Well, after complaining yesterday of boredom, today I get one of the most tumultuous events in Israel’s history to chew on. That’ll teach me.
Revolt of the tribes
2 Chronicles 10:1-19
Wrong advice causes revolt
1 Kings 12:1-19
Jeroboam
1 Kings 12:20
Rehoboam
1 Kings 14:21, 2 Chronicles 12:13
People led into idolatry
1 Kings 12:25-33, 2 Chronicles 11:15
Warning to Rehoboam
1 Kings 12:21-24, 2 Chronicles 11:1-4
Prophecy concerning the altar at Bethel
1 Kings 13:1-10
God promised that it would not be in Solomon’s lifetime that calamity struck the kingdom, but he didn’t wait long after the old king died. Before Rehoboam can establish his grip on the throne, The popular leader Jeroboam returns from exile and leads the people in a demand to the king. We’re sick of paying for Solomon’s wealth, cut the taxes or we’ll rebel - is the essence of their message. Rehoboam does one thing right - he doesn’t answer straight away, but seeks counsel. Then he ignores the sensible advice, and listens to the hotheads, and the rebellion is inevitable.
Rehoboam’s position is very weak, so there isn’t much of a fight. 10 tribes peel off under Jeroboam, leaving Rehoboam with a rump of a kingdom.
Now we’ll see what sort of leader Jeroboam is.
Not a godly one, it seems. Politically, he realises that it’s no good letting the people go up to Jerusalem to worship there, so he establishes to rival centres of worship, with golden calves, deliberately echoing the language of Aaron in the desert: “Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” (12:28) An astute move, politically, but disastrous, spiritually.
Then we have the first recorded intervention by a prophet. A nameless “man of God” appears to denounce the altar at Bethel, pronouncing God’s displeasure at Jeroboam’s actions. God scares Jeroboam to death, and the prophet departs, but will Jeroboam change his ways?
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