← Back to sermon library

Let's turn in our Bibles to 1 
Kings chapter 14. 1 Kings chapter 14. The last few weeks we've seen the 
focus on a man by the name of Jeroboam in chapter 11. Jeroboam was told that he would 
be given 10 northern tribes. That comes to pass in chapter 
12, when the north revolts against the south. The south is led by 
Rehoboam, Solomon's son. Jeroboam is the king of the north. 
And the thing that he does initially in chapter 12, verses 25 to 33, 
is to institutionalize idolatry. As a result of that, God sends 
a man of God from Judah to go and rebuke this king for his 
particular sin. And the chapter ends, chapter 
13, with Jeroboam continuing in his lawlessness and wickedness. It says, after this event, Jeroboam 
did not turn from his evil way, but again he made priests from 
every class of people for the high places. Whoever wished, 
he consecrated him. And he became one of the priests 
of the high places. And this thing was the sin of 
the house of Jeroboam, so as to exterminate and destroy it 
from the face of the earth." So chapter 14 brings us to the 
conclusion of Jeroboam via death. But as well, there is a prophecy 
concerning destruction to his household. So I just want to 
begin reading in chapter 14 at verse 1. At that time, Abijah, 
the son of Jeroboam, became sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife, 
please arise and disguise yourself, that they may not recognize you 
as the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Indeed, Ahijah 
the prophet is there, who told me that I would be king over 
this people. Also take with you 10 loaves, some cakes, and a 
jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will become 
of the child. And Jeroboam's wife did so. She 
arose and went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. 
But Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were glazed by reason 
of his age. Now the Lord had said to Ahijah, 
here is the wife of Jeroboam coming to ask you something about 
her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus you shall say to 
her, for it will be when she comes in that she will pretend 
to be another woman. And so it was when Ahijah heard 
the sound of her footsteps as she came through the door, he 
said, come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another 
person? For I have been sent to you with 
bad news. Go tell Jeroboam, thus says the 
Lord God of Israel, because I exalted you from among the people and 
made you ruler over my people Israel and tore the kingdom away 
from the house of David and gave it to you. And yet you have not 
been as my servant David who kept my commandments and who 
followed me with all his heart to do only what was right in 
my eyes. But you have done more evil than 
all who were before you. For you have gone and made for 
yourself other gods and molded images to provoke me to anger 
and have cast me behind your back. Therefore, behold, I will 
bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from 
Jeroboam every male in Israel, bond and free. I will take away 
the remnant of the house of Jeroboam as one takes away refuse until 
it is all gone. The dog shall eat whoever belongs 
to Jeroboam and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall 
eat whoever dies in the field, for the Lord has spoken. Arise, 
therefore, go to your own house. When your feet enter the city, 
the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for 
him and bury him, for he is the only one of Jeroboam who shall 
come to the grave, because in him there is found something 
good toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. Moreover, 
the Lord will raise up for himself a king over Israel who shall 
cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is the day. What? Even now. For the Lord will strike Israel 
as a reed is shaken in the water. He will uproot Israel from this 
good land which he gave to their fathers and will scatter them 
beyond the river because they have made their wooden images, 
provoking the Lord to anger. And he will give Israel up because 
of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned and who made Israel sin. Then Jeroboam's wife rose and 
departed and came to Terzah. When she came to the threshold 
of the house, the child died. And they buried him, and all 
Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord, which 
he spoke through his servant Ahijah the prophet. Now the rest 
of the acts of Jeroboam, how he made war and how he reigned, 
indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the 
kings of Israel. The period that Jeroboam reigned 
was 22 years, so he rested with his fathers. Then Nadab, his 
son, reigned in his place. Amen. So it's certainly an evidence 
or an indicator that God frowns upon idolatry. It provokes him 
to wrath. And he brings judgment to bear 
upon Jeroboam, upon his entire house, and ultimately upon the 
northern tribes themselves. So I want to look at this particular 
prophecy under three sections. First, the occasion of Ahijah's 
prophecy in verses 1 to 6. Secondly, the content of Ahijah's 
prophecy in verses 7 to 16. And then the application of Ahijah's 
prophecy in verses 17 to 20. But note in the first place with 
reference to the occasion, verse 1, at that time Abijah the son 
of Jeroboam became sick. Now it is intriguing that from 
this point on what Jeroboam does is he seeks out the prophet of 
God. He seeks out the prophet of Israel. 
He does not consult his golden calves. He does not consult his 
idols because they are dumb and they cannot respond and they 
cannot answer. As well it is intriguing that 
he seeks out the prophet in a time of crisis or a time of distress. He has this desire for knowledge 
in a period of distress and we ought to appreciate that even 
idolaters care about their kids. Jeroboam was concerned about 
his son Abijah and wants to find out information concerning him. 
Matthew Henry said that Jeroboam sent not to him for advice about 
the setting up of his calves or the consecrating of his priests, 
but had recourse to him in his distress when the gods he served 
could give him no relief. So he doesn't seek the prophet's 
encouragement, he doesn't seek the prophet's counsel, he doesn't 
seek the prophet's guidance or direction through the ordinary 
course of life, but as soon as distress comes, he dispatches 
his wife in order to ascertain the condition of his son. Davis 
makes this observation. He says, Jeroboam, however, turned 
a deaf ear to the Word of God in chapter 13. We see that. I mean, every time prophecy comes 
to Jeroboam, it never works out well for him. Ahijah spoke to 
him concerning the giving of the kingdom in chapter 11, and 
then he plunges the kingdom right into the depths of depravity. 
In chapter 13, that man of God from Judah comes and tells him 
he needs to repent and forsake his sin, but the chapter ends 
with him continuing in his sin. Here, as Davis says, he turned 
a deaf ear to the Word of God in chapter 13. Jeroboam wants the help of the 
word in the emergencies of life, but not the rule of the word 
over the course of life. I think Jeroboam here is very 
symptomatic of mankind in general. In fact, I think as we look at 
Jeroboam, we ought to see at least in part something of ourselves, 
but certainly of all men everywhere. Men typically have no regard 
for God whatsoever. They typically have no regard 
for the prophet of God. They have no regard for churches. 
They have no regard for pastors. They have no regard for Christian 
friends until their child is sick, or until there's some calamity, 
or there's some distress, and then they reach out, and then 
they have a yearning. Not that it's wrong to reach 
out in times of distress, but it has a mercenary feel to it. It has this, I'm going to use 
God to try and alleviate my particular problems, and then I'll go back 
to the status quo. So back to Davis. Jeroboam wants 
the help of the Word in the emergencies of life, but not the rule of 
the Word over the course of life. He desires only the occasional 
Word of God. He wants the Word of God for 
his crisis, but not for his routine or practice. He craves light 
in his trouble, but not on his path. He doesn't want to live 
with the Word, but only visit it. like one does a prostitute. So it's only insofar as it benefits 
him in a time of difficulty that he reaches out to Ahijah the 
prophet. Now notice his ruse in verses 
2 to 4. He sends his wife in a disguise 
to try and fetch the information concerning his son Abijah. Now the text doesn't specify 
why he would send his wife in disguise to fetch this information 
concerning Abijah. But the entirety of the context 
would suggest a few things, I submit. In the first place, Jeroboam 
knew what he had been commanded by Ahijah in chapter 11, verse 
38. In fact, you can turn there to 
refresh yourselves. First Kings chapter 11 in verse 
38. After Ahijah, the Shilonite told 
him that he would receive the kingdom, God through the prophet 
tells him in verse 38, then it shall be if you heed all that 
I command you, walk in my ways and do what is right in my sight 
to keep my statutes and my commandments as my servant David did, then 
I will be with you and build for you an enduring house as 
I built for David and will give Israel to you. Now, Jeroboam 
was an idolater, but he wasn't an idiot. He knew that he had 
not obeyed 1 Kings 11, 40, 38. He knew that he had been in rebellion 
to the living and true God. So because of that, he probably 
didn't want to show his face to Ahijah, the Shilonite, to 
ask information concerning his son Abijah. As well, Jeroboam 
knew that Ahijah knew of his idolatry, and he probably suspected 
that the prophet would not give him the answer that he was seeking. 
Now, the answer that he was seeking is that his son was going to 
be fine, everything was going to be okay. But if it was him, 
he perhaps suspected that the prophet would not give him that 
response. And then as well, Jeroboam probably 
recognized that if he, the king of the north, were to go and 
visit a southern prophet, it might give cause to other northerners 
to see the validity of a southern prophet. Remember that Jeroboam 
instigated or institutionalized idolatry to maintain political 
control over the north. He had to maintain appearances 
that this was indeed a true and right religion. This was an expression 
of the way that we are to worship God. So if he goes and sees a 
prophet from the South, then maybe those in the North will 
see the validity of the prophet in the South, and he would lose 
his hold, his political control, on the north. So there were probably 
a myriad of reasons why he would send his wife in his place. Now 
notice in terms of the disguise, verse 2. It says, Jeroboam said 
to his wife, please arise, disguise yourself, that they may not recognize 
you as the wife of Jeroboam and go to Shiloh. Indeed, Ahijah 
the prophet is there who told me that I would be king over 
this people. Now, this description of Ahijah 
as the one who told him he would be king would probably lend a 
degree of confirmation to his wife. In other words, go visit 
the man who told me that I would become the king. I am the king, 
so therefore we can trust his insight, we can trust his counsel. They're wretches, but they love 
their son, and that's not to be debated. And who but better 
than a mother would go on this particular journey so that she 
could present the case of the situation concerning the son 
to the prophet. But this description or this 
call for disguise indicates that Jeroboam doesn't know some specific 
things about Ahijah. I think we're to conclude that 
a certain period of time has passed. He doesn't know of Ahijah's 
physical limitations. I mean, the narrative is woven 
together beautifully. I want you to disguise yourself, 
and then in verse 4 we find out the man can't see anyway. I mean, 
what an exercise in futility, right? I mean, everything that 
Jeroboam tries to do is absolutely refuted by God Most High. But 
he doesn't know that the prophet's eyesight is no longer present. 
but as well he underestimates the spirituality of the prophet. For certainly if this man is 
able to discern what will become of Jeroboam's son, he might be 
able to discern what is Jeroboam's wife. Matthew Henry says, could 
he see into the thick darkness of futurity and yet not see through 
the thin veil of this disguise? So it really was a futile exercise, 
but nevertheless he attempts it. Now note specifically the 
inquiry, or the instruction rather, in verse 3, take with you ten 
loaves, some cakes, a jar of honey, and go to him. He will 
tell you what will become of the child. Most common in 1 Samuel 
9, when they went looking for Samuel, they brought a gift for 
the prophet. You'll see that again in 2 Kings 
5 and 2 Kings 8. But the particular message or 
mission of this wife's journey was to determine what was going 
on with the son. And then notice in verse 4, Jeroboam's 
wife did so. She arose and went to Shiloh, 
and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see, for 
his eyes were glazed by reason of his age." So this brings them 
together. Now we're given information in 
verses 5 and 6 concerning the word of God. And God's word to 
Ahijah is simple. Here is the wife of Jeroboam 
coming to ask you something about her son for he is sick. Thus and thus you shall say to 
her for it will be when she comes in that she will pretend to be 
another woman. Now that thus and thus is a feature 
of Hebrew narrative. He didn't really say thus and 
thus. It's a way to compact in terms of the literary nature 
of the documentation. So God tells Ahijah that the 
wife of Jeroboam has come. Now, notice specifically to Jeroboam's 
wife, verse 6. And so it was when Ahijah heard 
the sound of her footsteps, as she came through the door, he 
said, Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Now, what would you have done 
if that would have been you? You would have probably suspected 
you were in the presence of a man of God. You would have suspected 
that you were in the presence of somebody who had divine contact, 
because you were greatly disguised Chances were they had never met 
prior to this particular encounter. He's blind, and yet he is able 
to identify who you are. That will lend weight to the 
prophecy that is given to her that she is to take back home. 
Again, she's not really savvy with reference to Ahijah the 
Shilonite. Jeroboam has had contact and 
dealings with them, but when the prophet speaks this truth 
to this particular woman, she certainly gets more than she 
bargained for. She certainly gets a lot more 
than she bargained for. In fact, what we have in 1 Kings 
chapter 14 is something of a programmatic text for the Northern Kingdom. This is a very central passage 
in 1 Kings with reference to the Northern tribes. But back 
to verse six, come in wife of Jeroboam, why do you pretend 
to be another person? For I have been sent to you with 
bad news. Note the emphasis. It wasn't 
the case that she had come to him seeking information. This was the occasion wherein 
the prophet had been sent to her to deliver this bad news. I have been sent to you with 
bad news. She is not in control. Jeroboam 
is not in control, God is in control, and he is using this 
occasion to send the prophet to tell Jeroboam what is going 
to happen with reference to his household and with reference 
to the northern kingdom. Now note, secondly, the content 
of Ahijah's prophecy in verses 7 to 16. Now, he certainly answers 
what's going to happen with reference to Abijah, but he tells her to 
tell him a whole lot more concerning God's plan with reference to 
Israel. There's three things we ought 
to observe here. In the first place, the divine 
provision, verses 7 and 8. Go tell Jeroboam, thus says the 
Lord God of Israel. Notice God describes himself 
here as the Lord God of Israel. Jeroboam is the king over Israel 
specifically in terms of the northern kingdom. When you look 
at the kingdoms, Israel is typically identified with the north and 
Judah is typically identified with the south. So God hasn't 
given up yet on Israel. They are still his people. Thus 
says the Lord God of Israel. Matthew Henry again says, God 
calls Himself the Lord God of Israel. Though Israel had forsaken 
God, God had not cast them off, nor given them a bill of divorce 
for their whoredoms. He is Israel's God and therefore 
will take vengeance on Him who did them the greatest mischief 
He could do them, debauched them and drew them away from God. 
So God is angry with Jeroboam and he sends this woman back 
to tell her. Notice, God then highlights the 
fact that he exalted him. Verse 7, because I exalted you 
from among the people and made you ruler over my people Israel. This underscores the reality 
that Jeroboam is sinning against grace. Jeroboam is sinning against 
goodness. Remember when David is found 
out by the prophet Nathan in 2 Samuel. God says, I gave you, 
and I gave you, and I gave you, and I gave you, and if that were 
not enough, I would have given you more. It's terrible to sin 
against God in general. It is particularly wicked to 
sin against God and His grace. in his kindness, in his mercy. 
God exalted Jeroboam, put him in this position of authority, 
gave him authority over the tribes of Israel, and what has he done 
but plunged it into ruin, plunged it into idolatry. Davis says, 
Jeroboam had received grace and despised it. That's why his dynasty 
would be annihilated. God goes on to indicate through 
the prophet how he had tore the kingdom away, verse 8, from the 
house of David and gave it to you. Now he speaks to the royal 
rebellion in verses 8b and 9. He violated the Davidic standard. It's interesting because David 
is held forth as the standard of royal goodness. David wasn't 
perfect, but David in terms of idolatry was a blameless man. So David is the standard by which 
kings are measured with reference to goodness. Jeroboam is going 
to become the standard by which kings are measured with reference 
to evil or wickedness or badness. And here specifically, the Lord 
God condemns him as this was part and parcel of the promise 
in 1138. You need to toe the line the 
way David toed the line. You need to obey God the way 
David obeyed God. And here in 8b, he says, and 
yet you have not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments 
and who followed me with all his heart. to do only what was 
right in my eyes." Now, I think that always troubles us when 
we consider David and the fact that he committed adultery and 
he committed murder and had some other things along the way that 
weren't altogether lovely and chief among 10,000. John Gill 
says, concerning David, who was never guilty of idolatry. That's the standard by which 
Jeroboam is measured. Gil says, he was always and constantly 
and cordially attended the pure worship of God and was careful 
to do everything in that according to the will of God, whatever 
else he might be deficient in. So all authors understand that 
David was an imperfect man, but in terms of his devotion to God, 
David was the model, he was the standard, he was the pattern, 
and Jeroboam had completely departed. Notice the exceeding wickedness 
of Jeroboam in verse 9. but you have done more evil than 
all who were before you." That includes Saul, that includes 
Solomon even in his decline or his defection into idolatry at 
the end of his life, and most likely includes Rehoboam. Again, 
he is going to become the benchmark or standard for wickedness in 
the northern kingdom, well, throughout the kingdoms of Israel. Jeroboam 
made for himself other gods. Notice in verse 9, for you have 
gone and made for yourself other gods and molded images. You go 
back to chapter 12. I mentioned how some see the 
calves as a means by which Yahweh was to be worshipped. Now, this 
would still be wrong, and it's certainly to be condemned, but 
some people see this as syncretism. He used these golden calves as 
a means by which Yahweh was worshipped. But when we compare 14.9 with 
reference to 12.28, we see that he was engaged in idolatry. It 
is too much for you, 12.28, to go up to Jerusalem. Here are 
your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt. 
So according to Ahijah, It was not the case that these calves 
were means by which Yahweh was accessed, but rather the calves 
themselves were the object of worship, and so he is condemned 
for that. And then notice what verse 9 
says. It says very specifically, "...you 
have gone and made for yourself other gods and molded images 
to provoke me to anger." to provoke me to anger." Now, this is spoken 
in the manner of men. It highlights something concerning 
God's justice, His righteousness, His holiness, but idolatry is 
a provocation. Idolatry is a provocation. In 
fact, go back to Exodus chapter 20 for just a moment, or Deuteronomy 
5. It's closer. It just happened 
to alight there. Deuteronomy 5.8, well, verse 
7, you shall have no other gods before me. Verse 8, you shall 
not make for yourself a carved image, any likeness of anything 
that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that 
is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them, 
nor serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God. visiting 
the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and 
fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing mercy to 
thousands to those who love me and keep my commandments." This 
is a provocation of a jealous God to anger. And when we look 
at those particular concepts, perhaps we struggle. Jealousy? 
Anger? Are these fitting of our God? 
Well, if He was not, then it would be questionable whether 
He was really loving toward us or not. Consider a marriage relationship 
in terms of a parallel analogy. If my wife is unfaithful and 
I find out about it, I hate to use that example, but, you know, 
let me, you know, indulge me here. She's unfaithful, I find 
out about it, and I'm not angry. I'm not jealous, then it's questionable 
whether I even have love for that person. The fact that God 
responds the way He does is consistent with the fact that He had covenantal 
love with this particular people. They have gone a-whoring from 
Him they have been unfaithful to him, they have played the 
harlot away from him, and now he is provoked to anger and his 
jealousy is provoked. That is consistent with the holiness 
and the justice and the righteousness and the love of God Most High. And then that last statement 
in verse 9. Notice what he goes on to say, 
after you provoke me to anger and have cast me behind your 
back. I mean, what a neglect and what 
a term of rejection. Cast me behind your back as if 
God wasn't the omnipotent, omniscient, glorious being that he is. You 
kind of have this vision of somebody who's eating a piece of candy 
and they take the wrapper and they just toss it behind their 
back. They have no concern. In fact, 
when I see something like that, it bugs me. I was raised not 
to litter. That was one thing the paper 
school taught me, is that you did not litter. You didn't waste 
food, and you didn't litter. And so to this day, when I see 
people litter, it really bothers me. I want to grab them and say, 
pick up your junk. We don't want to live in your filth, you know, 
whatever. But the idea that Jeroboam would 
do that with God. You've cast me behind your back. You discarded me as if I was 
a candy wrapper. So we see the divine provision 
in 7 and 8, the royal rebellion in 8 and 9. Now notice the divine 
judgment in verses 10 to 16. Verses 10 and 11 highlight disaster 
upon the house of Jeroboam. disaster upon the house of Jeroboam. Now notice in verse 10. Therefore, 
behold, I will bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam and 
will cut off from Jeroboam every male in Israel, bond and free. I will take away the remnant 
of the house of Jeroboam as one takes away refuse until it is 
all gone. The dog shall eat whoever belongs 
to Jeroboam and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall 
eat whoever dies in the field, for the Lord has spoken." So 
you see, there won't be proper burial for any of the men associated 
with the house of Jeroboam. It's going to be desecration. 
It's going to be devastation. Not to have a proper burial in 
Israel was a sign of utter contempt. And this is what is prophesied 
concerning the house of Jeroboam. But we really need to look at 
verse 10 a little bit more closely and translate it more literally. Notice in verse 10, I will bring 
disaster on the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam 
every male in Israel, bond and free. I will take away the remnant 
of the house of Jeroboam as one takes away refuse until it is 
all gone. The literal translation of every 
male is he who urinates against a wall. Now, pardon my crudeness 
here, but to cite the King James Version, it's, he who pisseth 
against the wall. When we drop down to that word 
refuse, it's literally dung. Okay, the prophecy is somewhat 
crude, but note what it's targeting with reference to the utter devastation 
of Jeroboam's house. The male, or every male, is literally 
he who urinates against a wall. Refuse is literally dung. Ian 
Proven makes this observation. He says, literally, he who urinates 
against a wall. The translator's desire for discretion 
obscures the obvious connection between the urine and the dung 
or excrement that God uses as fuel for the fire of destruction. Jeroboam's house smells. Radical action is needed to deal 
with this sanitation problem. You see, sin is bad and sometimes 
scripture describes it using crude language. We get hung up 
on the crude language and miss the sin. There's an instance 
in Ezekiel 16 at verse 25. Only the New American Standard 
Translation translates it accurately. It is so vulgar and so offensive. One time I was preaching, this 
was way back before I ever came here, and I just cited the verse. I just quoted the verse. And 
somebody got very upset with me and I said, it's what the 
text says. The NAS gets it right. So we get hung up on the crudity 
of the language and forget that this man, a northern king, has 
just plunged the nation into utter idolatry, provoking Yahweh 
to anger, casting Yahweh behind his back. And so what the prophet 
says is that his house is filthy, it reeks like dung, and those 
who urinate against the wall are going to be cut down and 
devastated and destroyed. That's the emphasis in verses 
10 and 11. Notice he goes on. He highlights 
the death of Abijah in verses 12 and 13. You came to ask concerning 
the young man? Well, now he's going to tell 
you. But there is mercy here for Abijah. He was the only shining 
light in this wretched, crooked family. Notice in verse 12, arise 
therefore, go to your own house. When your feet enter the city, 
the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for 
him and bury him, for he is the only one of Jeroboam who shall 
come to the grave. None of the other men will. They 
will all be devastated. Dogs will eat them. Birds will 
eat them. They will not meet that burial 
that is part and parcel of decency in Israel. But this young man, 
however, is going to come to the grave, because in him there 
is found something good toward the Lord God of Israel in the 
house of Jeroboam. So in some sense this was an 
act of mercy for Abijah to remove him from the impending judgment 
that's going to come upon the house of Jeroboam. And so all 
the nation or all Israel mourn for him or shall mourn for him 
and bury him. Now, Matthew Henry makes this 
comment. Perhaps he goes a bit too far, 
but the sentiment is beautiful. He says, those that are distinguished 
by divine grace shall be distinguished by divine providence. Precisely what happens? Abijah's 
death means that he avoids the coming judgment that Jeroboam's 
men. Jeroboam's family is going to 
meet with. Matthew Henry goes on to say, 
this hopeful child dies first of all the family. For God often 
takes those soonest whom he loves best. Heaven is the fittest place 
for them. This earth is not worthy of them." 
It's a beautiful sentiment, I think, that he expresses there. But 
nevertheless, the answer has come. Abijah will die, but this 
is in the context of a whole host of other things. Notice 
in the third place in terms of the judgment, the overthrow of 
the dynasty in verse 14. In some sense, this is repetition. Certainly, if all the males are 
destroyed and the birds of the air and the dogs of the field 
eat their bodies, there's no son, there's no heir apparent, 
there is no one from Jeroboam's house that's going to rise up 
and reign. So moreover, the Lord will raise 
up for himself a king over Israel who shall cut off the house of 
Jeroboam. This is the day, what even now? Some of that's a bit difficult 
to translate, so we'll move on to the final aspect of the prophecy, 
the exile of the northern tribes, verses 15 and 16. You see, isn't 
this an outline of everything that's going to follow? in 1st 
and 2nd Kings. This is precisely a roadmap for 
what's going to happen from this point on in 1st and 2nd Kings. We are going to see this fulfilled 
to a T. We see the death of the Son right 
in the context. We see the other things start 
to take place not long after that. But notice specifically 
the language of verses 15 and 16. It's the language of exile. Verse 15, the Lord will strike 
Israel as a reed is shaken in the water. He will uproot Israel 
from this good land which He gave to their fathers and will 
scatter them beyond the river. You see, this is exile. They 
have been planted in the land by a good and gracious God in 
accordance with the covenant promise to Abraham. And now they 
have sinned against this covenant God in accordance with the curses 
of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy chapter 28. They will be exiled. They will be sent out of the 
land. They will be vomited out of the land by the land itself. God is in the business of bringing 
judgment upon idolaters. Note he gives the specific reason. 
Because they have made their wooden images provoking the Lord 
to anger. Wooden images is Asherim, or 
Asherah. And Asherah was a Canaanite goddess. She was a girlfriend to Baal. 
I mean, if you can imagine, they had gods and goddesses, and those 
gods and goddesses, you know, had relations with one another. 
They were consorts, one with another. So Asherah was a female 
deity and it was a wooden pole that would represent her and 
it was one of the girlfriends of Baal. Now Asherah is going 
to make more of an appearance under Ahab later in the narrative. He goes full on Baal, Asherah, 
the whole kit and caboodle. But here we see its introduction 
under Jeroboam. And then verse 16 summarizes, 
he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam who sinned 
and who made Israel sin. So it wasn't just Jeroboam, the 
people of Israel followed him into this. Now certainly Jeroboam 
bears a great deal of responsibility because as a leader goes, so 
goes the people. The leader is certainly culpable 
and responsible for his share, but the people ought not to follow 
a bad leader. Jesus said, if a blind man leads 
a blind man, both shall fall into the pit. Now you feel sorry 
for the second blind man, but he shouldn't have followed the 
blind man. You see, we are responsible to make sure that we are following 
leadership that is consistent, that is faithful, that is biblical, 
that is right. We're not to join churches where 
the leadership doesn't honor or obey or fear God. Now, it 
becomes a little bit more difficult in civil polity because unless 
we're going to mount a revolution or, you know, all that sort of 
thing or a civil war, We've got to, insofar as we're able, submit 
to the governing authorities insofar as they aren't commanding 
us to sin. But the point is that leadership 
is culpable. James says, let not many of you 
become teachers, for we shall receive a stricter judgment. So Jeroboam bears the lion's 
share of the guilt, but nevertheless, Israel sinned willingly. Now 
notice, thirdly, by way of a major section, the application of Ahijah's 
prophecy in verses 17 to 20. Note first the death of Abijah 
in verses 17 and 18. Now, what do you think Mrs. Jeroboam 
and Jeroboam were thinking at this particular point? Certainly 
they were shedding tears over the death of Abijah, but they 
were probably fearful and fretful at the reality that if the near 
prophecy has been fulfilled, then most likely the latter prophecy 
will be fulfilled. Remember when the man of God 
from Judah comes to Bethel in chapter 13 and tells Jeroboam 
that a man by the name of Josiah, about 300 years later, is going 
to be the king. He's going to dig up bones, he's 
going to exhume them, and he's going to burn them on this altar. 
And as a sign, this altar is going to split open right before 
your eyes and ashes are going to pour out. In 13.5, the altar 
split and the ashes poured out. What should that have told Jeroboam? 
That if the near prophecy is fulfilled, then certainly the 
latter prophecy is going to be fulfilled. And the same is true 
here with the death of Abijah. The splitting of the altar in 
13.5 confirmed the prophecy concerning Josiah in 13.2. The death of 
Abijah here immediately confirms the prophecy concerning the disaster 
upon Jeroboam's house, the overthrow of the dynasty, and the exile 
that is to take place with reference to the northern tribes. So certainly 
they shed tears over Abijah, But they should have been shedding 
some tears over the reality that they had made a mess of everything. Better yet, they should have 
repented, or Jeroboam should have repented and forsaken his 
sin. Davis says, the death of the 
son is both a sign and a preview of the death of the dynasty and 
nation. And they couldn't have missed 
that. I mean, again, he was an idolater, he wasn't an idiot. 
He had to realize the significance involved in this situation. Now 
note, chapter 15, verses 25 to 30. This is where disaster comes 
to Jeroboam's house and the overthrow of the dynasty. Verses 25 to 
30, notice in verse 25, Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, became king 
over Israel in the second year of Asa, king of Judah, and he 
reigned over Israel two years. He did evil in the sight of the 
Lord and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin by 
which he made Israel sin. Then Basha, the son of Ahijah 
of the house of Issachar, conspired against him, and Basha killed 
him at Gibethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab 
and all Israel laid siege to Gibethon. Besha killed him in 
the third year of Asa, king of Judah, and reigned in his place. 
And it was so, when he became king, that he killed all the 
house of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam 
anyone that breathed until he had destroyed him, according 
to the word of the Lord which he had spoken by his servant 
Ahijah the Shilani, because of the sins of Jeroboam which he 
had sinned and by which he had made Israel sin, because of his 
provocation with which he had provoked the Lord God of Israel 
to anger. Notice 2 Kings chapter 17, to 
see the end, not of the dynasty, but of the northern tribes as 
a whole. So you see the death of the son is a foretaste of 
or foreshadowing of the death of the dynasty in chapter 15, 
and ultimately the death of the northern kingdom in 2 Kings chapter 
17. Notice in 2 Kings chapter 17, Let's see here, verse 6. In the 
ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried 
Israel away to Assyria and placed them in Hala and by the Habor, 
the river of Gotan, and in the cities of the Medes. Now notice 
in same chapter, verse 21. gives us a summary as to why 
this would indeed take place. For he tore Israel from the house 
of David, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam 
drove Israel from following the Lord and made them commit a great 
sin. For the children of Israel walked 
in all the sins of Jeroboam, which he did. They did not depart 
from them until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he 
had said by all his servants, the prophets. So Israel was carried 
away from their own land to Assyria as it is to this day, never to 
be reconvened again. Judah went into captivity, but 
they were restored. Why is that? Because of 2 Samuel 
7 and the Davidic covenant. God promised that David would 
always have an heir. with reference to his line. God 
promised David that there would always be a dynasty because that 
dynasty would lead to the dynastic Messiah himself, the Lord Jesus 
Christ. That covenant was not with the 
North. So when Jeroboam plunges the 
nation into sin, God judges them, sends them into captivity in 
Assyria, and doesn't bring them back. He doesn't restore them 
as he does the southern tribes. So going back to 1 Kings chapter 
14, ending on the death of Jeroboam. Notice verses 19 and 20. Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, 
how he made war and how he reigned, indeed they are written in the 
book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. This isn't the 
inspired book of chronicles that we have following first and second 
kings, but rather probably court annals, kings' annals, written 
records, things that were extant then but we don't have possession 
of. But notice it does indicate certain things here. how he made 
war and how he reigned, and then verse 20, the period that Jeroboam 
reigned was 22 years. So he rested with his fathers, 
then Nadab his son reigned in his place. Now the narrative 
shifts. We have a divided kingdom, so 
we have a divided narrative. We go from this king of Israel, 
the author is then going to highlight a few of the kings of Judah, 
and then he's going to return to the north, and that was in 
chapter 15. Notice there in 1525, now Nadab, the son of Jeroboam. So it picks up the narrative 
in the north there in 1525. At the end of 1420, or at 1421, 
we have a series of kings in Judah. So you've got a divided 
kingdom, north-south, Israel-Judah, and now we have a divided narrative. 
He's going to report on some of the kings in the north, he's 
going to report on some of the kings in the south. He's going 
to go back to the kings of the north, go back to the kings of 
the south. That's how it's going to carry out because of that 
division. But here particularly, notice 
he reigned 22 years. And some of the things that he 
did, he made war and how he reigned. Now, for a 22 year reign, he 
must have done something right. I'm not suggesting religiously, 
I'm not suggesting in terms of worship or devotion to God or 
anything like that, but to maintain a throne for 22 years, I got 
to imagine at some point along the way he did something right. 
He secured the kingdom for that amount of time. But notice how 
much of a passing glance this is. What's important in the life 
of Jeroboam isn't how he reigned, and it's not how he waged war. It's how he worshipped. See, 
all of the substance in terms of the narrative concerning Jeroboam 
is not concerned with his reign and with his war-making capability, 
but how he worshipped. Davis makes this observation. 
I think it's good. Obviously, I wouldn't quote it. 
He says, the writer has little interest in Jeroboam's military 
and political successes, but has spilled all his ink on how 
the king responded to the basic covenant demand. Accomplishments 
don't matter, fidelity does. You see, in less than a verse, 
he gives us what he did in the history of 22 years. What are 
you going to be remembered for? Is it going to be, you know, 
I built this, I did this, I did that, or is it going to be, he 
was faithful to God? You see, that's what Davis is 
bringing out. He says, verse 19 is frightening. All the energy and exertion you 
have poured into making your mark and your calling may prove 
one huge irrelevance. The only thing that matters is 
whether you worship Yahweh alone. Were you contented with the real 
God? We think verse 19 is only a throwaway 
biographical note. Actually, it's a disturbing worldview 
when all that you've ever done takes up less than one verse. chapters devoted to how you rejected 
God, how you cast Him behind your back, and how you engaged 
in abject idolatry and plunged the people you were supposed 
to lead into that self-same idolatry. Well, in conclusion, I got three 
things and then we'll go. First, the certainty of God's 
judgment upon idolatry. You cannot miss that. I'm not 
suggesting that it's okay to commit, you know, violations 
of commandments 3 to 10. I'm not suggesting that for a 
moment. But God has a special enmity 
toward those first and second commandment violations. Now typically, 
when you violate the first and second, all the rest are open 
game. If you're violating, you know, the foundational ones, 
everything else are going to be open as well. You're going 
to violate those. But the idea being, and we ought 
to learn this from Jeroboam the son of Nebat, idolatry is bad. I mean, if we could summarize 
the entire narrative concerning Jeroboam, idolatry is bad. This is a good lesson to pass 
on to your kids. Idolatry is bad. Do not have other gods before 
God. and do not try and worship the 
true God in an incorrect manner, because he's provoked to anger 
that way as well. Now, I don't think that's what 
Jeroboam did, using the calves as a means to worship Yahweh. 
I think he was using the calves as objects of worship. But there 
are those who say it doesn't matter that we have the true 
God, however we want to approach Him. It most certainly does matter. God is not only the object of 
our worship, but God has defined the manner by which we worship 
Him. We are not to engage in idolatry. We're not to picture Him. We're 
not to make images of Him. We're not to be innovative and 
creative with reference to worship. We're to do what He commands. 
We're to do how He commands, and we're to do precisely what 
He commands, happily and joyfully and gratefully for His goodness 
and kindness. Secondly, the clarity of God's 
word regarding depravity. There are just several things, 
quickly, we ought to notice about the sins of Jeroboam. In the 
first place, the rejection of the command of God. This is typical 
of every sinner. Again, I think there's a little 
bit of Jeroboam in all of us, and I don't want to psychologize 
it, but this is, in some ways, very symptomatic of the way that 
people respond to God. Not just pagans, but those who 
are supposed to be covenant members. The rejection of the commandment 
of God, 1138. The institutionalizing of idolatry, chapter 12, 25 to 
33. Now most of us hopefully won't 
institutionalize idolatry, though we might in our homes if we're 
not consistent with the first and the second word, if we're 
not diligent to teach our children the the ways and the things of 
God, we may be institutionalizing idolatry in the very home that 
we're supposed to lead. So, perhaps it's not so far afield. We need to take heed that we 
are not Jeroboam-ish in that regard. Thirdly, he attempted 
to murder the man of God from Judah in chapter 13. I mean, 
isn't that typical? We can't kill the God of heaven 
and earth, so we'll kill the messenger? Right? You see that 
pattern. People get upset at the messenger. Why? It doesn't change the message. You can shoot a preacher in the 
head, but it doesn't change that God calls you to repent and forsake 
your wickedness. But that was Jeroboam's response 
when the man of God from Judah comes to Bethel and he prophesies 
concerning Josiah. He wants to arrest him so that 
he can kill him. After the prophecies, the short-term 
prophecies come to pass by the man of God from Judah, then Jeroboam 
tries to bribe the man of God. Well, if I don't need to kill 
him, he does do some things that are pretty legitimate and pretty 
excellent, I'll just bribe him. I'll give him up whatever kind 
of reward that he's seeking because it'd be quite handy to have a 
prophet like this in my back pocket. Notice as well his persistence 
in rebellion, chapter 13, verses 33 to 34. Again, this is typical. This is symptomatic. We are called 
out at times for our sin, and instead of repenting, instead 
of forsaking, we harden our necks. We hear the law of God, we hear 
the word of God, we hear the word preached, and yet we continue 
to resist. Why is it easier to see it in 
the case of Jeroboam in 1 Kings chapter 13 than it is for us? When we receive the commandment 
of God in a particular situation, let's say James 1.26, we are 
told by God to bridle our tongues. We may happen to know or suspect 
that we have a problem in that regard. And yet we don't bridle 
it. Is Jeroboam the only guy that 
continues persistently in rebellion against God? No. More often than 
not, the professing people of God do the same sorts of things. The folly of seeking God's prophet 
in distress only. Again, I'm not trying to discourage 
anybody from seeking God in distress. Cast your burdens upon the Lord 
because He cares for you. That's what we're supposed to 
do. But if it's only in distress, if it's only when you're trapped 
under the water and you're about to drown to death, if it's only 
when you've got a negative report from your doctor, if that's the 
only time you pray, if that's the only time you seek out any 
pastoral or spiritual counsel or you seek out any fellowship, 
that is indicative that things aren't well with your soul. As 
well, he provoked God and he cast God behind his back and 
he becomes the standard of royal wickedness. I have many texts 
indicated from this point on where Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, 
functions in a negative way the way that David functions in a 
positive way, as the benchmark or standard. And then thirdly 
and finally, the impossibility of avoiding God's word through 
duplicity. Go back for just a moment to 
verse 6. This is an intriguing passage. And so it was, when 
Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps, as she came through 
the door, he said, come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend 
to be another person? For I have been sent to you with 
bad news. That's an attempt that persons 
often try and engage in, is to hide themselves from the word 
of God through duplicity, through deceitfulness, through disguise. There's an interesting account 
in Charles Haddon Spurgeon's autobiography. It's a two-volume 
set. We're going to close here. Two 
volumes. The first is the early years and the second is the full 
harvest. It's always intrigued me because 
he was a skinnier man in the earlier years and a heavier man 
in the full harvest. And it looks like he had a full 
harvest somewhere along the line. And this just kind of always 
struck me. But there's an interesting part. There's a chapter on memorable 
sermons or something like that. But this is a quote straight 
from the volume itself. The service at the tabernacle 
on Lord's Day evening, July 31st, 1864, was a memorable one to 
Spurgeon and two of his hearers. A man living in Newington had 
been converted through the pastor's preaching, and he became a regular 
worshiper at the tabernacle. His wife, a very staunch member 
of the Church of England, strongly objected to his going, but he 
continued to attend, notwithstanding all that she said. One Sabbath 
night, after her husband had gone to the service, her curiosity 
overcame her prejudice, and she herself determined to go to hear 
what the preacher had to say. Not wishing to be known, she 
tried to disguise herself by putting on a thick veil and a 
heavy shawl and sought still further to avoid observation 
by ascending to the upper gallery. She was very late in reaching 
the building, so just as she entered, the preacher was announcing 
his text. And the first words that sounded 
in her ears were strikingly appropriate to her case, especially as she 
declared that Spurgeon pointed directly at her as he said, come 
in, thou wife of Jeroboam. Why faintest thou thyself to 
be another? For I am sent to thee with heavy 
tidings, 1 Kings 14, 6. Isn't that beautiful? I just 
love that. We can't hide from God's word. And then Spurgeon, as he's discoursing 
in the sermon, says something about persons that may try and 
disguise themselves. Persons like, you know, a man 
of business that may not want to be seen as a religious person, 
a preacher maybe from another church. And in the course of 
the sermon, he made this observation. He said, notwithstanding, Whoever 
you may be, disguised or not, it is of no use where God's gospel 
is preached. It is a quick discerner. It will 
find out the thoughts and intents of the heart. It will search 
you out and unmask your true character. Disguise yourself 
as you may." Now the woman went home and told her husband that 
she thought he had set it up or had some hand in setting it 
up. which he didn't. It was just the way it was. But 
I thought that was an interesting way to sort of end the study 
tonight and to encourage us that those whom we witness to and 
those whom we speak to, and even our children, cannot avoid and 
cannot hide from God's Word. It will indeed find the mount. 
Well, let's pray. Father, we thank you for your 
Word. We thank you for this passage. We thank you for the instruction 
we receive from even the life of a wicked man like Jeroboam. 
Give us grace, God, to resist the tendencies that we see in 
this man. Give us grace, God, to pursue 
those good things that Scripture sets forth throughout. We ask 
that you would go with us now, that you would watch over us 
in the remainder of our week. Help us to come together on the 
Sabbath to worship and to praise and to glorify your great and 
awesome name. And we pray these things through 
Christ our Lord. Amen.