Today's Video Devotion

Tuesday 3/14/23

Our Sinful Influence

📺️ 1 Kings 15 🔊

¹Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.

 ²Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. and his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

 ³And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.

 ⁴Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:

 ⁵Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

 ⁶And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.

 ⁷Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

 ⁸And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

 ⁹And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.

 ¹⁰And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

 ¹¹And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.

 ¹²And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

 ¹³And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

 ¹⁴But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.

 ¹⁵And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels.

 ¹⁶And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

 ¹⁷And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

 ¹⁸Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

 ¹⁹There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

 ²⁰So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

 ²¹And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.

 ²²Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.

 ²³The 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.

 ²⁴And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead.

 ²⁵And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.

 ²⁶And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

 ²⁷And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon.

 ²⁸Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.

 ²⁹And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite:

 ³⁰Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.

 ³¹Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

 ³²And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

 ³³In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.

 ³⁴And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

Written By: God through Inspiration

Penned By: Jeremiah

Date Penned: (586 BC)

Overview: A History of the Kings of Israel and Judah (c 1-53)

Theme: The Divided Kingdom (c 12-22)

Message: Abijam Rules Judah (v 1-34)

1 Kings 15 Commentary 

(15:4) The Blessings of David - Despite their many sins, the descendants of David were often blessed by God for David's sake. At times we may wonder whether our lives make a difference in the world--life is so short relative to the scope of history. But there is a ripple effect; those who come after us will be affected by our decisions and actions. Watch how you live, and determine to keep your heart in tune with God, as David did. Abijam is called Abijah in 2 Chronicles 13:1.

(15:5) David and Uriah - See 2 Samuel u for the story of David and Uriah the Hittite.

(15:15) Gifts Dedicated to the Temple - These gifts for the temple were items dedicated to God as sacred offerings that Abijam (also called Abijah) had taken in his war with Jeroboam (2 Chronicles 13:16-17) and that Asa had taken when he defeated the Ethiopians (2 Chronicles 14:12-13).

(15:6) Baasha Seizes the Throne - Baasha seized the throne from Nadab (15:27-28), who had replaced his father, Jeroboam, as king.

(15:30) Jeroboams Household Suffers at His Hand - All the descendants of Jeroboam were killed because Jeroboam had led Israel into sin. Jeroboam was not a descendant of David, so he was not covered by God's promise to guarantee an heir to the throne. Sin is always judged harshly, but in Scripture the harshest judgment is often given to those who lead others into doing wrong. Jesus said it would be better if such people had millstones tied around their necks and were thrown into the sea (Mark 9:42). If you have taken the responsibility for leading others, remember the consequences of leading them astray. Teaching the truth is a responsibility that goes with the privilege of leadership.

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter, making application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Today we continue in the book of 1 Kings with Chapter 15. In our text, we see Abijam ruling Judah, followed by Asa, while Nadab ruled Israel followed by Baasha. We see all of the decedents of Jeroboam because he and Israel went into sin. Sin is always judged harshly, but the worst sinners are those who lead others into sin. In applying, we see a ripple effect of sin as our sin, like Jeroboam, influences and affects others. It reminds me of a time when I was living in sin, and I found this truth to be evident. Others were affected by my sin and followed the same path. I repented the Lord, but many of those I had influenced did not. Now they continue to suffer the fruit of their sin and, unfortunately, my influence. I pray for them to this day but some things can not be undone. My sinful influence carved a large path of destruction that others may never recover from which should cause us to think twice before we sin. How about you? Do you see your sinful influence affecting others? Let us learn from our text today and the life of Jeroboam to remember our sinful influence affects others.