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After wicked Jeroboam's death,
Nadab reigned over the ten tribes. Nadab was the son of Jeroboam;
and he was like his wicked father, not like his little brother, who was
now safe and happy in Heaven, happier than Nadab on his father's
throne. This wicked king did not reign long. After two years,
a man named Baasha conspired again him, and killed him, and made himself
king of Israel. When Baasha was king, the first thing he did was to
destroy all Jeroboam's family. He did not let one of them
escape. Baasha was a very wicked, and a very cruel man. It was
wrong in him to murder his king, and to put all the king's family to
death. But now what God had said to Jeroboam's wife by the prophet
Ahijah, all came true. He never forgets what he says. Baasha
made war with Asa, king of Judah. It was then that Asa displeased
God, by trusting in the king of Syria for help. Baasha worshiped
idols, like Jeroboam and Nadab. He sinned like them, and God said he
should be punished like them too. After Baasha died, his son Elah
was king. He was as wicked as his father; and now God sent
punishment upon him, as He said. Zimri, captain of Elah's chariots,
conspired against his master, and killed him, while he was eating and
drinking, and making merry with his wicked friends. Zimri
did not reign long. There was another captain in Israel, as
ambitious, and selfish, and wicked as he. His name was Omri.
The people of Israel liked Omri, and chose him for their king; and he and
his soldiers went to Tirzah, where Zimri lived, and besieged the
city. Zimri was frightened when he saw Omri coming against
him. All wicked people are troubled and fearful in the time of
danger, because they have then no safety, no hope; they know that God is
their enemy, and not their friend. They cannot trust in Him for
deliverance here, and they have no hope of being saved when they
die. Wicked people are very unhappy people; but those who have God
for their friend, may feel safe and comfortable in all their dangers. What
did Zimri do? He knew he could not escape: he felt he must
die; his possessions and riches could not save him. In despair, he
went into his palace, and set it on fire; so the beautiful palace was
burnt, and the wicked king perished in the flames. Omri
was king now. At first he lived in Tirzah; but after a few years, he
built a new city, and named it Samaria; and then Samaria was the capital
of the kingdom of Israel, and not Tirzah. Omri was a very wicked
king. He was worse than Jeroboam, or Nadab, or Baasha, or Elah, or
Zimri. He sinned himself, and taught his people to sin too.
They all became idolators; worshiping false gods, and not the true God,
who had been their friend so often in times past. Canaan
was not now a happy country, as it had been when the king and the people
loved and served God together,—when good king David reigned. We
have no idol Baal, but many of us have idols in our hearts. If we
love the world, or sin, or self, better than we love God, then we serve
idols like wicked Israel. Saint John says to us all, "Little
children, keep yourselves from idols." 1 John 5:21.
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