Articles
Person Of The Week: Jeroboam
God said to King Solomon that the nation of Israel would be divided as a consequence of his unfaithfulness (I Kings 11:9-13). The antagonist in this chain of events was a servant of Solomon’s named Jeroboam (I Kings 11:26-40). When King Rehoboam answered harshly the request of the delegation from the northern tribes, those tribes and Jeroboam withdrew in anger, and Jeroboam was made king over the rebellious faction (I Kings 12:20).
While God decreed the division, He did not decree Jeroboam's actions. As a matter of political expediency to unite the break-away tribes, King Jeroboam instituted a system of substitute worship, including calf worship, non-Levitical priests and alternate feast days, all of which “he had devised in his own heart” (I Kings 12:26-33).
This began a downward spiral from which Israel never recovered. A harsh curse was pronounced upon the house of Jeroboam (I Kings 14:9-14). Jeroboam’s name was then linked with wicked future kings of Israel in similar words to those spoken against King Omri: “He walked in all the ways of Jeroboam ... and in his sin” (I Kings 16:26).
A takeaway lesson from Jeroboam: The blessings of God are not license to do as we please. God blesses us so that we are equipped to do His will more perfectly. We will be judged for our stewardship of God’s rich blessings.
