1st Kings 15. HOSTILITY It seems to be an unavoidable consequence to departure from God, His standards, His truth and His will, that evil practices increase. Right along with them comes hostility against those who do not wholeheartedly agree with each other. There was ongoing warfare between Jeroboam and Rehoboam that continued on to Abijah's three-year reign. He won a decisive victory over the northern tribes under the leadership of Jeroboam, but even so he never stopped the evil of idolatry mixed with the worship of the Lord. Apostasy continued during Abijah's short term as king of Judah.
Downward trends in worship and the spiritual life of a nation lead to moral deterioration. The decline of morality in turn leads to increasing lawlessness that leads to changing laws to suit the desires of evildoers. The changing of laws leads to the destruction of the standards by which people have lived in peace, and those who are committed to righteousness find themselves the objects of hostility because they will not adapt to the changing social mores of a worldly system.
Lest we totally despair of life being lived for the Lord, God does have those He can raise up from the most unexpected sources. David's great, great grandson, Asa, must have heard accounts of the life of David and he had sense enough to trace the deterioration of the nation under Solomon, Rehoboam and Abijah his father. The Holy Spirit is not limited in His power, and when a usable vessel is willing to be used by God in obedience to God, that leads to the path of peace. To attend regularly the services of a local church and to assent to what is going on is not enough. Those things that are contrary to the will and word of God must be removed. To continue actively in that of which God does not approve nor sanction, only maintains spiritual confusion. A watered-down Gospel message and/or a stepped-up entertainment practice in the name of the Lord does not change anything. Removal of temptation from our lives is essential. Asa did that in Judah, although in his old age "his feet became diseased."
It is possible for one to do that which pleases the Lord for most of his life and still fail in old age. Old age may bring foolishness which we allow because of an unguarded temperament. A hardness in one's spirit may make an old person cantankerous and critical of all those who look at things through eyes other than their own.
Baasha assassinated Nadab the son of Jeroboam bringing an end to Jeroboam's seed as the Lord had made plain to him when he turned the people of God away from the Lord. There were skirmishes and chronic hostility between Israel and Judah constantly during the reign of Baasha and Asa, rather than full- scale warfare. Baasha took back territory Abijah had taken, so Asa paid Ben-Hadad to get that territory back. Apparently, Asa either had not learned to trust God, or wasn't willing to act in faith in God. To act in faith and rely entirely on God in times of hostility may seem to some people foolish or unrealistic.
The brief reign of Nadab is a lesson to us to not take for granted anything that has been passed on to us. We do not deserve the mercies of God nor do we merit His saving grace nor His keeping grace. Because we know what is right and think we can handle things okay, does not mean this is true. To continue doing the same things as those before us does not make it right. Hostility against others on our part, creates a spirit of hostility that can bring down our own testimony to where what we believe and hold because it has been passed on to us, is actually despised by other people.
Not all change is good is another lesson to be learned. Change for change's sake is valueless. Any changes in practices should be superior to that which was previously accepted practice. Jeroboam and Nadab both did evil, and Baasha rebelled and killed Nadab. However, he did evil in the same way as those who were before him. There was no improvement in Israel and the hostility between Israel and Judah continued. Jeroboam's descendants suffered and died because of the sins of Jeroboam. Sin has to be judged wherever it is found, but when one's sins lead others to doing wrong, the consequences of leading them astray are to the greatest extreme. The privilege of leadership is great and the responsibility of passing on truth is far greater that we think. What we say and do has eternal consequences. 1Kings 15:11, 23. “And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David his father.” “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.”
A CANDLE. Years of departure, failure and grief The light is extinguished, darkness reigns – But wait! A young man remembered history A time of wonder, of conquest – then peace; And determines in spite of lost glory – To change himself: then lead his people right.
Through eyes somewhat blurred by the sins of his fathers – He moves to removes the obvious, the immoral, the ungodly, And all that is associated with that must go – Even his grandmother’s favorite sin: And the name of the Lord is once again exalted - In himself first, then in worship, then in the nation.
The real light is dim, though artificial light glares. All over the colorful lights are reflected – by fog. Among the shadows and darkness of false day Is still shining – the candle of truth, it has not gone out. And where it sheds its light, the counterfeit fades. Truth in its weakest time still shines the brightest.
I stop and look around – up and down each street. Subtle lights shine through colored glass to create A mood; a sensual attraction to entice me – Beckoning to move from where the candle glows, To where I can find emotion, companionship with those Who are not moved by what is true, but what they see.
So, I turn and walk away alone; and then notice two or three Coming in the same direction, looking ahead and there we see The glow of light coming from the candle of God’s truth – Both day and night it shines above man’s light, showing its worth
And I realize there is no acceptable substitute for God’s revealed will As I make my way to where His candle is burning still.
“Father, I am contented to stay where Thou hast placed me. May I reflect some of Thy holy light. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”