Reading through the stories of the kings of Israel and Judah in the Old Testament is a painful historical ride. There are so many of them who disobey God, follow idols, do not listen to the prophets, and suffer the consequences.

I find that as I read their stories, I continually say to myself, “This isn’t going to end well.” One by one, they choose to do evil and then receive punishment for their behavior.

My next thought is usually, “How could they be so foolish?”

Why did they not listen to the stories of their ancestors? Why did they not learn from the mistakes of others? Why could they not see that disobeying the Lord always has a disastrous ending? Why do they think they are the exception to the rules?

The final question that haunts me is, “Why do I not learn from them too?”

The Apostle Paul writes to the Church in Corinth, and he is warning them about ungodly behavior. He uses the story of the nation of Israel and its leadership to illustrate his point. Then he writes, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11)

These stories should not only serve as warnings to future kings and leaders but also serve as negative examples for us. They tell us about the joy and blessings of following God and the destruction that awaits those who disobey him.

It is easy to see in the stories of the kings the foolishness of their choices, but it is much harder to see in our own lives. Know that no matter when you live, a life that rejects God’s will is not going to end well.