What We Should Expect from the Kingdoms of This World
In 1 Kings we have a divided nation of Israel. If we continue the premise from my previous post that the southern kingdom of Judah represents those under the lordship of Christ and the northern kingdom of Israel represents those under the lordship of Satan, we get to see how these kingdoms play out over the course of human history.
So what should we expect from the kingdoms of this world?
1 Kings 16:8–10 (ESV) 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.
Elah dies what is perhaps the most ignoble death possible. While his army is out fighting Elah is drinking himself into a stupor in the house of Arza. What could be more humiliating a death? Instead of fighting alongside his warriors, he’s indulging himself in revelry, making himself a perfect target for the enemies around him. His reign was a brief 2 years from our perspective. But you have to wonder how people perceived him during those two years. They may have said, “That Elah really knows how to party!” Or “What a fun king that Elah is.” Remember, current opinion of people’s lives is only temporary and very much over-estimated. We do well to see the end of Elah’s reign as a reminder that drunkenness never pays.
After Elah is Zimri’s reign which makes Elah’s time on the throne seem like an eternity!
1 Kings 16:15–18 (ESV) In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, 16 and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house and burned the king’s house over him with fire and died...
What Zimri does to Elah in conspiring to kill him comes back upon his own head. Omri who is out with the troops commanding them is made king. His advance against Zimri is too much for the newly established king and Zimri commits suicide. Now you think of what people may have said during that one week of Zimri’s reign. They may have celebrated him as a cunning strategist or rising star. But he was cut down soon after. Our world is full of flash in the pan one-hit wonders in almost every industry. Many times those who rise to the top do so by taking advantage of others and undermining the work of those who came before them, much like Zimri. But in the end, what they do to others comes back upon them.
This is what we should expect to see in the kingdoms of this world. It is vicious. The kingdom of this world is filled with betrayal, undermining, conspiracy and evil plotting. The kingdom of this world pays back drunkenness and betrayal with death.
The Christian must read these chapters to gain a long-term perspective on the world they see paraded before them as glorious and enduring. It is neither. The heart of man is full of wickedness. Let us be thankful that we are part of the eternal kingdom of the Son who gave His life in death to establish us in peace within the realm of God’s grace.
Hebrews 12:28–29 (ESV) Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
So what should we expect from the kingdoms of this world?
1 Kings 16:8–10 (ESV) 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.
Elah dies what is perhaps the most ignoble death possible. While his army is out fighting Elah is drinking himself into a stupor in the house of Arza. What could be more humiliating a death? Instead of fighting alongside his warriors, he’s indulging himself in revelry, making himself a perfect target for the enemies around him. His reign was a brief 2 years from our perspective. But you have to wonder how people perceived him during those two years. They may have said, “That Elah really knows how to party!” Or “What a fun king that Elah is.” Remember, current opinion of people’s lives is only temporary and very much over-estimated. We do well to see the end of Elah’s reign as a reminder that drunkenness never pays.
After Elah is Zimri’s reign which makes Elah’s time on the throne seem like an eternity!
1 Kings 16:15–18 (ESV) In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, 16 and the troops who were encamped heard it said, “Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king.” Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house and burned the king’s house over him with fire and died...
What Zimri does to Elah in conspiring to kill him comes back upon his own head. Omri who is out with the troops commanding them is made king. His advance against Zimri is too much for the newly established king and Zimri commits suicide. Now you think of what people may have said during that one week of Zimri’s reign. They may have celebrated him as a cunning strategist or rising star. But he was cut down soon after. Our world is full of flash in the pan one-hit wonders in almost every industry. Many times those who rise to the top do so by taking advantage of others and undermining the work of those who came before them, much like Zimri. But in the end, what they do to others comes back upon them.
This is what we should expect to see in the kingdoms of this world. It is vicious. The kingdom of this world is filled with betrayal, undermining, conspiracy and evil plotting. The kingdom of this world pays back drunkenness and betrayal with death.
The Christian must read these chapters to gain a long-term perspective on the world they see paraded before them as glorious and enduring. It is neither. The heart of man is full of wickedness. Let us be thankful that we are part of the eternal kingdom of the Son who gave His life in death to establish us in peace within the realm of God’s grace.
Hebrews 12:28–29 (ESV) Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
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