1 Kings 16:8-11 - Foundation

Scripture:

1 Kings 16:8-11
8 In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha became king over Israel at Tirzah, and reigned two years.
9 His servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was at Tirzah drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household at Tirzah.
10 Then Zimri went in and struck him and put him to death in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and became king in his place.
11 It came about when he became king, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he killed all the household of Baasha; he did not leave a single male, neither of his relatives nor of his friends.
NASU


Thoughts:

The bloodiness of the northern kingdom of Israel is sickening.  Jeroboam had become king peacefully, but then he is routed by Baasha who kills Jeroboam and his entire family line.  Now here, Zimri destroys the line of Baasha in the same way (verse 11).  Zimri will reign for 7 days, choosing to kill himself in the face of his own defeat:

1 Kings 16:15-19
15 In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days at Tirzah. Now the people were camped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
16 The people who were camped heard it said, "Zimri has conspired and has also struck down the king." Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.
17 Then Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibbethon and besieged Tirzah.
18 When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire, and died,
19 because of his sins which he sinned, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, making Israel sin.
NASU

The nation has become seemingly lawless.  When the foundation of a people is sin, here the idolatry that Jeroboam began, there is no security.

In the same way, our lives need the right foundation.  Building upon anything but a relationship with the Lord is not truly secure.  The things of this world in which we are often told to place our security are not really secure in themselves, things like our finances, our health, our careers, and even our families.  All of these can pass away, only the Lord will always remain, and only He can guarantee our eternal well-being.


Prayer:

Thank You Lord, that in a world that is constantly changing, You never change. The call You gave 2000 years ago, still stands today:

John 7:37-39
37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.  38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'"  39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
NASU

Thank You that I have a solid foundation, in You.

Amen

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.