1 Kings 12:1-33


Solomon’s Idolatry led God to divide the kingdom so that Solomon’s son would only have the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.  Division is never the goal of any nation as it makes both parts weaker than the whole would have been.  However, this is the consequence of sin.  When David died he called Solomon to come and he challenged Solomon to serve the Lord and be a man of God.  Unfortunately, Solomon did not follow his father’s advice but he also failed to invest in the life of his son so that he could be successful.  Solomon never truly turned from his sinful ways and how his son and the entire nation will pay for his frivolity and negligence of the Word of God.

REHOBOAM FOLLOWS BAD ADVICE: Due to Solomon’s idolatry God had determined to divide the kingdom.  However, He divides the kingdom due to the actions of Rehoboam.  When he was made king the people came to him and asked for relief from the taxation and forced labor that Solomon had demanded to build the temple and the palace.  Had Rehoboam recognized the failures of his father and turned from this sinfulness; God would have more than likely blessed Rehoboam and allowed him to remain king over the entire nation.  Unfortunately, he did no such thing.  He consulted with the elders as well as with his peers and foolishly decided to listen to his peers.  He promised no only to maintain the burden his father had exacted but increase it.  His refusal to listen to his people and his rejection of the advice of the elders led to the division of the kingdom.  A good leader will always be faithful to listen to his people as well as learn from those who have gone before him.

REHOBOAM FLEES FOR HIS LIFE: The people of the ten tribes of Israel rebelled against Rehoboam, killed the officer in charge of their labor and declared that Jeroboam would be their king.  Rehoboam recognized that his life was in danger so he fled back to Jerusalem in hopes of raising an army to unite the kingdom once again through civil war.  God revealed to him that he was not supposed to go to war with their brothers and amazingly the Word of the Lord was heard and obeyed.  This gives us a glimmer of hope for the leadership in Judah because they at least obeyed the Word of the Lord when it was revealed to them.  There is no point in fighting if the Lord is not on our side.  If only they had sought the leading of the Lord prior to this.

JEROBOAM FAILS TO HONOR GOD: Jeroboam was made king of Israel and the first thing that he does is lead the people into idolatry.  He makes golden calves as objects of worship, the established ministers that were not from the tribe of Levi and he set up places of sacrifice that had nothing to do with the temple or the Law that the Lord had established.  In short, Jeroboam failed to honor God as king led the people into even deeper rebellion against God.  How sad it is to see the people so deluded and see the rebellion of the nation happen so quickly.  Jeroboam is not thankful to God for the opportunity he has to be king instead he tries to maintain his power by drawing the people away from the worship of the Lord.

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