1 Kings 12 Look Here
The nation of Israel has been torn in two, leaving two kingdoms. Jeroboam calls the people to ‘look here for your gods’ instead of Jerusalem.
God gave Jeroboam the same conditional promise that He gave Saul, David, and Solomon. The same promise He gave Israel from day one. Even to Abraham as he called him from Ur. IF you will walk in my ways, I will establish you… Did Jeroboam forget this part of God’s words to him? Did he ignore Israel’s history, figuring that his actions would be excused or validated. No. Jeroboam deliberately drew the people away from the Lord. He didn’t even consider that they could still serve the Lord and keep him as king. GOD said that they could, but Jeroboam didn’t trust Him that far. Let’s rejoin our story and see where Jeroboam’s fear took Israel, and where the Spirit takes us.
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The people exalt Jeroboam to the very place the Lord told him that HE would put him. From head of the forced labor under Solomon, to refugee, to king in one lifetime. Jeroboam can scarce believe his ears as the people cry out, “Long live King Jeroboam!”
He was told that this day would come. Now he has to hold onto it!
“Return to your homes in peace. The is surely the hand of the Lord”, Jeroboam tells the people at Shiloh.
As the people disperse, Jeroboam makes his was north to the hills of Ephraim. Here he will begin building a city of his own from which to reign over Israel.
While Jeroboam is laying his groundwork plans, Rehoboam is mustering the tribe of Judah and Benjamin to rip the kingdom from the hands of Jeroboam. He had amassed 180,000 warriors, ready to fight the ten tribes of Israel who rebelled against Rehoboam.
There is tension in the ranks. They are preparing to go to war against their brothers. “Is this truly what the Lord would have us do?” They will go, if necessary, but their hearts are heavy.
As this question weighs upon their hearts, the Lord sends them the answer to it. Shemaiah, the man of God hears the voice of the Lord. “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, ‘Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives the people of Israel. Every man return to his home, for this thing is from Me’” (1 Kings 12:23-24).
Shemaiah hurries from his home and makes his way to the palace in Jerusalem. He has to deliver this message immediately! There is no time to waste, if he is to prevent war. Shemaiah reaches the gates of the palace and speaks directly to the guard. “I must see the king right away. I carry a message from the Lord.”
The guard recognizes Shemaiah and knows that he is truly a man of God. He beckons Shemaiah to follow him and leads him straight to the throne room.
Rehoboam is with several of his advisors and captains of thousands when the guard stands at the threshold. Rehoboam looks up and sees him. “What is it?” he barks.
The guard bows low before speaking. “Shemaiah, the man of God, has come with a message from the Lord, my king.”
Rehoboam’s eyes light up. He is expecting a favorable message, for he knows that he is the rightful heir and king of Israel. “Surely the Lord is confirming this before my men to give them confidence”, he says to himself.
Rehoboam motions Shemaiah into the throne room. Shemaiah bows to show honor to the king before he delivers the Lord’s words. “The word of the Lord came to me concerning the matter which the King Rehoboam struggles with this day. ‘Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives the people of Israel. Every man return to his home, for this thing is from Me’.”
Shemaiah says no more. He bows again and then leaves the throne room. Rehoboam stands with his mouth hanging open. This is NOT what he expected to hear. Shemaiah retreat doesn’t even give him time to question him. And this message was not delivered in private where he could have had an opportunity to ignore it. If he tries to ignore the Lord’s words, the people will not follow him.
After the shock wears off, Rehoboam turns to his captains. “The Lord has spoken. We will do as He commands. Inform the men. Send them home. We will wait and see what the Lord does from here.”
The men of Judah and Benjamin are relieved that they won’t be fighting against their brothers. They all return to their homes, wondering what the Lord’s plan is from here. They will wait until called on again.
Jeroboam begins rebuilding the city of Shechem. It was in shambles from war with Abimelech during David’s reign. Solomon had not rebuilt it during his lifetime. It would now hold the throne on which Jeroboam would rule the ten tribes of Israel.
After finishing Shechem’s restoration and fortification, Jeroboam turns to the city of Penuel. He rebuilds it and fortifies it to give himself a stronghold in the area, for when wars DO come.
Jeroboam feels ready. Now that his fortifications are over, he begins to think about the people themselves. “Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah” (1 Kings 12:26-27).
Jeroboam has to think, and act, fast to prevent this disaster. He wracks his brain all night, trying to come up with a solution. When morning dawns, so does a solution.
“I will give them gods of their own for them to worship.”
That very morning, construction begins on two large golden calves. Jeroboam believes the form of a calf is perfect, as Israel once bowed down to this same god as they were in the wilderness. “It will be like one of their own gods, instead of one from another nation. It truly was with them when they came out of the land of Egypt.”
When the calves are ready, Jeroboam calls all of the Northern Kingdom of Israel together at Bethel. Here he places the first of the two calves. The second will be placed in Dan, as soon as the celebration concludes here.
Jeroboam steps up beside the golden calf and looks out over the people. “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt” (1 Kings 12:28), he tells them.
The people roar with excitement and begin bowing down before the golden calf. Jeroboam smiles and drinks in the excitement of the people. “They will stay”, he thinks to himself.
After fifteen minutes of the people giving praise to their new god, Jeroboam calls for their attention. “Here me O Israel.”
The people quiet and give him their full attention. Once he is certain that everyone is attending to his words, he shares the next part of his plan.
“I will create for you temple on the high hills throughout Israel as well as install another god such as this one in Dan…”
The people begin to roar with praise again. Jeroboam lets it continue for a few minutes before holding his hands up for their silence. When order has returned, he continues.
“I decree that there is to be a feast to your gods on the fourteenth day of the eighth month of each year. You are to assemble before your gods and bring them your sacrifices. I will appoint priests in the temples and in the places of your gods to make these sacrifices for you.”
The people roar with praise again. There is no quieting them this time. They begin dancing and shouting praises to their gods and to Jeroboam, ‘maker of the gods’.
(to be continued)
Jeroboam could not see any future in letting the people return to the Lord. He knew that God had given David a promise that he would never lack a man on the throne. Imagine what would, or could, have happened if Jeroboam had listened. Would Israel have been reunited right away? Would Jeroboam have a relationship with one from the line of David and produce an heir for the throne that came from both houses?
I have no idea how God would have worked it out, but I KNOW that He does NOT make any promises He won’t keep. IF Jeroboam had been faithful to the Lord, the Lord would have been faithful to him and his family. And IF Jeroboam REALLY loved the people, he would NEVER have drawn them away from the Lord. Jeroboam lobed Jeroboam. Everyone else, he simply used to his advantage.
Father God, how much do I trust Your promises in my life? Do I put in substitutions when I think there ‘might be’ a problem with Your directions? I PRAY NOT! I pray that my actually making books of Your stories isn’t MY own plan, but Yours. If it is MY plan Father God, smash it to pieces! If it is YOUR plan, bless it beyond measure. I LOVE Your stories, Father God. Please keep sharing them with me and letting me see them in my mind’s eye. Make them real and come alive for all to take in.
