The Jesus Bible Reading Plan / THE BAD ROAD DOWNWARD

The Jesus Bible Reading Plan

Day 143 of 365 THE BAD ROAD DOWNWARD The downward trajectory of the northern kingdom reached new depths in the appointment of Ahab as king over Israel. While the list of sins recounted here is far from unique to Ahab, the extent of his rebellion eclipsed all of those who ruled prior to him. The unraveling of the nation and the continued spread of sin among the people reveal a simple fact - sin is never static. It grows, expands and contaminates all that it touches. No person or nation, even the nation of Israel, is immune to its destructive nature. Jesus entered a culture that continued to bear the marks of the impact and spread of sin. Human government is unable to rid itself from the effects of sin and the implications of the fall. Into this broken world, Jesus ushered a new kingdom marked by his perfect rule and reign (Mt 3:2). Submission to Jesus breaks the cycle of sin and provides the hope and peace no human king could ever bring. Jesus, help me to remember that sin is never static, that it always snowballs toward destruction. Thank you for freeing me from its evil grips, and help me to dwell in that freedom. Amen. 1 Kings 16:29-33 NASB 29 Now Ahab the son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. 30 Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the L ord more than all who were before him. 31 It came about, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went to serve Baal and worshiped him. 32 So he erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made the Asherah. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the L ord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.