1 Kings

1 Kings 15: God keeps David's line

Begin in prayer

Before we read about the kings of Judah, let us draw near to the Lord together. Ask Him to make our family walk in His ways, and to show us the Son of David who reigns forever.

Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.

Psalm 128:1

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You keep Your promise to David's family, and help us to trust You and Your Son, Jesus. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Abijam reigns in Judah three years and walks in all the sins of his father. Yet the LORD gives him a lamp in Jerusalem, for David's sake, because David did what was right. Asa becomes king and does what is right, and he removes the idols and even his mother from being queen. Baasha, king of Israel, builds Ramah against Judah, and Asa buys Ben-Hadad's help with the LORD's treasures. Baasha kills Nadab and destroys the house of Jeroboam, as the LORD had said through Ahijah.

As you read 1 Kings 15, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD keeps His promise to David, and He keeps a lamp burning for his family.

Abijam reigned three years in Jerusalem, and his heart was not perfect with the LORD, as David's had been (verses 1 to 3). Yet for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him (verse 4). The lamp was the LORD's promise to David, kept for David's sake and not for Abijam's. Asa then did what was right in the LORD's eyes, as David had done (verse 11). He put away the idols his fathers made. He also removed his mother Maacah from being queen, because of her Asherah (verses 12 and 13). Yet Asa also took silver and gold from the LORD's house to buy the help of Ben-Hadad (verses 18 and 19). In Israel, Baasha killed Nadab and destroyed Jeroboam's house, as the LORD had said through Ahijah (verses 27 to 29). God brought a Saviour from David's line, Jesus, as He promised (Acts 13 verses 22 and 23).

How does 1 Kings 15 show us that the LORD keeps His promise to David, and keeps a lamp burning for his family?

The LORD keeps His promise to David's family.

The LORD gave Abijam a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up a son after him (verse 4). He did it for David's sake, because David had done what was right in the LORD's eyes (verse 5). The one exception was the matter of Uriah the Hittite (verse 5). The LORD kept His promise while the kings of Judah walked in their fathers' sins.

Asa removes the idols from the land.

Asa did what was right in the LORD's eyes, as David his father had done (verse 11). He removed the idols that his fathers had made (verse 12). He removed his mother Maacah from being queen, and burned her Asherah image at the brook Kidron (verse 13). The high places stayed, yet his heart was perfect with the LORD all his days (verse 14).

Jesus is the Son of David whom the LORD promised.

The LORD kept a lamp for David's family, so that a son would reign after him (verse 4). Matthew begins his book by calling Jesus the son of David (Matthew 1 verse 1). Paul told the people that God brought a Saviour, Jesus, from David's line, as He promised (Acts 13 verses 22 and 23).

Memorise

Nevertheless for David’s sake, Yahweh his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him.

1 Kings 15:4

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, do I walk in the LORD's ways, and do I trust His Son?

The LORD kept a lamp for David in Jerusalem, even when David's sons walked in sin. Jesus is the Son of David, and He said that He is the light of the world.

The kings of David's line failed, and so do we. Jesus did not fail. He offered Himself on the cross for His people. The Father raised Him from the dead, and He sat down at God's right hand when the work was done. No one can add to what He did.

So come to Him, turn from your sin, and put your trust in Jesus. The LORD kept His promise to David by sending a Saviour. He will not turn down a sinner who follows Him, and that one will have the light of life.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the LORD keeps His promise to David's family. Tell them too that Jesus is the Son of David who reigns forever. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He keeps His promises, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

There I will make the horn of David to bud. I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.

Psalm 132:17

Father, thank You that You keep Your promise to David and his family. Thank You for Jesus, the Son of David, who reigns forever. Turn each of us from our sin, and help us to trust Jesus. Keep our family walking in Your ways this week. Amen.