A Lamp in Jerusalem – 1 Kings 14:21-16:34

1 Kings 14:21-16:34

Occasionally you hear truth in strange places. In an episode of The Simpson’s, Homer said of the Bible, “All these people are a mess …. except this one guy.” This reminds us that God can save and use anyone. This also reminds us to not put our ultimate hope in mere mortals. People will disappoint you. We all have feet of clay. Yes, Homer Simpson got it right, “All these people are a mess … except this one guy” and that guy is Jesus. In the book of Kings, we see this reality lived out. Many of the individuals in Kings are quite literally “a mess.” But a promised King is coming, who will keep God’s law perfectly. What makes Kings from being a depressing book is the promise that God is going to preserve a remnant, and this ultimate Son of David will come and reign forever. God will preserve “a lamp in Jerusalem” (11:36; 15:4). In this passage of Scripture, we are reminded of this promise.