Prophecy Against Jeroboam

 

1 Kings 14:1- 11

 

June 10, 2021

 

 Prophecy Against Jeroboam

At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.   And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise, and disguise yourself, that it not be known that you are the wife of Jeroboam and go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who said of me that I should be king over this people.   Take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what shall happen to the child.”

Jeroboam's wife did so. She arose and went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age.   And the Lord said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. Thus, and thus shall you say to her.”

When she came, she pretended to be another woman.   But when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another? For I am charged with unbearable news for you.   Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over my people Israel and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes,  but you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back,  therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone.   Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat, for the Lord has spoken it.”’

 

There are many things in Scripture that you will not get to with western logic, one may wonder why the wife came back if she knew the child would die the day she entered the town.  But in her day the woman did what she was told, and her husband told her to go to the man of God, and the prophet told her to go back and report to her husband what the LORD had said about her husband Jeroboam.

 

Many of us put off going to see a doctor or getting counsel for fear of what they will tell us we need to do.  I have no doubt that Jeroboam wished he had never sent his wife to the prophet, not knowing many have been better if one has no desire to repent and change.  The king had some options: he could destroy the gold idols he had made; he could tear down the altars and forbid the people from worshiping any God but the God of Creation, but he fears the people more than God.  Have you followed the voice of fear, and before you answer, no, how did you do with the China virus?  God has commanded us to fear not for he is with us, to not be afraid He will protect us with His righteous right hand.  Jan and I believe in God and obey authority but did not stop having people over, did not fear getting a virus, for we know that God has numbered our day correctly and we cannot add one day to our lives.  And yes, we do watch out for big trucks and drivers on cell phones. They can cause you a lot of pain.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice