Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the King’s house, and gave them to Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, to help him against Baasha. He revived an old league with this ungodly king, and hired him to go out and fight against Baasha, king of Israel. Although God overruled, and Ben-hadad was victorious, the Lord was not pleased with this unholy alliance, and the government of God fell upon Asa. After he had pulled down the fortifications Baasha had built, and used the material to build cities, he became sick with a terrible disease in his feet, which grew worse and worse until he died.
We now read something of the terrible record of the ten tribes and their kings. It is a sad reminder of what man always is in his position of responsibility, for these people, so wonderfully favored and blessed of God, wandered farther and farther away from Him, filling the land with violence and idolatry. They did not have kings of the royal line of David, whom God had chosen in His grace, but God allowed men to reign over them who were but the expression of the evil heart of the people in their rebellion against the Lord. At the same time God dealt with these wicked kings and their households in His solemn and sure judgment. After the evil reigns of Baasha, Elah, and Omri, evil rose to a peak under Ahab and his wicked wife Jezebel. To please her Ahab made a house for Baal, the god of the Zidonians, and provoked the Lord to anger more than any king who reigned before him.
We see wickedness in another form at this time, in the rebuilding of Jericho. It was completely destroyed in the time of Joshua who had also pronounced a curse upon the one who rebuilt it (Joshua 6:2626And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. (Joshua 6:26)). Thus we see not only violence, self-will, and idolatry, but open opposition and disobedience to the plain Word of God. This brings in the testimony of Elijah whom God raised up to warn the people, seeking to recall them to Himself, the One whom they had forsaken.
What remarkable boldness is seen in this dear man at a time when the nation had departed so grievously from the Lord. God energizes His servants for their difficult pathway and is able, as with Elijah, to protect them from all who would oppose their testimony. Men would like to forget the rights of God in this world, and act as though it were their own, saying, “Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?” Psalm 12:44Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? (Psalm 12:4). And again, “What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?” Job 21:1515What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? (Job 21:15). They do not like the testimony of those who would remind them of God’s authority, and it is especially serious when such an attitude is taken by those in a place of nearness and privilege, as Israel were at this time. Yet how patient God is! He does not judge until He has sent a faithful testimony, as He did here through Elijah. Gentle warnings and loving entreaties had not been heeded, so God must speak loudly to awaken His erring people. Elijah therefore said to Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” If Israel will not own the rights of Jehovah over them, then He will make His power known. How helpless they were to bring the needed rain: yet how slow they were to see His hand in the terrible famine that followed.
ML 04/29/1956