THEY DID EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD

PROCLAMATION

“But Omri did evil in the eyes of The Lord and sinned more than all those before him.  He followed completely the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebet, committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit, so that they aroused the anger of The Lord, The God of Israel, by their worthless idols.”  1 Kings 16:25-26 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

Baasha, king of the northern tribes of Israel, did evil in the eyes of The Lord following in the sinful ways of Jeroboam worshiping idols (1 Kings 15:33-34) and so did his son, Elah who succeeded him as king.  Then Zimri, one of Elah’s officials, killed Elah and succeeded him as king. (1 Kings 16:9-10)  As king, Zimri killed off Baasha’s whole family (1 Kings 16:11) but the Israelites rejected him as king and proclaimed Omri, the commander of the army, as their king. (1 Kings 16:16)  Then Zimri killed himself by setting the palace on fire when he saw that the Israeli army had seized the city. (1 Kings 16:16-19)  However, Omri also did evil in the eyes of The Lord.  When he died his son, Ahab, became king and he did even more evil in the eyes of The Lord than all of those before him, and his wife, Jezebel, who worshiped Baal, was just as bad as he was, if not worse. (1 Kings 16:29-31)  Asa, king of Judah, was the only king during this time who did right in the eyes of The Lord.

APPLICATION

The world is full of men who do not follow the ways of The Lord.  There are also many leaders who have led the people away for the ways of The Lord.  Every leader is not a man of God.  In order for us not to get caught up in a cult or follow some leader who is not of The Lord God, we need to pray, read, and study The Word of God.  That is the only way that we can verify that we have heard is true and that we are going God’s way.  Following ungodly leaders will lead us to damnation.  We cannot follow The Word of God if we do not know it.