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Third Presbyterian Church Tuesday Study Tour - Kings Lesson 81 – Abijah’s Prophecy against

1 Kings 14:1-18 (NIV) 1 At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became ill, 2 and Jeroboam said to his wife, "Go, disguise yourself, so you won't be recognized as the wife of Jeroboam. Then go to . Ahijah the is there--the one who told me I would be king over this people. 3 Take ten loaves of bread with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy."4 So Jeroboam's wife did what he said and went to Ahijah's house in Shiloh. Now Ahijah could not see; his sight was gone because of his age. 5 But the LORD had told Ahijah, "Jeroboam's wife is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill, and you are to give her such and such an answer. When she arrives, she will pretend to be someone else." 6 So when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps at the door, he said, "Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why this pretense? I have been sent to you with bad news. 7 Go, tell Jeroboam that this is what the LORD, the God of , says: 'I raised you up from among the people and made you a leader over my people Israel. 8 I tore the kingdom away from the house of and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes. 9 You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have provoked me to anger and thrust me behind your back. 10 " 'Because of this, I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel--slave or free. I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns dung, until it is all gone. 11 Dogs will eat those belonging to Jeroboam who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country. The LORD has spoken!' 12 "As for you, go back home. When you set foot in your city, the boy will die. 13 All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will be buried, because he is the only one in the house of Jeroboam in whom the LORD, the God of Israel, has found anything good. 14 "The LORD will raise up for himself a king over Israel who will cut off the family of Jeroboam. This is the day! What? Yes, even now. 15 And the LORD will strike Israel, so that it will be like a reed swaying in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that he gave to their forefathers and scatter them beyond the River, because they provoked the LORD to anger by making Asherah poles. 16 And he will give Israel up because of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit." 17 Then Jeroboam's wife got up and left and went to Tirzah. As soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died. 18 They buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, as the LORD had said through his servant the prophet Ahijah.

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Questions

1. If someone says to you I don’t believe in God. What would be your ministry to them without completely dismissing their statement? 2. What sorts of circumstances will make even a "nonreligious" person pray/cry out to God? Please share with the group an example of this and what was your reaction to their prayer/cry unto? 3. Why do we try to "fool" God when we know it’s not possible? 4. The king orchestrated a ruse to deceive God’s prophet. A. Why do we at sometimes look to put up a front when things are not going well? B. One of the benefits of being a part of a faith community is help/support during times of struggle. What are some things that would help us as a church for to be more vulnerable in their struggles in hopes to fight these battles collectively? 5. For the past few weeks we have seen a pattern of God making a promise and this promise being contingent on being faithful to God in your heart. A. Does being faithful to God in your heart mean being perfect? B. Based on what we have learned over the last few months, please explain to someone what it means to be faithful to God in your heart yet we are still sinners. 6. The sins of Jeroboam and similar although they were enemies because they both worshipped idols and not God. Discuss how those who are not saved although they may be enemies are similar in their actions, thoughts, reactions etc. How does knowing this aid you in witnessing to the unsaved? 7. Is it possible to hold another believer accountable in an area were your obedience is also challenged? Why or Why not?

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The Reign of Jeroboam I in Israel (Part 2): A Prophecy of God's Judgment, 14:1-20

(14:1-20) Introduction: two specific events will take place in the future that are foreordained: death and the judgment of God (Hebrews 9:27). We can be certain that both events will happen. Every honest and thinking person knows that he or she will die. But some of us deny the coming judgment of God. Nevertheless, denying a fact does not eliminate or invalidate the fact. Denial never voids or does away with the truth. What we fail to grasp is this fact: there is a tendency within the human heart to believe that if we deny something...

• it ceases to exist• it goes away• it is not true• it can be ignored• it will not happen

For example, there is the mind-set that if we do not think about death, death will not immediately confront us. This train of thought is a safety net for the individual: death is not an immediate concern. It lies out in the future, a long way off. Death is so far away that there is no need to even give it a thought. But the reality is this: death can confront any of us on any day, at any hour, including this very hour.

So it is with the truth of judgment. Some people are not quite sure that God exists or that a future judgment is coming when we will have to give an account before God. Denying God's existence and the coming judgment, they feel their denial will make these truths not so. Nevertheless, no matter what we may deny, claim, or profess, truth is truth. And God has given abundant evidence of His existence and the fact that judgment is coming some day out in the future. He has sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world to reveal God to us; and no greater revelation of the truth could ever be given. He has also given us His Spirit to live within our hearts, quickening and making alive the truth to us. In addition to God's revelation to us through Christ and through the Spirit of God, God has also given us His Holy Word, the written revelation of His existence and His instructions about how to live. Furthermore, there is the testimony of multitudes of changed lives, lives that have been radically changed by the power of Jesus Christ. No greater evidence could ever be laid out before people to establish the case for God's existence and coming judgment.

As stated above, we will all die and face the coming judgment of God. This is the subject of the present passage of Scripture. It is the prophetic judgment pronounced upon King Jeroboam, who ruled over the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Because of the terrible evil of idolatry and false worship, the king and his people were to face the terrifying judgment of God's condemnation. This is: The Reign of Jeroboam I in Israel (Part 2): A Prophecy of God's Judgment, 14:1-20.

1. The deceptive plot of the king to secure help for his sick son: a picture of deceit and lies (vv.1-3).

2. The deceptive plot revealed to Ahijah by God: a picture of God's guidance for His servants (vv.4-6).

3. The prophetic condemnation of Jeroboam: a picture of God's judgment (vv.7-20).

1. (14:1-3) Deceit, Example of— Lies, Example of— Plot, of Jeroboam: there was the deceptive plot of Jeroboam to secure help for his sick son. Just what was wrong with his son is not known. But apparently he became critically ill soon after the young prophet had confronted the king and condemned him for instituting a false religion in the Northern Kingdom (:1-10). At some point during the boy's critical illness, Jeroboam made the decision to seek help from the prophet Ahijah. Remember, Ahijah was the prophet who had suddenly encountered Jeroboam outside . Ahijah had informed Jeroboam that God had chosen him to become the future king of the ten northern tribes after 's death (:27-40). Interestingly, in Jeroboam's hour of need, he did not turn to one of his own , for he knew they were false prophets and could not help. So he sought help from a prophet in Judah. P a g e | 4

Knowing that he was living a wicked life and that he was under the condemnation of God, Jeroboam knew that Ahijah might refuse his appeal to help his sick son. For this reason he convinced his wife to disguise herself as a common citizen and go to Ahijah to appeal for his help. To reinforce the impression that his wife was just a common citizen, Jeroboam sent a modest, not expensive, gift for Ahijah's help.

Thought 1. There is a very important lesson for us in this point: we must not attempt to deceive people, scheming and lying in order to manipulate them for our own end and benefit. If we lie to people and deceive them, we break the trust existing between us. For example, if a husband lies to his wife, the trust between them is broken. And if the issue is serious, such as the deception of adultery, it is difficult for the trust to ever be restored. If we deceive and lie to our fellow workers, family, friends, or neighbors, relationships are damaged, frequently beyond repair. If we deceive and lie to an employer, the consequences can be serious—such as getting undeserved praise or promotions—or even disastrous, ruining another person's reputation, endangering someone's safety, or losing our employment. Similarly, if a student deceives and lies by cheating and is then discovered, the student is disciplined, sometimes even expelled from school. Even if the student is not caught, he shortchanges himself from securing more knowledge and better skills to face the world when he leaves school.

Example after example could be given, but the point is well made: the consequences of deception and lies can be catastrophic, causing...

• a destroyed marriage• huge financial loss• bankruptcy

• a trail of broken lives and shattered relationships • false accusations leading to the arrest, imprisonment, and conceivably the execution of an innocent life• anger b etween people that leads to hurtful words and sometimes physical harm

• hostility between nations and even the declaration of war

Lies and deception are two of the worst evils that can be committed by the human race. Because of this, God gives severe warnings to all liars and deceivers:

"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another" (Ephes. 4:25).

"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds" (Col. 3:9).

2. (14:4-6) Guidance, of God, Example of— Ahijah the Prophet, Guidance of, by God: Jeroboam's deceptive plot was revealed to Ahijah by God. Ahijah was aged and blind, which was probably the reason Jeroboam felt he could deceive the prophet by disguising his wife. But as was the case in so many events of Jeroboam's life, he foolishly disregarded the Lord. While the king's wife was traveling to see the prophet, the Lord informed Ahijah of two facts: that King Jeroboam's wife was coming to ask for help for her son and that she was disguised. So when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps approaching the door, he immediately invited her in and asked why she was disguised, pretending to be a common citizen when she was the wife of the king. Then, without giving her time to respond, note what Ahijah declared: she had not been sent to him, but he the prophet had been sent to her. And the message he had was sorrowful news.

Thought 1. Jesus Christ taught us not to fear those who may kill the body, but to fear God who can cast both body and soul into the pit of hell. Jeroboam had much to fear from God for his shameful disobedience. But as believers, we have nothing to fear. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a P a g e | 5 sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7). God guides His dear people. No matter who may attempt to deceive us and lie to us, God will take care of us. He will guide us, showing us how to walk through the deception and lies of people. He will show us the way to conquer and overcome the deception. But note this fact: this does not mean that the deception or lie will not hurt us or cause damage to us. It means that God will give us the strength, the power to walk through any terrible circumstance that might result from the lie and deception of people.

Whatever the consequences, God will give us the inner strength to stand tall and fast, enduring and persevering with the promise of victory. No matter how terrible the trial or catastrophe, God will empower us with a conquering spirit. And through it all, God promises to meet the necessities of life. He will always see that we have food, shelter, and clothing—whatever we need to survive. This wonderful promise is always true unless God is calling us to be martyrs as a testimony to His name. Even then God will guide us through it all. He will take care of us, looking after us and delivering us through every step of this life right into the kingdom of heaven itself. And we can rest assured that God will deliver us into His very presence to live with Him eternally. Listen to the wonderful promises of God's guidance, the wonderful promise that He is always with us:

"…lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matthew 28:20).

"Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:78-79).

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come" (John 16:13).

3. (14:7-20) Judgment, of God, Surety of— Condemnation, of False Worship and Idolatry— Prophecy, of Judgment, of Israel— Israel, Prophecy Concerning, Judgment— Northern Kingdom, Prophecy Concerning, Judgment— Israel, Judgment of, Due to Idolatry and False Worship: Jeroboam's evil was severely condemned by God. Bewildered by the prophet's foreknowledge of her disguise and the announcement that he had bad news for her, Jeroboam's wife sat meekly before the prophet, dreading the prophetic message about to be given by Ahijah.

1. The charges of God against Jeroboam were threefold: a. Jeroboam had clearly been raised up by God to lead Israel. God had torn the kingdom away from David's house and given the ten northern tribes to Jeroboam. b. Jeroboam had not lived a righteous life as God's servant David had (1 Kings 14:8). When he sinned, he confessed and repented and turned away from his sin back to God. Then once again, David began to obey God and follow Him wholeheartedly, living righteously before the eyes of the Lord. c. Jeroboam, to his shame, had done more evil than all who had lived before him (1 Kings 14:9). He was an idolater and false worshiper. Furthermore, he had become a stumbling block to all Israel, misleading them to break the first commandment of God, the commandment forbidding the worship of false gods (1 Kings 14:9; 15-16; 12:25-33; Exodus 20:3-4).

2. After making the charges against Jeroboam, the prophet Ahijah spelled out the prophetic judgment that was to fall upon the king. Picture Jeroboam's wife sitting there stunned, overwhelmed with the seriousness of the P a g e | 6 charges against her husband. She was now to receive the appalling details of the prophetic judgment. Altogether five specific and devastating judgments were spelled out (1 Kings 14:10-16). a. First, the house—kingdom and family dynasty—of Jeroboam was to be destroyed, cut off by assassination (1 Kings 14:10-11). Every last male member of his family was to be shamed by not being buried in respect and honor, but instead eaten by scavengers, by the dogs in the city and the birds of the air out in the country. (See outline—• :25-34 and note—•1 Kings 15:25-34 for more discussion.) b. Second, Jeroboam's wife heard the sorrowful news that her son was to die as soon as she set foot in the capital city (1 Kings 14:12). But the child, and he alone among Jeroboam's family, would be buried in honor. Note why: because the little child had a good heart. c. Third, the Lord was to raise up a king over Israel who would kill the entire family of Jeroboam (1 Kings 15:27-29). The man was being prepared even now, at that very moment. d. Fourth, the Lord was going to strike the nation of Israel, uproot the people and scatter them in exile beyond the Euphrates River (1 Kings 14:15). Why? Because of their idolatry and false worship. They provoked the Lord by making their Asherah poles, their wooden images of false gods. e. Fifth, the Lord was going to give Israel up to the world, to be captives of the world because of their terrible sin, for they had followed Jeroboam's sin (1 Kings 14:16). It was the king's sin that had become a stumbling block, causing the entire nation to commit idolatry and to engage in false worship.

With the spelling out of these five judgments, the prophetic condemnation of Jeroboam and Israel was completed. Reeling from the news and perhaps in a state of shock, Jeroboam's wife staggered out of the prophet's home and made her way back to the capital city as quickly as she was able to travel.

3. Immediately the judgment of God began to fall, just as the prophet Ahijah had predicted (1 Kings 14:17-18). As soon as Jeroboam's wife stepped over the threshold of her house, her son died. And just as predicted, the child was buried in honor, being mourned by all Israel.

4. With the passing of Jeroboam's child, the author concludes the account of Jeroboam's tragic, evil life. He simply summarizes Jeroboam's reign and death by stating the following facts:

⇒ His reign and achievements were recorded in the book The History of the Kings of Israel (1 Kings 14:19).

⇒ His reign lasted twenty-two years (1 Kings 14:20).

⇒ His death is a silent record: nothing is mentioned of his passing away, only that he rested, was buried with his fathers.

⇒ His successor was his son Nadab.

Thought 1. This is a startling picture of God's prophetic judgment. God predicted that the hand of His judgment would fall upon Jeroboam and upon the Northern Kingdom of Israel. And it did. This will be seen in future Scripture. For now, the lesson for us is striking: God has predicted judgment upon all the ungodly and unrighteous of this earth (Romans 1:18). If we live sinful lives, rejecting God and denying that He exists, claiming to be atheists and agnostics, God declares that the hand of His judgment will fall upon us. Climactically, some day out in the future, He will end the universe as we presently know it and summon every P a g e | 7 human being to appear before the throne of His judgment. And He will execute perfect justice among all people. When a person is found to have lived an unjust and unrighteous life, the person will face the fierce judgment of God's Holy wrath and condemnation. There will be no escape. No matter what our finite minds may believe, claim, or profess, the truth that the Lord exists and is the only living and true God will be revealed to the entire universe. One day all of us will stand before the throne of the eternal Lord and Creator of the universe, stand to give an account for everything we have done. Denying that God exists and that a Day of Judgment is coming does not do away with God or the Day of Judgment. On the contrary, denying God and the coming judgment only condemns us that much more. The more stiff-necked, obstinate, stubborn, and hard-hearted we become, the more severe the judgment upon us will be. Listen to two facts declared by the Holy Word of God:

1) Out in the future, there is a Day of Judgment:

"But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee" (Matthew 11:22-24).

"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30).

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left" (Matthew 25:31-33).

"And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city" (Mark 6:11).

2) God loves the world and every human being in it. He is also long-suffering, not wanting any person to perish or to be separated from Him.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved" (John 3:16-17).

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – 1 Kings.