1 Kings 16:7
“Moreover Yahweh’s word came by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in Yahweh’s sight, to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he struck him.”
What does 1 Kings 16:7 mean?
God sent the prophet Jehu to confront King Baasha with a hard message: his reign and dynasty would be destroyed because of his unfaithfulness and violence. Baasha had followed the same pattern of idolatry that Jeroboam before him had pioneered, leading Israel away from God, and he had also ruthlessly eliminated his rival's family to secure his own power. Even though God had actually raised Baasha up to power as a judgment against the previous king, Baasha then failed to use that position to turn back to God or govern justly. This verse shows us that God takes seriously both how leaders live and how they treat others, and that having authority or even being chosen by God doesn't guarantee protection if we continually choose our own desires over obedience.