A series of terrible kings ruled Northern Kingdom of Israel without a break. One evil, rebellious king after another leading God’s people deeper and deeper into rebellion and idolatry. And when we compare Jehu (the 10th King) to the other kings (18 in all) of Israel, we see that he was the best of a bad group. For with all the kings of Israel it was recorded that they all “did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.”
In chapter 18, Elijah had just proven himself to be prophet of the Lord, Yahweh. Yahweh reveals Himself in consuming fire in response to Elijah’s prayer. Elijah then kills all 850 prophets of Baal. He then prays for rain and the drought ends. He supernaturally outruns King Ahab’s chariot to get to the royal city of Jezreel.
In earlier chapters, we read of how Jeroboam fled to Egypt and stayed there until Solomon’s death (1 Kings 11:40). After Solomon’s death, Jeroboam returned from Egypt to appeal to the new King Rehoboam to lighten the yoke that King Solomon has put on them on behalf of the people (1 Kings 12:1-4).
Upon meeting Jeroboam and his group, King Rehoboam approach the elders to discuss Jeroboam’s request on reducing the hard labour the people were going through.
Imagine being the newly minted King. King Solomon, was offered as it were, “a wish of a lifetime”. Solomon could have asked for anything, instead he asked for a discerning heart. What would you ask for? And what would that be?
To ancient people, the “heart” often referred to one’s inner thoughts and conscience. But today we know that it is the brain that does the cognitive functions that gives rise to emotions. Nevertheless, expressions of emotions are often referred to as matters of the heart, because of the emotions we feel coming from within.
Augustine, one of the early church fathers once quoted:
“One must look deeply into the human heart to see in what direction it is turned, and on what point its gaze is fixed.”
Goliath stood before the Philistines, taunting the Israelites to challenge him. King Saul offered a bargain of riches and his daughter’s hand in marriage to anyone who would defeat the giant. David, just a shepherd boy at that time, took up the challenge.
As Saul’s story progresses, we can observe that he is never able to own the wrong he has done when it is pointed out to him.
In 1 Samuel 13, Saul was told to wait for Samuel before offering sacrifices to God and initiating a battle with the Philistines. He didn’t listen, however, and bulldozed ahead impatiently. Even though Saul eventually wins the battle, he did it on his own terms instead of God’s, a point that he seems to never grasp.
Samuel, who is sometimes known as the last of the Judges and the first Prophet of God, was also the leader of the nation whom the Israelites sought, for direction and revelation from God.
He is known throughout ancient Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, as a messenger of God, as the Lord continued to speak to the Israelites through him.
The story of Ruth was known to Boaz, one of commitment and self-sacrifice in the face of loss and tragedy. Her mother-in-law, Naomi, lost her husband and two sons, and decided to return to Israel when word arrived that the Lord had provided food for Israel, for they had been living in Moab. Naomi had urged her Moabite daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to return to their families where they will be better off.
