the king's idols

Good morning friends,
Over the next few weeks we're going to be switching gears a bit in the daily readings. We'll still be following Jesus in Luke's Gospel, but we'll also be reading some Old Testament stories, which we haven't done in a while, specifically we'll be following the stories of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. In these stories the land that had been the kingdom of Israel is divided into a northern kingdom (Israel) and a southern kingdom (Judah). This division first took place when King Solomon's son Rehoboam was king. One of the chief advisors, Jeroboam led the ten northern tribes to separate and established his capitol at Samaria, while Judah's capital remained Jerusalem.

The big issue throughout these cities is faithfulness to God. We'll often hear about the sin of Jeroboam, which means worshiping gods besides the LORD. Israel was generally seen as unfaithful, as we see in this passage, and the rulers were the instigators of this idolatry. Prophets were sent to call the people of Israel back to God, so that's what we'll see Elijah and Elisha doing, often at great risk. Our passage sets the stage for the stories to follow.

God bless,
Sam

1 Kings 16:29-34

29In the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Judah, Ahab son of Omri began to reign over Israel; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30Ahab son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him. 31And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he took as his wife Jezebel daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshiped him. 32He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33Ahab also made a sacred pole. Ahab did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than had all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho; he laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua son of Nun.