Zimri and Treason

And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died, For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin. 1 Kings 16:18-19

Treason is a crime so vile in the eyes of men that it has been met with the stiffest of punishments, namely death. A nation cannot survive with great turmoil and chaos in leadership. This type of rancor was ever present in the northern kingdom of Israel. Zimri became king after he committed treason and murdered King Elah.

One might assume Zimri’s treason was justified. It was prophesied by Jehu son of Hanani that all of Baasha’s descendants would be killed. However, this is a bad assumption. Just because God sends a prophet to prophesy that something will happen does not mean that God is behind the treason of Zimri. Two things can be true at once: the prophecy can be true and Zimri can be a treasonous sinner. One example is when the Lord will send judgment on the northern kingdom it would be the idolatrous Assyrians that would come against them. Similarly, the Babylonians would carry away Judah. Godless men will do godless things to other godless men.

Israel is a wreck. The northern kingdom was founded on idolatry and was in complete rebellion against the Lord God. It was a treasonous kingdom. Bloodshed has been the common result of the transfer of power in many of our preceding articles. There is a warning against this sort of behavior that we must all consider. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Prov 1:10-16

How can we prevent this type of unrest in our own lives? First, we seek the Lord's revealed will in all things. All that I am in Christ is dependent on all of what he requires of me (cf. Col 3:17). Second, we do not become unequally yoked with unbelievers (cf. 2 Cor 16:4). Much of the trouble that brothers get into comes from being in close league with rebellious men who seek their own will.

Grace and Peace,

Ryan

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