The King Who Ignored God's Warning About Alcohol
The life and reign of King Elah.
We aren’t very far into the northern kingdom’s existence, and we’re already about to read the end of the second family to sit on Israel’s throne.
The lack of stability in the northern kingdom is starting when compared with the southern kingdom.
Elah’s Reign.
Baasha’s son Elah becomes king during the 26th year of King Asa’s reign. Elah reigns for only two years in the city of Tirzah. Here is some background information on Tirzah.
[Tirzah was] A city in the mountains of Manasseh which was noted for its beauty (Song of Solomon 6:4). The Hebrew word itself means pleasant or lovely. Tirzah was captured by Joshua (Joshua 12:24) and allotted to the half-tribe of Manasseh (Joshua 17:2-3). It was the third capital of the northern kingdom under Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:1-18) and remained the capital during the reigns of the northern kings Baasha (1 Kings 15:21-33), Elah (1 Kings 16:8), Zimri (1 Kings 16:23-24), and until midway through the reign of Omri (1 Kings 16:15), who moved it to Samaria. Later, a rebellion against the northern king Shallum originated in Tirzah when Menahem came to Samaria, assassinated him and became king in his place (2 Kings 15:14-16). (Photo Guide Overview in Accordance Bible Software)
Elah is yet another northern king who we aren’t told much about, although he did accomplish things during his two years on the throne (1 Kings 16:14). God’s silence about his accomplishments speaks volumes in light of what we are told about Elah.
Elah’s Death.
After two years on the throne, Elah was assassinated while he was “drinking heavily” in his beautiful capital city of Tirzah (1 Kings 16:9). The way the text reads, it seems the dulling of Elah’s mind with alcohol caused him to be unaware of Zimri’s conspiracy - the commander of half of Elah’s chariots.
Zimri kills Elah and assumes the throne for himself (1 Kings 16:10) - much like Elah’s father Baasha had done (1 Kings 15:27-28).
The Word of the Lord Comes to Pass.
Because of Baasha’s sin, the word of the Lord was pronounced against his family.
Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani, against Baasha, saying: “Inasmuch as I lifted you out of the dust and made you ruler over My people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and have made My people Israel sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins, surely I will take away the posterity of Baasha and the posterity of his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Baasha and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the fields.” (1 Kings 16:1-4)
No sooner does Zimri kill Elah and assume the power of the king, than he destroys the entire family of Baasha, just as God said would happen.
Then it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he was seated on his throne, that he killed all the household of Baasha; he did not leave him one male, neither of his relatives nor of his friends. Thus Zimri destroyed all the household of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, by which they had sinned and by which they had made Israel sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their idols. (1 Kings 16:11-13)
Elah was no innocent bystander—he followed in his father's footsteps in the sin of idolatry.
Crowning Principles.
Unwise leaders ignore the danger of strong drink.
The Proverbs have something to say about the dangers of “strong drink,” especially for kings or leaders.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink; Lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.
Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart. Let him drink and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more.
Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:4-9)
The Proverbs writer is urging his son, who would one day be king, that strong drink is not “for kings.” Why not? Because it influences the mind and a person’s decision-making. And the king must make good decisions for his people. Alcohol and strong drink would cause the king to forget about, and abuse the very people he should be looking out for.
The record of Elah drinking heavily shows him to be an unwise king who did not look to the good of his people - rather, he was only concerned about his own pleasure. And his heavy drinking may also be what got him killed.
This is a word of warning about alcohol to all who follow God.
He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)
Following our ancestors is not an acceptable excuse to sin.
Sometimes people will excuse their behavior by saying something like, “Oh I can’t help it, I’m just like my Momma (or Daddy)!”
Elah could have made that same excuse about his idolatry. “Oh, it’s what my daddy did, and I’m just like him!” But Elah still faced God’s justice for doing the same sins his father committed.
Elah wasn’t “given a free pass” by God because “Oh, you couldn’t help it. You’re just like your daddy, after all!”
Every person must decide what they will do for themselves.
And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
We have seen the downfall of many in government in different ways and we have seen the same in the Body of Christ. God's Word is for everyone, and no one can bypass it. Your ending is what stood out the most for me: "Every person must decide what they will do for themselves." Every day I must decide whether I am going to follow Christ or am I going to do my own thing. I choose Life. Have a blessed Christmas, you and your family.
The Bible is clear that drunkenness is not for a Christian - there is however no ban on sensible drinking of alcohol - we are free to drink alcohol and we are free to not do so. There is liberty in these mattes.