1 Kings 16:8-10
In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned two years. 9 But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah, 10 Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his place.
In our Wednesday night Bible Study, we remarked on the contrast between Rehoboam, the king of Judah, and Jeroboam, the northern kingdom’s rebellious first king. Rehoboam, though flawed, proved to be more faithful. Not much time went by before we encountered this contrast between Asa, the first reforming king of Judah, and Elah, the drunken king of Israel. So useless was his reign that his servant saw fit to murder him and take over. We can ask how this is God’s plan for his people.
It was the plan and that perfect plan is nearing completion. The divided kingdom was brought about by the disobedience of Solomon, drawn away by idols. He was the son of David the murderer with many wives. Rehoboam himself had many wives. Yet Matthew 1:6 says,
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam… and on to Jesus.
God uses flawed people for his plan. Praise the Lord! That’s us! Today, rejoice that we have not been disqualified by our sin since we were not qualified to begin with.
O heavenly Father, you are a perfect God with a perfect plan to save imperfect people. May our imperfect worship of you please you today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.