Earlier in the week I asked, “Are you a Good Person?”
Is it fair to ask the flip side of the pad? Some things just should not be mirrored!
Are you Rotten?
Since my schedule has not allowed me to keep up with my usual Thursday publication of my summary expansion of Read The Bible Summary, I have had to incorporate my FUN FRIDAYS! post with it for the last two weeks. So let’s go – and have some fun with these Rotten Rulers!
We are at our 14th point in the Bible Summary Rulers Rotten.
God Creates
Adam Ate
Noah Floats
Abraham’s Oath
Jacob Schemes
Joseph Dreams
Bush Lit
Sea Split
Law Spoken
Tablet Broken
Judges Appointed
Kings Anointed
God Forgotten
Rulers Rotten
Kingdom Broke
Prophets Hope
Mary Favored
Baby Savoir
Crucified
Jesus Died
Third Morn
World Reborn
Spirit Glows
Love Grows
Rulers Rotten
Rehoboam
We left off with Rehoboam, Solomon’s son who inherited the Kingdom. The heading for this dude is POWER WITHOUT WISDOM. The people asked him to lighten their burdens.
What went rotten? Rehoboam responds with complete ARROGANCE.
1 Kings 12:11 NIV
11 My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”
The result? Harsh treatment of people fractures people instead of strengthening them. The kingdom splits. Remember Jeroboam?
Jeroboam
After driving out Rehoboam, Jeroboam was made king. He was supposed to be the good dude. He led the people in the revolt to lower their taxes after the death of Solomon. Turns out, Jeroboam was a power hungry politician who lived in fear of losing his power. The heading for this dude is POLITICAL RELIGION.
What went rotten? Jeroboam created a counterfeit worship system to keep people loyal to him, rather than allowing the people to go to worship in the Temple of The Lord in Jerusalem.
Jeroboam was perfectly rotten!
- He manipulated religion for political stability.
- He created two golden calves for worship.
- Led the nation into institutionalized idolatry.
Jeroboam manipulated and reshaped truth to maintain power. Seems like a story that repeats itself doesn’t it?
Ahab & Jezebel
Now here is an evil pair!
Ahab succeeded Asa the king of Isreal and married Jezabel, daughter of Ethball king of the Sidonians, who were known for polytheistic practices worshiping gods like Baal and Ashtoreth.
What went rotten?
- Murder for personal gain
- Suppression of prophets
- State sponsored – idol worship
- Manipulation of justice
- Abuse of Authority
The well known confrontation of Elijah the prophet and Jezabel’s prophets of Baal.
1 Kings 18:38-39 NIV
38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”
Jezabel then threatens the life of Elijah. There is more evil stirring with Jezabel when she frames a man for cursing God and king and has him murdered to gain his vineyard for Ahab.
Side Note:
It is important to recognize Jezebel as an evil Queen and cohort of Ahab. Unfortunately, in today’s modern world the term Jezabel is used both secularly and spiritually to insult women. The term Jezebel is meant to describe women as immoral, scheming and deceitful. In addition, Jezebel is referred to in Revelation 2:20 as sexually immoral and is also intentionally projected as meaning as an insult to women. Further, the term Jezebel also includes the idea of women submitting to male leadership and or insult to women that they might question male authority or even spiritual matters. It is quite clear to me that this insult to women is rooted in the evil of men and those who don’t truly know Jesus.
The deep evil with Ahab and Jezebel leadership was that immorality and injustice became normalized.
Mannasseh
Ok – this is an odd fact. Mannasseh became king at twelve years old! That’s just plain crazy. He in fact was the most destructive king in all of Judah. And?
Mannasseh was JUST ROTTEN.
- Idolatry inside the temple
- Violence and bloodshed of innocent people
- Child sacrifice – He even sacrificed his own son
- Occult practices
His leadership produced more evil than all other nations. His evil leadership was so influential it corrupted entire cultures.
Now there are many other Kings mentioned in Scripture. At least one did good in this back and forth good vrs evil story. Some of this is recorded in scripture and some of it is recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isreal. Some of it is not even recorded in the Annals and is completely lost according to scripture.
Well – so what’s so fun about these Rotten Rulers? Nothing really.
However, – I do say this.
RELEASE YOUR INNER SELF. Remember that question? Are you a Good Person? TODAY – This FUN FRIDAY! – and this weekend – DO IT!
Give Someone Hope.
Give Someone Love.
Give Someone the face of Jesus.