Day 101: 1 Kings 16, 17 and 18

Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. (1 Kings 16:30)

The Omrides (Omri and his descendants) were the most evil royal family in the history of Israel.  You could say they put the nasty in dynasty. Omri had been the commander of Israel's army when Zimri assassinated King Elah. Zimri only lasted seven days before Omri and his troops besieged the city and surrounded the palace. When Zimri saw he was surrounded, and that Omri was supported by the military, he set his palace on fire forfeiting his own life.

The changing of the guard was not uncontested, but Omri's supporters were stronger than those of his opponent. After four years of civil war Tibni, the contender for the throne, was executed and Omri was crowned king. Thus begins the dynasty.

After Omri's death, his son Ahab became king in his place. Ahab's wife Jezebel was the Baal-worshiping princess of Sidon. The couple set out on a literal reign of terror during which time the prophets of the Lord feared for their lives. There were no more feared Old Testament names than Ahab and Jezebel. Even after their deaths, their evil would infect Israel's sister nation of Judah for generations to come, but that's a story for another time... a story that begins with Omri.

Evil starts somewhere. So does redemption.

Who do you have to thank, good or bad, for the road you’re on today?