1 Kings 16 Zimri
Zimri proclaims himself king after assonating Elah. He cannot stand against the man the fighting forces of Israel proclaim king and kills himself.
When I was thinking about Zimri, I figured that he was the shortest reigning king in history. Boy was I wrong! He doesn’t even make the short list. He is in the third list on the Wikipedia page I found. The shortest reign was 20 minutes! Now THAT is a short reign.
There is very little that we know about this man. Judging by his actions when he was confronted with imminent removal from the throne, I would say he was probably had mental issues. Burning the house down around you does not seem like a sane act to me. It also makes me think of the “If I can’t have it, no one can” attitude of controlling personalities. I already portrayed him as ‘not the nicest person’ (almost sadistic) in our last story. I feel that he fits that personality style very well, so will keep with that. Let’s rejoin our story and see where the Spirit takes us today.
♥ ♦ ♥
Zimri has taken the throne by force. He was not elected by the people, but took it as his own after dispatching Elah. Zimri also had every male of Baasha’s family and friends executed. By the time the citizens of Tirzah begin their day, Zimri is firmly occupying the throne.
Zimri is pleased with how things went through the night. Every last male of Baasha’s house lies dead where he was found. “Let the dogs and the birds feast on their bodies” he laughs to himself. Zimri will not lift a finger to bury them. This too was part of God’s judgment on Baasha.
The first day is spent convincing the citizens of the city of Zimri’s right to the throne. “I took care of a worthless king. The throne is MY reward. I will lead Israel from here on out.”
To make certain that the people didn’t go looking for another ‘king’, Zimri has the gates barred closed. No one goes in or out of the city, until he says so.
While Zimri is making himself comfortable, one of Elah’s servants is making his way to Gibbethon, where all of Israel is fighting the Philistines. He doesn’t like what is happening one little bit!
It takes two days for Elah’s servant to reach Gibbathon. When he arrives he grabs the first man he encounters. “I must speak with Omri immediately. It is of utmost importance.”
“Follow me. I will take you to him.”
When the two come to stand before Omri, the servant bows his face to the ground. “My lord, disaster has befallen King Elah. Zimri, commander of half his chariots, has killed him in the night. He has seized the throne and pronounced himself king. And he had all of the men of the house of Baasha killed.”
Omri needs more information. “How long ago did this happen?”
“It has been three days since Zimri fell on our beloved king Elah.”
“And you came straight here after learning this?”
“I did my lord. Zimri has barred the city gates and is keeping the people under guard until they ‘learn to fear him’ as their king. I snuck out the first morning to bring you news. I left as soon as I had learned of the king’s death and that of his male relatives and friends.”
“Refresh yourself while I discuss the matter with the people.”
Omri calls the captains of thousands and hundreds together to share the news he has just received. “Zimri has proclaimed himself king. He is a wicked man and means to force the people to follow him. What say you to this?”
“We will not serve Zimri. We will remove him by force before bowing a knee to him.”
“Then whom shall be king, as King Elah is dead?”
“Omri! Omri shall be king. Long live King Omri!”
Omri holds his hands up for quiet. “I will serve at Israel’s request, but we must allow all the people to choose. For now, we will go and remove this imposter from the throne.”
The army of Israel leaves its battlements and siege mounds and returns to Tirzah as quickly as possible. It is another two days before they reach the city. The evening of the fifth day is drawing to a close as they make camp about the city. Omri calls a meeting of the commanders again.
“It is doubtful that Zimri has had time to fortify the city or his position. Hopefully the people will listen as we call out to them to open the gates. If not, we will take the city by force. We begin at daybreak.”
Zimri could see Israel’s forces mustering outside the city walls. He had hoped for more time to fortify his position before being challenged. “No matter. My men will defend the city to the last man” he tells himself. “The armies of Israel would not dare oppose their king!”
When morning comes, Omri begins calling out to the people within the city. “Open the gates! We have come only for the man Zimri. The one who stole the throne and did not consult Israel before making himself king. We will harm no others, if you open the gates on your own. If not, we will take this city by force.”
Omri waits for an answer, for the gates to move, or for the bolt to slide back. Nothing happens. Omri waits for 15 minutes before calling out to the people again.
“Throw off the chains of the imposter king! Open to the people of Israel and her rightful defenders. We do not wish to harm our brothers for the sake of one man.”
Omri waits for another 15 minutes before ordering his men to begin building siege works and battlements. He calls out one final time. “I have no wish to tear the gates of the city from their posts, but you have not heeded my calls. Be it on your own heads what is to come.”
The armies of Israel begin their siege. It lasts only one day before the gates are breached. There are few soldiers on the battlements within the city. Once they are dispatched, Omri’s men easily enter the city. Fighting in the square lasts less than an hour and then the gates swing open. Little damage is done to the city over all.
Zimri has been monitoring the battle. When he sees Omri’s men enter the city, he begins running through the king’s house. He pushes the servants from the building and bars the doors behind them. Then he begins to splash oil and wine all over the walls, furnishings, drapes and floors. He then takes a torch and lights the oil and wine pools. Withing minutes the entire palace is ablaze! Zimri stands on the portico overlooking the city, holding the flaming torch in his hand. Behind him, fire licks at the entrance to the portico.
Once inside the city, Omri looks up in time to see Zimri plunge into the flames and disappear from sight. Omri watches to see if he will emerge from the open door, but there is no movement other than the flames engulfing the wooden door.
“Bring water!” Omri calls out to his men now that the fighting is over.
Bucket after bucket is poured upon the flames to try and extinguish them. When the futility of their efforts is clear, they pour water on any surrounding fuel that the fire might find to begin consuming the city with.
All watch in sorrow as the flames finally die down and extinguish themselves after a full day of consuming everything within the house of the king. Once the structure has cooled, Omri and his men search the building. They find Zimri, or what is left of him, seated on the throne. Both are marred beyond recognition, but there is no doubt as to who the charred body belongs to.
Omri shakes his head and has several of his men remove Zimri’s body. His body is fused to the throne, so both are wrapped in tent fabric and dragged outside the city. He is then thrown on the rubbish heap outside the city where refuse is burned.
Omri surveys what little remains before going outside the city to gaze at Zimri’s remains. Omri shakes his head. “So ends the reign of Zimri, executioner of Elah and the house of Baasha.”
Omri sends a message to the leaders of Israel to assemble and appoint a new king. He will remain with his men outside the city of Tirzah. “This is no place for a king” he says while looking at the city.
(to be continued)
In my story, I saved the lives of the servants. They were actually an afterthought when I considered what Omri would find when he entered the palace. I didn’t want innocent people to die in Zimri’s madness. But I wonder if maybe they did die. With Zimri being unhinged, I wouldn’t put it past him to lock the servants in and burn the palace down on their heads too.
Omri isn’t going to have a simple road to the throne. He will eventually get there though. But that is a story for another day.
I was wondering what the Spirit would have us learn from Zimri’s story. And as soon as I formed that thought, I heard in my spirit; “Be careful of the friends you choose to associate with.” Those that sided with Zimri for his short reign surely suffered the consequences of that friendship/loyalty. The city certainly suffered, as Omri had to force his way in. I wonder how many lives were lost in this short lived ‘regime change’.
God used Zimri to complete His plan of removing the house of Baasha. Baasha removed the house of Jeroboam and was judged for it. I have a feeling Zimri didn’t have any house to be removed or judged. He pronounced judgment on himself by burning the palace down around himself.
This actually brings up something I thought of a long time ago. It has to do with the “avenger of blood.” When someone killed another person, their aggrieved family was allowed to send someone out to kill the person who committed the act. Was the family of the person killed for retribution then allowed to send someone out to avenge his blood? As Jesus said, requiring an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. Where does the ‘judgment’ stop?
It stops with forgiveness. And that is only possible through the love of God. His love is all that allows us to even contemplate forgiveness. God was the first to offer forgiveness when Adam and Eve sinned. There were consequences but there was also forgiveness. If not, they would have been greasy spots on the garden grass.
Father God, thank You for Your forgiveness. I would not understand forgiveness if not for Your teachings. THANK You for teaching me at my parent’s knees. They modeled what forgiveness is. Keep teaching me Father. Keep teaching me to love beyond the moment. To see what can be if love is let rule. To recognize where consequences need to fall, even while love reigns. Let me be more like Jesus every day.
