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Israel's History of Evil KingsDear Parents,
Thank you for continuing this journey of The Gospel Project® for Kids. This week, our journey takes us to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, created as a result of King Solomon’s sin. King Jeroboam, the first king of the Northern Kingdom, created two golden calves for his people to worship. Needless to say, his kingdom wasn’t starting out very well. The Northern Kingdom was plagued by evil kings who led people away from worshiping the one true God. Baasha (BAY uh shuh), Elah, Zimri (ZIM righ), and Omri (AHM righ) each reigned as evil, sinful kings of Israel. Each king led the Israelites further away from worshiping God. Then Omri’s son Ahab (AY hab) became king of Israel. Ahab was more evil than the kings who were before him—more evil than Omri, more evil than Zimri, more evil than Elah, and more evil than Baasha! If that wasn’t enough, Ahab married Jezebel, who encouraged him to serve and worship the false god Baal. Ahab built an altar for Baal in Samaria. All the things Ahab did made God very angry. God’s people asked for a king to lead them, but no king led them perfectly. Was there any king on earth who would be faithful? God would send a king from heaven—His own Son—who would lead God’s people back to God. He would be the King of all kings—Jesus Christ. |
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Israel’s History of Evil Kings
1 Kings 16
God’s people, the nation of Israel, had been led by many people over the years—Moses, Joshua, and then several judges. Do you remember Deborah, Gideon, and Samson? Then came Samuel, and God’s people asked for a king. Saul became king, and then David, and then Solomon.
After King Solomon died, the nation of Israel split into two kingdoms: Israel, the Northern Kingdom, and Judah, the Southern Kingdom. And a time began when the nation of Israel was ruled by kings who did not love God and did not lead God’s people like they should.
Baasha (BAY uh shuh) was the third king to rule over Israel. He was an evil king. Baasha had killed Israel’s second king, King Nadab (NAY dab), to take over the throne. Baasha did evil things, and he led the people of Israel to sin. This made God angry. God sent a prophet to tell Baasha that he would not be king anymore. Baasha died, and his son Elah (EE luh) became Israel’s king.
Elah wasn’t king for very long, and he wasn’t a very good king. Elah was like his father, and he made God angry because he worshiped idols and caused Israel to sin. After two years, Zimri (ZIM righ)—a commander in Elah’s army—planned to kill Elah. And he did. Zimri killed Elah and everyone in Elah’s family.
Zimri became king, and he acted just like Elah and Baasha. He was an evil king and caused Israel to sin. The people of Israel didn’t want Zimri to be king. The people chose Omri (AHM righ), the commander of the army, to be king of Israel. Omri took over the city Zimri was in, and Zimri was afraid. He knew he could not win against Omri. Zimri was king for just seven days when he went into his house and set it on re. The house burned down with Zimri inside, and Zimri died.
Now Omri was king—the sixth king of Israel. While Omri was king, he bought a hill and built a city named Samaria. Omri was like the kings before him. He worshiped idols and caused Israel to sin. This made God angry.
Omri died, and his son Ahab (AY hab) became king of Israel.
Ahab was more evil than the kings who were before him—more evil than Omri, more evil than Zimri, more evil than Elah, and more evil than Baasha. Ahab was a very evil king! He married Jezebel, who encouraged him to do evil things. Ahab began to serve and worship the false god Baal. He built an altar for Baal in Samaria, and all the things Ahab did made God very angry.
Christ Connection: God’s people asked for a king to lead them, but no king led them perfectly. Was there any king on earth who would be faithful? God would send a king from heaven—His own Son—who would lead God’s people back to God. He would be the King of all kings—Jesus Christ.
1 Kings 16
God’s people, the nation of Israel, had been led by many people over the years—Moses, Joshua, and then several judges. Do you remember Deborah, Gideon, and Samson? Then came Samuel, and God’s people asked for a king. Saul became king, and then David, and then Solomon.
After King Solomon died, the nation of Israel split into two kingdoms: Israel, the Northern Kingdom, and Judah, the Southern Kingdom. And a time began when the nation of Israel was ruled by kings who did not love God and did not lead God’s people like they should.
Baasha (BAY uh shuh) was the third king to rule over Israel. He was an evil king. Baasha had killed Israel’s second king, King Nadab (NAY dab), to take over the throne. Baasha did evil things, and he led the people of Israel to sin. This made God angry. God sent a prophet to tell Baasha that he would not be king anymore. Baasha died, and his son Elah (EE luh) became Israel’s king.
Elah wasn’t king for very long, and he wasn’t a very good king. Elah was like his father, and he made God angry because he worshiped idols and caused Israel to sin. After two years, Zimri (ZIM righ)—a commander in Elah’s army—planned to kill Elah. And he did. Zimri killed Elah and everyone in Elah’s family.
Zimri became king, and he acted just like Elah and Baasha. He was an evil king and caused Israel to sin. The people of Israel didn’t want Zimri to be king. The people chose Omri (AHM righ), the commander of the army, to be king of Israel. Omri took over the city Zimri was in, and Zimri was afraid. He knew he could not win against Omri. Zimri was king for just seven days when he went into his house and set it on re. The house burned down with Zimri inside, and Zimri died.
Now Omri was king—the sixth king of Israel. While Omri was king, he bought a hill and built a city named Samaria. Omri was like the kings before him. He worshiped idols and caused Israel to sin. This made God angry.
Omri died, and his son Ahab (AY hab) became king of Israel.
Ahab was more evil than the kings who were before him—more evil than Omri, more evil than Zimri, more evil than Elah, and more evil than Baasha. Ahab was a very evil king! He married Jezebel, who encouraged him to do evil things. Ahab began to serve and worship the false god Baal. He built an altar for Baal in Samaria, and all the things Ahab did made God very angry.
Christ Connection: God’s people asked for a king to lead them, but no king led them perfectly. Was there any king on earth who would be faithful? God would send a king from heaven—His own Son—who would lead God’s people back to God. He would be the King of all kings—Jesus Christ.