The Kingdom Divided
May 11, 2019
Commentary
Due to Rehoboam’s dictatorial threat, he alienated the 12 tribes and only the closest countrymen from Judah did not abandon him. Rehoboam’s insensitivity to the Israelites’ hardships extinguished any hope they may have entertained of economic recovery. His dictatorial threat alienated his suffering subjects. Only Rehoboam’s closest countrymen from Judah did not abandon him. In order to promote peace Rehoboam sends Adoniram, the foreman of forced labor, to meet with the rebelling tribes. However, this was a mistake as the people took this as an act of force and they stoned Adoniram to death. Rehoboam was also forced to flee south to the safety of Jerusalem.
Immediate preparations for war were made. Out of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, Rehoboam was able to muster an army of 180,000 whose mission was to restore the rebellious tribes to a unified kingdom. At the same time the 10 tribes brought Jeroboam forward and made him king of Israel. Shemaiah, a prophet, made a public announcement to Judah that civil war was not God’s will and he convinced the people to go back home.
Jeroboam had a wonderful opportunity to lead Israel in a prosperous way if he obeyed the Lord (11:38-39). However, he committed many serious sins that resulted in the Israelites turning from God rather than to Him. Having established his capital in Shechem he began immediately to consolidate and secure his new realm. One of the first things he did was to change their religious system. This included: (1.) a new manner of worship (v. 28), (2.) a new place of worship(vv. 29-31), (3.) a new leader for worship (v. 31b), and (4.) a new time for worship (vv. 32-33).
Application
Both Jeroboam and Rehoboam did what was good for themselves and not what was good for the people and thus divided the nation and turned the people from God. Making decisions for selfish reasons will cause me to be a loser. I need to do what God wants no matter what happens.
1 Kings 12:16– 33 (NET)
16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the people answered the king, “We have no portion in David, no share in the son of Jesse! Return to your homes, O Israel! Now, look after your own dynasty, O David!” So Israel returned to their homes. 17 (Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the cities of Judah.) 18 King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, the supervisor of the work crews, out after them, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to jump into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the Davidic dynasty to this very day. 20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. No one except the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the Davidic dynasty.
21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he summoned 180,000 skilled warriors from all Judah and the tribe of Benjamin to attack Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. 22 But God told Shemaiah the prophet, 23 “Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah, and to all Judah and Benjamin, as well as the rest of the people, 24 ‘This is what the Lord has said: “Do not attack and make war with your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you go home. Indeed this thing has happened because of me.”’” So they obeyed the Lord’s message. They went home in keeping with the Lord’s message.
25 Jeroboam built up Shechem in the Ephraimite hill country and lived there. From there he went out and built up Penuel. 26 Jeroboam then thought to himself: “Now the Davidic dynasty could regain the kingdom. 27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, their loyalty could shift to their former master, King Rehoboam of Judah. They might kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.” 28 After the king had consulted with his advisers, he made two golden calves. Then he said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look, Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 29 He put one in Bethel and the other in Dan. 30 This caused Israel to sin; the people went to Bethel and Dan to worship the calves.
31 He built temples on the high places and appointed as priests common people who were not Levites. 32 Jeroboam inaugurated a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival celebrated in Judah. On the altar in Bethel he offered sacrifices to the calves he had made. In Bethel he also appointed priests for the high places he had made.
33 On the fifteenth day of the eighth month (a date he had arbitrarily chosen) Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar he had made in Bethel. He inaugurated a festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to offer sacrifices.