From Splendor to Shadow

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Chapter 8—National Apostasy Brings National Ruin

From Jeroboam's death to Elijah's appearance before Ahab Israel suffered a steady spiritual decline. The larger number of the people rapidly lost sight of their duty to serve the living God and adopted practices of idolatry. SS 57.1

Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, who occupied the throne of Israel a few months, was suddenly slain with all his kindred in the line of succession, “according unto the saying of the Lord, which He spake by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite: because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin.” 1 Kings 15:29, 30. SS 57.2

The idolatrous worship introduced by Jeroboam had brought the retributive judgments of Heaven, and yet the rulers who followed—Baasha, Elah, Zimri, and Omri—continued the same fatal course of evildoing. SS 57.3