April 17 Readings

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Solomon's Reign
Today's reading 1Kings 12-14
King James Version with Web Encyclopedia Links: 1Kings 12; 1Kings 13; 1Kings 14

1Kings 12.1-24 2Chronicles 10.1-11.4
After Solomon’s death, the people of Israel met with Rehoboam and complained that Solomon had placed a heavy yoke of labor on them> They asked him lessen the yoke of labor on them, then they would serve him. He refused to listen to the elders but instead listen to his peers, the young men and decided that he was going to give a heavier yoke on the people of Israel. When Rehoboam met with Jeroboam and the people of Israel he told them that he would increase the yoke of labor on them. He did not listen to the people for this decision he made was to fulfill the word the Lord spoke to Jeroboam through Ahijah the prophet. The people rebelled and made Jeroboam king over all Israel except for Benjamin and . Judah which followed Rehoboam.
Jeroboam did not want the people to go to Jerusalem to worship fearing they would give allegiance to Rehoboam, In Bethel, Jeroboam made two golden calves and told Israel that these were their gods.. Like Aaron (Exodus 32.4-5), Jeroboam tried to combine the worship of pagan calf statutes with the worship of God.

1Kings 13
During this dark times, a man of God from Judah came to Bethel and cried out against the altar as Jeroboam was offering sacrifices at the altar. Jeroboam’s hand withered. Jeroboam asked him to interceded to God on his behalf. The man of God did and Jeroboam was healed. Jeroboam offered him a gift and a meal at his house but the man of God refused. A certain old prophet came to the man of God and offered him hospitality but the man of God refused. The old man lied and said an angel told him to give the man of God food and water. The man of God accepted. The word of God came to the old man and he told the man of God that since he disobeyed. God, he would die. On the way home a lion met the man of God and kill him. The old man buried the man of God in his own tomb. Jeroboam did not change his evil ways.



In addition, the man of God prophesied that a son named Josiah will be born to the house of David (verse 2) and he will sacrifice priests on the high places who now make offerings on the altar and human bones will be burnt there. This is significant because King Josiah some 300 years later did sacrifice the priests of the high places on the altar (2Kings 23.15-20).

1Kings 14.
The Lord told Ahijah that Jeroboam’s wife would come to see him and asked him what would happen to Jeroboam’s son. God told Ahiajah to say that the every last male in Israel, slave or free. Disaster will come on the family of Jeroboam, because they did not obey the Lord like David. Ahijah told Jeroboam’s wife that her son would be the only one in the house of Jeroboam who would be buried, because he was the only one in whom God saw some good. When Jeroboam’s wife went home the boy died and was buried.

Under Rehoboam (1Kings 14.21, 25-31; 2Chronicles 12.9-16), Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord, they set up high places, sacred stones and asherah poles. In the fifth year of Jeroboam’s reign Shisak, king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem, plundered the treasures of the temple of the Lord and the royal palace.
Within one generation from worshiping at Solomon’s Temple to now worshiping at high places, the spiritual life of Israel and Judah had spiraled downwards.

Guzik on 1Kings 12
Guzik on 1Kings 13
Guzik on 1Kings 14

1 Kings 12, with Commentaries, verse by verse
1 Kings 13, with Commentaries, verse by verse
1 Kings 14, with Commentaries, verse by verse

Links to Commentaries and other References - Old Testament

Bible Study Tools
Jesus Saves
How to Become a Christian

This Posting is NOT a commentary of the passages read today but it is a devotional. Please send a comment if something spoke to you today from the passages, links or thoughts that I have shared with you.