What other biblical leaders fell into similar patterns of sin? The backdrop of Pekahiah’s failure “Pekahiah son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned two years. He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to commit.” (2 Kings 15:23-24) The root of the pattern: Jeroboam’s golden calves • 1 Kings 12:28-30—Jeroboam I set up calves at Bethel and Dan, saying, “Here are your gods, O Israel.” • This counterfeit worship became the template many northern kings copied. Kings who copied Jeroboam: a quick survey (The writer of Kings keeps repeating, “He walked in the ways of Jeroboam.”) • Nadab—1 Kings 15:25-26 • Baasha—1 Kings 15:33-34 • Elah—1 Kings 16:8-13 • Zimri—1 Kings 16:19 • Omri—1 Kings 16:25-26 • Ahab—1 Kings 16:30-33; 18:17-19 (added Baal worship) • Ahaziah (Ahab’s son)—1 Kings 22:51-53 • Jehoram (Joram)—2 Kings 3:1-3 • Jehu—2 Kings 10:29 (“but he did not turn away from the golden calves”) • Jehoahaz—2 Kings 13:1-2 • Jehoash (Joash of Israel)—2 Kings 13:10-11 • Jeroboam II—2 Kings 14:23-24 • Zechariah—2 Kings 15:8-9 • Shallum—2 Kings 15:13-15 (brief reign, no reform) • Menahem—2 Kings 15:17-18 • Pekah—2 Kings 15:28 • Hoshea—2 Kings 17:1-2 (last king before exile) Southern parallels: when Judah followed the same spiral • Rehoboam—1 Kings 14:22-24 (high places and Asherah poles) • Ahaz—2 Kings 16:2-4 (child sacrifice, altars everywhere) • Manasseh—2 Kings 21:2-9 (the darkest chapter in Judah’s history) • Even Solomon—1 Kings 11:4-6 (foreign wives turned his heart) Priests and prophets who stumbled • Aaron—Exodus 32:1-6 (another golden calf) • Eli’s sons—1 Samuel 2:12-17, 29 (treated the LORD’s offering with contempt) • The unnamed “man of God” in 1 Kings 13 who disobeyed God’s direct command Shared traits in these downfalls • Compromise in worship—mixing truth with convenience or culture • Ignoring God’s clear warnings sent through prophets (1 Kings 13; 2 Kings 17:13) • Leading others astray, multiplying guilt (Luke 17:2 reminds us how serious this is) Why Scripture highlights repeated failure • To show God’s patience—He delayed judgment for centuries (2 Peter 3:9) • To remind every generation that borrowed idols remain idols (Jeremiah 2:13) • To contrast unfaithful leaders with the coming perfect King (Isaiah 9:6-7) What steadies a leader’s heart today • Wholehearted devotion—2 Kings 23:25 praises Josiah for this • Ongoing repentance—Psalm 51 models it • A settled resolve to worship only the true God—Joshua 24:15 These accounts warn us that drifting from God often looks like repeating someone else’s compromise. The antidote remains the same: return to the Lord with an undivided heart. |
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