Division Of The Kingdom To The Captivity Of Israel (1Ki 12:1-2; 17:41; 2Ch 10:1-28:27)
The Reign Of Jeroboam (12:25-14:20)
DENUNCIATION OF SIN AND RESULTING CONSEQUENCES (not in Chronicles)
1 KINGS 14:1-20
Reading: Joh 6:65-69
Songs:
Theme:
INTRODUCTION
A. There have been times I have been working of a company when the competitors have come in to purchase what they know is better than what they had in their company to service their customers. When one has the best people usually go to it.
B. Spiritually, thought there are many religions and religious bodies from which to choose, only one is the best, having the way to eternal life. It is to it all must go if they want the best.
C. The account of Jeroboam, king of the Northern tribes, establishes such an idea for us.
Discussion
I. THE PLAN (14:1-6).
The Plot
A. And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself ... and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah ... (14:1-4).
1 ¶ At that time <06256> Abijah <029> the son <01121> of Jeroboam <03379> fell sick <02470> (8804).
2 And Jeroboam <03379> said <0559> (8799) to his wife <0802>, Arise <06965> (8798), I pray thee, and disguise <08138> (8690) thyself, that thou be not known <03045> (8799) to be the wife <0802> of Jeroboam <03379>; and get <01980> (8804) thee to Shiloh <07887>: behold, there is Ahijah <0281> the prophet <05030>, which told <01696> (8765) me that I should be king <04428> over this people <05971>.
1. The idolatrous king Jeroboam’s had started a worship as you please religion.
2. However, when he wanted to know concerning the outcome for his very ill son Abijah, Jeroboam sent his disguised wife to Ahijah the prophet of God to make an inquiry (14:1-4).
3. When Jeroboam wanted to know the truth answer he realized it was not with the faith he created but with those who truly adhered to the true faith.
4. His action teaches us that even the apostates to the faith know there is only one place in which the truth that saves is found on earth, and that is with God’s people.
5. The same is true today concerning the denominations and the Lord’s church.
3 And take <03947> (8804) with thee <03027> ten <06235> loaves <03899>, and cracknels <05350>, and a cruse <01228> of honey <01706>, and go <0935> (8804) to him: he shall tell <05046> (8686) thee what shall become of the child <05288>. {with…: Heb. in thine hand} {cracknels: or, cakes} {cruse: or, bottle}
4 And Jeroboam’s <03379> wife <0802> did so <06213> (8799), and arose <06965> (8799), and went <03212> (8799) to Shiloh <07887>, and came <0935> (8799) to the house <01004> of Ahijah <0281>. But Ahijah <0281> could <03201> (8804) not see <07200> (8800); for his eyes <05869> were set <06965> (8804) by reason of his age <07869>. {were…: Heb. stood for his hoariness}
6. Many non-Christians and Christians do the same as Jeroboam and his wife.
a. As Jeroboam sent his wife to Ahijah, non-Christianity may go to Christians and ask to be remembered in pray.
(1) Such people, like Jeroboam, turn to God in times of crisis, wanting prayers such as, “Please hear my pray Father. Help them, help them, help them! Heal their disease. Give them that job. Provide them me what they want. Take their struggles away from them.”
(2) They want what God offers but they don’t really want God, at least not to follow his word on a daily basis.
b. Many Christians similar to Jeroboam’s wife, wear a disguise trying to deceive Christians, hoping to deceive God, in that they go through all the motions of faithfulness.
(1) All the time their hearts are set on this world, desiring more its pleasures and comforts.
(2) Like Jeroboam was earlier told, if we want God to hear our prayers, if we want what God offers, we must adhere to the faith daily (1Ki 11:38).
7. Despite the facade, Jeroboam’s plan to deceive was uncovered.
The Plot Revealed
B. And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee .. (14:5-6).
5 And the LORD <03068> said <0559> (8804) unto Ahijah <0281>, Behold, the wife <0802> of Jeroboam <03379> cometh <0935> (8802) to ask <01875> (8800) a thing <01697> of thee for her son <01121>; for he is sick <02470> (8802): thus <02090> and thus shalt thou say <01696> (8762) unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in <0935> (8800), that she shall feign herself to be another <05234> (8693) woman.
1. The Lord revealed to Ahijah the prophet that Jeroboam’s wife was coming by disguise to inquire of God about her son.
a. God in his omniscience knows the truth, is not deceived, sees past the facades and like Ananias and Sapphira, will judge all falsehood (cp. Act 5:1-11).
b. We can run from the truth but we can’t hide from it.
c. It would be better we fear God’s word through obedience to his word and live honestly (Mic 6:8; Ecc 12:13).
2. God told Ahijah what to say to Jeroboam’s wife.
6 And it was so, when Ahijah <0281> heard <08085> (8800) the sound <06963> of her feet <07272>, as she came in <0935> (8802) at the door <06607>, that he said <0559> (8799), Come in <0935> (8798), thou wife <0802> of Jeroboam <03379>; why feignest thou thyself to be another <05234> (8693)? for I am sent <07971> (8803) to thee with heavy <07186> tidings. {heavy: Heb. hard}
3.
Jeroboam’s wife arrived before Ahijah, no doubt, like most sinners, thinking how clever was her and her husband’s plan but the prophet revealed that he knew her.
Transition: He revealed to her that he had some “heavy tidings” for her from the Lord.
II. THE PRONOUNCEMENT (14:7-16).
A. Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel ... (14:7-13).
7 ¶ Go <03212> (8798), tell <0559> (8798) Jeroboam <03379>, Thus saith <0559> (8804) the LORD <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478>, Forasmuch as <03282> I exalted <07311> (8689) thee from among <08432> the people <05971>, and made <05414> (8799) thee prince <05057> over my people <05971> Israel <03478>,
8 And rent <07167> <00> the kingdom <04467> away <07167> (8799) from the house <01004> of David <01732>, and gave <05414> (8799) it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant <05650> David <01732>, who kept <08104> (8804) my commandments <04687>, and who followed <01980> (8804) <0310> me with all his heart <03824>, to do <06213> (8800) that only which was right <03477> in mine eyes <05869>;
9 But hast done <06213> (8800) evil <07489> (8686) above all that were before <06440> thee: for thou hast gone <03212> (8799) and made <06213> (8799) thee other <0312> gods <0430>, and molten images <04541>, to provoke me to anger <03707> (8687), and hast cast <07993> (8689) me behind <0310> thy back <01458>:
1. God had taken ten of the tribes of Israel and given them over to Jeroboam to rule (1Ki 11:29-40), because of Solomon’s sins, but Jeroboam had not been willing to faithfully follow God.
10 Therefore, behold, I will bring <0935> (8688) evil <07451> upon the house <01004> of Jeroboam <03379>, and will cut off <03772> (8689) from Jeroboam <03379> him that pisseth <08366> (8688) against the wall <07023>, and him that is shut up <06113> (8803) and left <05800> (8803) in Israel <03478>, and will take away <01197> (8765) the remnant <0310> of the house <01004> of Jeroboam <03379>, as a man taketh away <01197> (8762) dung <01557>, till it be all gone <08552> (8800).
11 Him that dieth <04191> (8801) of Jeroboam <03379> in the city <05892> shall the dogs <03611> eat <0398> (8799); and him that dieth <04191> (8801) in the field <07704> shall the fowls <05775> of the air <08064> eat <0398> (8799): for the LORD <03068> hath spoken <01696> (8765) it.
12 Arise <06965> (8798) thou therefore, get <03212> (8798) thee to thine own house <01004>: and when thy feet <07272> enter <0935> (8800) into the city <05892>, the child <03206> shall die <04191> (8804).
13 And all Israel <03478> shall mourn <05594> (8804) for him, and bury <06912> (8804) him: for he only of Jeroboam <03379> shall come <0935> (8799) to the grave <06913>, because in him there is found <04672> (8738) some good <02896> thing <01697> toward the LORD <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478> in the house <01004> of Jeroboam <03379>.
2. Consequently, the “heavy” news from God was that he was going to cut off the house of Jeroboam to the extent that every male descendant was to die, thus thoroughly removing any continuance of his family on the throne.
3. Only Abijah was to receive a decent burial in contrast to the others of Jeroboam’s family.
B. Moreover the LORD ... shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam ... (14:14-16).
14 Moreover the LORD <03068> shall raise him up <06965> (8689) a king <04428> over Israel <03478>, who shall cut off <03772> (8686) the house <01004> of Jeroboam <03379> that day <03117>: but what? even now.
15 For the LORD <03068> shall smite <05221> (8689) Israel <03478>, as a reed <07070> is shaken <05110> (8799) in the water <04325>, and he shall root up <05428> (8804) Israel <03478> out of this good <02896> land <0127>, which he gave <05414> (8804) to their fathers <01>, and shall scatter <02219> (8765) them beyond <05676> the river <05104>, because they have made <06213> (8804) their groves <0842>, provoking the LORD <03068> to anger <03707> (8688).
16 And he shall give <05414> <00> Israel <03478> up <05414> (8799) because <01558> of the sins <02403> of Jeroboam <03379>, who did sin <02398> (8804), and who made Israel <03478> to sin <02398> (8689).
1. The consequences of Jeroboam’s sins were that not only his descendants were to be destroyed but also the whole of the Northern kingdom because they followed in his sins.
a. Clearly the sins of one person, particularly a leader of the people, can well affect all those people.
b. Clearly, the sins of a father can visit the children.
III. THE PROCLAMATION (14:17-20).
Abijah Died
A. ... when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died; And they buried him ... (14:17-18).
17 And Jeroboam’s <03379> wife <0802> arose <06965> (8799), and departed <03212> (8799), and came <0935> (8799) to Tirzah <08656>: and when she came <0935> (8802) to the threshold <05592> of the door <01004>, the child <05288> died <04191> (8804);
18 And they buried <06912> (8799) him; and all Israel <03478> mourned <05594> (8799) for him, according to the word <01697> of the LORD <03068>, which he spake <01696> (8765) by the hand <03027> of his servant <05650> Ahijah <0281> the prophet <05030>.
1. When Jeroboam’s wife arrived back home her son died and the fulfillment of God’s word against Jeroboam’s house began.
Jeroboam Died
B. And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, ... are written in the book of the chronicles ... (14:19-20).
19 And the rest <03499> of the acts <01697> of Jeroboam <03379>, how he warred <03898> (8738), and how he reigned <04427> (8804), behold, they are written <03789> (8803) in the book <05612> of the chronicles <01697> <03117> of the kings <04428> of Israel <03478>.
20 And the days <03117> which Jeroboam <03379> reigned <04427> (8804) were two <08147> and twenty <06242> years <08141>: and he slept <07901> (8799) with his fathers <01>, and Nadab <05070> his son <01121> reigned <04427> (8799) in his stead. {slept: Heb. lay down}
1. It all that is written of Jeroboam, nothing is written of his repentance toward God.
2. Despite God’s warnings to Jeroboam, Jeroboam did not change his ways and died in rebellion to God.
3. All who die in rebellion to God die eternally lost to him (cp. Rom 6:23a).
Conclusion:
Sources Considered:
[1] David H. Roper, Rehoboam
Bob Winton, Outlined Commentary on 1 Kings, Manchester, TN
in charity through Christ, Ra y m ond W is e man