Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of I Kings Chapter 16
Metaphysically Interpreting I Kings 16:1-7
16:1And the word of Jehovah came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, 16:2Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee prince over my people Israel, and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins; 16:3behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house; and I will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16:4Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the field shall the birds of the heavens eat.
16:5Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 16:6And Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah; and Elah his son reigned in his stead. 16:7And moreover by the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of Jehovah against Baasha, and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of Jehovah, to provoke him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he smote him.
Metaphysically Interpreting I Kings 16:8-14
16:8In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, and reigned two years. 16:9And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him. Now he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the household in Tirzah: 16:10and Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.
16:11And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he smote all the house of Baasha: he left him not a single man-child, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends. 16:12Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet, 16:13for all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, which they sinned, and wherewith they made Israel to sin, to provoke Jehovah, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities. 16:14Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Metaphysically Interpreting I Kings 16:15-20
16:15In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines. 16:16And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath conspired, and hath also smitten the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp. 16:17And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 16:18And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the castle of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died, 16:19for his sins which he sinned in doing that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin. 16:20Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Metaphysically Interpreting I Kings 16:21-23
16:21Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri. 16:22But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned. 16:23In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, and reigned twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.
Metaphysically Interpreting I Kings 16:24-28
16:24And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria. 16:25And Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and dealt wickedly above all that were before him. 16:26For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke Jehovah, the God of Israel, to anger with their vanities.16:27Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 16:28So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.
Metaphysically Interpreting I Kings 16:29-30
16:29And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. 16:30And Ahab the son of Omri did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah above all that were before him.
Metaphysically Interpreting I Kings 16:31-34
16:31And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. 16:32And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 16:33And Ahab made the Asherah; and Ahab did yet more to provoke Jehovah, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him. 16:34In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof with the loss of Abiram his first-born, and set up the gates thereof with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.
July 31, 1904: I Kings 16:23-33
GOLDEN TEXT: Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people. – Prov. 14:34.
Omri means “like a sheaf,” and symbolizes that phase of consciousness in which the ruling thought is not in Truth, but outside of it. When the centre of identity drops from Spirit to a recognition of form as the real, an entire change of character ensues. The thoughts of the outer world are the basis of action, and life becomes a kind of “fool's paradise.”
In the beginning this reign has its pleasant aspects. “Six years reigned he in Tirzah.” Tirzah means “delight.” But the foundation being outside of Truth the thoughts and acts wander farther and farther into error. Omri bought the hill Samaria, which means an exaltation of personality, and set up a city, or centre there. He walked in the way of Jeroboam, who symbolizes that which his name implies, “the people are adverse.” This all illustrates a certain phase of intellectual rulership in which the One True God of Reality is ignored, and a lot of secondary deities substituted. Baal means lord, and it was the besetting sin of the ancient Hebrews to apply this to things formed instead of the formless. This tendency is still prevalent among followers of the Hebrews. All concepts of God less than Universal Mind are Baal. Whoever believes in a personal god is a worshipper of Baal, because he makes an image of that which is “without body, parts or passions.”
A personal god leads to a materialization of religion in all its aspects. When the mind is centred in the outer realm of consciousness where the thoughts, or “people,” are adverse to God, it retrogrades until that whole state of consciousness goes to pieces. This retrogression is by stages from bad to worse. Omri was a little worse than any that had preceded him, but he was followed by Ahab, his son, who provoked more opposition, or “anger,” of the True Law than all the kings of Israel that were before him. Ahab's pinnacle of sin was marrying Jezebel, who represents the animal soul of unbridled passions of sense consciousness. When this union of the ruling identity in the intellect and the licentious desires of the body is complete, the whole man is involved in error. This is rearing an altar for Baal in the house of Baal.
But the reign of these error states of consciousness is temporary, and there is an undercurrent of Truth constantly at work, deep in the man that finally brings him to his senses. Omri and Ahab passed away; Jezebel met a violent death. The prophets of Baal were destroyed in a bunch, by Elijah, the fiery Word of God, and Israel was redeemed. So man comes out of his error into the Truth, and harmony is restored in mind and body.
– UNITY magazine.
May 23, 1915: I Kings 16:25-33
Omri means “like a sheaf,” and symbolizes that phase of consciousness in which the ruling thought is not in Truth, but outside of it. When the center of identity drops from Spirit to a recognition of form as the real, an entire change of character ensues: the thoughts of the outer world are the basis of action, and life becomes a kind of “fool's paradise.”
In the beginning this reign has its pleasant aspects. “Six years reigned he in Tirzah.” Tirzah means “delight.” But the foundation being outside of Truth, the thoughts and acts wander farther and farther into error. Omri bought the hill Samaria, which means an exaltation of personality, and set up a city, or center, there. He walked in the way of Jeroboam, who symbolizes that which his name implies, “the people are adverse.” This all illustrates a certain phase of intellectual rulership in which the One True God of Reality is ignored, and a lot of secondary deities are substituted. Baal means lord, and it was the besetting sin of the ancient Hebrews to apply this to things formed instead of the formless. This tendency is still prevalent among followers of the Hebrews. All concepts of God less than Universal Mind are Baal. Whoever believes in a personal god is a worshiper of Baal, because he makes an image of that which is “without body, parts or passions.” A personal god leads to a materialization of religion in all its aspects.
When the mind is centered in the outer realm of consciousness, where the thoughts or “people” are adverse to God, it retrogrades until that whole state of consciousness goes to pieces. This retrogression is by stages, from bad to worse. Omri was a little worse than any that had preceded him, but he was followed by Ahab, his son, who provoked more opposition or “anger” of the True Law than all the kings of Israel that were before him. Ahab's pinnacle of sin was marrying Jezebel, who represents the animal soul of unbridled passions of sense consciousness. When this union of the ruling identity in the intellect and the licentious desires of the body is complete, the whole man is involved in error. This is rearing an altar for Baal in the house of Baal.
But the reign of these error states of consciousness is temporary, and there is an undercurrent of Truth constantly at work, deep in the man, that finally brings him to his senses. Omri and Ahab passed away; Jezebel met a violent death. The prophets of Baal were destroyed in a bunch by Elijah, the fiery word of God, and Israel was redeemed. So the higher principle in man erases the thoughts of error, and harmony in mind and body is restored.
– UNITY magazine.
December 1, 1918: I Kings 16:23-33
What does “Israel,” as we read of it in this lesson, represent? “Israel” is the name of the kingdom made up of the ten tribes which withdrew from “Judah.” “Israel” in this sense represents man's intellectual activities.
What in consciousness does “Omri,” ruler of Israel, represent? Omri means “like a sheaf,” and symbolizes that phase of consciousness in which the ruling thought is not in Truth, but outside of it.
What is the meaning of “Omri bought the hill of Samaria”? “Omri bought the hill of Samaria” means that the ruling thought of the intellect, being outside of Truth, exalts the personality.
What follows this exaltation of personality? The exaltation of personality leads to more worship of false gods. “Baal,” meaning “lord,” represents worship of things formed instead of formless Spirit. Those who believe in a personal god are worshippers of Baal. They should learn to go back of the realm of things, that they may come in touch with God who is Spirit, Mind, Cause, Omnipresent.
What is the result in consciousness of giving the substance of thought to the world of form? When the dominant thoughts of mind are given over to the seeming delights and pleasures that come with worldly power, material possessions and friendships on the personal plane, the man degenerates. “Omri slept with his fathers,” etc.
Who becomes ruler after the death of Omri? “Ahab,” son of “Omri,” becomes ruler after his father's death. “Ahab” is the intellect that has dropped to the level of sense worship. “Ahab” married “Jezebel” who represents the animal soul of unbridled passions and desires. When this union of forces takes place, the whole man is involved in error.
How is man resurrected from this retrogression? “Omri” and “Ahab” passed away; the intellectual man cannot endure the coarser expressions of the senses. “Jezebel” met a violent death; the throes of passion and appetites burn themselves out. “Elijah” destroys the prophets of Baal; the quickening, fiery Word of Truth sets up its activity, revealing the higher principle of man's being, and erasing the thoughts of error. Harmony in mind and body results.
May 13, 1945: I Kings 16:30-33
What meaning attaches to the word Baal? Baal means “lord.” Among the natives of ancient Palestine it was the name given to the local ruling deity whose form they worshiped. Baal symbolizes a materialistic conception of God.
What forms of negation or evil are to be avoided in Ahab and Jezebel? Error states of consciousness on the level of the senses, chiefly the intellect whose forces are wrongly directed. A person of intelligence who gives his energies to the planning and doing of evil is a greater menace to the peace and well-being of others than is the foolish person who does evil because he knows no better.
May 13, 1945: I Kings 16:30-33
God is Spirit; therefore we are true worshipers only as we understand and enter into the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of all good, and express that Spirit in our daily life. Ahab, who did more evil than all the kings who went before him, represents error states of consciousness or the intellect that has fallen to the level of sense worship. Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, is a type of extreme evil state of consciousness on the sense plane.
Such states are completely divorced from Truth, which they cannot know. The man who kills another and who is condemned to die for murder may, as the date of his execution draws near, believe that he is converted and will be pardoned. If he received a pardon from the governor of the State in which he was condemned to die, such a man might return to the kind of life he led before sentence was passed on him and commit other murders. The Spirit of truth must enter into the heart before it can save a man from himself or save society from him. He must be true in himself, and then he is safe from evil both from within and from without.
– UNITY magazine.
May 13, 1951: I Kings 16:23-30
What kings mentioned in the lesson expressed the negative qualities of the objective consciousness? Omri and Ahab. Both these kings “did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah.” These kings represent the state of discord that results when the true spiritual source of life is not recognized.
What will unite the nations into one world? A common will and understanding among men, based on the truth that all men are children of the one God. Such a center of unification is necessary, when leaders arise to inspire all men to think and act as one.
How can each of us help to hasten the day, when all men shall be one in mind, will, and understanding? By affirming and believing that the day is at hand, and by giving thanks for it. As we thus work we help to bring oneness into realization.
Has the individual a center of unification that compares with that of society or of a nation? Yes. With the individual it is the I AM. Through this means the individual integrates his forces with his ideals. As men individually realize their oneness with God through the I AM, so men collectively will eventually realize their oneness with God and with one another.
What is the mightiest ideal of which the human heart can conceive? The ideal of God. Around this ideal rally the forces that transform life and the world.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 02-05-2014
