August 18, 2010
Solomon dies and his son Rehoboam takes over. The people come to him and ask for his mercy. He tells them to go away for three days while he thinks about it.
Rehoboam first consults the older leaders who had advised Solomon. Their advice was to show them mercy, be a servant, and they will serve you. (Jane has written in her Bible, "The secret to success—be a servant.") Rehoboam then consulted his young friends. Their advice was to put your foot down! Tell them you are going to be even harder on them then Solomon. In effect saying—I'm in control, you will do whatever I want or I will force you to do it. The people revolted and the tribes split. Judah with Rehoboam and the rest with Jeroboam. Rehoboam wanted all his kingdom back so he prepared for battle, but God said, "You must not go to war against your brothers."
God clearly says in the Old Testament that you must not go to war against your brother. The New Testament clearly says the same thing in I Corinthians 6. God's "must not" directives are very clear. When God says "must not" there will always be consequences if you choose to disobey. You cannot disobey God without consequences.
Jeroboam is afraid the Israelite tribes who are following him might return to following Rehoboam if they continue to go to Jerusalem to worship; so he develops his own temples and two golden calves for the people to worship. He decided what they would worship, when they would worship, and who would be the priests. We can try to "act" like the real deal or "look" like the real deal, but there is only one real deal—God/Christ. There is no other way.
The LORD commanded a prophet to speak against Jeroboam's altar. He clearly said what would happen, and it did. The prophet understood the wickedness of Jeroboam and obeyed God by refusing to compromise or even eat and drink anything in that place. No money offers would sway him. But then on the way home an old prophet approached him, lied to him, and convinced the prophet to come back and eat with him. Thinking the old prophet was speaking for God, he went against what God had told him and it cost him his life.
We have to know what God's Word says! We can not go by what someone else says God is saying unless we line it up with scripture and confirm it is God's Word. Not doing that cost the prophet his life.
Jeroboam continued to do evil. His son becomes ill and he sends his wife to Ahijah to see what will happen. Jeroboam tried to use trickery, but God exposes his plan. Ahijah told Jeroboam's wife what God had revealed to him. God chose Jeroboam, but Jeroboam chose to do evil and because of that evil, disaster was going to happen to his family. His son would die. He would be buried. All the other men in the family would die as well. Those who died in the city would be eaten by dogs. Those who died in the country would be eaten by birds. Everything God said would happen—did. (I Kings 15:29)
Accountability always happens. Jeroboam sinned → he led the to people sin → God let them be defeated → and Jeroboam and his entire family was destroyed. You cannot escape it. God's word is God's word. It will happen.
How grateful I am that "the storm" we are in is God's battle and not ours. Our only responsibility is to remain faithful and to do what God leads us to do. We will do that. God's part, is God's part. He doesn't need our help. We don't have to plot or plan. We are so grateful that God is in charge of the what, when, how, or why.
Next Entry: I Kings 15:1 – 16:34
Solomon dies and his son Rehoboam takes over. The people come to him and ask for his mercy. He tells them to go away for three days while he thinks about it.
Rehoboam first consults the older leaders who had advised Solomon. Their advice was to show them mercy, be a servant, and they will serve you. (Jane has written in her Bible, "The secret to success—be a servant.") Rehoboam then consulted his young friends. Their advice was to put your foot down! Tell them you are going to be even harder on them then Solomon. In effect saying—I'm in control, you will do whatever I want or I will force you to do it. The people revolted and the tribes split. Judah with Rehoboam and the rest with Jeroboam. Rehoboam wanted all his kingdom back so he prepared for battle, but God said, "You must not go to war against your brothers."
God clearly says in the Old Testament that you must not go to war against your brother. The New Testament clearly says the same thing in I Corinthians 6. God's "must not" directives are very clear. When God says "must not" there will always be consequences if you choose to disobey. You cannot disobey God without consequences.
Jeroboam is afraid the Israelite tribes who are following him might return to following Rehoboam if they continue to go to Jerusalem to worship; so he develops his own temples and two golden calves for the people to worship. He decided what they would worship, when they would worship, and who would be the priests. We can try to "act" like the real deal or "look" like the real deal, but there is only one real deal—God/Christ. There is no other way.
The LORD commanded a prophet to speak against Jeroboam's altar. He clearly said what would happen, and it did. The prophet understood the wickedness of Jeroboam and obeyed God by refusing to compromise or even eat and drink anything in that place. No money offers would sway him. But then on the way home an old prophet approached him, lied to him, and convinced the prophet to come back and eat with him. Thinking the old prophet was speaking for God, he went against what God had told him and it cost him his life.
We have to know what God's Word says! We can not go by what someone else says God is saying unless we line it up with scripture and confirm it is God's Word. Not doing that cost the prophet his life.
Jeroboam continued to do evil. His son becomes ill and he sends his wife to Ahijah to see what will happen. Jeroboam tried to use trickery, but God exposes his plan. Ahijah told Jeroboam's wife what God had revealed to him. God chose Jeroboam, but Jeroboam chose to do evil and because of that evil, disaster was going to happen to his family. His son would die. He would be buried. All the other men in the family would die as well. Those who died in the city would be eaten by dogs. Those who died in the country would be eaten by birds. Everything God said would happen—did. (I Kings 15:29)
Accountability always happens. Jeroboam sinned → he led the to people sin → God let them be defeated → and Jeroboam and his entire family was destroyed. You cannot escape it. God's word is God's word. It will happen.
How grateful I am that "the storm" we are in is God's battle and not ours. Our only responsibility is to remain faithful and to do what God leads us to do. We will do that. God's part, is God's part. He doesn't need our help. We don't have to plot or plan. We are so grateful that God is in charge of the what, when, how, or why.
Next Entry: I Kings 15:1 – 16:34
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