The Temple of God
Today’s Focus: Local Church vs. City Church: Prophecy to Jeroboam
Scripture: 1 Kings 11:26-39
Greetings Kingdom Citizens
Who is this Jeroboam and what is it that he did that caused a successive generational line of kings to sin against God? Let’s get to looking at Jeroboam because the answer is in the story.
1 Kings 11:26-28: And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king. And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
Here we see that Jeroboam was a servant of Solomon, comes from a house of a widow (no father), rebelled against the king, mighty man of valor and industrious. Now we see some good things but also we see some spiritually devastating things such as the fatherlessness and the rebellion against the king. Funny, because of one (fatherlessness) the other is almost a natural consequence (rebellion). Now Jeroboam runs into the prophet of God and has a unique experience with him. Now this is a long set of scripture but vital in understanding the picture of who Jeroboam is and what he will come to do against God.
1 Kings 11:30-39: And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him and rent it in twelve pieces: And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus said the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to thee: (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel) Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statues and my judgments, as did David his father. Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel and it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways and do that is right in my sight to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee and build thee a sure house, as I built for David and will give Israel unto thee. And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.
So what we have here is God prophesying through the prophet Ahijah saying that the kingdom of Israel will be split and ten tribes will be given to Jeroboam and the son of Solomon will have one tribe. Why split Israel? Because of the idolatry of Solomon. Even though Solomon was a wise king, he did have a woman and idolatry problem that God did not like and many time warned Solomon not to do. God gives his reason in 1 Kings 11:33. Now Solomon gets word of this and sought to kill Jeroboam and Jeroboam flees to Egypt (1 Kings 11:40) until the death of Solomon. The son of Solomon, Rehoboam, came into power and when Jeroboam had heard of this, the children of Israel called for him, he left Egypt and him and all the children of Israel met Rehoboam in Shechem.
We will continue this story in the subsequent message for the sake of time and information but please keep these particular set of messages together because we are still drawing a large picture and the picture will soon come into view but you must understand the story to see the picture.
Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,
Calvin Calhoun, Jr.
