1 Kings 15:25-32 Nadab’s Reign
Israel’s turn for a new king. He is Jeroboam’s son. But his reign is cut VERY short because of the sins of him and his father.
I am confusing myself with all these kings, and we are barely out of the gate! I’m hoping I’m not confusing you too. I made a spread sheet of the overlap a long time ago but after going through it I saw some gaps and can’t remember why they are there. I think I need to start over and add one king at a time to it as we move through them.
Nadab is the last of Jeroboam’s family. It is time for the prophecy spoken by Ahijah to be fulfilled. The one stating that every male of Jeroboam’s house would die. They would also not be buried. This was judgment for the serious sins that Jeroboam committed and caused the people of Israel to commit.
When I read the statement “which he made Israel to sin” (verse 26b) one thought popped into my head. You can’t MAKE another person sin. They have to choose that path themselves. The fact that Jeroboam and Nadab paved the path didn’t absolve the people of their responsibility for their sin. But there are more people who will follow wherever their leaders direct than those who will refuse. The Holocaust is perfect proof of that, besides the proof we see in our stories now. There are those who will stand for what is right regardless of the cost. The stories of Daniel, Shadrach Meshach and Abednego are just a few. But those are stories for other days.
Jeroboam ended his reign in defeat after his battle with Abijam. Nadab decided not to attack Judah but set his sights on the Philistines. This was where he was when Baasha decided to strike and end Nadab’s reign. Baasha also ‘ended’ Jeroboam’s family at this time. We aren’t told how long it took to accomplish this last task but we can be certain not a single male survived Baasha’s efforts. And that is because Baasha’s actions were the fulfillment of God’s promise to Jeroboam’s wife.
We are told that Nadab reigned two years but it wasn’t two full years as he began in the second year of Asa and was killed in the third year of Asa. It would be nice if they included month and day with their tracking information for me. It would make my job of creating an accurate timeline MUCH easier.
Because there is so little information on what Nadab’s life was like in our reading, I went searching for “the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel” (verse 31b). I expected this to mean the books of Chronicles contained in our bible but I found out that Chronicles follows Israel until it splits and then follows Judah from then on. We don’t have access to the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel so I don’t have any more reliable insight into Nadab’s life. Maybe Jesus will fill in the gaps for me during our bench time.
That is a sad state of affairs. To be known only for the sin you committed (or followed along with) and your death. Baasha gets more ‘ink’ in Nadab’s story than Nadab himself. A wasted life because of sin. That is NOT the epitaph I want on my tombstone! I want to be known for a life that glorified the Lord and led others to Him. I have no doubt that some will remember some of my more memorable sins but I pray there are more who will remember how I loved, lived, and shared His word.
Father God, thank You for Your love. Thank You for my life where I can share that love with others. Help me shine Your light wherever I go. Make my sins so small that they fade in Your glory. Wash them away completely. Let me keep the lessons but not the wounds. Turn my scars into beauty. And let it draw others to You.
