(REFLECTIONS ON 1 Kings 16:29-34)

30 Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him. 31 It came about, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went to serve Baal and worshiped him. 32 So he erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he built in Samaria.

The evil of the kings of Israel reaches its peak in King Ahab. Not only did he do evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him, but the sins of Jeroboam seemed to him a trivial thing. He went even further by marrying Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and serving and worshiping Baal.

Jezebel’s influence is quickly seen as Ahab erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal that he built in Samaria. Baal worship had now been established in the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel and institutionalized at the highest levels of the nation.

In the midst of this, however, we are reminded that the word of the Lord is sovereign, steadfast, and everlasting. In what may seem like a random story that ends today’s Scripture, verse 34 however serves as an appropriate transition into the life of Elijah, the prophet of the Lord.

34 In his days, Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho; he laid its foundations with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which He spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

During the reign of King Ahab, Hiel attempted to rebuild Jericho. However, what he lost was far greater than what he built. He lost both Abiram his firstborn and his youngest son Segub. We are then reminded that this happened according to the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua in Joshua 6:26:

“Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, ‘Cursed before the Lord is the man who rises up and builds this city of Jericho; with the loss of his firstborn he shall lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he shall set up its gates.'”

Five hundred years later, this curse is fulfilled in Hiel the Bethelite during the reign of King Ahab, reminding us that the Lord reigns, His word remains, and His word will be accomplished. Despite the evil of Ahab and the worship of Baal in Samaria, according to the word of the Lord, He will have the final say.

Brothers and sisters, no matter the evil, darkness, and brokenness of the world around us, the Lord will have the last word. For according to the word of the Lord, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Let us therefore hold fast to our faith and trust in Him who has given us His word through the prophets and the apostles.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: 1 Kings 16