Jeroboam, the First Monarch
of the North Kingdom
TEACHER
------------------
Lesson 6
BASIC BIBLICAL TEXT
1 Kings 14.7-13
GOLDEN TEXT
Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.
2 Chronicles 13.6
OBJECTIVES
Know the circumstances of Jeroboam’s rise to the throne of Israel;
Comprehend that even though God allowed the Division of the kingdom of Israel, He always sent prophets to instruct and correct the dwellers of the Northern Kingdom;
Meet the main characteristics of Jeroboam’s reign and its implications;
Apply the spiritual truths of this lesson to christian life.
INTRODUCTION
To understand Jeroboam’s reign, it’s necessary to understand the circumstances of his rise to the throne. His ruling story began with the arrogant acts of Roboam, son of Solomon.
When his father died, Roboam refused to meet the needs of the Northern tribes, so the prophecy stated by Ahijah, from Shiloh, Jeroboam, son of Nebat, got the power over ten tribes of Israel, leaving under Roboam only Judah and Benjamin.
1. THE BEGINING OF THE DECADENCE OF THE NORTHERN ISRAEL
The scripture allows us to affirm that Jeroboam wasn’t a better king than Solomon or Rehoboam.
1.1. Jeroboam’s insurgency
Solomon set Jeroboam responsible for all forced labor over Manasseh and Ephraim’s tribes, but tried to kill him when heard Ahijah’s prophecy, so Jeroboam ran away to Egypt.
When he heard about Solomon’s death, Jeroboam came back from Egypt to lead the insurgence of the ten tribes in Shechem. When they heard about the sentence Rehoboam had proclaimed over them, those tribes went home and broken away from that reign.
1.2. Institution of a fake religion
Jeroboam then declared separation from Rehoboam’s domain and saw a threat in the religious power of the Southern tribes.
1.2.1. Four parts of an evil plan
Then, Jeroboam:
2. THE GOD WHO FULFILLS HIS WORD
As a matter of fact, Jeroboam perverted the israeli identity, changing the religious iconography, setting new adoration places, perverted the priest succession line and changing the calendar of religious festivities. He also took to himself the priest position.
God wouldn’t allow his eternal purposes not to be fulfilled.
2.1. Prophecy of a man of God
A man of God, witnessing all of this prophecied against the altar. He said there would be a man, from the line of David, called Josiah, who would kill the priests that offered sacrifice to pagan gods. He also said the altar would shatter and its ashes would be spread over the earth.
2.2. Jeroboam is punished
Jeroboam sent this man to be locked up. The Bible states that, in that same moment, his arm got paralised and the altar of Bethel was cracked.
The unrighteous king was punished.
2.3. Bethel’s old prophet
After restablishing Jeroboam’s health, he tried to convince the prophet to eat bread and drink water, invited him to the communion, but the prophet refused the invite.
However, after this, the prophet was invited to dine at an old Bethel’s prophet house. He refused the invite, but the old prophet insisted and said and angel of the Lord asked him to invite the man.
Since he listened to the lies of a stranger instead of God’s instruction, the prophet of Judah lost his life.
2.4. The death of Abijah, son of Jeroboam
When Abijah got sick, Jeroboam sent for Ahijah in Shiloh. The foolish king thought the prophet would give his wife good news if he didn’t recognise her, so he sent her undercover.
The Bible states that even though the prophet was blind, God revealed to him that it was Jeroboam’s wife , so he told her all the king’s house would be anihilated and destroyed and the kid would die. The prophet also anounced the slavery of Israel, 200 years in advance.
2.5. Jeroboam’s last days
The Bible states that, after 22 Years of power, Jeroboam died and was succeeded by his son, Nadab, who just after two years was assassined with all of his relatives by Baasha, fulfilling Ahijah’s prophecy.
CONCLUSION
The Lord sets and dethrones leaders according to his eternal purpose. Jeroboam insurged against Solomon and Baasha insurged against Jeroboam’s son. All of Jeroboam’s lineage was decimated in Gibton.
Whoever aligns with division will be a victim of it. Let us learn from Jeroboam and not let ourselves mess with God’s will in favor of our own.
May God
bless your life!
EBD ADVEC
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