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1KINGS
CHAPTER 15

1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. 2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

Lots of interesting thoughts are provoked by these verses. Abijam (Abijah) began to reign over Judah as Jeroboam began his 18th year as king of Israel. Abijam was the son of Maachah (Michaiah - 2Chronicles 13:2). She was the granddaughter of Absalom. Maachah was the daughter of Tamar (Absalom's daughter) who had married Uriel.
God does not carry the punishment for the iniquities of the fathers over to their children. The only reason children suffer as a result of their parent's sins, is because the parents cause it. God forgives. God heals. God helps. People hurt; but God even brings good people out of corrupt history.

3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. 4 Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: 5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

Abijam was a "pretty good" king. His heart wasn't set on God, but neither did he commit gross iniquity.
God allowed him to reign because at the time, he was the best man for the job; and because he was a descendent of David. God had promised to continue David's descendency. God is true to His promises and can see beyond the evil to the good.

6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 8 And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

There was a continuation of the war that originally began at the division of the kingdom. The war had been between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Abijam kept fighting against Jeroboam.
Where Rehoboam had failed to defeat Jeroboam, Abijam succeeded. In 2Chronicles 13:4-17 there is told the story of Abijam's defeat of Israel's army.
First, he stood and spoke in terms of Jeroboam's sins. He avowed that God was with him in this battle, even though he was outnumbered almost two to one.
Then, God proved what Abijam had said, and Israel was soundly defeated.
Just because people aren't perfect, doesn't mean they cannot stand against evil. We should invoke the power of God to be with us, even though we are sinners. And we should stand boldly against evil because God promises to be with His people.
Abijam only reigned 3 years (verse 2), and died.

9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. 10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

As Jeroboam was beginning his 20th year in Israel, Asa began as king of Judah. Asa was the son of Abijam (see verse 8, and 2Chronicles 14:1). He obviously was the grandson of Maachah - Abijam's mother.

11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.

Asa was a good and godly king for the most part of his rulership. He wholly followed God, until the latter part of his reign.

12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

Asa removed the idols Rehoboam and Abijam had allowed to be placed around the kingdom. He also ran out the sodomites. These things are done when godly men are in authority. Ungodly men will not do these things.
Asa even removed his grandmother from all authority because she had built an idol to a false god. Men who are placed in authority over others should exercise holiness at home.

14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. 15 And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.

Asa did not remove those "high places" which were used to worship Jehovah in a private manner.
And Asa was faithful to dedicate gold and silver to God's house. Some of the gold and silver obviously came from winning wars (2Chronicles 14:12).

16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17 And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Ben-ha'dad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, 19 There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. 20 So Ben-ha'dad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-ma'achah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 21 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah. 22 Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.

After Jeroboam died in Israel, his son Nadab began to reign. But he was killed by Baasha, who became the new king. Baasha then invaded part of Judah's territyor and captured Ramah, about 4 miles North of Jerusalem. There he set up a fortress and defied anyone from Judah to travel that way.
As knew about a treaty Baasha had with Benhadad, king of Syria. Asa sent him money, and asked him to break the treaty. Benhadad responded by breaking the treaty and invading Israel.
This caused Baasha to withdraw from Ramah and try and see after the Northern area of his kingdom.
Then Asa took Ramah back, and used the materials for the fortress to reconstruct Geba and Mizpah.

23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. 24 And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.

Asa died after 41 years of ruling Judah. The term "diseased in his feet' has brought about a lot of discussion. Read 2Chronicles 16 and draw your own conclusions.
Remember, the Bible says, "...Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord all of his days" (1Kings 15:15). That doesn't mean he was without sin - he certainly became angry with God's prophet, and probably was even angry with God. But Asa never broke away from God.
When we do things wrong (as Christians) and God tells us and shows us, do we become angry?

25 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. 26 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. 27 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. 28 Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.

Going back 39 years now, we are told that in Asa's 2nd year as king, Jeroboam died and Nadb his son became king.
Nadab was a wicked man (verse 26) and caused his nation to sin against God. Baasha killed Nadab and took over the kingdom.
Wicked men usually come to violen ends.

29 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: 30 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. 31 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?

God had told Jeroboam through Ahijah the prophet that his family would be destroyed because he had led Israel into idolatry.
Now the prophecy was fulfilled. Baasha not only killed Nadab, but also destroyed the WHOLE family!
God judges rulers of nations more harshly because of the position they are granted. A leader is judged more harshly because he is granted the privilege of having influence over many others.

32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 33 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. 34 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.

Baasha ruled Israel 24 years. He never righted the wrongs Jeroboam had done in leading the people into idolatry.
There was a constant state of war between Baasha and Asa Israel and Judah). Does this reflect that there is a constant state of war between evil and righteousness in the world today? Are we not involved in this conflict? (See Romans 6:12)
THOUGHT: It is better to be WITH God, even when we disagree with His methods, than to be AGAINST GOd. (Matthew 12:30-33).

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