READING: 1 Kings 15:25-16:35; 2 Chronicles 17
TEXTS AND APPLICATION: These chapters are a comparison between evil kings of the northern kingdom of Israel and King Jehoshaphat, a faithful king of the southern kingdom of Judah. Listen to the descriptions of the kings of Israel:
Nadab: Nadab did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. (1 Kgs. 15:26)
Baasha: He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. (1 Kgs. 15:34)
Zimri: He died because of the sin he committed by doing what was evil in the Lord’s sight. (1 Kgs. 16:19)
Omri: Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; he did more evil than all who were before him. (1 Kgs. 16:25)
Ahab: But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight more than all who were before him. (1 Kgs. 16:30)
It appears the evil in the kingdom of Israel simply escalated as new leaders took the throne. Meanwhile, listen to the description of King Jehoshaphat of Judah: "Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the former ways of his father David. He did not seek the Baals but sought the God of his father and walked by His commands, not according to the practices of Israel. . . . His mind rejoiced in the Lord’s ways, and he again removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.”
The phrase, “his mind rejoiced in the Lord’s ways” means that his heart was elevated in the ways of the Lord; that is, he was devoted fully to the Lord and found courage in Him. That’s the kind of leader I want to be in a world filled with ungodly leaders.
PRAYER: Let’s pray that all of our leaders rejoice in the Lord’s ways.
TOMORROW’S READING: 1 Kings 17-19
