Contrasting Worship

 A Contrast of Worship

 Book of 1 Kings Chapters 12, 14, 15

 What is worship? Worship is homage rendered to Jehovah which is idolatry to render to any created being.

 Exo 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

 Isa 2:8 Their land also is full of idols; “they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made”:

 It is sin to worship any created being!

 It is sin to worship an angel, who is also created beings!

 We are to worship only the Living God!

 Jer_10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

 We know that Israel was now a divided nation. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, was king of Judah, which included the tribe of Benjamin.

 Jeroboam was now the King Israel which included only the ten tribes now called Ephraim.

 From this point forward the Books of 1 and 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles will record the histories of the different kings of the divided nation of Israel.

 What is idolatry?

 Idolatry is image worship or divine honor paid to a created object, including mankind and angels.

 Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

 How can we best describe those who are lost, keeping in mind that we were once lost?

 Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

 The forms of idolatry are,

(1.) Fetishism, or the worship of trees, rivers, hills, stones, etc.(created objects on earth)

(2.) Nature worship, the worship of the sun, moon, and stars, as the supposed powers of nature.(created objects in the heavens)

(3.) Hero worship, the worship of deceased ancestors, or heroes.(all created objects)

 Idolatry in Christian doctrine is anything that interferes between the soul and our Creator is idolatrous and is to be shunned!

 1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

 Jeroboam turned the northern tribes of Israel to idolatry.

 Idolatry is the religion of Satan! Remember Lucifer was just an angel created by Jehovah.

 *****1Ki 12:26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:

1Ki 12:27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

1Ki 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

 Jeroboam was face to face with the greatest opportunity of his life.

 Should he have determined to serve the Lord he might have easily been the mightiest monarch in the history of Israel.

 God would have certainly been with him.

 But if he disregarded the Word of God his kingdom would have come to nothing which it did.

 It was a Prophet of God Ahijah that had told him of these things.

 The only safe path of any ruler is the right path!

 We could ask ourselves does God truly have any rulers on His side?

 We know that the heart is the center of mankind's personal activities.

 Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

 The world created by God before the flood was destroyed because of idolatry which led to wickedness!

 Gen 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; "for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth"; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

 We get a firsthand look at how false religions get started. They are conceived in the mind of some man or some woman!

 Jehovah had already told Jeroboam how to get His blessings.

 Jehovah has told us all how to get His blessings!

 1Ki 11:38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

 Jeroboam made Shechem his capital city and then Jeroboam does something very foolish.

 The apostasy of Jeroboam was willful, it was designed, and it was done deliberately!

 He consulted with himself instead of consulting with Jehovah who had made him King of Israel.

 The Lord Jesus Christ makes this thing simple to understand.

 Luk 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

 Our hearts must be fixed upon the Lord!

 Psa 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

 The fact of the divided kingdom did not mean that the Northern Tribes were exempt from their covenant obligations to Jehovah!

 They were still to observe the Books of Moses as much as the Southern Tribes.

 All the tribes of Israel had the same Book of Moses!

 These things caused stress upon Jeroboam, and he even became afraid for his life.

 Jeroboam forgot the promises of God!

 We tend to look at the world and forget the promises of God when we know that God has proven to us that He will never break a promise.

 We do not need advice on how to do evil, we are born that way!

 Jeroboam wanted advice on how to do a bad thing in the best way. He did not consult with God and God would not have answered such a request!

 So many churchgoers today go to a place of worship that is convenient rather than seek a "Bible Believing" House of worship.

 It is a fact that we will take the easy way out when it is available!

 Just as a certain political party did in the days of Covid 19 when it made it a law to abandon the Church for fear of catching the disease forgetting the power of God.

 Jeroboam shaped a new religion for his own purpose.

 This is the way of radical Islam and other such religions. They rewrite their literature to adapt to changes they see in the world.

 The Holy Scriptures never have to change because they were written by Jehovah and are perfect in any age!

 Jeroboam even framed his words by the Word of God during the Exodus.

 Exo 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Exo 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.

Exo 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

 Jeroboam proposed a perversion of the proper worship of Jehovah God.

 “Calf is not a good translation of the Hebrew egel. A young bull in his first strength is meant: for instance, the word can describe a three-year-old animal.

 Gen 15:9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer “of three years old”, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.

 A three-year-old bull would be a bull closer to his prime than a calf.

 Jeroboam placed these idols of Baal in two separate locations.

 *****1Ki 12:29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

1Ki 12:30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

 The name Bethel means "house of God" and this city was ten miles from Jerusalem.

 This is the same place where Jacob had his vision of the angels of God ascending and descending on a ladder whose top reached into Heaven.

 Gen 28:12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Gen 28:13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

Gen 28:14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

 Gen 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

Gen 28:21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:

 Dan, which means (a judge) on the other hand is located at the foot of Mount Hermon.

 This is the same place where the Danites stole the shrine of Micah and set up false worship.

 Jdg 18:29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.

Jdg 18:30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

Jdg 18:31 And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

 Jeroboam took advantage of this situation as he felt they would have no problem accepting his idols of Baal.

 Jeroboam then installed false priests and false worship.

 *****1Ki 12:31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

1Ki 12:32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

1Ki 12:33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

 We should be very clear. Once we are aware of our Creator, we then must worship Him!

 This is why the Bible begins with the Book of Genesis.

 This is why the world clings to the lies of evolution.

 Evolution has proven to be wrong so many times it is pathetic that the world clings to it because they have no other theory except now where they use the word aliens so often.

 We have only one duty as created beings!

 Ecc_12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

 Jeroboam decided that his idols would also need temples as a place to worship and priests.

 He was not about to use priests from the tribe of Levi because they might teach the truth of God.

 Deu_10:8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

 Jeroboam chose priests from every tribe but the Levites, going against the Word of God in any way that he could think of.

 This is the way of almost all false man-made religions. They always will change the rules if people start leaving for the truth.

 There are a few false religions that have some truth in them, but Christianity is all or nothing and based upon the truth of Jesus Christ and the true Word of God.

 Jeroboam chose the eighth month and the fifteenth day to be as close to The Feast of the Tabernacles as he thought would work.

 The Feast of the Tabernacles was on the fifteenth day of the seventh month.

 Jeroboam did not consult with anyone else to create this false religion!

 The people already understood that Jeroboam was chosen by God to lead this new nation, and Jeroboam kept it that way.

 The Prophet Amos had confronted one of Jeroboam's false priests with the truth:

 Amo 7:10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.

Amo 7:11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

Amo 7:12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:

Amo 7:13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.

Amo 7:14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:

Amo 7:15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

 It may have been the king's chapel and the king's court but he was the wrong king.

 Our Lord Jesus had some things to say about man-made religion:

 Mat 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 The Holy Spirit says: Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

 Those who serve false religion have to understand the judgment of God will come upon them.

 *****1Ki 14:15 For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.

1Ki 14:16 And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.

 Jehovah had placed Jeroboam on the throne of Ephraim, but it was Jeroboam who had turned against Him.

 Jeroboam could have been a mighty king of Israel, but he rebelled against the truth of God.

 Jeroboam is still suffering the judgment of God today and he will throughout eternity!

 Now comes judgment upon the people who knew better.

 Moses had warned these people:

 Deu 4:27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.

Deu 4:28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

Deu 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

 Now judgment would come to Israel, and they would be scattered on the other side of the Euphrates River.

 Politics had caused the people of God to sin!

 During Covid 19 many of God's people were directed to sin by our government and many of those who left the Church have never returned.

 The Holy Spirit has also warned the Church of the coming judgment of God:

 Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

 There will be no more warnings and judgment could come at any time because the "Rapture of the Church is the next thing on God's timetable.

 Once the Church is removed this world will rely on wickedness and idolatry just as those before the flood.

 King Rehoboam and his son had also turned against Jehovah and God began his judgment upon Judah beginning with the King of Egypt.

 1Ki 14:23 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.

1Ki 14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

1Ki 14:25 And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:

 No doubt that Jeroboam had stirred up this king against Judah, and Shishak broke his peace agreement with King Solomon.

 1Ki 14:26 And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

 We know that King David had placed all his treasures in the Temple and so had many others.

 We know that those golden shields would be valued at over thirty-three million dollars today.

 There is a record of these events in Egypt.

 With Judah humbled at the hand of this Egyptian King, Jeroboam had free reign to attack Judah at any time and he did so.

 It was in the time of King Asa that change came to Judah.

 *****1Ki 15:9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.

1Ki 15:10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

1Ki 15:11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.

1Ki 15:12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

1Ki 15:13 And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

 Finally, a king who was faithful to the Lord.

 We should notice that Jehovah is still keeping his promises to King David and He will continue because the prophecy of Kings of Judah will last until King Jesus sits upon the throne of David.

 King Asa reigned for forty-one years, and we can see that he had not been influenced by his grandmother Maacah's false worship.

 This Maacah was the daughter of Tamar the daughter of Absolom.

 Asa removed his father's idols.

Asa removed his wicked mother as Queen and her idols burning them in the Brook Kidron.

Asa removed the Sodomites from the land of Judah.

Asa did not remove all the high places of worship, and we do not have an explanation, but we can imagine politics were still involved.

 Asa gave his treasures to the House of the Lord.

 Amen

Pride and Arrogance

 Bad Counsel Caused Division

 Book of 1 Kings Chapter 12

 We have a new president, and we hope those he chooses as councilors will help lead him to make our nation great again.

 The best advice that any should give him is to return our nation to the Lord our God.

 We can be assured that he was chosen to lead the United States of America by God Himself and God has His reasons, and it is His will.

 Our lesson today covers one of the most important times in the history of Israel.

 The division of the tribes of Israel caused many bad feelings that have not been overcome even in our day.

 These were also important times for the Church because as Christians we need to understand the history of Israel to understand the prophets and prophecy.

 Israel will divide into a Northern Kingdom and a Southern Kingdom.

 We will also see that God loves the Gentiles who the people of Israel considered to be heathen.

 These things were not done in secret. God had warned Solomon just as He warns us all today.

 Now, God does not cause these things to happen, He allows them to happen.

 God has given us free will to choose between right and wrong and He guides us to show us the right way.

 God cannot be blamed for the wrong that is done in our world because He will not force us to do right nor will He force us to do wrong. He just tells us the truth!

 As King Solomon died at the young age of around sixty the turmoil began with his son Rehoboam.

 *****1Ki 12:1  And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. 

 We know that King David had ruled as a conqueror.

 King Solomon ruled as a man of peace but high taxation.

 The people of Israel had no benefits from the rule of King Solomon except they lived in peace.

 After King Solomon, the people wanted to modify the character of the next government.

 Arrogance is a terrible evil. Arrogance puts people down and then pushes them away, treating them as inferior.

Here in America, we understand this very well.

 We have seen this in our last few Democratic governments so we can relate to the people of Israel during the time of King Solomon.

 This arrogance was passed down to Solomon's son Rehoboam.

 Rehoboam possessed none of the traits of his father other than arrogance.

 Rehoboam possessed none of the traits of his grandfather David.

 Rehoboam was recognized as heir to the throne of his father.

 The coronation of Rehoboam was to take place at Shechem.

 It was at Shechem that Abraham built his first altar in the Promised Land and received the promise of Jehovah.

 It was at Shechem where Jacob bought a parcel of land from the children Hamor and settled with his household and where he buried the idols of his wives under a tree named "the oak of the sorcerer".

 It was at Shechem where Jacob dug a well where the Lord Jesus would meet a Samaritan woman.

 It was at Shechem where Joshua gave his parting address and made a covenant with the people.

 Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. 

 Shechem was a special place of the promises of God!

 It will be at Shechem where Rehoboam will show his arrogance and cause Israel to become a divided nation.

 It was at Shechem where Jeroboam took up his residence for a while.

 It is Shechem that is said to be the most beautiful place in all of Palestine.

 *****1Ki 12:2  And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;) 

1Ki 12:3  That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, 

1Ki 12:4  Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. 

 Jeroboam, who King Solomon had run out of town was now back and was taking the lead voice of the opposition to the kingdom under Solomon.

 1Ki 11:40  Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

 We could ask ourselves why.

 1Ki 11:28  And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. 

1Ki 11:29  And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: 

1Ki 11:30  And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: 

1Ki 11:31  And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: 

1Ki 11:32  (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) 

1Ki 11:33  Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

 The name Joseph denotes the two tribes Ephraim and Manasseh and Ephraim denotes the Kingdom of Israel and then the whole covenant people of Israel.

 From Ezekiel, we see this thing:

 Eze 37:16  Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 

Eze 37:17  And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. 

Eze 37:18  And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these? 

Eze 37:19  Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

This is taking place today.

 We can now see the other side of the rule of King Solomon.

 There were heavy taxes under Solomon.

Tyrants oppressed their subjects with grievous impositions.

 This tax and impositions were not only for the people which would have been ok, but for the expenses of Solomon's court.

 This tax supported all the wives and concubines of King Solomon and any whim he took part in which did not set well with the people.

 This tax-supported all the festivities of Solomon's lavish lifestyle.

 We should keep in mind that King Solomon was the richest person to have ever lived, but he kept those riches to himself when he could have paid all the taxes and still been rich.

 When Solomon forsakes the Lord and worshipped idols then the people surely had enough of him and were glad to see him go.

 To the average Israelite, being under the burden of such high taxes was like a yoke laid upon beasts of burden and seemed more like servant work rather than living in peace.

 As long as King Solomon walked with the Lord, he was important as the Holy Spirit guided this author, but as soon as he forsake the Lord God Jehovah he became insignificant, not just to the people but also to Jehovah.

 In a sense Solomon destroyed himself and it was not helping his son Rehoboam.

 Millo was a new fortification that protected Jerusalem from an attack from the north. It is also called the Citadel.

 Solomon also repaired any weak places in the walls of Jerusalem.

 Solomon began to fear the loss of his kingdom which was impossible because of God's promise to King David.

 All King Solomon had to do was to remain faithful to Jehovah.

 Solomon took his eyes off the Lord and fell into the trap of lust.

 1Jn_2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

 Let us see this history of Israel develop.

 *****1Ki 12:5  And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed. 

1Ki 12:6  And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? 

1Ki 12:7  And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

 Now the Son of Solomon, Rehoboam was facing some angry people, especially those of Ephraim who were being led by an angry Jeroboam.

 We already know that Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor.

 1Ki 11:28  And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. 

 Solomon had determined to kill Jeroboam for what God's prophet had said to him.

 We all know that we cannot change what God has said will take place!

 Rehoboam was at least wise enough to seek counsel before responding to the people of Ephraim.

 Shechem was a twelve hour walk from Jerusalem, and it would take some time for the councilors of Rehoboam to reach Shechem and to meet with Rehoboam.

 Rehoboam had sent for the councilors of his father Solomon and his friends who he had been raised with.

 These were a bunch of rich spoiled kids who had no worries growing up and knew nothing of ruling government.

 Solomon had caused every Israelite to serve one month in government service and then two months at home until all his building project had been completed and many more of them were drafted into the military, but not these young men who had rich parents.

 Solomon required heavy taxes upon the people and the rich just got richer and the poor got poorer, and the poor were seeking some much-needed relief.

 All the building projects were complete and such taxes were certainly no longer needed.

 Rehoboam had inherited the riches of his father, and he certainly did not need more riches.

 For years the people had been complaining about the harshness of King Solomon, but nothing changed.

 Rehoboam first consulted with the elders who had counselled his father, Solomon.

 There was wisdom in the council of the elders, good for every government.

 A government that serves the people will be a lasting government.

 A government that listens to its people and takes action to help them will be a lasting government.

 The government that does these things will find people who will willingly serve the government.

 This is the principle behind the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 The Lord Jesus came to serve!

 Rev 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 

Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

 Jesus taught us that whoever would be great must begin by being a servant.

 The proud and lofty in this world are served enough without taking the needs of the poor.

 Rehoboam was already forty-one years of age, he should have known better, but his mother was a pagan, and he had witnessed his father worship a pagan god.

 1Ki 14:21  And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. 

 Rehoboam next turned to his friends who were not so young being his age but certainly younger than those elders.

 Rehoboam forsook the council of the elders and turned to his rich friends.

 *****1Ki 12:8  But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: 

1Ki 12:9  And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter? 

1Ki 12:10  And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. 

1Ki 12:11  And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 

 Now we should not think of these young men as in their twenties or their thirties.

 Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he succeeded his father on the throne, and we should expect those men that he grew up with to be about his age but they were still spoiled rich kids.

 Rehoboam was even more arrogant and prideful than his father Solomon.

 He would tax these tribes even more than his father and increase their workload.

 He even mentioned scourging.

 If we do nothing else in our lifetime we need to guard against arrogance and pride!

 These things do not suit the Christian who is following in the ways of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave us the example of humility.

 These younger men had grown up living in luxury and wealth and they knew nothing of an honest day’s work.

 They knew nothing of responsibility!

 These were pampered men with childish ways.

 They had no respect for the people of Israel!

 Sounds a whole lot like the America we have been living in where our government had no respect for the taxpayer, and we hope these things change with our new government.

 We as the children of God are not better than anyone else in this world though we may be better off because our names are written down in the Lamb's Book of Life.

 None of us are to be slaves to arrogant governments or anyone else!

 In many places, God speaks against these things.

 Psa_10:2  The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

Psa_10:4  The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

 Pro_8:13  The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

 Pro_16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

 Rehoboam claimed that his power would far exceed that of his Father King Solomon.

 Pro 10:14  Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. 

Pro 10:15  The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.

 What happens eventually in such cases? People rebel.

 Jeroboam knew exactly how the people of Israel had suffered under King Solomon, and he now had the respect of ten of the tribes of Israel.

 Jeroboam now clearly understood what the Prophet Ahijah had told him.

 1Ki 11:29  And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:

1Ki 11:30  And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: 

1Ki 11:31  And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

 God keeps His reason for doing this very simple.

 1Ki 11:33  Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father. 

 We talk many times about God keeping His promises and we can be sure He will also keep those promises of forsaking Him.

 In the end, Jeroboam was not so much different from Rehoboam, but he would still rule Ephraim which included ten of the tribes of Israel for twenty-two years.

 *****1Ki 12:16  So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents. 

1Ki 12:17  But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 

 The United Kingdom of Israel was dissolved before Rehoboam was crowned as King of Judah.

 Rehoboam was a weak and wicked man!

 There is an old saying that says "he who would rule others must first rule himself".

 We should understand by now that God gives opportunities to individuals and nations even though they will not improve them.

 It was the divine plan of God to give Jeroboam control of the ten tribes of Israel even though God knew that Jeroboam would also forsake Him.

 We may not understand this, but Jehovah has a much greater plan in motion.

 Now this does not mean that Jehovah caused Jeroboam to act the way he did because he was allowed to do good and he failed to do so as he too became arrogant and prideful.

 We must also understand that Jehovah is not sitting in Heaven waiting to see what rulers will do and he is not ever caught off guard.

 God gives everyone a chance to do good when opportunities are given to them.

 It is that sinful nature that gets us in so much trouble.

 Rehoboam would rule Judah and Benjamin.

 Rehoboam tried one more thing to insert his authority over those who rebelled.

 *****1Ki 12:18  Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. 

 Adoram (or Adoniram) was the man over the taxes or tribute for King Solomon and now for King Rehoboam to either collect the taxes or make a compromise with the tribes of the north, but he was stoned to death and Rehoboam left for the safety of Jerusalem.

 Adoram was the wrong man to send for he was famous for his harsh policies of forced labor.

 From this point in the history of Israel, the name Israel referred to the ten Northern Tribes and the name Judah referred to the Southern Tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

 *****1Ki 12:19  So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. 

1Ki 12:20  And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only. 

 Jeroboam becomes the king of the Northern Tribes of Israel.

 We should understand that Ephraim had always felt the most important since the time of Joseph, but Jehovah does not see it that way and God made sure promises to the House of David still recognized as Israel's greatest king.

 Again, we must understand that Jehovah has guided the nation of Israel with a special purpose, but He guides the history of all the world in the same way.

God gave mankind free will to follow Him or not to follow Him.

We must also understand that nothing in this universe is outside the scope of Jehovah's sovereign rule!

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 

The will of God is made known in real-time.

It is each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ that is chosen by Jehovah and He made this decision before He created any part of this world.

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

There is no one alive today, no one who lived in the past or who will live in the future that Jehovah will not offer an opportunity to be adopted into the family of God, and it all centers around the Lord Jesus Christ.

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 

2Ti 1:10  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

Our purpose is not here on this earth even though we will be given opportunities while we are alive.

Even the death of the Lord Jesus Christ was determined before the foundation of the world was laid.

1Pe 1:20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 

1Pe 1:21  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

Our God has this amazing plan for every believer, and we could look at our world as the place God has chosen to separate the believer from those who reject Him.

Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 

Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 

Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 

Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 

We simply cannot comprehend the wisdom and the knowledge of our Divine Savior.

He does not have to consult with anyone, and no one has advised Him.

It is because God knows all things before, they happen, and He controls and guides all events for His Own Glory and For Our own Good.

Psa 104:24  O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. 

Pro 3:19  The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. 

God does not ever have to adjust His plan according to the things that happen here on earth, He simply knows all things!

Amen

Man Made Religion

Jeroboam and Asa

A Contrast In Worship

1 Kings 12-16

2 Chronicles 11-16

It is the choices that we make in this life that define our existence and our legacy!

What is the truth that cannot be denied by any people?

1. Sinful life style choices will have an immediate effect on any people!

2. Sinful choices will always produce failure to acknowledge the truth of God!

3. Sinful choices will always bring God's judgment!

Rom 1:32  "Who knowing the judgment of God", that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Remember at the end of last weeks lesson we saw that Jeroboam had already began to rebel against the Word of God given to him by God's prophet Ahijah.

What had God's prophet told Jeroboam?

1Ki 11:37  And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
1Ki 11:38  And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

How quickly will power cause most men to exalt themselves above the truth of God!

Lets begin:

*****1Ki 12:26  And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
1Ki 12:27  If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

The dictionary says that "history" is an account of facts, respecting nations or states. True History then is an accurate record of the events that have transpired.

What is the real truth of "history"?

True "history" is that God is teaching this entire world by examples from true history!

What have we seen from our past and continue to see in our own lifetime?

Foolish men in power never learn from true history, so history repeats itself over and over again!

Jeroboam had been a man that had been a part of Solomon's abuse of the people of Israel. When he had confronted Solomon about this abuse of people, he had to flee to Egypt to escape the wrath of Solomon.

God had taken Jeroboam and made him King of the Northern Tribes of Israel, which were ten tribes and Israel had become a divided nation.

Jeroboam had established his capitol city in Shechem in Samaria. Shechem already held great history for the nation of Israel for it was the place where Abraham had built his first altar in the Promised Land.

Shechem was the place where Abraham had received the covenant promises of God!

Jacob had also bought some land from the children of Hamor and had made this area his home place.

It was at Shechem where the bones of Joseph and Jacob were buried.

It was in this same place where the well of Jacob does still exist and where the Lord Jesus met with a certain woman at a well.

What did Jesus explain to this woman?

Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Jeroboam built Shechem in this place but he also built Penuel.

Penuel is best known for the battle of Gideon with the Midianites.

So we see that even historical places will have a way of revealing themselves in our own actions when we do learn our history very well!

Jeroboam then built his own home in Tirzah which had a history and a reputation for it's beauty for even Solomon recognized the beauty of Tirzah.

Son 6:4  Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.

But once Jeroboam had settled into his royal life, he began to realize that all these things could come to an end just as fast as they had begun.

Jeroboam began to doubt the Word of God as he entered into deep sin and he began to repeat the same things that had divided the nation of Israel to begin with.

In fact Jeroboam began to invent a totally new religion!

Even Solomon had found this to be true of mankind late in his life as he wrote these words:

Ecc 7:29  Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

All Jeroboam had to do was to obey the Word of God, he had received from God's prophet Ahijah.

1.) He needed only to walk in the ways of God, and he already had all the Books of Moses.

2.) He needed only to do right things and not wrong things. God's Word explains this very well even in the first 5 books!

3.) He needed only to realize that God had His eyes on everything that he did!

God keeps good records of all things done on this earth!

God says on Judgment Day those "books" would be opened!

What did Jeroboam do instead?

Jeroboam realized the great power of the Temple that Solomon had built had over the people and he knew that worship could become a most unifying force!

The Radical Muslim movement in our world today also take great advantage of this one thing in our world today!

Jeroboam had been given a great opportunity to unite God's people and to be a witness for Jehovah to the world, but Jeroboam could only think of himself!

The believing Jewish people were to journey to the Temple at the minimum 3 times a year and Jeroboam sought to put an end to these things and to end all contact with God's people

Jeroboam decided that he needed a state sponsored religion so he invented a new man-made religion just as many other have done!

*****1Ki 12:28  Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
1Ki 12:29  And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

We may not know who Jeroboam took counsel with, but Jeroboam had an Egyptian wife and he had spent much time in Egypt and was well aware of false religions of Egypt, just as Moses had been.

Jeroboam caused the Jewish people to remember their own history of the time of Moses and Aaron.

Exo 32:1  And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
Exo 32:2  And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
Exo 32:3  And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
Exo 32:4  And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Jeroboam decided if he could twist this sad history of the beginning of the nation of Israel around just a little bit, he might be able to substitute an idol in place of the Living God!

Living bulls were important in Egypt and a thing of worship and still are today.

The great basin in the Temple of Solomon had 12 bulls as it's support.

Aaron had made a golden calf as an image of God.

In Egypt many bulls were worshipped as being sacred and a resemblance of this idol was first placed at Bethel.

Jeroboam already knew the "history" of Bethel and how the Jewish people had gone to Bethel in times of trouble throughout history.

Jdg 20:26  Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
Jdg 20:27  And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
Jdg 20:28  And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

In fact Hosea later wrote that Bethel meaning the "house of God" should be changed to Bethaven the "house of idols" for that is what it had become!

Hos 10:5  The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.
Hos 10:6  It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.

Another false bull idol was placed in Dan.

Again if we remember "history" we will know the story of Micah and how Dan already had a history of idol worship.

Jdg 17:5  And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
Jdg 17:6  In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

This place of false worship still existed and Jeroboam took advantage of this and the people of the Northern Tribes of Israel fell into the deep sin of idolatry!

*****1Ki 12:30  And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

Sin can be said to be, when any person expresses their own sinful nature passed down from Adam!

Adam's sin, was that he did not obey the Word of God!

Sin then is anything that goes against the Word of God!

1Jn 3:4  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Sin is the inward habit of the soul that shows in the outward conduct of life, whether by omission or commission!

What is God's number one rule?

Rom 6:12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

What is the "Royal Law" of King Jesus?

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Anything we place before the Word of God is an idol and living in deep sin!

Jeroboam did not just stop here!

Jeroboam was on his way to creating an entirely new religion, just as the Atheists have done, and the Evolutionist have done and these people of Climate Change are trying to do now!

Climate change religion is more about the control of the undeveloped countries and the control of population than anything else which is another reason abortion is not eliminated and the gay lifestyle is allowed to fester.

If the entire world was gay, the entire world would die off in one generation.

These evil people take advantage of the fact that when people see things of nature that affect their lives, they hunt something to blame it on whether good or bad!

Evil men also take advantage of the fact that skills are no longer taught in most schools but only philosophy.

They take advantage of the fact that the Word of God has been removed from the schools along with Prayer to the only true God.

This has resulted in the growth of false worship and false priests.

What did Jeroboam do next the same thing our  world is doing today!

*****1Ki 12:31  And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

There were many of the Levite priests that still had their homes in this territory of these ten tribes whom God had placed there for many reasons, but Jeroboam did not allow them to be the priests in this new religion but cast them out and most all of them returned to Jerusalem and to Judah.

2Ch 11:14  For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:
2Ch 11:15  And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

Jeroboam was afraid that these men of God would go against what he was trying to do, so he created an entirely new order of priesthood again going against the Word of God.

A priest or preacher or pastor who is not God called, is not a true man of God!

In America today, every effort is made by our own government to shut the mouths of our men of God even by causing the Word of God to be included as hate speech!

When the truth becomes hate speech, we are all doomed to evil!

Jeroboam assumed himself to be the highest priest and selected other men who did not follow the Word of God to be the false temple priests.

It is a fact that our own President has surrounded himself with non-believers including the Muslim Brotherhood and has also exalted his own self above the Word of God!

That word lowest would truly mean the most degraded humans he could find.

2Ch 13:9  Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

Jeroboam needed one more thing, Jeroboam needed some special feast days.

*****1Ki 12:32  And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.
1Ki 12:33  So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

What had Jeroboam devised in his own heart?

Jeroboam had seen in his years that most all people will choose a religion of convenience rather than seek the truth, if seeking the truth required some difficulty on their part!

Jeroboam had seen in his years that many people would not have a problem with substituting an image of God for the invisible God.

Jeroboam decided to set aside the days that God required, for mock holidays that he had determined in his own mind.

Jeroboam devised these things himself, in his own heart.

What does God say?

Mat 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Mat 15:19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Mat 15:20  These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

These are all traits of the Antichrist!

Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

We know that many Christian holidays, such as the birth of Christ (Christmas), the resurrection of Christ (Easter), and a day of thanks (Thanksgiving), have lost their true meaning and purpose because of commercialism and man's influence, deliberately changing the meaning of these days from the truth.

The Temple in Jerusalem was available for worship everyday of the year but there were 3 specific times that all of Israel were required, if at all possible to return to the Tabernacle and now the Temple to worship the Lord!

1.) The Feast of the Passover was a memorial day, a symbolical memorial to the memory to that very first passover night when Israel escaped from the "iron furnace" of Egypt and freedom.

The meaning is best illustrated in the Book of Hebrews.

Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

We cannot know true freedom without the "Blood of Jesus"!

2) The Feast of Weeks, best known as Pentecost, was 50 days from the end of the Feast of unleavened bread which came just after the Passover.

This day was a memorial to the day that God gave the Law to Moses which was 50 days after they had escaped from the bondage of Egypt.

We cannot know freedom without the Word of God!

3) The Feast of the Trumpets, or the Day of Atonement.

This was the only day of the year that the High Priest could enter into the Holy of Holies and intercede on behalf of the Jewish people.

This was the only day that the "intercessor" for all of Israel, could sprinkle the blood on the "Mercy Seat".

The people were to afflict their souls on this day:

Lev 16:29  And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
Lev 16:30  For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

This event was to represent the mourning and sadness of Israel, just before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

My day of atonement was the day the Lord Jesus Christ interceded on my behalf and I got saved!

Zec 12:9  And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Zec 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Zec 12:11  In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.
Zec 12:12  And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart;
Zec 12:13  The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart;
Zec 12:14  All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart.

God had a purpose for all these things and there is no man on earth that can change the things of God!

Jeroboam had placed politics above the truth of God!

Jeroboam had installed his own government ordained religious system born out of selfish motives!

Jeroboam's appeal was that these things were good for the nation of Israel.

How often have we heard this thing?

Israel could now have a religious system that they truly would not have to share with others or any other nation.

Many in Israel have always said that Jehovah was just the God of the Jew and this was a great problem for the early Church!

And then Jeroboam decided that he should be the high priest of his own new religion!

Every false religion in the world was begun by such men as Jeroboam!

BUT, we can be sure God was not going to allow Jeroboam to escape His wrath for this disobedience.

*****1Ki 14:14  Moreover the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now.
1Ki 14:15  For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.
1Ki 14:16  And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.

What did God promise to Jeroboam?

1. God would raise up another king who would put and end to the dynasty of Jeroboam. Jeroboam would never have a son to sit very long on the throne of Israel.

2. God would remove His hand of protection from the ten tribes of Israel and allow a foreign power to chasten and punish Israel. We know that history says this was the Assyrians.

3. We think of reeds as plants that grow in a marsh. The Hebrew word "Kaneh" is used here to denote a "reed of any kind".

Reeds give the appearance of being firmly rooted in the ground but by the violence of many storms and the movement of the wind and the waters, they can be uprooted and scattered over and on dry land to die.

That phrase "beyond the river" means that these reeds would be scattered in lands other than the "Promised Land".

SO, How does Jesus say we are to avoid these things?

Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Jesus said if we are to be the messengers of the Gospel then we cannot be like a reed that is easily shaken.

Mat 11:7  And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
Mat 11:8  But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
Mat 11:9  But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
Mat 11:10  For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Israel had become a nation of reeds and God would fulfill this promise as He does them all!

We know these things began with Solomon and Jeroboam had been given an opportunity to restore Israel to the Word of God but Jeroboam had allowed his own lust for power to interfere with the work of God.

Jeroboam had sinned and he had caused Israel to fall even deeper into sin.

AND, Because our own government is so caught up in sin, America is now also caught up in and is falling deeper into sin!

But before Jeroboam died Judah had a new king named Asa.

AND, Asa had a heart for the truth of God!

*****1Ki 15:9  And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.

Asa was the son of Abijah and his grandfather was Rehoboam.

King Asa would rule Judah for 41 years.

We know that Rehoboam had also sinned greatly against the Lord and Abijah his son had followed in his footsteps but Asa was an entirely different man from his two predecessors.

Even though Asa had been raised by parents that rebelled against God, Asa became zealous in maintaining the true worship of Jehovah!

The name Asa means physician and one of the few blemishes in the record of Asa was near his end when he sought the physicians help rather that God's help.

1Ki 15:23  The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

2Ch 16:12  And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.

This does not mean we are not to go the doctor. It does mean we must not forsake the Lord, by allowing our heart to depart from serving God, even when our health begins to interfere with our daily walk in this life!

The Bible says it takes great strength to handle our elder years:

Psa 90:10  The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

The Bible also tells us where our strength will come from:

Isa 46:4  And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

God does not just make us sick so we can then call on Him for healing and God simply does not do bad things to us just to get our attention!

Paul said he once acted like a child but as he grew in the Lord. he did away with childish things!

BUT, God may remove His protective hand and allow Satan to do some things!

Jer 17:5  Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
Jer 17:6  For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
Jer 17:7  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

Asa did not have a god-fearing father nor grandfather and Asa did not have a god-fearing grandmother!

*****1Ki 15:10  And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

Maachah was actually Asa's grandmother or we would say the Queen Mother in this case.

Maachah was also David's son Absalom's granddaughter, so we can see that she came from the side of the family that had always rebelled against God.

2Ch 11:20  And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
2Ch 11:21  And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)
2Ch 11:22  And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

These things meant that Asa was very young when He assumed the throne of Judah!

SO, What is the biblical truth of King Asa?

King Asa was more like King David than he was of his father or his grandfather!

No doubt Asa had learned much about his heritage as a child.

2Ch 14:2  And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:

*****1Ki 15:11  And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.

Unlike Rehoboam and unlike Jeroboam, Asa sought to please God!

Israel is still today looking for a king that does right in the eyes of God, as did King David!

In fact Israel is still looking for someone to return to the throne of David and remove the threat of all those nations that hate them!

In the time that Asa ruled Judah, Israel would see King Jeroboam die along with all his sons but also King Baasha and his son Elah, King Zimri who was king for just one week, King Omri and King Ahab and the short live throne of King Tibna.

Judah had once again found peace with God, while Israel found turmoil in sin without God!

Good things can always be accomplished when a nation is at peace and is strong enough to keep it that way, and the only way for these things to happen is for that leader to do right in the eyes of God!

How did good King Asa go about making Judah a better nation in the eyes of God?

Asa did things according to the Word of God!

*****1Ki 15:12  And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

Being a Sodomite did not mean these were descendants of the city of Sodom that was destroyed many years earlier in the time of Abraham.

These Sodomites were all those who practiced the same immoral acts that took place in that city of Sodom!

In America, these Sodomites have even been granted the freedom to be marital partners!

In the time of Jeroboam these sinners made sodomy a religious rite just as they have in America today!

They made unnatural sex acts an open part of their lives, just as the gay movement has done in America today.

They committed abominable sin against the Lord by rejecting the Word of God!

You have to go against the Word of God to approve of such things!

Rom 1:26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

To the dismay of these people, God has only one answer for such sin.

Jud 1:7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Unless they repent of their sin, they will end up in a burning fiery Hell because they have corrupted their own selves.

People simply are not born this way, this is a lie straight from Hell, they corrupt themselves!

Jud 1:10  But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things "they corrupt themselves".

This is just the truth of the Word of God and not some hate speech aimed at anyone in particular!

We are always to love all people but we are also to hate all sin including the gay lifestyle!

Asa's answer was not to kill these Sodomites but to remove them for the land.

This should also be the response of our own nation!

BUT, Asa did much more than this one thing!

Asa removed any image or idol that the government of his father and his grandfather had put in place!

The truth is that America was built on the principles of Jehovah God and it is about time we acted like it!

Asa demanded for Judah to remember their heritage.

We need a leader now, who will step up and that America remember her heritage!

2Ch 14:2  And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:
2Ch 14:3  For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:
2Ch 14:4  And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.
2Ch 14:5  Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.

Regardless what we see in the news and the bold mouths of the gay community, it is only the truth of God that will bring peace to America and only then can America begin to rebuild as a Nation!

2Ch 14:6  And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.

Biblical principles bring peace and prosperity to any nation!

Asa could not show the proof of his intentions to restore Judah and if he allowed such sin to be seen in his own household, so Asa began by clearing out his own household!

*****1Ki 15:13  And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

King Asa removed all the appearances of government involvement in religious practices except those that concerned Jehovah God.

King Asa knew that we cannot know the peace of God until we have peace with God!

King Asa told his nation, let's work together in rebuilding the sure platforms of our nation!

We need a leader today that we can work together with to rebuild the platforms of our own nation!

Our true foundation is still Jesus Christ!

2Ch 14:7  Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.

It was during the time of King Asa that most all the Levites relocated to Judah from Israel.

It was during the time of King Asa that most all believers of the ten tribes of Israel returned to Judah from Israel.

It was during the time of Asa that many of those deep in sin and the sodomites, left Judah to go to other places where they could practice their sin openly.

Israel was in turmoil and at this time, but Judah was at peace!

And King Asa said to all of Judah, let us just seek the Lord!

God did not put all these things in the Bible, just for us to read!

God put all these things in the Bible for us to learn from so we do not make the same mistakes!

History is only useful when we avoid the mistakes of the past that have caused such errors in the lives of mankind!

Now we can just sit by and allow all these things to keep happening in America or we can insists that those we place in leadership positions honor the Word of God.

Either way we deserve the results that we get!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

How To Divide A Nation

Splendor To Splinter

The Divided Kingdom

2 Chronicles 10


After the death of King Solomon, Israel became two distinctive political states which eventually led to the destruction of Israel as a nation for more 2000 years.

The Northern kingdom was known as Israel and the Southern kingdom was known as Judah and they operated as two separate countries from about 924 BC until 722 BC about 200 years.

Sometimes they would war with each other and sometimes they were friendly enough to aide each other.

The Northern kingdom came to an end in 722 BC at the hands of the Assyrians when the capitol city of Samaria was destroyed.

The Southern Kingdom fell to to the Babylonians in 587 BC when Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple were destroyed.

It was the Assyrians who caused the mixed breed, called the Samaritans to come about, when all the Jewish men were removed and Gentile men were brought into the Jewish women.

The Jews of Judah hated the Samaritans from that time forward.

2Ki 17:23  Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.
2Ki 17:24  And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

We can see that God had His hand in all these things by allowing them to happen.

The Jewish remnant in Samaria made Mount Gerizim their own chosen place of God and adhered to only the Books of Moses called the Pentateuch.

Jerusalem and Mount Moriah, where the Temple once stood, will always be the place chosen by the Jew as the capitol city and God's chosen place for them to worship.

But Jesus had these words for all Jews, all mixed cultures and all Gentiles as he taught the woman at that well in Samaria:

Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, "when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him".
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The place of worship is not near as important as knowing the truth of God!

And the Lord Jesus adds that "where two or three are gathered in His name, He will gather with them",

King Solomon was the wisest man to have ever lived!

King Solomon was the richest of all Monarchy to have ever lived!

SO, What else does history give the most credit to King Solomon?

It was King Solomon that cause the downfall of the nation of Israel and he late in life realized this himself!

Ecc 2:18  Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
Ecc 2:19  And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
Ecc 2:20  Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

It was these actions of King Solomon in his sin that brought the wrath of God upon Israel!

1Ki 11:9  And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,

America has fallen away from the truth of God and our own leaders and government have contributed greatly to this but there is never any excuse for God's people to lose their faith and trust in things other than our true God Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ!

So lets see how these things came about:

*****2Ch 10:1  And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.

Rehoboam was the first born son of Solomon from Naamah the princess daughter of the King of Ammon.

The Ammonites worshipped Milcom, the false fire god of the Ammonites which required human sacrifices.

Shechem was the place where Abraham had pitched a tent and built his first altar in the Promised Land and the very place where Abraham received the covenant of God.

In fact Shechem has a great history in the writings of other nations including Egypt.

Gen 12:6  And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
Gen 12:7  And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Shechem was well remembered by the children of Israel and had a great history and it was at Shechem where Rehoboam decide to give his inauguration speech.

Unlike Solomon who was a teenager, Rehoboam was 41 years old when he became King of Israel.

*****2Ch 10:2  And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

Jeroboam had once been a supervisor over a large work force for King Solomon.

1Ki 11:28  And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.

Jeroboam evidently disagreed with King Solomon in the duties of his job and how the people were treated and King Solomon removed Jeroboam from service and Jeroboam fled for his life to Egypt but only after a meeting with a prophet of God named Ahijah.

These things happened in the years when Solomon had forsaken the Lord and had fallen into idolatry!

1Ki 11:40  Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

Upon the death of King Solomon, Jeroboam had returned to Israel and sought to fulfill the prophecies of God.

It is important for us to know that God does not need our help to fulfill the things He has said He will cause to happen!

Many in Israel knew the truth of Jeroboam and they sent for him to be present to hear the words of Rehoboam in Shechem.

*****2Ch 10:3  And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying,
2Ch 10:4  Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

It is also important to consider that it was the people of Israel who had made Saul and David kings of Israel.

It had been David who had caused Solomon to be king and he had been accepted by the people.

Rehoboam had just assumed that he would be the next King because he was the first born son of Solomon and without any input from the people.

It is the people who should always have a say in who will lead their nation!

God had already set the standard for selecting the kings of Israel.

1) God must appoint him.

2) The people in a proper assembly must approve him!

Israel did not have an absolute monarchy but Israel was intended to have a monarchy with a democracy, until the true King of Kings returned!

Jeroboam had been selected by Jehovah to be king of 10 of the tribes of Israel, leaving Rehoboam to be king of Judah which included the tribe of Benjamin at that time and all those that refused to follow Jeroboam.

1Ki 11:29  And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
1Ki 11:30  And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
1Ki 11:31  And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
1Ki 11:32  (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)
1Ki 11:33  Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
1Ki 11:34  Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:
1Ki 11:35  But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.

God had also given Jeroboam a standard that he was to keep as the new King of Israel:

1Ki 11:38  And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.
1Ki 11:39  And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.

This is the real reason that Solomon had decided to kill Jeroboam!

The first twenty years of Solomon's rule were as they should have been, but the last twenty years were Solomon's downfall and he had financed the building of many false places of worship to suit his many wives and by taxing and causing the servitude of all of Israel, he had all of Israel his personal servants.

Not so much different than what is happening in our own nation today!

This is something that David had not done nor Solomon at the first.

Even King Saul had not sank to this level of sin!

If Rehoboam had addressed this issue he could have remained king of all of Israel and he first sought the counsel of the same men who had advised his father Solomon.

*****2Ch 10:5  And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.
2Ch 10:6  And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?
2Ch 10:7  And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.

Rehoboam showed some wisdom in seeking the counsel of these men.

SO, What are the facts?

People will not submit quietly to a tyrant!

This is a problem we have in America today. Men become president and forget they are there to serve the people and become tyrants seeking to impose their own will on all people.

There are already 26 states who have refused to allow this to happen along with more than 50 percent of the people in America.

Rehoboam got some real good advise from these experienced statesmen.

1Ki 12:7  And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

If Rehoboam had a servants heart and not the heart of a tyrant, all of Israel would have remained united!

This is the same advice that every national leader needs to hear!

1) Leaders are put in place to serve the people!

2) Leaders are put in place to do the good things they say they will do!

3) Leaders are put in place to benefit the entire nation and not just a select few!

4) Leaders are put in place must believe that God has placed them in that position, and for His own reasons and it is not to suit themselves!

Any leader in any position whether it be president, king, governor, judge or legislator who does not serve the people they were elected to serve, are not entitled to the respect of the people and they will not have it!

What these wise old men said still hold true throughout time!

Rehoboam could have solved all his problems if he had just listened to this good advice but instead these were words that did not suit him.

*****2Ch 10:8  But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.
2Ch 10:9  And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?
2Ch 10:10  And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.
2Ch 10:11  For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

Rehoboam had been raised in the riches of royalty that had been provided by his father Solomon.

For twenty years he had witnessed his father's luxurious life style.

Rehoboam discussed these things with others who had also lived in the luxury of royalty and had not seen the real world of ordinary people.

Note: Most of our own government are lifetime politicians who have never known the trials and the tribulations of ordinary people!

What is a despot?

A despot is a tyrant who craves absolute power and who seeks to rule without any control of people, any control of laws, or by any constitution decided on by the people.

Rehoboam became a despot.

Our own President has also become a despot!

Wake up America!

Our leaders do not own us nor are they to rewrite our constitution on a whim!

Nor is that the job of our judicial system.

It is the God fearing people who are to make the laws they want to be governed by!

These young inexperienced men advised Rehoboam by saying "Do not begin your reign as king by giving in to the people" which might be interpreted as weakness on your part!

They advised King Rehoboam to tell these people that only he, Rehoboam, knew how best to deal with the affairs of state and he did not need their input.

All of Israel just needed to accept that he knew what was best for all of Israel.

Where have we heard all these things before? We hear this from our own government!

The meaning of being chastised with scorpions can only mean one thing.

Chastisement came by the whip in those days.

There were two types of whips in that day.

1) One had a handle attached to twisted leather or in some cases a rod similar to a thin cane.

2) Then the other one, similar to that used on Jesus, had a handle with several leather thongs that had attachments of wire, such as fish hooks and pieces of bone known as the "cat-o-nine tails".

If the whipping by King Solomon as by the first whip, then the whipping of King Rehoboam would be as the whipping of the "cat-o-nine tails", "the whip of the scorpion".

What does God teach us about these things?

Eze 2:6  And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

And Jesus added these words:

Luk 10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Any leader that adheres to such a policy, is an enemy to the nation they were put in place to serve!

The people of Israel had come to this same conclusion about Rehoboam!

And many today feel this same way about our own president!

When a people cannot trust their government they will also refuse his policies.

*****2Ch 10:15  So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
2Ch 10:16  And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.

God had not caused these things to happen. God just knew these things were going to happen and God gave Israel a means to escape this tyrant, while also showing this tyrant Rehoboam that it was not he that was in charge.

Both these men Rehoboam and Jeroboam were given great opportunities to do a good work for God and we will see that they both failed.

Rehoboam was to remain King of Judah only because of the covenant God had made with his grandfather King David.

1) David was to have a child named Solomon that would establish his kingdom.

2) Solomon would build the Temple.

3) The throne of David would be established forever.

4) The throne would not be taken away from Solomon even if his sin required it.

5) It was David's house that would be established forever. "House" here means the royal dynasty of King David!

The ultimate fulfillment of these things would be in King Jesus who was the legal descendant to the throne of David by his adoptive father Joseph, and not only through a continual blood line passed down through Solomon but also through another of David's son named Nathan, from whom came the blood line of Mary the mother of Jesus.

Jesus Christ is the direct heir to the throne of Israel and He can never die!

God always does what He says He will do!

Psa 89:3  I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Psa 89:4  Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Jeroboam was also given a great opportunity to restore the glory of Israel, if he had just followed the Word of God!

The nation of Israel abandoned Rehoboam and chose Jeroboam as their King.

If we just look back on our own history we would see that the 13 colonies had exhausted every method of seeking relief from the heavy burden that came from England, but to no avail, and the only thing left was open rebellion to the throne of England.

We can also see that America is again reaching that same point of rebellion with an administration that intentionally and continuously tries to destroy the truth of American freedom!

So Israel departed from the government of Rehoboam and prepared to defend their own homes by their own means as many in America are doing today.

This one of the reasons that there more than 8 billion arms in the hands of the American citizen making them the most armed army in the entire world and the true reason our government insist on gun control!

*****2Ch 10:17  But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

For many years those that had lived in the days of the united kingdom would remember these days the nation of Israel was divided, as the most tragic days in the history of Israel, though Isaiah had prophesied of a future time period that would be even worst than this one.

Isa 7:17  The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.

***The pure truth is, that it is "the sin of every nation" that will bring with it an invasion from foreign lands along with all kinds of trouble on the home front!

This is the fact of all sinful generations and history has proven this to be true!

The Lord allowed Assyria to take down Israel but it was the Lord Himself who caused the downfall of Judah who was held to an even higher standard.

Isa 8:7  Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks:
Isa 8:8  And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

***God also said that every other nation that has turned against Him would be treated the exact same way

Isa 8:9  Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.
Isa 8:10  Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
Isa 8:11  For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,

Rehoboam decided to force the issues of his government by first forcefully collecting taxes.

Does it not seem that our own IRS has been given powers that it was never intended to have!

The IRS has now become just another arm of a tyrannical government!

*****2Ch 10:18  Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

***A people who have lost their trust in and have given up on their government will not be brought under control by force!

Rehoboam first tried to forcefully collect the taxes and the tribute.

The reply of the people was death to the tax collector!

Hadoram had been at that job since the time he was appointed by King David but this made no difference to the people of Israel and they hated the tax collector all through the time of Jesus.

To be quiet honest we all detest the tax collector!

So the Israelites of that day rebelled against the house of David, meaning Israel no longer acknowledged the line of the royal family of King David!

*****2Ch 10:19  And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

The period of the divided kingdom lasted about 253 years.

The line of David continue to reign in Judah and there were never any changes to this royal line!

In all there were 9 dynastes in Israel.

The leadership of  Israel was always changing for one reason or another, without the input of the people.

***There was never a settled government of those ten tribes in all those years!

***There was not one good king of Israel in all those years!

***BUT, God never stopped sending to them the Word of God.

God sent Elijah, Elisha, Jonah, Hosea, and Amos just to name a few and many of these have their Holy Ghost inspired words preserved forever for us to learn from  Israel mistakes.

There was even a school for the prophets located in this area called Israel so God kept the Word of God alive during all this time.

These prophets of God, always prophesied against the kings of the Northern Kingdom, because they all had one thing in common.

2Ki 15:24  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: "he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin".

Not one king of the Northern Tribes ever sought to serve the Lord!

Jeroboam realized that Judah still had some advantages over his new government.

1. The Temple was located in Jerusalem and all of Israel were required to go there on at least 3 occasions each year.

2. It would be the Temple where the priests and the Levites and the scholars and the teachers of the Word of God were located.

3) It was Judah and the line of David that had those marvelous promises of God and even in that day, they knew God had kept every promise He had ever made to them!

And Jeroboam decided he needed to create a religion that was enticing enough to be in direct competition with the truth of God, as so many still do today!

We will expand on these things as we go along.

Questions?

Let's Pray!