A Study in I Kings Week 13

I Kings 13 1-34

Summary of King Jeroboam (By Assistant Teacher, Jerry Blankenship)

I Kings 12:28 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” He started a false religion of calf worship. Jeroboam never served God - not even from the very beginning.


I Kings 12:31 Jeroboam built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of
people, even though they were not Levites.


I Kings 13:33-34 Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places. This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.
Jeroboam is an example of sinful failure.

· He failed despite great blessing and favor from God.
· He failed for the sake of mere selfish political advantage.
· He failed and led an entire nation into idolatry.
· He failed despite specific warnings to repent.
· He failed despite specific judgment and deliverance from that judgment.
· He failed despite a clear message and example of integrity.

“Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”

There is a lesson here for all of us: When you are certain the Lord has given you direction, don't allow yourself to be sidetracked by others - regardless of the title they use to identify themselves.


You can be certain HOW:

No matter how natural and seductive the enticement is, it is the duty of the man of God to resist it. He acquired a word from God to guide his actions, and should receive no other word accept through dramatic and direct confirmation by God’s Spirit. His failure at this point ended his usefulness as a man of God.

When we have received a direct command fresh from the lips of Christ, we must act on it, and not be turned aside by a different suggestion, made to us through the lips of professing Christians . . . Deal with God first-hand.

God never contradicts Himself in His dealings with His servants. Be true to His commands, refusing to be deflected from the path of obedience, even by an angel from heaven.

A Study in I Kings Week 12

I Kings 12 1-43

1-5 Rehoboam, son of Solomon, succeeds to the throne. Jeroboam returns from Egypt and leads 10 tribes in demanding a reduction in taxes.

6-9 Rehoboam, under the influence of the young men of his kingdom, having rejected the counsel of the old men who were Solomon’s advisors, turns down the request of the 10 northern tribes.

10-15 Instead of reducing taxes, he threatens to raise them (vs. 10, 11). Therefore, Jeroboam leads the 10 tribes in revolt.

16-24 First Kings was written during the time of the division of the kingdom (v. 19).

These verses describe how the northern tribes rebelled against David’s family. The northern Israelites protested against Rehoboam. Then he sent Adoniram to force them to obey him. Adoniram had been a very powerful man when Solomon was alive. But the situation had changed. People used to be afraid of Adoniram. But they were not still afraid. So they murdered him. Rehoboam’s action was foolish, as people already disliked Adoniram. Rehoboam had to escape to Jerusalem.

Then the northern Israelites made Jeroboam their king. Probably they chose him
because they considered him a good leader. But, of course, God had already chosen Jeroboam to be Israel’s king. And so God carried out what he had promised in chapter 11.

Rehoboam made plans to fight in order to get the kingdom back. God told him not to fight against the other Israelites. This time he listened to God’s prophet and he obeyed. He and his armies went home. He realized that God would only allow him to rule Judah. If Rehoboam fought the Israelites, he would be opposing God’s plan.

By means of these events, the kingdom had separated permanently. The Book of 1
Kings continues with reports of events in both parts of the country. The northern
kingdom is often called Israel. The southern kingdom is called Judah.

24-33 Jeroboam divides the nation religiously as well as politically by setting up a golden calf in Bethel and one in the tribe of Dan. The northern tribes go into idolatry (vs. 28-30).

This was a clever political decision. People would not still go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices. So the relationship between Israel and Judah would become even weaker. And Jeroboam would become a more powerful king.
Jeroboam’s religion was like the religion that Aaron set up in Exodus chapter 32. Jeroboam tried to combine the worship of the bull with the worship of the Lord. Of course, this was against God’s law. Jeroboam did not obey the second commandment when he did this. Dan was in the far north of northern Israel. Bethel was near the border with

Benjamin and Judah. The idea was that people would have a place of worship near them. Then they would not want to go all the way to Jerusalem.

A Study in I Kings Week 11

I Kings 11 1-43

The Verses:

1-13 Solomon disobeyed God by:
a) building the temple
b) using too much gold in the temple
c) marrying many wives.

Solomon proved his misunderstanding of who God is by:
a) building places for his wives to worship “their own Gods”
b) writing about many famous places
c) promoting the wrong men in his cabinet

I Corinthians 10:12 reminds us that
a) A person must be careful lest he think he is standing firm when he is not.
b) We must depend on God’s grace right to the end
c) Both of the above.

14-25 Solomon’s alliance with Hadad:
a) was helpful to Israel Solomon’s reign
b) turned sour and ended in Hadad attacking Israel
c) resulted in Hadad marrying Solomon’s first daughter

Solomon turned away from God, whereas
a) David was faithful to God in all things
b) David served as Solomon’s example of how to get away with sin
c) David suffered because of his sin, but then confessed and turned back to God.

26-40 Jeroboam was a hard worker who was:
a) the apple of Solomon’s eye
b) put in command of the people of the tribe of Joseph
c) largely ignored by Solomon

Eventually Solomon:
a) gave Jeroboam many blessings and honor
b) was deeply loved by Solomon
c) tried to kill Jeroboam

41-43The author of the Books of Kings used a book called:
a) “The History of the World
b) “The History of the Acts of Solomon”
c) “The Importance of Serving God Faithfully”

Solomon did not live as long as David because
a) He suffered the consequences of his sin
b) He developed apoplexy and died
c) He wore himself out with all his wives

(Answer Key in comments)

While “obedience” is not what saves you (only total trust in the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary and His resurrection can do that), obedience demonstrates your love for and commitment to God through Christ.

Jesus named two Laws as the greatest: 1) Love God with all of your mind, soul, heart and strength and 2) Love your neighbor as yourself. If you do that, which of the Laws would you want to disobey?

A Study in I Kings Week 10

I Kings 10 1-29

The Verses:

01. Sheba was south of Israel, probably in the south of Arabia. The Queen came to find out about Solomon’s wisdom and perhaps to discuss trade. She had heard stories about Solomon’s wealth and wisdom. She found out that the truth was even greater than the stories. She praised the God who had made Solomon king. She brought great presents with her. Solomon gave great presents to her.

02. The Queen of Sheba travelled a very long distance to visit Solomon. She very much wanted to see him. Jesus contrasted her with the people in his own time. ‘The Queen of the South and the people who are living now will stand up together on judgement day. She will show that they are guilty. She travelled a long way to listen to Solomon’s wisdom. Now someone who is greater than Solomon is here.’ (See Matthew 12:42.) We will have no excuse if we do not obey the words of Jesus. He is much greater than Solomon was.

03. 14-15 This passage shows Solomon’s great wealth. A great deal of it came from taxes that merchants paid. It also came from countries that his father had conquered.

04. 24-25 Much of it came from merchants who explored abroad. Some came from people who paid him for his advice.

05. 28-29 He also obtained wealth from trade in horses and chariots.

Solomon made some gold shields that he used in ceremonies. These showed that he protected his people. He also made a royal seat on which he sat to give laws and advice.

The dishes and cups in the palace were gold. Silver seemed as common as stones. Note that he asked God for wisdom not wealth. God told him that he would get wealth also. This is because he asked wisely. Some people think that he wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes. If so, he learnd that wealth has no real value. Life has no meaning without God.

The great wealth of Solomon’s kingdom reminds us about the great wealth of God’s kingdom (Revelation 21:18-21). But unlike Solomon’s wealth, nothing will ever spoil the precious things in God’s kingdom (1 Peter 1:4). And the things that God provides are beautiful. Even on this earth, those things are much more beautiful than anything that Solomon could make (Matthew 6:28-29).

But the wealth of Solomon’s kingdom also reminds us about human desires, and about sin.

God’s law contained rules for the kings of Israel (Deuteronomy 17:14-17). They must not collect silver and gold. They should not marry many wives. And they should not own great numbers of horses. Solomon did not obey these rules. At this time, Solomon was still serving God. But Solomon had begun to care more about his own wealth than he cared about God’s law.