June 26 — Two Kings, Two Directions
SCRIPTURE READING:
1 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 17
SCRIPTURE:
Passage: 1 Kings 16
¹ Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,
² Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins;
³ Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
⁴ Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.
⁵ Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
⁶ So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.
⁷ And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.
⁸ In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.
⁹ And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.
¹⁰ And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.
¹¹ And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.
¹² Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet.
¹³ For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
¹⁴ Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
¹⁵ In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
¹⁶ And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.
¹⁷ And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.
¹⁸ And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died.
¹⁹ For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.
²⁰ Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
²¹ Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.
²² But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.
²³ In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
²⁴ And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.
²⁵ But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.
²⁶ For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.
²⁷ Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
²⁸ So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
²⁹ And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.
³⁰ And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.
³¹ And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
³² And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.
³³ And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.
³⁴ In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.
Passage: 2 Chronicles 17
¹ And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.
² And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.
³ And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;
⁴ But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.
⁵ Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance.
⁶ And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.
⁷ Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.
⁸ And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.
⁹ And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
¹⁰ And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.
¹¹ Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats.
¹² And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store.
¹³ And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem.
¹⁴ And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand.
¹⁵ And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand.
¹⁶ And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour.
¹⁷ And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.
¹⁸ And next him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war.
¹⁹ These waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah.
DEVOTIONAL:
1 Kings 16 reads like a downward spiral. Kings rise and fall through violence, conspiracy, and instability until Omri establishes a dynasty and Ahab takes the throne. The chapter’s final verdict on Ahab is chilling: he did more to provoke the LORD than all the kings before him. The narrative is not merely reporting political shifts; it is tracing the spiritual decay that happens when leadership normalizes idolatry.
Ahab’s marriage to Jezebel is not condemned because she is foreign, but because she brings covenant hostility. The problem is not ethnicity; the problem is allegiance. Baal worship is promoted, the LORD’s commands are despised, and the nation is trained to call evil good. Scripture is preparing us to see that idolatry is not neutral. It reshapes a people’s loves and therefore reshapes a people’s life.
2 Chronicles 17 provides a sharp contrast in Jehoshaphat. He seeks the LORD, removes some high places, and sends leaders and Levites to teach the book of the law in Judah. That detail is striking: reform is not only demolition of idols; it is instruction in truth. The fear of the LORD falls on surrounding kingdoms, and peace follows. Teaching God’s Word is presented as a stabilizing force for a community.
Together these chapters show that a nation’s spiritual health is deeply tied to what it worships and what it learns. Idolatry produces confusion and cruelty; instruction produces clarity and restraint. This is not simplistic nationalism. It is covenant realism: when the LORD is rejected, people suffer. When the LORD is honored, justice and peace have room to grow.
Jesus is the Teacher-King who fulfills the best of Jehoshaphat and corrects the worst of Ahab. He confronts idolatry at the heart level, calling people to worship God in spirit and truth. He also teaches with authority, forming disciples who know the Scriptures and live them. His kingdom does not spread by coercion but by truth-bearing love, and it remains the only hope for hearts reshaped from within.
In daily life, ask what your home is learning and what your heart is worshiping. If Ahab’s story warns us about tolerated idols, Jehoshaphat’s story encourages us to fill our lives with God’s Word. Build rhythms of Scripture reading, prayer, and teaching in your household. In church life, value discipleship that is patient and thorough, because shallow knowledge makes people easy targets for deception.
In U.S. civic life, the virtue of moral courage is needed because public pressure often rewards compromise. Pray for churches and families to teach Scripture faithfully, and pray for leaders to resist promoting what God condemns. Christians should show up as people who worship the LORD alone, speak truth with love, and invest in long-term formation rather than short-term outrage.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What does 1 Kings 16 reveal about how leadership can normalize spiritual decay?
Why does Chronicles emphasize teaching the book of the law as a key part of reform?
How can tolerated “small” idols reshape a household or church over time?
What does it mean for Jesus to be the Teacher-King, and how should that shape your discipleship?
PRAYER:
ADORATION:
LORD God, You alone are worthy of worship and You speak truth that steadies the soul. You are faithful when we are faithless, and Your Word is a lamp for our path.
CONFESSION:
I confess that I have tolerated idols and allowed influences to shape my loves more than Your Word. I have also been timid in resisting what dishonors You. Forgive me and strengthen me.
THANKSGIVING:
Thank You for the gift of Scripture and for the patience of discipleship. Thank You for Jesus, who teaches with authority and rescues us from false worship.
SUPPLICATION – GENERAL:
Help me worship You alone with my whole heart. Give me hunger for Your Word and courage to remove what leads me away. Strengthen our church to teach faithfully and to disciple deeply across generations.
SUPPLICATION – U.S. / CIVIC:
Raise up leaders and citizens who love truth and resist moral compromise. Bless ministries that teach Scripture, protect the young from deception, and strengthen families. Make Christians visible as worshipers of the true God who practice truth-filled love in public life.
SCRIPTURE: But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. 2 Chronicles 17:4