1 Kings 14

1Ki 14:9
"but you have done more evil than all who were before you, for you have gone and made for yourself other gods and molded images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back--

For You have cast all my sins behind Your back. (Isa 38:17)

Isn't it interesting? In both cases, something is being cast to the back. Is it God, or your sins?

God never cast us behind His back. He is always with us, watching us. Sometimes, He may be in front and ahead of us. But that's to guide and lead us. Often, He is beside us, walking with us. Do we cast Him behind our backs? I think we do. When we get buried in our daily chores and work and don't remember to pray or have our quiet-time.

God does not want us to cast Him behind our backs because He desires to take first place in our hearts, and in our lives. He wants to help us in our every decision, every problem.

Don't cast God behind our backs. Rather, pray that He cast our sins behind His back. Otherwise, the multitude of our sins will not allow us to stand in front of Him. Pray that He may be merciful and cleanse us of all filth.


1Ki 14:13
"And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he is the only one of Jeroboam who shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something good toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.

I like this verse because it reminds me that God looks at the individual. Although Abijah was the son of Jeroboam, God had not blindly destroy the entire house just because of Jeroboam's sins. God looks at every individual's heart to see if they are towards God. And if they are found to be so, God shows His mercy towards them. I think this applies to every household and every church today.


1Ki 14:22
Now Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked Him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, more than all that their fathers had done.

Why use the word 'jealousy'? Apostle Paul also used the words 'godly jealousy'.

For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (2Cr 11:2)

Indeed, when we commit our lives to Christ through baptism, we become a part of the church, who is the bride of Christ. Our relationship with God should be such an intimate one, that the relationship between a man and his wife is used as an analogy here. And just like how adultery will make the other party jealous, similarly, spiritual adultery (when we commit idolatry) provokes God to jealousy. We are already betrothed to Christ. Let us remain chaste while awaiting His second coming.