1 Kings

1 Kings 14:1-13

With a sick son, Jeroboam was suddenly interested in hearing from the Lord.  Did he inquire of the gods he created?  Did they not speak to him?  Could they not heal his son?  I believe Jereboam was always aware of the true and Living God and always aware of his own idolatry.  But he justified it on the basis of politics and controlling the outcome of the situation he was in; all of which shows a lack of faith in the promise God had made to him. 

Jereboam sent his wife to Shilo to speak to Ahijah, the same prophet that told him he would be king.  He had her wear a disguise because they had so blatantly and openly rejected God and His prophets.  We might recognize this as a hypocrite; she was putting on a disguise, playing a part before God.  But God had prepared Ahijah, telling him that it was Jereboam's wife coming to him.

Ahijah lets her know he knows who she is.  He then gives an overview of what Jereboam did with the throne God had given him and the direction with which he was rule the people.  Jereboam had done more evil than all those before him and he hadn't ruled as directed by God, he would, threrefore, not be rewarded as God promised.  He then gives a prophecy, not just of the child but of the entire family.  The child would die and that all the males of Jeroboam's family would be cut off.  Abijah, the sick child, would be the only one buried.  The remaining family would also die; those dead in the city would be eaten by dogs; those dying in the country would be eaten by birds.   

1 Kings 14:14-16

God had been provoked to anger and this anger brings a response.  How is it that God's created creatures feel they can ignore, disrespect and diregard the word of the createor without affect?  Ahijah announces the Lord's judgment on Israel in that he will strike them as a reed is shaken in the water.  He would raise up a king that he would place over Israel and cut off the house of Jeroboam.  God root Israel out of the land and scatter them beyond the Euphrates River.  Jereboam was guilty of sinning but also multiplied his sin by leading others to sin. 

1 Kings 14:17-20

Jereboam's wife found that the prophet had surely spoken God's word when it came to be true.  Her son died when she arrived home.  Jeroboam reigned 22 years and then died and rested with his fathers.  His son Nadab became king. 

1 Kings 14:21-24

Rehoboam was 41 when he became king and reigned 17 years.  This sounds as though he was old enough to know better than what he did.  For he did evil in God's eyes building up high places, sacred pillars and wooden images.  The 'perverted persons' of verse 24 were male cult prostitutes in servicee to a pagan temple ro shrine. 

How did Rehoboam get so far from the Lord?  He is the offspring of a forbidden marriage.  God warned Solomon that the many foreign wives would lead him to the other gods.  How much more would the child growing up in that setting be drawn away from God.

1 Kings 14:25-231

We get many more details from 2 Chronicles 12 about King Shishak coming against Jerusalem.  The King came up and took everything; he looted the house of the Lord as wells as the king's house.  He also took the shields of gold that Solomon had made and had placed at the king's house.  Solomon had left his son great wealth, yet it was gone. 

Rehoboam attempts to keep up the façade by replacing the gold shields with bronze shields.  He put them on display when he entered the temple.  But who was really fooled?  Who couldn't tell the differentce? 

Rehoboam lived, reigned poorly and died, resting with his fathers.  He also joins the long list of unsuccessful kings making the point that man cannot rule himself; mankind longs for a perfect king.  Abijam, Rehoboam's son, became king when he died.

©2016 Doug Ford