Reluctantly, Pharaoh let him go. He viewed his position as the opportunity to force others to serve him, rather than as his opportunity to serve others. Return to your homes, O Israel! The unintentional consequences of a foolish action may be far greater than one would have ever imagined. It is a situation that only God can resolve, and resolve it, He will. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i... More, Look, Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt, These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt’, so that he will not exalt himself above his fellow citizens and turn from the commandment right or left, and so that he and his descendants may enjoy many years ruling over his kingdom in Israel, 3. 2 They came from nations about which the Lord had warned the Israelites, “You must not establish friendly relations with them! The fourth element is that of leadership. The fact is that God gives men the freedom to make choices, but He is always in complete control of human history. It is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 41 Now when the other ten heard this, they became angry with James and John. Samaria will eventually become its capital and its dynasties will frequently change. Churches have split and marriages have ended in divorce in precisely the same manner. He does as he wishes with the army of heaven He underscored this prophecy by tearing his new robe into 12 pieces, and then giving Jeroboam 10 of them. 43 But it is not this way among you. Thus it is that he speaks of the ten tribes and Judah. This is one of the great “turning points” in the history of Israel, one that is crucial to our understanding the Bible. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc. 39 I will humiliate David’s descendants because of this, but not forever” (1 Kings 11:38-39). When Solomon commenced the construction of a terrace and was closing the gap in the wall surrounding his palace, Jeroboam was one of his workers. There are a number of lessons to be learned from our text and from this turning point in Israel’s history. Is he saying, in effect, “You think that Aaron led Israel in worship; just watch me!”? This was not the counsel that Rehoboam wanted, however, and so he turned to his “cronies,” the young men with whom he had grown up. Things will quickly deteriorate from bad to worse, with only a few bright spots for Judah. A prolonged form of a primary stao stah'-o; to stand, used in various applications. From this point on, the southern kingdom will be known as Judah, with Jerusalem as its capital and one of David’s descendants as their king. Is it possible that because Rehoboam lost most of his kingdom by being too rigid he completely reversed his approach and was now lax in his dealings with the Israelite’s because of their sins? He did not wait for Samuel at Gilgal but went ahead to offer sacrifices, fearing his soldiers would desert him (1 Samuel 13). How, they reason, can God hold any man accountable for choices that he was predestined to make? The promised Messiah was to sit on the throne of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16). as something to be grasped, The glorious days of the united kingdom under Saul, David, and Solomon are gone. Whether Jeroboam served as their spokesman is not indicated, but we do know that he was present. Leah: The Woman No Man Loved But Every Woman Envied (Gen. 29:15-35) 1. Reconciliation might have occurred had Rehoboam not acted foolishly. by looking like other men, Why are we given all these details? But you are not like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me wholeheartedly by doing only what I approve. Then, let us seek to walk in humility and obedience, setting aside our selfish interests, so that we are free to serve others. God raised up men who opposed Solomon in his lifetime. His words at the presentation of these idols are all too familiar: After the king had consulted with his advisers, he made two golden calves. How many times in history has something like this happened? 9 And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Now, it would seem, God was once again using Egypt to protect Hadad, so that he could be an instrument of divine discipline. The connection with Egypt sounds too much like Joseph and also a bit like Moses. Divided Kingdom - Israel and Judah After Solomon the fame and fortunes of Israel went downhill. They made him more jealous by their sins than their ancestors had done. Reconciliation might have occurred had Rehoboam not acted foolishly. They committed the same horrible sins as the nations that the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites. The result was a divided kingdom. Solomon asked for wisdom. This whole matter of servanthood and leadership is prominent in the Bible, and especially in the New Testament. Was Rehoboam trying to impress his friends when he arrogantly promised tougher times for the people? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favor with God. 26 He took away the treasures of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace; he took everything, including all the golden shields that Solomon had made. When the Sun Sets: Jacob Meets God (Gen. 27:41-28:22), Jacob: When God Turns Darkness into Dawn (Expository Sermons On O.T. Then I will be with you and establish for you a lasting dynasty, as I did for David; I will give you Israel. God promised Jeroboam great success as the first king of Israel (the ten northern tribes of Israel), but only on the condition that Jeroboam walked in the steps of David: 34 I will not take the whole kingdom from his hand. The second thing that catches our attention in the description of Rehoboam’s reign is the emphasis on the wickedness of the people. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible. God’s dealings with Israel will serve as a warning to Judah, a warning which the southern kingdom will not heed. The second appearance of God to Solomon came after the dedication of the temple. (1) There was an old jealousy between the tribes of the north and south reaching as far back as the time of the Judges. Rehoboam abused his position of leadership. 34 He did evil before the Lord; he followed in Jeroboam’s footsteps and encouraged Israel to sin (1 Kings 15:33-34; see also 16:2, 19; 22:52). and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next. The united kingdom lasted the length of the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon. He let King Agag live and kept some of the best of the Amalekites’ cattle (1 Samuel 15). 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. Judges 9:23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: Judges 12:1-6 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? 11 My father imposed heavy demands on you; I will make them even heavier. The animosity of the Jews of Jesus’ day for the Samaritans is the fruit of the divided kingdom. Saul, Israel’s first king, was a Benjamite who failed to obey God. Actions that may seem trivial at the time have profound consequences, for good or evil. Resources . But the fact is that his foolish decision did have these consequences. But he did not obey the Lord’s command. Solomon had become heavy-handed with them. Shishak was the king of Egypt who gave sanctuary to Jeroboam (11:40). On the altar in Bethel he offered sacrifices to the calves he had made. He followed the example of Solomon his father (at a very foolish time in his life) and the advice of his friends, rather than the Word of God and the words of wise men. 6 who though he existed in the form of God It was not until after David’s son Adonijah sought to seize the throne for himself that David publicly designated Solomon as his successor. 14 He will take your best fields and vineyards and give them to his own servants. How can God’s promises to the patriarchs possibly be fulfilled now? Whatever the reason, their counsel was foolish. Jesus’ disciples hoped for a kingdom in which they would have power and authority, so that others would serve them. 38 You must obey all I command you to do, follow my instructions, do what I approve, and keep my rules and commandments, like my servant David did. This is the way the scribes and Pharisees exercised their power: 1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and his disciples, 2 “The experts in the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. Our text is a vivid illustration of the way divisions occur. I don’t know how many divorces have been facilitated by the “advice” of good friends. Eventually Absalom returned to Israel and later succeeded in overthrowing his father David. The first of these opponents was Hadad the Edomite (1 Kings 11:14-22), a most interesting fellow. David’s son, Solomon, was the last of the kings of the united kingdom. One might expect them to reinforce the policy of Solomon, but they did not. Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!” So Israel returned to their homes (1 Kings 12:16). But Rehoboam’s arrogance and highhandedness was just too much for the people to swallow. Solomon recognized his abilities and promoted him to leader of the work crew of the tribe of Joseph. I am inclined to conclude that God wants us to see this connection.