Baasha, Elah And Zimri Reigns in Israel
July 14, 2022
Commentary
Chapter sixteen deals withe the sinfulness of a nation. The kings of this chapter were Spiritually dead, and as a consequence the people followed their leaders into a cesspool of sin. Their behavior was so treacherous that they provoked God to anger. God destroyed Jeroboam’s descendants just as He announced beforehand through Abijah but He still held Baasha responsible. Baasha had not acted under God’s direction but only to gain his own ends. He did not learn from those who went before him but repeated the same mistakes as Jeroboam.
Baasha died a tragic death, as Jehu prophesied, and his son, Elath, assumed the throne. He continued his father’s policies and paid no attention to the warning of Hainan, the prophet. His reign only lasted two years when he became a victim of conspiracy. While in a drunken stupor he was murdered by Zimri who was a powerful military officer in Elath’s army. In order to avoid retaliation against his coup d’etat he wiped out Baasha’s entire household.
Zimri declared himself king but his reign only lasted seven days which proved to be the shortest of any Israelite king. The Israelite army was encamped at Gibbethon when Zimri took over. When the troops heard about this they declared Omni the commander of the army (v. l6) as the new king. He and his men marched back to Tirzah, the capital. When Zimri realized what was happening he retired to the palace and committed suicide by setting it on fire.
Application
Israel made the mistake of being too proud to depend on God, and I am vulnerable to that same mistake. He must increase while I decrease.
Isaiah 14:12– 23 (NET)
12 Look how you have fallen from the sky, O shining one, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O conqueror of the nations!
13 You said to yourself, ‘I will climb up to the sky. Above the stars of El I will set up my throne. I will rule on the mountain of assembly on the remote slopes of Zaphon.
14 I will climb up to the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High!’
15 But you were brought down to Sheol, to the remote slopes of the Pit.
16 Those who see you stare at you, they look at you carefully, thinking: ‘Is this the man who shook the earth, the one who made kingdoms tremble?
17 Is this the one who made the world like a wilderness, who ruined its cities, and refused to free his prisoners so they could return home?’
18 As for all the kings of the nations, all of them lie down in splendor, each in his own tomb.
19 But you have been thrown out of your grave like a shoot that is thrown away. You lie among the slain, among those who have been slashed by the sword, among those headed for the stones of the Pit, as if you were a mangled corpse.
20 You will not be buried with them, because you destroyed your land and killed your people. The offspring of the wicked will never be mentioned again.
21 Prepare to execute his sons for the sins their ancestors have committed. They must not rise up and take possession of the earth, or fill the surface of the world with cities.
22 “I will rise up against them,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “I will blot out all remembrance of Babylon and destroy all her people, including the offspring she produces,” says the Lord.
23 “I will turn her into a place that is overrun with wild animals and covered with pools of stagnant water. I will get rid of her, just as one sweeps away dirt with a broom,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Illustration: Only Disease That Makes Everyone Sick
“Pride is the only disease known to man that makes everyone sick except the one who has it” (Source Unknown).