Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends as we begin a new month together.
I wonder, if you could write the script, what would you like to see happen in our world this month which would position us at a far different place going into June than we are going into May? What would it take? Who would be the people involved in making a major course correction for our world?
Come with me back to Jerusalem about 3000 years ago. We’re witnessing one of the most shocking, amazing conversations ever recorded in history. The prophet Ahijah is telling one of the young leaders in Jerusalem what God was about to do which would change the course of history forever for the entire middle east! It was so outrageous, Jeroboam could not believe his ears.
Jeroboam was doing a strange thing when we left him yesterday in this conversation. Stooping down, Jeroboam was picking up 10 torn pieces of a new coat, off the ground! Only a few moments before Ahijah had worn that coat, but then while he explained to Jeroboam that God was about to pour out His judgment on Israel, Ahijah took off his coat and tore it into 12 pieces. Why?
It was a picture of what the God of Israel was about to do IN RESPONSE to what King Solomon, the other leaders, and the people of Israel had been doing. They had turned away from God. They were worshiping the idol false gods of other nations and even had constructed temples for that idol worship in and around Jerusalem!
God’s patience had run out and soon King Solomon was going to die. God wanted young leader Jeroboam to know that after Solomon’s death, while his son Rehoboam was assuming the throne, God was going to instigate civil war in Israel! That’s Right! The United Kingdom of Israel would be torn apart, divided into two Kingdoms antagonistic toward each other!
I’m sure you’d agree war is a terrible thing, no matter where, when, how or why. But CIVIL war takes warfare to another level of horrificness, do you agree? Civil war is families fighting against each other. People who’ve been united as a country destroying the property of their fellow citizens, burning their homes to the ground, ravaging their businesses, destroying a society!
Jeroboam had hardly recovered enough to stand, when the prophet Ahijah continued giving Jeroboam God’s terrifying message: “I will take the kingdom from the hand of Solomon’s son and give you ten of the twelve tribes of Israel… I will take you and you will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel! If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to Me and do what is right in My eyes by obeying My decrees and commands, as David My servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty…as the one I built for David.” (1 Kings 11:35-38)
Jeroboam’s eyes were bulging, he was breathing hard, his pulse was racing. Could Ahijah have said any words more terrifying? While Ahijah had given Jeroboam a shocking glimpse into the future, what would be the path from here to there? What should Jeroboam do with this information? Had God somehow communicated this to Solomon or anyone else in Solomon’s government leadership team?
Evidently the prophet Ahijah bent down and picked up the other two pieces of torn coat and walked away, leaving Jeroboam stunned, perhaps shaking, holding 10 pieces of torn coat. Did Jeroboam call or run after Ahijah asking for more information? The record does not tell us!
I presume Jeroboam stuffed those 10 pieces of torn coat into his pocket and went on about his business that day. I doubt he slept much that night, or for several nights. It appears things changed in the relationship between King Solomon and Jeroboam fairly quickly and quite radically, although we don’t know exactly how it happened, because the next line of the record says: “King Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled to Egypt, to Shishak the king, and stayed there until Solomon’s death.” (1 Kings 11:40)
Do you find it interesting, my friends, that once more Egypt shows up in the story of Israel, as a place to which an Israelite runs when in danger? Does that raise up some other Biblical stories about Hebrews fleeing to Egypt, in your mind? Do you remember that is what Joseph and Mary did with infant Jesus to escape Herod’s soldiers trying to kill Him? (Matt. 2) It’s what old Jacob did with his family seeking to survive the famine which was devastating Israel. (Genesis 46)
It appears Jeroboam, being a government official in Israel, went to the palace in Egypt and evidently had an audience with King Shishak. We have no record of what was said, but Jeroboam was welcome and safe in Egypt for the time he stayed there, waiting for news that Solomon had finally died.
While news didn’t travel nearly as quickly then as it does today, Jeroboam soon heard that King Solomon had died and his son prince Rehoboam had ascended to the throne of Israel as planned. Thinking it was safe to return to Israel and I’m sure wondering what God was going to do to accomplish what the prophet Ahijah had predicted, Jeroboam returned from Egypt to Jerusalem and sought an audience with new King Rehoboam, son of King Solomon. As well known a leader as Jeroboam was, of course many others of his peers wanted to accompany him to meet with the King.
1 Kings 12:1-5 tell us the meeting was cordial and brief. Jeroboam had one simple question, would Rehoboam’s reign be similar or different from Solomon’s, and if so how? Jeroboam asked: “Your father King Solomon put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us and we will serve you.” Perhaps more was said, but that’s the concise version as we have it in the record. King Rehoboam’s response was equally brief: “Go away for three days and then come back to me.”
Jeroboam was right, and Rehoboam knew it. King Solomon’s 40 years had seen massive expansion through very impressive construction projects in Jerusalem and many other cities. Those 4 decades had been years of great advancement in every aspect of society. While the people were grateful, they were weary. It had been a long journey of hard work and they would welcome an easing of the aggressive expansion projects. Jeroboam and the people left, I’m sure hoping King Rehoboam’s response would be favorable and encouraging to the people and uniting the nation in support of this new king.
King Rehoboam knew this first major leadership decision and declaration would set the tone for his administration and the future of Israel, under his reign. History hung in the balance, as it does in Israel these days. Daily in 2024 leaders in Israel, the other nations of the middle east, and major world powers like China, Russia and the USA are meeting to discuss the future of our world.
We can assume Kings and Presidents seek the advice of their senior leaders and they reflect deeply on how history will record their leadership legacy. The lives and futures of hundreds of millions of people and the economies of nations are hanging in the balance in our day.
Let’s pause… what do you do, who do you speak with, when you have major decisions to make, especially decisions which may affect the lives of many other people and your personal legacy? Do you seek an audience with God? How do you discern what advice God has for you?
Here’s a worship song to help us consider the significance of all this at this time in history:
Today’s Scripture: 1 Kings 11:35-12:5.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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