Good King Asa (1 Kings 15)

Were all Israel’s kings bad? Were some kings of Judah good? Are there good and bad leaders in the church? Let’s look at three bad kings and one good king in 1 Kings 15.

How could we summarize bad king Abijam’s reign of Judah?

Abijam began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign in Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother was Maacah, the granddaughter of Absalom. He committed the same sins as his father before him, and he was not faithful to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been. But for David’s sake, the Lord his God allowed his descendants to continue ruling, shining like a lamp, and he gave Abijam a son to rule after him in Jerusalem. For David had done what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and had obeyed the Lord’s commands throughout his life, except in the affair concerning Uriah the Hittite. There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam throughout Abijam’s reign. The rest of the events in Abijam’s reign and everything he did are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. There was constant war between Abijam and Jeroboam. When Abijam died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Asa became the next king. (1 Kings 15 1-8 NLT)

What kind of heart did good king Asa have despite weakness in one area? Do we honor God above a parent?

In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah. He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. Asa did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, as David his father did. He put away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah. Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron. But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with Yahweh all his days. He brought into Yahweh’s house the things that his father had dedicated, and the things that he himself had dedicated: silver, gold, and utensils. (1 Kings 15:9-15 WEB)

How did Asa handle his bully neighbor bad king Baasha of Israel?

There was war between Asa and Israel’s King Baasha throughout their lifetimes. Israel’s King Baasha attacked Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent Judah’s King Asa from moving into that area. Asa took all the silver and gold that remained in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and the royal palace, and he gave them to his officials. Then King Asa sent them with the following message to Aram’s King Ben-hadad, Tabrimmon’s son and Hezion’s grandson, who ruled from Damascus: “Let’s make a covenant similar to the one between our fathers. Since I have already sent you a gift of silver and gold, break your covenant with Israel’s King Baasha so that he will leave me alone.” (1 Kings 15:16-19 CEB)

How did good king Asa of Judah put to rest the threat from bad king Baasha of Israel?

Benhadad did what Asa asked and sent the Syrian army into Israel. They captured the towns of Ijon, Dan, and Abel-Bethmaacah, and the territories of Chinneroth and Naphtali. When Baasha heard about it, he left Ramah and went back to Tirzah. Asa ordered everyone in Judah to carry away the stones and wood Baasha had used to strengthen the town of Ramah. Then he used these same stones and wood to fortify the town of Geba in the territory of Benjamin and the town of Mizpah. Everything else Asa did while he was king, including his victories and the towns he rebuilt, is written in The History of the Kings of Judah. When he got older, he had a foot disease. Asa died and was buried in the tomb of his ancestors in Jerusalem. His son Jehoshaphat then became king. (1 Kings 15:20-24 CEV)

What was the legacy of bad king Nadab of Israel?

Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin which he made Israel to sin. Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him. And Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. And as soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam. He left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. It was for the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned and that he made Israel to sin, and because of the anger to which he provoked the Lord, the God of Israel. 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? And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. (1 Kings 15:25-32 ESV)