God’s Standard for Bad Behaviour. (1 Kings 15:16-16:34)

The Bible Project Daily Podcast is a daily, in-depth, encouraging, and uplifting study through the entire Bible,  chapter by chapter, verse by verse. 

Today's Episode:  God’s Standard for Bad Behaviour. (1 Kings 15:16-16:34)

One of the remarkable things about Scripture is the way God teaches us. Because He doesn’t just give abstract principles, he gives illustrations, he uses stories, and he shows us the lives of ordinary people.

Last time, in chapter 15, God evaluated several kings by the standard of one man—David. But today, as we move into the second half of chapter 15 and on into chapter 16, something shifts. God still uses a human example—but this time, it’s not David, it’s Jeroboam, and that tells you something right away:

 If David is God’s standard of faithfulness, now Jeroboam will become God’s standard of failure because his influence becomes the yardstick by which the next generation—and the next, and the next, right down tio this day, is judged….

Transcript

God’s Standard for Bad Behaviour. (1 Kings 15:16-16:34)
 

One of the remarkable things about Scripture is the way God teaches us.

Because He doesn’t just give abstract principles, he gives illustrations, he uses stories and he shows us the lives of ordinary people.

And as we’ve been walking through 1 Kings, we’ve seen that again and again.

Last time, in chapter 15, God evaluated several kings by the standard of one man—David.

But today, as we move into the second half of chapter 15 and on into chapter 16, something shifts.

God still uses a human example—but this time, it’s not David.

It’s Jeroboam, and that tells you something right away:

If David is God’s standard of faithfulness…. The Jeroboam will become God’s standard of failure

So today we’re going to look at six kings—all in the northern kingdom—and every one of them is measured against Jeroboam.

Six kings.

Six evaluations.

Six summaries.

But, the spotlight is always referring back to one man: Jeroboam.

Because his influence becomes the yardstick by which the next generation—and the next, and the next, right down tio this day, is judged….

Setting the Stage: A Divided Kingdom

Before we dive in, let’s remember where we are in the wider story.

Solomon died and his son Rehoboam took the throne. Rehoboam then raised the taxes, increased the burden, and provoked a revolt. Jeroboam led that revolt, and the kingdom split:

And now there are effectivly two kingdoms, Judah in the south and Israel in the north

From this point until the end of the Old Testament, the kingdom never reunites.

And the kings of these two nations are evaluated separately.

In the south, the standard is David.

In the north, the standard becomes Jeroboam.

King #1 — Nadab: “Like Father, Like Son”

Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.

(1 Kings 15:25:)

Two years, a short reign, a short life and a short legacy.

Verse 26 gives the evaluation:

He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of his father and committing the same sin his father had caused Israel to commit.

And that father was Jeroboam.

So, before we go any further, we need to remember exactly what Jeroboam did back in Chapter 14.

He turned his back on the Lord, he created high places and he made idols, and he led the nation into false worship. And in doing so he provoked the Lord’s anger.

Now, please note, Jeroboam didn’t deny the Lord, he simply put the Lord behind him—out of sight, out of mind.

And Nadab, our first king, his son, followed in his footsteps…. Like father, like son.

The Consequence: Judgment Falls Quickly

27 Baasha, son of Ahijah from the tribe of Issachar, plotted against him, and he struck him down at Gibbethon, a Philistine town, while Nadab and all Israel were besieging it. 28 Baasha killed Nadab in the third year of Asa, king of Judah, and succeeded him as king. 29 As soon as he began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family. He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.

(1 Kings 15:27-29)

So, Basha killed Nadab and wiped out the entire house of Jeroboam…. 

Why? 

Because it was, “according to the word of the Lord…”

Back in chapter 14, God had sent a prophet to Jeroboam who told him: 

“Your dynasty will not endure.” And now, just two years into Nadab’s reign, that prophecy is fulfilled.

The summary of why this happens is brief:

30 This happened because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel. 31 As for the other events of Nadab’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? n, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 32 There was war between Asa and Baasha, the king of Israel, throughout their reigns.

(1 Kings 15: 30-32)

Nadab reigned, Nadab sinned, then Nadab died, and there was war

That’s it.

A life measured by Jeroboam—and ending like Jeroboam.

The Pattern: Three Marks of Jeroboam’s Legacy.

Now, every king in this section is going to be analysed by the same three characteristics of Jeroboam:

1. He put the Lord behind his back.

God was not his priority.

God was not his guide.

God was not his focus.

2. He chased idols

He replaced God’s commands with human convenience.

He replaced God’s worship with human invention.

3. He provoked the Lord to anger

Sin always has consequences.

And in Jeroboam’s case, the consequence was national disaster.

And this becomes the template for how the next six kings will be judged, and that’s where we’ll pick up in the next segment, where the first new King gets his new chance.

1# King Baasha. And Baasha’s story is a masterclass in missed opportunity.

1 Kings 15:33 introduces him:

In the third year of Asa, king of Judah, Baasha, son of Ahijah, became king of all Israel in Tirzah, and he reigned twenty-four years.

Twenty‑four years, that’s significant. In fact, Baasha has the third‑longest reign of any northern king:

Jeroboam reigned 41 years. Jehu reigned 28 years. Baasha had 24 years

Longevity sometimes suggests stability, influence, and opportunity. But not in the case of Baasha because he used his long reign to repeat Jeroboam’s sins, and the next verse gives us the evaluation:

He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the ways of Jeroboam and committing the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.

(1 Kings 15: 34)

This is astonishing.

Baasha is the man who wiped out Jeroboam’s entire house. He had a clean slate; he was given a fresh start. He had a chance to restore true worship, but instead of breaking the cycle, he continued it.

He became Jeroboam 2.0.

So, God sends a Prophet with a prophetic word, and the verdict is severe. Chapter 16 opens with that prophetic word:

Then the word of the Lord came to Jehu, son of Hanani, concerning Baasha: “I lifted you up from the dust and appointed you ruler over my people Israel, but you followed the ways of Jeroboam and caused my people Israel to sin and to arouse my anger by their sins. So, I am about to wipe out Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam, son of Nebat.

(1 Kings 15: 1-3)

In other words: “You destroyed Jeroboam’s dynasty. Now I will destroy yours.” Baasha becomes the second king in a row whose entire line is wiped out.

But verse 4 then adds a curious detail:

Dogs will eat those belonging to Baasha who die in the city, and birds will feed on those who die in the country.”

This hints at something deeper. This likely refers to Baasha’s wealth—his flocks, herds, and possessions and God is saying: “Everything you built, everything you valued, everything you accumulated—it will all be lost.”

Baasha didn’t just lose his dynasty; he lost his wealth, his legacy, and everything. Why? Because he followed Jeroboam’s example.

The summary again is of a life wasted. Verses 5 and 6 give the standard closing line:

“As for the other events of Baasha’s reign, what he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Baasha rested with his ancestors and was buried in Tirzah. And Elah, his son, succeeded him as king.

(1 Kings 16: 5-6)

And verse 7 repeats the reason for his downfall:

He did evil.

He provoked the Lord.

He followed Jeroboam.

He killed Jeroboam’s family.

Baasha used his God‑given authority to secure his own position instead of honouring the Lord, and the result was judgment.

Baasha’s life in the same three‑point pattern we saw with Nadab:

·         He cast the Lord behind his back.

·         He chased other things.

·         He provoked the Lord to anger.

And God removed his dynasty.

And the pattern continues.

Verse 8 introduces the next king:

2# Elah

“In the twenty-sixth year of Asa, king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha became king of Israel, and he reigned in Tirzah two years.”

Another two‑year king and another short, tragic story.

Verse 9 gives us the key detail:

Zimri, one of his officials, who had command of half his chariots, plotted against him. Elah was in Tirzah at the time, getting drunk in the home of Arza, the palace administrator at Tirzah. Zimri came in, struck him down, and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa, king of Judah. Then he succeeded him as king.

(1 Kings 16: 9-10)

Elah’s downfall is summed up in one word: The bottle.

While he was drunk, Zimri assassinated him.

And verse 11 tells us Zimri immediately wiped out Baasha’s entire family—relatives and friends alike.

This was common in the ancient Near East:

When you seized the throne, you eliminated all rivals.

But Scripture adds a spiritual evaluation: “They provoked the Lord to anger with their sins.”

Elah followed the same pattern: 

He cast God behind his back

He chased pleasure

He provoked the Lord…. And he died.

Next king #3— Zimri: The Seven‑Day King

Verse 15 says, “Zimri reigned seven days.” Seven days. The shortest reign in Israel’s history.

And what do we learn about him?

Verse 16 says the people immediately conspired against him. So, he had seized power through murder, and now the nation turned on him.

When Zimri realized the city was lost, verse 18 says: “He went into the citadel… burned the king’s house down upon himself and died.”

In other words, he committed suicide. Why? Verse 19: “Because of the sins he had committed… walking in the way of Jeroboam.”

There it is again.

Jeroboam.

Jeroboam.

Jeroboam.

Every king is measured by him.

Every king repeats his sins.

Every king suffers his consequences.

The pattern is the same again:

·         He cast God behind his back

·         He chased power

·         He provoked the Lord

And he died under judgment

Next King #4— Omri: A Civil War and a New Dynasty

Verse 21 introduces Omri by telling us again that, “The people of Israel were divided…”

This is not the national split between North and South. This is a civil war within the northern kingdom.

Two factions and two claimants to the throne, and verse 22 tells us. “The people who followed Omri prevailed.”

So, Omri wins the civil war, and he becomes king, and he reigns twelve years.

And Omri becomes one of the most influential kings in the northern kingdom—though not in a good way.

So, we’ve already seen four kings rise and fall in rapid succession—Nadab, Baasha, Elah, and Zimri. Every one of them measured by the same tragic standard…. Jeroboam.

Now the story turns to the fifth king in this sequence—and things begin to escalate dramatically.

1 Kings 16:23 tells us: “Omri reigned twelve years.”

But verse 24 is where the story gets interesting: “He bought the hill of Samaria… and built a city on the hill.”

This is a major turning point in Israel’s history, and it tells us about Samaria. Now Samaria mattered. It was centrally located, and it sat high on a hill—easy to defend. It also controlled the north–south trade route, and it became the permanent capital of the northern kingdom

But here’s the tragedy: Omri built a great city… and a terrible legacy.

Verse 25:

“Omri did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did worse than all who were before him.”

Worse than Jeroboam.

Worse than Baasha.

Worse than Elah.

Worse than Zimri.

And why? Again, “He walked in the ways of Jeroboam.” There it is again. Jeroboam’s shadow stretches across every king.

BTW, Omri is one of the first kings of Israel whose existence is confirmed outside the Bible. In 1847, archaeologists discovered the Moabite Stone (also called the Mesha Stele). It’s now in a museum in Paris.

On that stone, Omri is mentioned by name. His military campaigns are described, and the name Yahweh appears on it, the oldest extra‑biblical reference to God’s name. This is remarkable historical confirmation.

But Scripture’s evaluation remains the same:

“Omri cast the Lord behind his back.

He chased other things—power, prestige, political success.

And he provoked the Lord to anger.”

Finally, King #6 — Ahab: The Worst of the Worst.

Now we come to the king who will dominate the next six chapters.

1 Kings 16:29 introduces him:

“Ahab the son of Omri became king… and he reigned twenty‑two years.”

A long reign.

A powerful reign.

But, a disastrous reign.

Verse 30:

“Ahab… did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.”

We’ve heard this before: But this time, we are told, Ahab does worse than all of them

This is a downward spiral, a moral freefall and a spiritual collapse…. And then comes the reason: Ahab married Jezebel.

Verse 31:

“He took as wife Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal…”

Ethbaal: His name literally contains the name of the god Baal. So, Jezebel was a Baal‑worshiping princess from Sidon, and she brought Baal worship with her.

This marriage becomes one of the most infamous in all of Scripture. 

There’s a reason…. Verse 32

“He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal which he built in Samaria.”

This is a new level of rebellion. Jeroboam built high places—unauthorized worship sites, but Ahab built a whole temple to a foreign god in the capital city. Also, verse 33:

“Ahab made a wooden image and did more to provoke the Lord to anger than all the kings before him.”

This is the climax of the chapter. The darkest moment yet and the full fruit of Jeroboam’s influence.

Then the final verses of this chapter offer a curious footnote: The rebuilding of Jericho…. Verses that almost seem out of place:

“In Ahab’s time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua, son of Nun.”

But this is actually a reminder of something God said back in Joshua: 

“Cursed be the man who rebuilds Jericho.” And in Ahab’s day, someone tried—and paid the price.

It’s a firm reminder that:

God’s word always comes to pass.

And God’s judgment always comes to pass.

The Lesson of Six Kings.

So, you’ve just heard the story of:

I.      Nadab

II.     Baasha

III.    Elah

IV.   Zimri

V.     Omri

VI.   Ahab

Six kings.

Six failures.

Six warnings.

But really, you only need to remember one name: Jeroboam.

Because every king followed his pattern:

They cast the Lord behind his back. They chased something else—idols, wealth, pleasure, power, and they provoked the Lord to anger.

This is the human standard for bad behavior, and it becomes the tragic legacy of the northern kingdom.

As we walked through this passage, I pointed out little insights tucked into the lives of these kings. And now that we’ve reached the end of the list, I want to gather those insights together and show you the pattern behind them.

Think back:

·         One king was obsessed with possessions.

·         Another was consumed with pride.

·         One king chased pleasure—he got drunk and lost his life because of it

·         Ahab embraced perverted religion, introducing Baal worship into Israel.

Different kings.

Different personalities.

Different sins.

But the same root.

So, what’s the lesson? What do we take away from all of this?

Let’s turn to 1 John 2:15–16, in the New Testament to find out

“Do not love the world or the things in the world… For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”

John gives us three categories of sin

·         The lust of the eyes — “I see it, I want it.” Materialism.

·         The lust of the flesh — pleasure, indulgence, sensuality.

·         The pride of life — pride, power, position, self‑importance.

And if you look back over the kings we studied today, you’ll see all three:

Materialism — the king whose possessions were devoured by dogs and birds.

Sensuality/Pleasure — the king who drank himself into vulnerability.

Self-importance/Pride and power — the king who built Samaria and the king who burned the palace down around himself.

We also see religion perverted — Ahab and Jezebel introducing Baal worship.

Different expressions, but the same disease.

They all followed the sins of Jeroboam, and what was Jeroboam’s sin? You’ve learned it well:

He cast the Lord behind his back, and once the Lord is behind you, you will chase after something else…. Every time.

So, the root problem is ignoring the Lord. 

The root problem in this entire passage is not alcohol, or pride, or possessions, or pleasure, or false religion…. Those are symptoms.

The disease is this: they put the Lord behind them, and once you do that, you will chase something else— money, fame, pleasure, power, control, comfort, entertainment, self‑indulgance.

So let me ask you:

What do you chase?

What is it that pulls your heart away from God?

What is it that competes in your life with the Lord?

What is it that quietly becomes your Jeroboam?

When you drive along the road of life, is the Lord in the car with you?

Or have you put Him in the back seat?

Some put Him in the boot/trunk.

Some don’t even let Him in the car.

But where should He be?

Let’s look at Ephesians 5:18: “Do not be drunk with wine… but be filled with the Spirit.”

When you’re filled with the Spirit, the Spirit influences you.

But notice something: One of the fruits of the Spirit is self‑control. That tells me the Lord doesn’t want to turn you into a puppet. He doesn’t want to sit in the driver’s seat and yank the wheel out of your hands.

He wants you to grow, he wants you to mature, and he wants you to learn self‑control. So maybe He should sit alongside, acting like a dual control driving instructor. The Spirit pressing the brake or accelerator in an emergency…. Maybe…

But I see the Lord more like a navigator in this illustration. We're driving, but He is guiding, and that’s the picture I am drawing on here.

Don’t put the Lord in the back seat, don’t put Him in the boot, and don’t kick Him out of the car.

Put him on the dashboard, right in frount of you— as your navigator.

He guides you through His Word. He directs your path and he shows you where to go.

But you must choose to follow and steer this vehicle he has given you down the road of life. That’s the spiritual life, and that I believe is the lesson of this passage today.

If you want the whole message in one sentence:

Don’t be like Jeroboam, who threw the Lord in the back seat. Be like David, who followed the Lord’s direction wholeheartedly.

That’s the difference, and that’s the standard, but it is also the invitation…. I trust you accept it…

Outro:

We’ve now seen what happens when a nation follows the human standard for bad behavior—Jeroboam’s standard. We’ve watched six kings repeat the same pattern, each one drifting further from the Lord. 

But in the very next chapter, God will break into the darkness, and a new figure will step onto the stage. A prophet unlike any before him. A man who confronts kings, calls down fire, and stands alone against a nation.

In our next episode, we begin 1 Kings 17, and we meet: Elijah — God’s Man for a Nation in Crisis. 

You won’t want to miss it.