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1 Kings Chapter 15

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

Abijam is king in Judah.

2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.He only reigns 3 years.3 And 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.Rehoboam is his father and he disobeyed God just like his dad.4 Nevertheless 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:Your son will be better.  I must find someone in this family to keep Judah alive. God waits.  He knows it is worth the wait. God looks through us and says, I see someone good coming through David's seed.  David's response to God made his family valuable to God and to mankind.  When we make the right decisions it attracts others that are related to us. Our family members benefit from godly behaviors.  5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.David's behavior deserves to be rewarded. God works through this king until he saw someone suitable to lead.  God sees the unborn.  May we realize God is not like man and honor him as knowing everything because he is God.6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.The church fights continuously. 7 Now 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.More details can be found in the book of Chronicles.8 And Abijam slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.After 3 years Abijam dies and his son Asa is king.  Abijam knew something about God.  He did not fully obey God. You can do some things right but that does not mean you have a heart for God.9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.Asa is now king of Judah.10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.He was king of Judah for 41 years.11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.Asa pleases God.  He stayed in the position as king longer than his father. Abijam ruled 3 years and Asa ruled 41 years.12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.Asa removed what his father ignored to move.  He removed male prostitution of homosexual activity.  His father sanctioned the lifestyle by allowing it to exist.  Asa remembered the word of the Lord and obeyed God. He removed the idols his father overlooked or allowed.13 And 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.He removed his mom/grandmother.  This pleased the Lord. His mom/grandmother had a god that represented a sexual idol. He removed her from being the queen and he removed any display she made.14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.He did not remove all the places that Rehoboam built as worship, but he made corrections, that God said, he was pleased with him.15 And 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.He continued to follow God's plan.  He wanted to do what he knew must be done.  He did not talk about it only, he made things happen.16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.Asa was obedient. However, the house of Israel continued to harass Judah.17 And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come into Asa king of Judah.Baasha set up a roadblock.  He wanted to monitor who traveled in and out of Judah.18 Then 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,Asa removed all of the valuable items and sent them to Benhadad because he needed assistance from him. This was his way of saying, I am paying you upfront.  He did not know if he would say yes or no to his request. To take offerings from God to give to a man is a mistake.  Although we naturally think his move is good, it is not.  (more details can be found in the book of Chronicles).  19 There 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.I need your help!  I sent you gold and silver taken from God's house and the king's house.  I need help fighting against Baasha, even though you have ties with him.  Break your ties and help me, please!  When we need help, we should ask. However, we must pray and listen for the directions of God in who to ask to support us.20 So 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.Benhadad sent help to support Asa.21 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.Baasha stopped the building that seized Judah.   22 Then 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.Thank you for the material Benhadad. I can use this to build some places in Judah.  Asa's enemy/brother came in to attack.  God said Asa make good use of what your enemy meant for evil.23 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.Asa is older having been king for 41 years.  He had a foot problem. More in dept details must be read to understand the details of what went wrong in Asa's life in the book of Chronicles. (He did not trust God in asking for help, he trusted in the Syrian army. This displeased God.)He did not seek God about his foot disease, but physicians.24 And 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.Asa dies. His son Jehoshaphat takes his place.25 And 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.Nadab is king in Israel in the 2nd year of Asa rule for 2 years. 26 And 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.Nadab was another bad king.  He reigns for 2 years while Asa was king for 41 years.27 And 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.Baasha killed Nadab.28 Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead.While Asa was king of Judah, in Asa's 3rd year of being king of Judah, Baasha kills Nadab.29 And 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:Baasha destroys all who were left of Jeroboam as prophesied. 30 Because 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.God kept his promise.  Jeroboam's seed dies.31 Now 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?More details in the book of chronicles about Nadab. Nadab was another bad leader.32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.Asa had problems with Baasha all the time.33 In 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.Baasha was king of Israel 24 years during the reign of Asa. Baasha kills Nadab and took his place as king of Israel.34 And 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.He caused Israel to sin. Jeroboam led Israel wrong and now Baasha leads Israel again against the plan of God.These kings are brothers like Cain and Abel.  When families are torn apart, it weakens our world.  Not only were they brothers,  they were also God's called-out students.