Nadab was Jeroboam’s son. As you probably remember, in the Bible, Jeroboam is pictured as one of the evil kings and the one who led Israel into sin. Jeroboam was chosen by the Lord Himself to save humanity and lead Israel, but instead, he chose to worship fake gods, insulting God and ultimately completely turning away from Him. Because of his terrible sins, Jeroboam was cursed, along with his entire family.
After Jeroboam’s death, his son Nadab took over, and instead of saving Israel from his father’s sins and proving he was a good leader, he dug a deeper grave for everyone, including himself. (1 Kings 15:26).
Sadly, for Jeroboam’s line, the newly crowned son continued his father’s mistakes. Another wicked individual mentioned in the Bible was Baasha. Baasha murdered Jeroboam’s son and, therefore, won the king title. “As soon as [Baasha] began to reign, he killed Jeroboam’s whole family.
He did not leave Jeroboam anyone that breathed, but destroyed them all, according to the word of the Lord given through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite” (1 Kings 15:29). The story of Jeroboam’s son is also important to Christianity because it shows yet another evil king who tried to rule God’s people without God. Furthermore, his story tells us that you should never expect greatness if you are offering rage, hatred, and disrespect.
Why Did Nadab Continue His Father’s Mistakes?
It is not exactly clear why most kings who ruled Israel turned from bad to worse to borderline evil, but one thing is for certain – they were all looking for power when they should not have. You might find it peculiar that so many kings continued to sin so deeply and were ultimately doomed for this.
For most people, it’s common sense or pure logic that at least one of them would try to change their fate and not end up like the previous rulers. But power, riches, and influence sometimes change even the best of people. It is true that most rulers came from bad kings, and they had nothing to learn from them, but why repeat something when you know the outcome?
It is safe to say that each successor of Israel’s throne became more and more thirsty to be acknowledged by everyone for their power and wit. Nadab, like many before him, probably thought that he could handle what his ancestors and previous kings could not. But imagine if he did succeed. People from all over would gather to tell his tale.
That is exactly what he wanted. Unfortunately for him, he forgot to put his trust in the hands of God. He continued his father’s mistakes willingly. He continued to worship false deities, and for this, he, too, met his end.
The story of how Nadab continued his father’s mistake, further burying Israel in sins, teaches us that no matter how big and strong we might think we are or how big we might get, God can take all that confidence away in a matter of seconds. And you can never outrun Him.
What Prophecy Did Ahijah the Shilonite Give?
Ahijah the Shilonite was the prophet who told Jeroboam that the throne of Israel would one day be his. However, he was to deliver another message to Jeroboam’s family. The LORD had told Ahijah, “Go, tell Jeroboam that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I raised you up from among the people and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David.” (1 Kings 14:7–11). It’s important to understand that David was one of God’s favorites because he proved loyal.
“You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have aroused my anger and turned your back on me. Because of this, I am going to bring disaster to the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel—enslaved person or free. I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns dung until it is all gone. Dogs will eat those belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country.” (1 Kings 14:7–11).
And the prophecy became a reality soon after. Jeroboam’s son Abijah died as soon as his mother arrived, and the whole family would soon become extinct. Baasha, one of the captains working for Jeroboam’s family, wanted the throne, and he made sure to end the entire family line and all those belonging to Jeroboam, just as God wanted it. He started with the king, Nadab.
Why Did God End Nadab’s Line?
To ensure that the blood of evil and sin does not go any further, God decided to punish Jeroboam by ending his entire bloodline. What was supposed to be life-changing for Israel quickly turned into a nightmare. God planned for Jeroboam to be the savior of humankind. But this king did not want to praise God for his victories.
Instead, he wanted to control his people, so he turned to idolatry. He is leaving God behind and trying to prove that he can rule on his own. His tale teaches Christianity that standing by God is always the only choice. There should be no questions when it comes to accepting God’s gifts.
Jeroboam was presented with an extraordinary gift from the Lord. But he refused and furthermore insulted Him by trying to seek power, love, health, and greatness from fake gods. His son, Nadab, did he same thing. The next king, Baasha, was the same. Each ruler was worse and worse than the one before.
But Jeroboam is important to our study because he is the first one to disobey God in such a terrifying and insulting manner. So let this be a lesson to all Christians everywhere. You will never succeed if you move with rage, hate, and selfishness in your heart.
