Division

The divided kingdom of Israel represents the two areas of a believer’s life that can also sometimes get divided, the secular and the sacred. The area of a believer’s life referred to as the secular involves things like a job or the work we do, our family or the community in which we live, and careers that affect the choices we make. The sacred area of our lives clearly belong to God and involve such things as going to church or a synagogue, reading the Bible, and prayer. The way God dealt with the divided kingdom of Israel demonstrates his sovereignty over all areas of our lives.

Judah, the southern part of the kingdom, remained under the control of king David’s descendants. Judah correlates to the sacred area of our lives. The temple that existed within Judah’s borders made it possible for the people to connect with God and worship him as he prescribed in the Mosaic Law. The rest of Israel was governed by kings appointed by God to make sure the nation continued to exist until God’s plan for his people was accomplished. Secular activities are necessary to sustain life. Otherwise, God could have wiped out the rest of Israel and left Judah on its own.

Even though God sustained the entire nation of Israel, he did not protect the northern kingdom of Israel in the same way he did Judah. When God brought judgment on king Jeroboam for his idolatry, God destroyed his entire household. Not one descendant of Jeroboam was left when Baasha took over as king (1 Kings 15:29). The extermination of Jeroboam and his descendants conveyed the message that God would not tolerate pagan worship. What he wanted his people to understand was that they could shut him out of their everyday lives, but he was still their God and would discipline them as he saw fit.

The wars that took place between Asa and Baasha king of Israel (1 Kings 15:32) are similar to the internal conflict that a believer experiences when the secular and sacred areas of their lives get disconnected. The man that goes to church every Sunday and has an ongoing affair with his secretary will not sleep peacefully at night unless he is a psychopath. Guilt will eventually cause him to quit going to church or stop having the affair.

A clear pathway

Solomon said, “Where there is not vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Proverbs 29:18). If you relate it to driving, this proverb makes a lot of sense. Obviously, we can’t drive blindfolded. If we did, we would end up in an accident pretty quickly. When we obey the traffic laws, we avoid getting tickets and usually arrive at our destination on time.

The Bible often compares life to a journey and heaven as the destination we want to arrive at. In this context, vision can be thought of as a clear view of the spiritual realm in which God exists. When we ignore or don’t pay attention to spiritual things, we ultimately end up in the wrong place, hell.

God’s laws are meant to be signposts that point us in the right direction. Sin is sometimes referred to as missing the mark. Another way to think of it is making a wrong turn or missing your exit on the freeway. Sin keeps us from reaching our destination. Therefore, we are much better off if we do what God tells us to.

Aside from reaching our final destination, heaven, our life’s journey includes lessons or pit stops along the way that refresh and restore us so that we don’t get worn out from our travels. Having a vision or road map helps us to not miss the exit when the next gas station is 100 miles away and our gas tank is almost empty. This is what I believe Solomon meant when he said, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). He wasn’t talking about ending up in hell. He was referring to a loss of time or lack of progress. In essence, your life being put on hold.

Keeping God’s law is not so much about what we do as it is about what God does. When we obey God, He protects us and keeps us from harm. The word translated keepeth in the phrase “keepeth the law” (Proverbs 29:18) is shamar. Shamar means to hedge about or guard. “The word also means ‘to keep’ in the sense of ‘watching over’ or giving attention to (8104). As we pay attention to God’s traffic signals, He keeps us away from detours and makes sure we don’t end up in a ditch.

Faith

A constant in Israel’s history after they entered the Promised Land was that they achieved military victories when they relied on the LORD and were defeated when they did not. After the kingdom was divided, the LORD began to protect Judah when they fought against the rest of the nation of Israel. It says in 2 Chronicles 13:18, “Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.”

Even though Judah had less military strength, they were able to live securely and were blessed by God. Through the prophet Azariah, God delivered a message to Asa, saying, “The LORD is with you, while you be with him; and if you seek him, he will be found of you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:2). The words with, seek, and found, as well as forsake, have to do with location. They convey the idea of traveling together, what we refer to today as walking with the Lord.

The notion that God could or should be found, implied that he was not restricted to the temple as most people thought. The Hebrew word translated found in 2 Chronicles 15:2 is mâtsâ’ (maw – tsaw´). “Matsa’ refers to ‘finding’ someone or something that is lost or misplaced, or ‘finding’ where it is” (4672). Properly translated, matsa’ means to come forth, to appear or exist. God wanted to live among his people and be a part of their everyday lives. In order for that to be possible, the people had to pay attention to what was going on in the spiritual realm. They had to seek God with their heart so that they could get their spiritual eyes on him.

The problem was that the people had no faith. The material world was constantly vying for the Israelites attention. When Asa, king of Judah got a message from the LORD, he listened and obeyed, but when it came to asking for help, Asa relied on the wealth of resources around him. In particular, the alliances Solomon formed with the nations surrounding Israel became a stumbling block to Asa. Toward the end of Asa’s reign, when Israel came up against Judah, instead of seeking the LORD, Asa asked the king of Syria for help.

A prophet in the Old Testament was sometimes referred to as a “seer” (2 Chronicles 16:7). The term seer literally means to see (7200), so the question then is, what did they see? Although it is likely a seer had dreams and visions, messages from God in pictorial form, it is possible that a seer was someone who could perceive the spiritual realm and was aware of God’s activity. In 2 Chronicles 16:7-9 is recorded a message delivered to Asa by Hanani the seer. Hanani does not say, thus says the LORD and there is no indication that the LORD sent Hanani to Asa to deliver a message. It could be that Hanani was merely communicating to Asa what he had seen, what he was aware of with regards to Asa’s relationship with the LORD.

After Asa received the message, it says in 2 Chronicles 16:10, “Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing.” Asa had not committed a sin. His heart was perfect toward the LORD. The only thing Hanani pointed out to Asa was that he had acted foolishly by relying on the king of Syria instead of God. I believe the reason Asa went into a rage was because he had been found out. Hanani told Asa what was in his heart. Asa had lost his faith.

The queen mother

The institution of a queen in the rule of Israel appears to have taken place when Solomon “caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand” (1 Kings 2:19). When Rehoboam began to reign in Jerusalem, his mother’s name is mentioned indicating she probably took the position at her son’s right side as Solomon’s mother had (1 Kings 14:21). After Rehoboam died, his son Abijam reigned in his stead and it says in 1 Kings 15:2 that “his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.”

Maachah was the wife of Rehoboam who died at the age of 58 (1 Kings 14:21). Abijam’s age is not stated, but he reigned only three years and then his son Asa “reigned in his stead” (1 Kings 15:8). It says in 1 Kings 15:10 that Asa’s “mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.” Apparently, Maachah was not only Asa’s mother, but also his grandmother.

It is likely that Maachah was much younger than Rehoboam and after he died, she began an incestuous relationship with her son Abijam in order to secure her position as queen mother for a longer period of time. Fortunately, Maachah’s plan didn’t work. It says in 1 Kings 15:11 that “Asa did that which was right in the eye’s of the LORD, as did David his father.” Asa began a reform effort to get rid of idol worship and to cleanse Judah of the pagans that had taken up residence as a result of Solomon’s and Rehoboam’s compromises.

It says in 1 Kings 15:12-13 that Asa “took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen.” This was a bold move by Asa showing that he was sincere about following God’s commandments. Even though he didn’t live a perfect life, it says in 1 Kings 15:14 that “Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.

Be prepared

Even though king Rehoboam was not an evil man, he ended up doing wicked deeds because he just let his life run its natural course. He was a go with the flow kind of guy. Whereas king David prayed about almost everything and Solomon prayed on special occasions (holidays, major events), king Rehoboam never consulted the LORD, he just did what he thought was best. It says in 2 Chronicles 12:14, “he did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.”

When we think about being prepared, we usually think about doing things ahead of time, getting ready for something. The Hebrew word translated prepared in 2 Chronicles 12:14 is kûwn (koon). Properly translated, the word kuwn means “to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular). This root used concretely connotes being firmly established, being firmly anchored and being firm. Used abstractly, kuwn can refer to a concept as ‘established,’ or ‘fixed’ so as to be unchanging and unchangeable.” (3559).

King Rehoboam’s heart was not set on doing the will of God. In other words, Rehoboam was not committed to the LORD. He trusted his own judgment more that he did God’s. It was only when he got into trouble that Rehoboam listened to the LORD and did what He said.

In general, king Rehoboam’s life was uneventful compared to his grandfather David’s and father Solomon’s. There were no real disasters or major accomplishments. The most notable event was the Egyptian raid of Jerusalem in which the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house were taken (2 Chronicles 12:9). This robbery took place because the LORD was not protecting Rehoboam as he had previous kings (2 Chronicles 12:5).

 

Civil War

After Jeroboam became king of Israel, Rehoboam had to decide whether or not he was going to let Jeroboam get away with it. In essence, what Rehoboam decided to do was start a civil war, north against south, similar to what the United States did in 1860 when the U.S. Army fought against its own citizens. “And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam” (2 Chronicles 11:1).

Surprisingly, when the LORD sent Shemaiah the man of God to Rehoboam to tell him to stop what he was doing, Rehoboam “obeyed the words of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 11:4). Rehoboam was not an evil man. He merely got caught in the middle of God’s plan to take away the kingdom from Solomon’s descendants. As a result of his obedience, the LORD strengthened the kingdom of Judah under Rehoboam’s leadership for three years (2 Chronicles 11:17). During that time, everyone in all the northern tribes of Israel that had set their hearts to seek the LORD, disobeyed Jeroboam and came to Jerusalem to worship (2 Chronicles 11:16).

God is in control (part 2)

When things go sideways in our lives, it is easy to assume that God has abandoned us or decided to leave us to our own devices, but in actuality, the opposite could be true. Sometimes, a sign that God is involved in our lives is things go sideways or even upside down. When Rehoboam went to Shechem where all Israel was prepared to make him king, he thought it was going to be a good day. Then Jeroboam showed up and threw a monkey wrench into Rehoboam’s ordination process.

It is clear the people were not happy with the way king Solomon, Rehoboam’s father, had treated them. “So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam saying, Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee” (2 Chronicles 10:3-4). Mainly, the people were upset because Solomon expected them to do all the work while he enjoyed a luxurious life in the palace. The people felt Solomon treated them like slaves and had made their lives resemble the lives they had when they were in Egypt.

Unfortunately, Rehoboam didn’t get it and answered the people in a manner similar to what they would expect to hear from Pharaoh (7186), saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions” (2 Chronicles 10:14). Even though Rehoboam was foolish in his decision making process (2 Chronicles 10:6-10), the bad outcome was not his fault.

It says in 2 Chronicles 10:15, “So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.” God had already promised to give ten of the tribes of Israel to Jeroboam before king Solomon died (1 Kings 11:31). It was only because of king David’s faithfulness that the LORD didn’t take the entire kingdom away from Solomon’s son (1 Kings 11:34). Rehoboam’s circumstances were not a result of his father’s idolatry. It was God who turned things in a different direction. God caused Rehoboam to not listen to the people so that his plan could be carried out.

God is in control

It is a mistake to believe that pagan worship is pointless. Satan has much power and can make a difference in the life of a person that will worship him. There are things Satan does not have power over, the most important of which is death. Satan cannot give life, neither can he take life without God’s permission (Job 2:6), so when Jeroboam’s son fell sick, he tried to bribe God into sparing his life (1 Kings 14:3).

The problem with Jeroboam’s plan was that he thought he could trick God into doing what he wanted him to. Jeroboam did not know God, nor did he respect God’s power. Jeroboam was only concerned with getting his own way. Through the prophet Ahijah, God let Jeroboam and his wife know that he was in control.

Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel, and rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in my eyes; but has done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back; therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.

After receiving the bad news of God’s judgment, “Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died” (1 Kings 14:17).

The nameless prophet

King Jeroboam’s pagan practices did not go unnoticed by God, in fact, God sent a prophet to deliver a personal message of judgment (1 Kings 13:1). Strangely though, the judgment would not come for another three hundred years (2 Kings 23:15-20). Instead, God wanted to get Jeroboam’s attention  and see if he would repent.

God’s messenger remains nameless and is referred to only as “a man of God” (1 Kings 13:1). The term “man of God” is a common way of referring to a prophet, but I think it is interesting that in this particular situation the prophet’s name is withheld. After delivering his message to Jeroboam, the man reveals that he is not allowed to go home with Jeroboam. “So he went another way, and returned not by the way he came to Beth-el” (1 Kings 13:10).

The Hebrew word translated returned is shûwb (shoob). “The basic meaning of the verb is movement back to the point of departure” (7725), so it is clear that God did not want the prophet to go back to anyone’s home after delivering his message to king Jeroboam. It is possible that the prophet’s life might have been in danger, but more than likely, God was trying to prevent him from compromising his integrity with the people of Israel.

It says in 1 Kings 13:11 that an old prophet dwelt in Beth-el. The reason God did not use this man to deliver his message to Jeroboam was that he had become untrustworthy. The old prophet intercepted the man of God on his way out of Beth-el and invited him back to his home. “He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him” (1 Kings 13:18).

False prophets had probably become common place in Israel due to their pagan worship. The man of God’s message might have been ignored because of his disobedience, so God punished him for going to the old prophet’s house.  “And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way and slew him: and his carcass was cast in the way” (1 Kings 13:24).

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

Due to Solomon’s idolatry, God arranged for the man Jeroboam to take over the territory of Israel occupied by the ten northern tribes (1 Kings 11:29-31). When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam “went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king (1 Kings 12:1). There, Jeroboam confronted Rehoboam and turned the people against him (1 Kings 12:3-4). As a result of following the counsel of his friends, Rehoboam alienated the  people and instead of making him king, they abandoned him. “And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel; there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only” (1 Kings 12:20).

Less than 40 years after David’s death, the utopia he established had disintegrated. In spite of Solomon’s wisdom and wealth, his leadership of the nation caused the people to rebel against God and forsake his inheritance (1 Kings 12:16). Shortly after he began his reign as king of Israel, Jeroboam introduced fully pagan practices into Israel’s religious rites. He made two calves of gold and told the people “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt” (1 Kings 12:28). The tragic thing about Jeroboam’s sin was that it caused Solomon’s temple to be deficient in support. The temple was intended to be maintained by the sacrifices of all Israelites, but only a small portion of the people worshipped there. In essence, Jeroboam’s actions put the temple out of business.