1 Kings 16 … Consider Him, Trivialized

Originally posted: 2/24/2020

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, (16:31).

That phrase, “as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins…” lands near the end of this chapter, chronicling the northern kingdom’s downward trajectory under the leadership of five kings.

1. In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah became king over all Israel at Tirzah, and reigned twenty-four years. ³⁴ He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel sin, (1 Kings 15:33-34).
2.  In the twenty-sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha became king over Israel at Tirzah, and reigned two years. ⁹ His servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was at Tirzah drinking himself drunk… (16:8-9).
3.  When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house and burned the king’s house over him with fire, and died, ¹⁹ because of his sins which he sinned, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, making Israel sin, (16:10, 18-19).
4.  Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, and acted more wickedly than all who were before him, (16:25).
5. Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him, (16:30).

And in their downward spiral towards idolatry we see Him, Trivialized, by His people who regard their rebellion and rejection of Him as a trivial thing.

Consider Him, Trivialized

Trivialize: “to make (something) seem less important, significant, serious, and complex than it really is; to regard or treat as unimportant; to make trivial insignificant; to minimize; to make something unusual seem ordinary or unimportant.”

• Him, Trivialized: “as though it had been a trivial thing;” they made Him seem less important significant, serious and complex as they went after idols.
  • Then God spoke all these words, saying, ² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ³ You shall have no other gods before Me. ⁴ You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. ⁵ You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,” (Exodus 20:1-5).

• Him, Trivialized: “as though it had been a trivial thing;” they regarded and treated His Word as unimportant to direct their lives.
  • “But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’ ²⁴ Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward,” (Jeremiah 7:23-24).

• Him, Trivialized: “as though it had been a trivial thing;” they minimized His command to live in holiness.
  • “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. ⁴⁵ For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy,” (Leviticus 11:44-45).

•  Him, Trivialized: “as though it had been a trivial thing;” they treated Him as ordinary, as though the pagan idols could compare.
  • Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images,
    Who boast themselves of idols;
    Worship Him, all you gods.
    ⁸ Zion heard this and was glad,
    And the daughters of Judah have rejoiced
    Because of Your judgments, O Lord.
    ⁹ For You are the Lord Most High over all the earth;
    You are exalted far above all gods, (Psalm 97:7-9).

How do we respond to Him, Trivialized?

Let’s begin by considering the opposite of trivial: “consequential, essential, important, major, meaningful, necessary, pertinent, relevant, serious, significant, substantial, uncommon, useful, valuable, worthwhile, weighty.”

He is all that and so much more!

We may shake our finger in disgust at the wickedness of these kings to treat Him in such a way, as Trivialized; but let us examine our own hearts: our thoughts, words and actions. Don’t we, all too often, attempt to Trivialize Him; treating Him as less important or significant than He is, disregarding His Word and minimizing His call to holiness, bringing Him down to our ordinary level, as if He is no different than us?

Father, we confess, we are no different or better than those we read about today. It is only by the blood of Jesus that we can be forgiven and made holy in Your sight. And even as Your born-again children, we fail and treat You as Trivialized. Please forgive us. We are desperate for Your Holy Spirit to transform us and grow us, that we would exalt You in every part of our beings.

Father, grow us we pray:

• Oh, that You would grow us in our understanding and awe of Your beauty and majesty as we pursue You above all else.
  • One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:
    That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
    To behold the beauty of the Lord
    And to meditate in His temple, (Psalm 27:4).
  • Whom have I in heaven but You?
    And besides You, I desire nothing on earth, (Psalm 73:25).

• Oh, that You would grow us to desire, love and seek You in Your Word, that You would renew our minds and direct our lives, that we might walk according to Your will.
  • O how I love Your law!
    It is my meditation all the day.
    ⁹⁸ Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
    For they are ever mine.
    ⁹⁹ I have more insight than all my teachers,
    For Your testimonies are my meditation, (Psalm 119:97-99).
  • Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect, (Romans 12:1-2).

• Oh, that You would grow us to intentionally walk in humility, obedience and holiness, as we fix our hope on Your grace, solely provided through Jesus Christ.
  • For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, ¹² instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, (Titus 2:11-13).
  • Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, ¹⁵ but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; ¹⁶ because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy,” (1 Peter 1:13-16).

• Oh, that You would grow us in our regard, reverence and esteem of You, that we would boldly exalt and magnify You in everything we say and do.
  • I will bless the Lord at all times;
    His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
    ² My soul will make its boast in the Lord;
    The humble will hear it and rejoice.
    ³ O magnify the Lord with me,
    And let us exalt His name together, (Psalm 34:1-3).
  • according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death, (Philippians 1:20).

Let’s Grow Together!