In this chapter, God has promised to drive the people of Israel from the land He gave them because they have all sinned for worshiping other gods. Here’s the chapter in its entirety:
“At that time Jeroboam’s son Abijah became very sick. So Jeroboam told his wife, “Disguise yourself so that no one will recognize you as the queen. Then go to the prophet Ahijah at Shiloh -- the man who told me I would become king. Take him a gift of ten loaves of bread, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and ask him what will happen to the boy.”
So Jeroboam’s wife went to Ahijah’s home at Shiloh. He was an old man now and could no longer see. But the Lord had told Ahijah, “Jeroboam’s wife will come here, pretending to be someone else. She will ask you about her son, for he is very sick. You must give her the answer that I give you.”
So when Ahijah heard her footsteps at the door, he called out, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you pretending to be someone else?” Then he told her, “I have bad news for you. Give your husband, Jeroboam, this message from the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I promoted you from the ranks of the common people and made you ruler over my people Israel. I ripped the kingdom away from the family of David and gave it to you. But you have not been like my servant David, who obeyed my commands and followed me with all his heart and always did whatever I wanted him to do. You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made other gods and have made me furious with your gold calves. And since you have turned your back on me, I will bring disaster on your dynasty and kill all your sons, slave or free alike. I will burn up your royal dynasty as one burns up trash until it is all gone. I, the Lord, vow that the members of your family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures.’” (Wow!)
Then Ahijah said to Jeroboam’s wife, “Go on home, and when you enter the city, the child will die. All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only member of your family who will have a proper burial, for this child is the only good thing that the Lord, the God of Israel, sees in the entire family of Jeroboam. And the Lord will raise up a king over Israel who will destroy the family of Jeroboam. This will happen today, even now! Then the Lord will shake Israel like a reed whipped about in a stream. He will uproot the people of Israel from this good land that he gave their ancestors and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, for they have angered the Lord by worshiping Asherah poles. He will abandon Israel because Jeroboam sinned and made all of Israel sin along with him.”
So Jeroboam’s wife returned to Tirzah, and the child died just as she walked through the door of her home. When the people of Israel buried him, they mourned for him, as the Lord had promised through the prophet Ahijah.
The rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign, all his wars and how he ruled, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel. Jeroboam reigned in Israel twenty-two years. When Jeroboam died, his son Nadab became the next king.
Meanwhile, Rehoboam son of Solomon was king in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen from among all the tribes of Israel as the place to honor his name. Rehoboam's mother was Naamah, an Ammonite woman. During Rehoboam’s reign, the people of Judah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, arousing his anger with their sin, for it was even worse than that of their ancestors. They built pagan shrines and set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. There were even shrine prostitutes throughout the land. The people imitated the detestable practices of the pegan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.
In the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem. He ransacked the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace and stole everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made. Afterward Rehoboam made bronze shields as substitutes, and he entrusted them to the care of the palace guard officers. Whenever the king went to the Temple of the Lord, the guards would carry them along and then return them to the guardroom.
The rest of the events in Rehoboam’s reign and all his deeds are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. There was constant war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. When Rehoboam died, he was buried among his ancestors in the City of David. His mother was Naamah, an Ammonite woman. Then his son Abijam became the next king.” (1 Kings 14)
Lord, thank you for your Word today! Help us to serve you and you alone, and when others try to lead us astray...help us remain true to you. We love you!
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
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