CROWNED | 1 Kings Chapter 12
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Week 2 / Day 12
INTRODUCTION
In today’s chapter, we are going to be reading a lot about two kings - Rehoboam and Jeroboam - and a prophet named Shemaiah. So, who are these guys and why are they important?
First, it’s important to note that both Rehoboam and Jeroboam are kings reigning over the nation of Israel at the same time, following the death of Solomon. How is that possible? Because, on the heels of Solomon’s disobedience and the subsequent falling away from the Lord for the nation of Israel at large, the nation, while under the rule of King Rehoboam, divided into two separate kingdoms. The Northern Kingdom, which was made up of the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and was ruled by King Jeroboam; and the Southern Kingdom, which was made up of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and was ruled by King Rehoboam.
Now, apart from being kings of a newly divided nation, who were these men specifically?
Rehoboam was Solomon’s son and natural heir to the throne. He began his time on the throne ruling over the entire nation of Israel, but ended it ruling over only the Southern Kingdom commonly known as Judah, which was, as previously mentioned, made up of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
Jeroboam, on the other hand, was a former official of Solomon who fled the kingdom under Solomon’s rule to escape the king's growing jealousy, as we read yesterday in 1 Kings 11. This jealousy of the king was spurned after a prophet named Ahijah told Jeroboam that God would give him 10 of the twelve tribes of Israel. Obviously, this news did not sit well with Solomon, and he tried to have Jeroboam killed, hence the whole fleeing to take refuge in Egypt thing. However, upon Solomon’s death, Jeroboam returned to his homeland, and the rise to kingship over the Northern Kingdom (commonly called Israel) began!
And then there’s Shemaiah. Shemaiah was a prophet of God who intervened to stop a civil war taking place between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Beyond his prophetic interventions, Shemaiah was also a historian who helped write down the records and genealogies of Reheboam’s reign (2 Chronicles 12:15).
READ
Now, before we dig any deeper into the story as a whole, take a moment to read 1 Kings 12.
REFLECT
At the close of chapter 11, we read of Solomon’s passing and Rehoboam taking the throne in his place. And then, in chapter 12, before the crown was fully rested upon Rehoboam’s head, his court was filled with men eager for change under this new leader - for though Solomon was a great King, he took a lot from the people, and they were eager for relief from the taxation and forced labor under which they had been living.
So they quickly gather and approach Reheboam, offering their allegiance and loyalty in exchange for lower taxes and a lighter load. In response to their request, Rehoboam does the wise thing and seeks advice, first approaching his father's wise and trustworthy advisers. However, they did not speak what he wanted to hear, telling him to grant the people's request, opening the door for the people to follow out of appreciation and adoration for his kind, servant leadership, and so he sought out different a different group of men - a younger group of advisers - who told him exactly what he wanted to hear - reject the people’s plea for relief and, in fact, rule with even greater harshness! After all, if that’s how Solomon ruled and he amassed so much, how much more could Rehoboam gain should he continue in an even greater degree of harshness (disguised as strong leadership) than did his father!
Pleased to have found men speaking the wisdom he desired, Rehoboam moved forward with his tyrannical reign. However, things did not go as he planned,, and the people did not relent; they continued to seek relief by way of rebellion, with the 10 Northern Tribes breaking off into their own faction and crowning Jeroboam as their king! In response to this breaking away, Rehoboam gathers a massive army of 180,000 men with the intent of attacking the Northern tribes and reclaiming “his” kingdom. But that’s when Shemaiah steps in, delivering a message from God instructing them not to fight.
“This is what the Lord says: Do not fight against your relatives, the Israelites. Go back home, for what has happened is my doing!” 1 Kings 12:24a (NLT)
Now hold up! Did that just say that it was GOD who caused the nation of Israel to split? I thought it was because these kings have been acting foolishly and ignoring the Lord's voice! So why are we reading here that it was the Lord’s doing? “While the division happened because of King Rehoboam’s foolish arrogance and oppressive taxation, the biblical narrative emphasizes that God used these human failures to accomplish His prophetic purpose,” also bringing divine judgment against King Solomon for his turning away from the Lord to worship the false gods and idols of his many foreign wives.
And it’s not just Rehoboam's tribes that are living apart from the Lord, even Jeroboam, a man previously known for his steadfastness to the Lord, “fearing that his people traveling to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple would cause them to rejoin Rehoboam..established rival places of worship.**” He even goes so far as to construct two golden calves, which were set up in Bethel and Dan, instituted his own unauthorized priests, and created new festivals - all which mirrored the traditions of their past but without the temple were missing one key aspect - the presence of God! So, because of fear of what MIGHT happen, Jeroboam sealed the fate of the people of God - a nation once again ruled by idolatry and compromise to what the Lord had spoken.
What a disaster! How in the world did the Israelites go from such a united band of believers to a divided and crumbling nation so quickly? After all, it’s only been approximately 40 years since the death of David, at which time the nation was lauded as being at peace, stable, and strong! Now, 40-some years later (and only approximately 20 years since the dedication of the temple), the nation is at war within itself and openly worshipping false Gods.
How could something so good (the building and dedication of the Lord’s temple) become something so devastating so quickly? Though there are many specific situations we could cite, the root of the problem lies in one key area: through all of this advice and counsel-seeking, not one person seeks the wisdom of the Lord.
Remember all those prayers we read in past chapters? Prayers for wisdom. Prayers of dedication. We don’t see any of that here! The closest we come to it is the words of warning from Shemaiah; however, even then, no one offers a “God if this is Your word and Your way, help me to walk in it” type of prayer. So though they listened to the words of the prophet Shemaiah, they are still not truly listening to the voice of the Lord!
The downfall of the nation of Israel can be summed up nicely with the words found in 1 Kings 12:33, which say:
“He went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he devised from his own heart.” (ESV - Emphasis Added)
Church, this story cannot make it any clearer: We become divided as believers when our “I think,” “I feel,” and “But I want” come before “He said”. Both Jeroboam and Rehoboam acted in whatever ways they devised in their own hearts. Offering rituals that appeared familiar to the people but lacked the reward of His presence.
RESPOND
Rehoboam rejected wise counsel because it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. When faced with an important decision, whose advice are you seeking? Are you intentionally seeking counsel from people who will point you toward God’s truth, or are you looking for voices that simply affirm what you already want to do?
Are there any relationships, influences, or habits that are shaping your thinking more than God’s Word? What practical steps can you take to ensure God’s truth remains your primary guide?
Jeroboam allowed fear of what might happen to lead him into compromise. Is there an area of your life where fear is causing you to take control instead of trusting God with the outcome?
The people were given religious practices that looked familiar but lacked God’s presence. Are there areas of your spiritual life where you are going through the motions of faith without genuinely seeking the presence and voice of God? What can you do today to begin realigning your heart and actions with His word?
“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105 (NLT)
WORK CITED
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