. Yes, Jesus, Promised Messiah, willingly laid down His life for ours—may we never forget! Sins are removed by the spilling of His blood once and for all. THEN on the third day—Jesus defeated death and left the borrowed grave to appear fully alive and well to many of his disciples and other followers who would report all that they had seen.  Hope—our Living Hope! 

We believe because those who saw with their own eyes believed and obeyed the commandment of Jesus to go and teach others! (Matthew 28:20)

But, in the meantime, kings come and go. There are reasons we must learn from what God does in and through them.  Look for the kings who seek, trust, and obey God—their lives and the lives of the people they rule see the Light that guides them to truth. 

The northern kingdom of Israel had nine dynasties in about 250 years, while the southern kingdom faithfully maintained the Davidic dynasty for 350 years—and that was the dynasty from which the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of David, would come (See Matthew 1:1). With all of its faults, the kingdom of Judah was identified with the true and living God, practiced authorized worship in the temple, and had kings in the line of David.

With whom do we identify?

Who do we long to be with, think about most, and idolize in our daily lives?

“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” Daniel 2:44 Daniel, prophet of God, spoke while in captivity for living a devoted life with God.

“Then the end will come, when he (Jesus) hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.” 1 Corinthians 15:24

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. —Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:56-57

In the beginning, middle, and end—God wins!

“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
There’s just something about that Name.
Master, Savior, Jesus,
Like the fragrance after the rain.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Let all heaven and earth proclaim,
Kings and kingdoms will pass away,
But there’s something about that Name.”

(Bill and Gloria Gaither, Composers)

Lord,

Thank you for bringing our lives into your stories of past kings. Some followed you; some did not. It is the same today because of your freedom to choose.  I choose you. I love you because you first loved me.  I offer my life to you again today. Lead me, teach me, show me all you that you want for my life.  My identity is in you.  I am nothing much without you.  You are Life to me!  You are my everything!  Give me wisdom to seek you first, love you back as I love others like you love us.  May I grow in your love as we grow in our relationship.

In Jesus Name, Amen