6 evil kings: (Names given by Tony Merida)
Nadab: “Like His Bad Dad” [1 Kings 15:25-32]
10 therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone. 1 Kings 14:10 (ESV) (v. 29)
Baasha: “The Basher” [1 Kings 15:33-16:7]
4 You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.
Song of Songs 6:4 (ESV)
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. Acts 2:22-23 (ESV)
Elah: “The (Drunken) Frat Boy” [1 Kings 16:8-14]
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery… Ephesians 5:18 (ESV)
4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, 5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. Proverbs 31:4-5 (ESV)
Zimri: “The Weeklong Warrior” [1 Kings 16:15-20]
Omri: “The Seashell Collector” [1 Kings 16:21-28]
26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? Matthew 16:26 (ESV)
Ahab: “The Atrocious King” [1 Kings 16:29-34]
4 takeaways:
The reliability of God’s Word:
14 “And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. Joshua 23:14 (ESV)
The folly of rebelling against God’s Word:
The folly of living by men’s power instead of God’s promises.
See the Faithfulness of God
4 Nevertheless, for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem, 1 Kings 15:4 (ESV)
13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:13 (ESV)