Going Downhill Fast

I Kings 14:25 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. 26 He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house. He took away everything. He also took away all the shields of gold that Solomon had made, 27 and King Rehoboam made in their place shields of bronze, and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house. 28 And as often as the king went into the house of the Lord, the guard carried them and brought them back to the guardroom.

The loss of the northern 10 tribes of Israel devastated the House of David. Note above that within 5 years the great wealth that Solomon had built up also went away.  Egypt, which Solomon had developed a close relationship with, was just waiting in the wings for their chance to attack. The gold everywhere became bronze hidden from view.  What is worse is what was not said about Rehoboam's reign. There is no long list of accomplishments, buildings, or impactful relationships like David or Solomon. The very next paragraph goes on to tell of his death. The only notable thing that happened in his reign was the ongoing civil war with Jeroboam and the Northern Kingdom of Israel. May we leave behind a much more positive epitaph. 

Moved to Change?

I Kings 13:26 And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the word of the Lord; therefore the Lord has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word that the Lord spoke to him.” 27 And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. 28 And he went and found his body thrown in the road, and the donkey and the lion standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body or torn the donkey. 29 And the prophet took up the body of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back to the city to mourn and to bury him. 30 And he laid the body in his own grave.

The sin of Jeroboam was far-reaching and infectious.  The prophet above who died has been sent by God to give warning that the worship established by Jeroboam was a false religion. He was supposed to deliver the message and return home immediately. He was intercepted by another prophet who lied to him and convinced him to stay and have fellowship. The first prophet was killed by God for his disobedience. After the funeral, the latter prophet told his sons that the first prophet was correct in announcing judgment on Jeroboam's false worship.  None of this moved Jeroboam to change. What death would to take to make you change?

Said in His Heart

 I Kings 12:25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. 27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” 

As noted yesterday, when Solomon's heart turned from God, it had devastating effects on both his rule and those to follow. His son Rehoboam foolishly listened to bad counsel and lost the majority of the tribes of Israel to Jeroboam. Then, it says above, that Jeroboam said in his heart - some of the scariest words there could be.  In modern terms we would say "follow your heart" - to talk to yourself and fail to get wise and godly counsel before making life-changing decisions.  The false worship established by Jeroboam had such a long-lasting effect on the Northern Kingdom it has never in history fully returned to the Lord. In what ways have you said in your heart things leading to disaster?

Adversaries We Leave Behind

I Kings 11:23 God also raised up as an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master Hadadezer king of Zobah. 24 And he gathered men about him and became leader of a marauding band, after the killing by David. And they went to Damascus and lived there and made him king in Damascus. 25 He was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon, doing harm as Hadad did. And he loathed Israel and reigned over Syria. 26 Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king. 

The repeated phrase of this chapter is "God raised up as an adversary" to Solomon.  Why would God do such a thing? We have seen the gradual progressing, which culminates in the beginning of this chapter: 9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. Solomon had a heart that turned away from God.  Because of that, God allowed these surrounding kings and warriors to oppose him.  The ultimate enemy was the once listed last in the passage above. Jeroboam was no outsider; he became the enemy from within who would bring a revolution after Solomon died. Who have you made an adversary of that those after you will have to deal with?

Super Stockpiles

I Kings 10:26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 27 And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. 28 And Solomon's import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king's traders received them from Kue at a price. 29 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150, and so through the king's traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

As Solomon continued to develop relationships with the nations of the world, Israel experienced an economic boom, with the finest of products, and materials of war, imported and stockpiled. It became so successful that they did not have room for it all and sold to other nations.  Though currently unstated, he was also building the envy of the surrounding nations and their ability to fight back against them later. What do we do with an abundance of what we have? How does it affect those around us now and in the future?

Subtle Progression...

 I Kings 9:24 But Pharaoh's daughter went up from the city of David to her own house that Solomon had built for her. Then he built the Millo. 25 Three times a year Solomon used to offer up burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar that he built to the Lord, making offerings with it before the Lord. So he finished the house. 26 King Solomon built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27 And Hiram sent with the fleet his servants, seamen who were familiar with the sea, together with the servants of Solomon. 28 And they went to Ophir and brought from there gold, 420 talents, and they brought it to King Solomon.

Having described Solomon's two greatest building projects: the Temple and his palace, this chapter goes on to describe his other building projects and endeavors: forts, cities, and a navy - something Israel had not needed until this point in history.  In the midst of describing these, the historian also makes two notes which may go unnoticed. First, Solomon was developing close alliances with other kings through arranged marriages. Second, in verse 25, we see that he "used to offer up burnt offerings and peace offerings," indicating it was something he now did much less frequently. Slowly, but surely, Solomon was becoming less dependent upon and awed by God and more by the things of this world. How does that happen to us?

Not a "god-in-a-box"

 I Kings 8:25 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ 26 Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father. 27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 28 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day,

As Solomon dedicated the Temple for God's service, he made it clear that the LORD is no idol on a hilltop or "god-in-a-box" or building to be contained somewhere and called upon whenever one sees fit.  All of creation cannot contain God or limit Him. The place is for us. It is a reminder that He can and should be called upon - not only for help in time of trouble, but for wisdom on the way. The temple was a reminder that wherever one was, you should turn towards Him, seek from Him, and trust in Him as the One who is everywhere and can do anything.