Omri And Ahab Reigns in Israel

I Kings 16:21–34
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The death of Zimri did not automatically place the throne of the Northern Kingdom in Omri’s hands.  Half the population, including the army, followed Omri but the other half sided with Tibni (v. 21). For over three years civil war ravaged Israel and threatened to split it into two parts. At the end of this period Omri was victorious (v. 22). About the same time Omri took over Tibni died. We can not know for sure if his death was violent or natural. In the 31^st year of Asa Omri began to reign (v. 23).

Many of the sins of Omri are written in the book of the Chronicles (v. 27). Though Omri is passed over quickly in l Kings but he was a powerful and politically effective king. In fact, he was probably the strongest leader of the Northern Kingdom up to this time. However, Omri’s spiritual leadership was the worst of any Israelite king to this time. To add to this spiritual deterioration was an alliance he made with the Phoenicians which was sealed by the marriage of his son, Ahab, to Jezebel, a daughter of the Phoenician king, Ethboal.

At the end of a 12-year reign, Omri died and his rule was passed on to his son, Ahab, who was more wicked than his father (v. 25). Verse 30 says that Ahab “did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him” (v. 30). In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel, and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. Jezebel never rested till she had got all the forms of her native Tyrian worship in.

Influenced by his wicked wife, Jezebel, Ahab built a temple for Baal worship in the capital of Israel. Jezebel, who was a self-styled “prophetess” (Revelation 2:20) inaugurated her own priesthood, withdrew the altars of the Lord, established her own idols and persecuted the servants of the Lord.

Application

Omri strengthened the nation politically and militarily but he did not care about the nation’s spiritual condition (Micah 6:l6). Anytime I leave God out of my plans it will only lead to a tragic future.