The Kingdom Divided

 

1 Kings 12:21-33

 

                                                             June 1, 2021

 

 

The Kingdom Divided

 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.  But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, ‘Thus says the Lord, you shall not go up or fight against your relatives the people of Israel. Every man return to his home, for this thing is from me.’” So, they listened to the word of the Lord and went home again, according to the word of the Lord.

I do not believe it is an overstatement to say that the USA finds itself in this place with more than half of the Nation saying to the Marxist Socialist we will not follow you.  The Church is under attack by this group and many in name only Christian have exited the Church building saying we do not need to be there.  And has God spoken to His Church, about such a time as these?  Yes, and very clear, look at Matthew 24:10-13, “And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.  And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.   And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.   But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”   No one only the Father knows the timeline for this, yet what we are witnessing is real, and much of this is taking place.

 

We also find this information in Matthew 24:33-35, “So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.   Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.   Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

 

I do not have the Spiritual Gift of a teacher, but as an exhorter, I like to see people act on what God has shown them in His word.  Jesus asks this question, “Who do you say I am?”  How you answer that question is very telling, for if you answer and believe as Peter did in his answer; Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  If you find you cannot do so, it saddens me to say, you are not part of God’s Church, your membership may be in a church, but if you die at this moment, the Father will say, I never knew you.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice