Lesson 13

THE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

1st Kings 11:14-43

It is clear that God uses wicked men as instruments of judgment against His own people. Solomon surely knew this, but he failed to keep it in mind. The following passage of Scripture reveals why that the tribe of Judah must be saved from destruction. This is so the ONE that is greater than Solomon could be born and establish the throne forever. 2nd Sam. 7:14-16, I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men. But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

I. FOREIGN ENEMIES STIRRED UP. v. 14-25

A. Hadad the Edomite. v. 14-22

1. When God stirs up enemies against you. v. 14

a. This was caused by the many sins of Solomon.

b. It is something God promised. 2nd Sam. 7:14, I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.

c. If Solomon had obeyed God, this would not have happened. 1st Kings 5:4, But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

d. Disobedience brings chastening. Psa. 89:30-32, If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Heb. 12:6, For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Psa. 94:12, Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law.

2. The Edomites were the descendants of Esau. v. 14

a. Esau sold his birthright to his brother Jacob. Gen. 25:32, 34, And Esau said, Behold, am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. Heb. 12:17, For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

b. He was also a fornicator and profane. Heb 12:16, Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

c. It is a serious thing when God stirs up chastisement on His people, for God can use wicked people to do it without being responsible for their wickedness. Christians should take note of this event of long ago.

3. Background of Hadad’s enmity. v. 15-16

a. A war had taken place and David won a great victory. v. 15

b. Joab occupied their territory and proceeded to make sure all the males were dead. v. 15-16

4. Hadad and others fled to Egypt where they found favor with Pharaoh. v. 17-18

5. He lived there for years and married the sister-in-law of Pharaoh. v. 19-20. It is noteworthy that Solomon also married into this family, so that in marriage Solomon and Hadad were kinfolks.

6. When he heard that David and Joab were dead, he received permission to return to his own land where he dwelt and was ready to be the instrument in God’s hand at the proper time. v. 21-22

B. Rezon of Damascus. v. 23-25

1. David defeated Hadadezer, and this was likely the time that Rezon fled from Hadadezer. v. 23. 2 Sam. 8:3, David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

2. He gathered other remnants of the army and was eventually to take over the leadership of Damascus, Syria. v. 24

3. He became an adversary of Solomon. v. 25. He exploited in the old age of Solomon.

II. A JEWISH REBEL STIRRED UP. v. 26-43

A. Jeroboam Was from a Rebellious Tribe. v. 26-40 Hadad and Rezon were foreign enemies of Solomon, but Jeroboam was an internal dangerous adversary.

1. Jeroboam was of the tribe of Ephraim and he rebelled against Solomon. v. 26

2. He was stirred up because of some of Solomon’s building projects. v. 27. The tribe of Ephraim was often the enemy of Judah.

3. Jeroboam had been noticed some time before these events, and was made ruler over Ephraim and Manasseh. v. 28

4. Power has a tendency to corrupt some people. v. 28

B. Jeroboam Receives a Revelation from God. v. 29-40

1. Ahizah the prophet gives the prophecy. v. 29-32

a. Jeroboam would rule over ten tribes.

b. The son of Solomon would have one tribe.

c. The one tribe was for David’s sake.

d. Another reason was to preserve the royal family line, from whence would come the Christ. The genealogy of both Mary and Joseph show that they were descendants of David.

e. The family line of Joseph is found in Matthew chapter 1. If Joseph had been the actual father of Jesus, then Jesus could never have ruled sitting on David’s throne, because Jechonias (Matt. 1:11 ) could never have had a descendant sit upon the throne of David. See where he is called Coniah. Jer 22:28-30.

f. The family line of Mary goes all the way back to David, but not through Jechonias (Coniah). Luke 3:31 traces her back to David through Nathan. Jesus is not a descendant of Solomon. Solomon missed a great blessing. It is important that Jesus have the throne rights of David, or He could never sit on David’s throne and rule from Jerusalem.

2. The reason God’s judgment was upon the house of Solomon. v. 33-36.

3. Jeroboam’s opportunity. v. 37-38. How different his life could have been, had he but listened. The consequences of sin are ignored and the blessing that could have been, never happened.

4. Notice that the affliction of David’s seed would “not be forever.” v, 39

5. Solomon once again seeks to oppose God’s will. v. 40

C. The Evil Wickedness of Jeroboam.

1. He made the two golden calves which the 10 tribes worshiped. 2nd Kings 10:29, Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

2. Many times the Bible says, “Jeroboam the son of Nebat,who made Israel to sin.” (2nd Kings 15:28 ). Evil king after evil king were connected to him in this way.

3. Not one of the kings that ruled over the ten tribes was a descendant of David, nor could they ever have reigned in Jerusalem.

D. The End of Solomon’s Life. v. 41-43

1. His record made. v. 41. This book referred to is an uninspired book not included in the inspired Bible.

2. His race run. v. 42. His reign was of good length, but it is a shame that all the quality of it was not good.

3. He died at about the age of 60, which was quite short when compared to Moses and many others. v. 43. We close this chapter by giving the following quote from “All the Men of the Bible,” by Herbert Lockyer.

With reference to the character and reign of Solomon, we cannot but agree with Alexander Whyte that, “The shipwreck of Solomon is surely the most terrible tragedy in all the world. For if ever there was shining type of Christ in the Old Testament ... it was Solomon ... but everyday sensuality made him in the end a castaway.” Taking him all in all, Solomon stands out as a disappointing figure of Hebrew history. Think of the advantages he began with! There were the almost undisputed possession of David’s throne, immense stores of wealth laid up by his father, exceptional divinely imparted mental abilities, the love and high hopes of the people. Solomon’s start like cloudless dawn of a summer’s morning, might have been beautiful his life through, but it ended in gloom because he wandered into God-forbidden paths. Thus a life beginning magnificently ended miserably. The man who penned and preached a thousand wise things failed to practice the wisdom he taught.

Lesson by E. L. Bynum

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Lesson 14

REHOBOAM, JEROBOAM & THE DIVIDED KINGDOM

1st Kings 12:1-33

Up until this time Israel had remained one nation, although there had been jealousy and strife on several occasions. Now, they would remain divided for over many years to come. The kingdom was divided in 931 B.C. and the 10 northern tribes were carried away into captivity 209 years later in 722 B.C. The kingdom of Judah remained in the land until they were conquered by Babylon in 605 B.C. Their captivity was completed with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 586 B.C. They remained in captivity for 70 years, before a remnant returned and rebuilt the Temple and the city walls.

All of this happened for one reason and it is one word — SIN. David’s lack of separation and polygamy, then Solomon’s pride in his lavish building programs, is many foreign wives and the worship of pagan gods. The kings that followed them were mainly worse. There was nothing left but the judgment of God.

I. FOOLISH REHOBOAM ENCOURAGES REVOLT. v. 1-15

A. Rehoboam Attempts to Become King of All Israel. v. 1

1. He was the only known son of Solomon. (This seems strange in view of Solomon’s many wives.)

2. Shechem was not an ideal place to meet, since it was in the tribe of Ephraim.

3. Yet, outwardly, it seemed that all Israel was ready to crown him king.

B. The Return of Jeroboam from Egypt. v. 2, 3 -a

1. He had fled to Egypt for his life. 11:40

2. He was sent for by the dissidents. v. 3-a

C. Jeroboam the Spokesman for the Dissidents. v. 3b-4

1. They wanted relief from the heavy yoke. Most likely this was because of heavy taxes and political repression.

2. No doubt they had been pressed hard by Solomon.

D. Rehoboam’s Reaction. v. 5-11

1. He asks for time. v. 5

2. He seeks the counsel of the old men. They had ruled with Solomon and they advised reform. v. 6-7

3. He seeks the counsel of the young men.v. 8-11

a. He forsook the counsel of the old men. v. 8

b. He heeds the advice of young men, who had grown up with him. v. 9-11

4. Many today forsake good counsel to their ruin. The counsel of unspiritual men always brings disaster.

a. When they forsake the KJV for the new Bibles.

b. When they forsake the instruction of the Bible for psychology, sex therapists, and family counselors, who most of the time gives instruction that is different from the Bible.

c. When they forsake the counsel of the pastor and get their information from TV or radio preachers.

d. When they forsake the counsel of the pastor, and their parents and grandparents, and then get their advice from another teen or a radical adviser.

e. When they forsake the truth for rock music, immoral movies, alcohol and drugs.

f. When they forsake a sound church and join in a compromising church that fails to teach the whole counsel of God.

E. The Confrontation. v. 12-15

1. Rehoboam’s roughness. v. 13

2. He threatened the people. v. 14

a. A heavier yoke.

b. “Scorpions” - whips with pieces of sharp metal in them, in order to cut.

3. In all this God was fulfilling His Word. v. 15

II. TEN TRIBES REBEL AGAINST REHOBOAM. v. 16-24

A. Israel’s Agreement to Separate. v. 16-19

1. Their rejection & departure. v. 16

2. Only Judah remained loyal to Rehoboam. v. 17

3. Adoram, the tribute collector killed. v. 18. This reveals that a lot of the problem was over taxes and repression. The power to tax and collect tribute becomes a disaster when it is overdone. This should be a warning to the government today in the U.S.A.

4. Rehoboam flees to Jerusalem. v. 18

5. Israel’s long standing rebellion. v. 19

6. Jeroboam made king over Israel. v. 20

B. Civil War Averted by God. v. 21-24

1. Rehoboam gathers an army to crush rebellion. v. 21. He was rebelling against God’s word. 1st Kings 11:29-33

2. In mercy God intervenes by sending a prophet who was a true man of God. v. 22-23

3. For this one time Rehoboam obeyed God. v. 24

III. THE WICKED PLANS OF JEROBOAM. v. 25-33

A. He Builds Cities. v. 25

1. Shechem made the capital of Israel. Later on Tirzah and then Samaria would succeed Shechem as capital.

a. It was here that Jacob pitched his tent and bought a parcel of ground when he returned from exile in Padanaram. Gen. 33:18-19, And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for an hundred pieces of money.

b. Shechem is where the bones of Joseph were buried. Josh. 24:32, And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

c. It is believed that Shechem and Sychar are the same place. Sychar is where Jacob’s well was located and where Jesus won the woman at the well to the truth. John 4

2. He builds Penuel, but does not return to Jacob’s God.

a. This is where Jacob had his great experience of wrestling, and where he learned a lesson. Gen. 32:24-32

b. Later a town was built there.

c. Gideon won a great victory there. Judges 8:17, And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

B. He Builds False Religion. v. 26-33

1. He fears God ordained worship. v. 26-27

2. He built golden calves. v. 28-29.

a. Calf worship was imported from Egypt. While Moses was on the mount receiving the law, the people made a golden calf. Ex. 32:4, And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

b. While in exile in Egypt he must have been introduced to this form of idolatry.

c. He excused this sin by seeming to make it convenient not to have to go up to Jerusalem. They accepted it, because man is always seeking a religion of convenience. It is the same today.

d. His real reason was to protect his power, for he was afraid that the people would rebel against him once they returned to Jerusalem to worship.

3. He encourages idolatry. v. 30

4. He disregards the true priests. v. 31. This is typical in our day when men and women are made pastors and spiritual leaders, who are totally unqualified to be there.

5. He changes the date of the feast of Tabernacles. v. 32 (See Lev. 23:24 )

6. He offers upon a false altar. v. 33. He desecrated the true worship of God. Jer. 17:9-10, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

7. Much of the worship in churches today, such as praise worship, rock music, and entertainment all are false and misleading. Prov. 16:25, There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

8. There is plenty of will worship. Col. 2:23, Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Twenty kings ruled over the 10 tribes and they were all much like Jeroboam. Of the kings that ruled over Judah, there were a number of God fearing men. (Asa, Jehoshaphat, Uzziah, Jotham, Hezekiah and Josiah.)

Lesson by E. L. Bynum

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Lesson 15

THE MAN OF GOD FROM JUDAH

1st Kings 13:1-34

I. THE MAN OF GOD AND JEROBOAM. v. 1-10

A. The Man of God Prophesies Against the False Altar. v. 1-3

1. Unnamed prophet cries out against evil. v. 1, 2-a

2. Josiah to destroy the altar. v. 2-b Josiah is here named over 300 years before birth. For the fulfillment see 2nd Kings 23:15-18

3. A sign that the Lord had spoken. v. 3. (Fulfilled v. 5) Luke 11:28, But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. James 1:22, But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. Heb 2:1, Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. Heb 13:17, Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

B. Jeroboam and the Man of God. v. 4-10

1. Jeroboam stricken trying to arrest the prophet. v. 4

a. His arm withered because he lifted it against God’s true servant. There are many spiritually withered arms and lives today because they lifted their hand against God’s man.

b. Lesson: All human power and skill engaged against God will wither. Isa. 54:17, No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. Heb. 13:17, Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. 1st Thess. 5:12-13, And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

2. The altar rent. v. 5. See v. 3

3. Healing sought and received. v. 6. He sought healing for his arm but none for his heart and soul. Like many, his main concern was for the physical. See v. 33

4. Jeroboam’s invitation. v. 7

a. Was he seeking to apologize?

b. Was he seeking to get the prophecy softened?

c. For sure he did not truly repent or change his ways, even though he had the opportunity. Rom. 2:4, Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

5. Invitation refused because of God’s orders. v. 8-10. Fellowship limited by God.

a. We are forbidden to be yoked with unbelievers. 2 Cor. 6:14-17, Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

b. We are not to have fellowship with the works of darkeness. Eph.5:11, And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

c. We are not to invite false teachers into our house. 2nd John 9-11, Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

II. A PROPHET SEDUCED BY AN OLD PROPHET. v. 11-34

A. The Temptation and Lying Message. v. 11-19

1. The pursuit and invitation. v. 11-15. The devil uses food and leisure to lure many into sin.

2. The Word of the Lord reveals God’s will. v. 16-17. It is dangerous to fail to listen to the Word of God.

3. The Lying message. v. 18. Gal. 1:8-9, But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

4. The disobedient prophet of Judah. v. 19. He had resisted a king, but now yields to a prophet. Some people today will follow any lying prophet or preacher that comes along, including Oral Roberts, Robert Schuller, Bill Hybels, Rick Warren and many others.

5. God’s people need to seek to know the truth through their godly pastor and not through some radio or TV preacher.

B. The Fate of the Man of God. v. 20-32

1. His judgment announced. v. 20-22

a. God speaks to the old prophet of Bethel. v. 20 He was a true prophet, though out of the will of God. Nothing is said of his crying out against the altar at Bethel.

b. Sin denounced. v. 21-22

c. Fate pronounced. v. 22

2. The death of the man of God. v. 23-25

a. An obedient prophet of God spent a night in a lions den without harm. Daniel 6:16-22

b. A disobedient one could not escape one lion. v. 24

c. Note the miraculous nature of this event. The lion did not eat the prophet or the ass. The ass did not flee, neither did the lion attack the old prophet of Bethel when he came for the body.

d. If people could simply see the consequences of disobedience many would be saved from disaster.

3. The Burial of the Man of God. v. 26-32

a. Sought by the old prophet. v. 26-29

b. Buried in his grave. v. 30. Note the honor paid to him over 300 years later by Josiah. 2nd Kings 23:17-18

c. Testimony. v. 31-32

C. Jeroboam’s Unchanged Life. v. 33-34

1. He Installed Sinful (Non-Levites) in the Priesthood. v. 33

2. The Outcome Predicted. v. 34

Jeroboam learned nothing from the events of 1st Kings 13. Let us learn: “God would teach His servants not to have fellowship with the works of darkness, lest they fall under their contagion and give them encouragement. The devil always has his snares ready to entrap one who bears Christ’s message. God commands like His promises, are yea and amen in Christ. Let us not dare turn aside on the advice of others.” Brooks

Lesson by E. L. Bynum

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Lesson 16

DIVINE JUDGMENT UPON JEROBOAM & REHOBOAM

1st Kings 14:1-31

Calamities are now fast closing round and accumulating upon the head of the impenitent Jeroboam. The power he has defied and provoked must make itself felt; and the righteousness of the Divine mercy, so long and so often despised, must be vindicated. As the coming tempest gives signals of its advance, and reaches the climax of its fury by graduated stages, so the judgments of heaven do not overtake the wicked without pre-admonition and ample opportunity for repentance.

I. JUDGMENT ON JEROBOAM & THE TEN TRIBES. v. 1-20

A. Divine Judgments Are Not Sent Without Due Warning. v. 1-6

1. This warning is repeated. v. 1 “at that time”

a. Warned by the prophet of Judah.

b. Warned by the withered arm and the rent altar.

c. Now he is warned by his son becoming ill.

d. Do not confuse Abijah the son of Jeroboam with Abijah the son of Rehoboam.

e. We need to take note of the fact that the same person may be found in another place with a different spelling or even the name may be different. This was so in the case of Abijah.

2. The warning appeals to the tenderest human feelings. v. 2. Parental love awakened by sick & dying child.

3. He thought that by his gifts that he could buy the favor of God. v. 3. People today need to know they cannot bribe the Lord.

4. This warning given through the same person who uttered promises of good. v. 5-6

a. He well remembered the good news that the prophet Ahijah had given him. 1st Kings 11:29-31

b. He forgot to obey the serious warning that the prophet gave him in 1st Kings 11:37-38. How different his life would have been if he had heeded the warning.

c. King Saul had a similar warning which he did not heed with disastrous results. 1st Sam. 15:26-28

5. Her disguise might have deceived a near blind prophet, but it could never deceive the all seeing God. He is the search of the hearts of all men.

B. The Divine Judgment Explicitly Declared. v. 7-16

1. The reasons for the Divine judgments are given. v. 7-9

a. Jeroboam exalted by God. v. 7

b. Kingdom taken from house of David. v. 8. This was done because of the sins of David and Solomon.

c. Yet, Jeroboam had sinned against God. v. 9. His sins exceeded the sins of all those before him.

2. The nature of the Divine judgments. v. 10

3. It is a personal matter. All of the Male offspring of Jeroboam would perish. He would have no one to succeed him of his own family.

4. The dogs and the fowls would devour his children. v. 11

5. Judgment on his sick son. Death would come. v. 12

6. Abijah would receive a decent funeral and burial. v. 13. God did see some good thing in him.

7. The next king would destroy all the offspring of Rehoboam. v. 14. See 1st Kings 15:27-30

8. The ten tribes would eventually go into captivity. v. 15

9. The cause for giving Israel up. v. 16

10 This would be a fulfillment of old warnings and prophecies. Deut. 28:63, And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. Deut. 29:27, And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book. Josh. 23:16, When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.

11. It is tragic that even Christians are not heeding the warnings of God, and consequently bring harm to their, church, their family and their nation. Num. 32:23, But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

12. There are terrible consequences for sin, both for the saved and the lost. Isa. 59:1-2, Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

a. Saved people will be chastened by the Lord. Heb. 12:6, For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Prov. 3:12, For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

b. Lost people will have everlasting punishment. Rom. 2:9, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. 2 Thess. 1:7-8, And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

C. The Divine Judgments Are Inevitable. v. 17-20

1. The pious son dies as soon as she arrives home. v. 17

2. There was great mourning for him. v. 18

3. The chronicles mentioned here were uninspired writings which God did not include in the Bible. v. 19

4. Jeroboam stricken. v. 20.

II. DIVINE JUDGMENTS UPON REHOBOAM & JUDAH. v. 21-31.

See also 2 Chron.11:5-12, 18-23 and 2nd Chron. 12:1-14.

A. The Sins of Rehoboam. v. 21-24

1. He promoted idolatry. v. 21-22

a. Of course this was strictly forbidden.

b. They were to have no other God. Ex. 20:3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

c. They were to have no images. Ex. 20:4, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

2. He permitted sodomites in the land. v. 24.

a. God will not tolerate a nation that approves sodomites.

b. God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. See Gen. 19. Gen. 19:24, Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven.

c. This sin of sodomy and homosexuality is always condemned in the Bible. See Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Rom. 1:24-32

d. Homosexuals cannot go to heaven if they will not repent and quit that sin and trust in the Saviour. See our tract, “The Bible & the Homosexual,” by E. L. Bynum (#A-335)

B. Idolatry Destroys the Bravery of a Nation. v. 25-28

1. Powerless before the enemy. v. 25. Once they had God’s blessings. 2nd Chron. 11:17

2. The beautiful shields of gold were taken away. v. 26. Gold speaks of divinity and God was their shield of protection.

3. Rehoboam replaced them with shields of brass. v. 27. Brass speaks of judgment. God was no longer be their shield but He will be their judge.

4. He went on pretending that they were still there. v. 28. In every age the devil has sought to get God’s people to accept a cheap substitute for the real thing. It is easy when we lose God’s blessing to seek a cheap substitute.

C. Other Fruits of Idolatry. v. 29-31

1. War and enmity. v. 29-30

2. Untimely death and a dishonored grave. v. 31. This verse gives us another clue of what caused this awful calamity. Solomon had taken an Ammonite for a wife, and she was the mother of Rehoboam. Deut. 23:3, An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever. Deut. 7:3, Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

Lesson by E. L. Bynum

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Lesson 17

THE KINGS OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL

1st Kings 15:1-34

In this chapter we have an abstract of history of two of the kings of Judah, Abijam, the days of whose reign were few and evil, and Asa, who reigned well and long; and of two of the kings of Israel, Nadab the son of Jereboam, and Baasha the destroyer of Jereboam’s house. —From Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible

I. THE KINGS OF JUDAH. v. 1-24

A. Abijam Who Followed the Wrong Example. v. 1-8

Note: Abijam is called Abijah in 2nd Chron. 11:20-22. This is not unusual in the Bible to find names changed. Abram changed to Abraham, Jacob changed to Israel, and Saul changed to Paul. The clue is to be found in the meaning of the name. Abijah means “Jehovah is my father” while Abijam means “father of the sea.”

1. The time of his reign. v. 1 Rehoboam reigned seventeen years (II Chron. 12:13) and died during his eighteenth year.

2. The length of Abijam’s reign. v. 2a Only three years. Was it cut short because of sin?

3. His ancestry. See note below on Asa’s ancestry. v. 2b Abishalom is Absalom, that beautiful, smooth-tongued, treacherous son of King David. Maachah is Absalom’s powerful queen granddaughter, the wife of Rehoboam.

4. The sinful character of his reign. v. 3-5. He followed the wrong example: “The sins of his father,” I Ki 14:22-24.

a. He should have patterned himself after King David, who set a godly example for his descendants and his people.

b. We, too, should be godly examples. Mt 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

5. The wars of his reign. v. 6-7. The one bright spot in his life is to be found in 2nd Chron. 13:2-20. Abijam seemed to start well, but soon departed from God.

a. Had he tried to serve two masters? Matt. 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

b. Had he tried to buy the blessings of God? (See vs. 15) Acts 8:20, “But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.”

6. The end of his reign. v. 8

B. Asa Who Followed the Right Example. v. 9-24

1. The time of his reign. v. 9

2. The length of his reign. v. 10

3. His ancestry. v. 10. Asa was the son of Abijam, and the grandson of Rehoboam and Maachah. Maacha was the daughter of Tamar, the only daughter of Absalom.

4. The righteous character of his reign. v. 11-13. (See also 2nd Chron. 14 & 15) He followed David, the right example.

a. He removed the sodomites. v. 12a Asa was obedient to the Scriptures: Lev 18:26, “Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you.” Lev 18:29, “For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.”

b. He removed the idols. v. 12b Deu 11:16-17, “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; And then the LORD’S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.”

c. He removed the Queen mother. v. 13. (God never established the office for a Queen of Israel.) The idol of the groves was Asherah, the goddess of fertility. Asherah is derived from the Assyrian Ashtoreth. Abominable immorality was practiced in this worship.

d. Godly courage and strength are needed for success in God’s service: Deu 31:6, “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Ps 68:35, “O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.”

5. The failure of his reign. v. 14. These high places were for the worship of God, but he should have removed them. God established His altar at His temple to be the only place of worship. 1st Sam 15:22, “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

6. The prosperity and devotion of his reign. v. 15 We too are able to prepare dedicated things of silver and gold for the honor of the Lord. 1st Cor 3:11-16, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”

7. The wars of Asa. v. 16-22

a. Baasha’s threat to Asa and the kingdom of Judah.

(1) Ramah was built 5 or 6 miles north of Jerusalem. v. 17

(2) The purpose was to blockade Jerusalem and Judah.

b. Unbelief and lack of faith in God. v. 18-20

(1) His misuse of national wealth. v. 18

(2) His bribery of Syrian king. v. 18-19

(3) His unholy alliance. v. 20

Note: This reminds us of the CARNAL WEAPONS that are being used in God’s work today. We should do God’s work, God’s way, and trust the results to Him!

c. Ramah demolished, Geba and Mizpah built. v. 21-22 Asa’s scheme was a success, but it earned the displeasure of God.

8. Asa’s diseased feet. v. 23. 2nd Chron. 16:12 He put his faith in physicians instead of the Lord. Likely he could not walk. Many today cannot walk with God because they have been made spiritually lame by sin.

9. The end of his reign. v. 24

II. THE KINGS OF ISRAEL. v. 25-34

Note: There were 8 dynasties in Israel, but only one in Judah.

A. Nadab. v. 25-26

1. He reigned only 2 years. v. 25

2. He did evil. v. 26

B. Baasha. v. 27-34

1. Baasha destroys the house of Jeroboam. v. 27-30

a. This fulfills the prophecy. 1st Kings 14:9-11

b. This establishes a new dynasty.

c. A warning to all: sin provokes God to Anger.

2. Baasha’s wicked ways. v. 31-34. God uses evil to destroy evil. Baasha abolished a sinful family, but did nothing to abolish his own sins.

Lesson by E. L. Bynum (& Joe Everett)

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Lesson 18

Turmoil for the Nation That Forsakes God

1st Kings 16:1-34

“Chapter 16 continues with the history of Baasha, then four other kings of Israel — each more wicked than his successor: Elah, Zimri, Omri, and Ahab who compounded his wickedness by marrying the infamous Jezebel.” from Thru The Bible With J Vernon McGee

“This chapter relates wholly to the kingdom of Israel, and the revolutions of that kingdom — many in a little time.... All this while, in Judah, things, went well.” from Matthew Henry’s Commentary On The Whole Bible

I. God Pronounces the Certain Doom of Baasha and His House. v1-14

A. The Word of God comes through the prophet of God. v1 2nd Pet 1:2, “ For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (We have the Word of God today because men wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.)

1. The prophet, Hanani, Jehu’s father, condemned King Asa for his sin, and was promptly cast into prison, making Hanani the first of God’s prophets to be persecuted for delivering God’s message.

2. Jehu fearlessly condemns Baasha’s house. (He would later rebuke King Jehoshaphat for sin.)

3. Baasha had the books of Moses to warn him against continuing in sin. Luke 16:19, “ Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

4. Baasha had all the history of Israel, and the lives of King David, Solomon, and Rehoboam to warn him against his path of sin, as well as Jeroboam and Nadab’s miserable reigns.

B. God, who is sovereign over all, establishes and removes kings at will, and Baasha is no exception. v2

1. The reason Baasha is King: “I exalted thee ....”

2. The reason for the doom of Baasha and his house: “ thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam ....”

C. Baasha’s wickedness brings about the ruin of his family. v3-7 Gal. 6:7, “ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

1. Our sins can mean the ruin of our lives.

2. Our sins can also help wreck the lives of others—especially our own families.

3. Baasha, as King, led the nation of Israel in the way of sin and ruin, along with his own family.

D. The fulfillment of the prophecy against the house of Baasha. v8-14

1. Elah, son of Baasha, reigned only two years. v8

2. Elah stays home in Tirzah while his army is in battle. v9 (See v15b) 2nd Sam 11:1, “ And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. 2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.”

3. Elah is drinking himself drunk in the house of his steward. (Arza means earthiness; it is derived from a Hebrew root word often translated as world.)

a. Like Belshazzar, judgment came while drinking: Dan 5:3, “Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. 4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. 30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Khaldeans slain.”

b. The Bible has strong words against drinking. Prov 31:4, “It is not for kings, 0 Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink.” Prov 20: 1, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Prov 23:20, “Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.”

4. God uses wicked Zimri to destroy Elah and the house of Baasha. v10-14

a. Sons, family and friends are all slain. v11

b. Note that judgment came because of the sins of Elah as well as Baasha. v13

II. Sin the Prolific Source of National Calamities for Israel. v15-28

During the two hundred ten years of the Northern Kingdom’s existence, nineteen kings reigned. Seven of them for two years or less. Eight were killed and one committed suicide when the throne was transferred to another family. Only twice did a dynasty last as long as four generations in succession. Israel suffered wars, invasions, and defeats. Because of sin, they were finally carried away into captivity.

A. Zimri’s brief reign. v15-20

God used the willful acts of Zimri to fulfill Jehu’s pronouncement of doom upon the house of Baasha, but God did not cause Zimri to sin. James 1: 13, “ Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

1. Zimri reigned only seven inglorious days.

2. When the army of Israel heard that Zimri sat on the throne, they made Omri king. When Zimri saw that all was lost, he ended his own life and reign.

3. The reason for his brief reign and death: “for the sins which he sinned....” v19

B. Omri’s dynasty of wickedness. v21-28

1. Sin causes a schism among the people: Omri and Tibni fight over the throne for four years. v21

2. Omri prevails and Tibni dies. v22

3. Omri builds a new capital city—Samaria. v24

“Situated about the centre of the land, six miles north-west of Shechem, it occupied a commanding hill, rising from a broad valley, and surrounded on all sides by mountains, through which there was only a narrow entrance from the west. The approach to the plateau on which Samaria stood is steep on all sides. Thus the site of the new capital, which was also distinguished by great beauty, was singularly adapted both for observation and defense. The country around was very rich, and the place well supplied with water. A more suitable spot could not have been chosen by monarch or general.” —Alfred Edersheim’s Old Testament Bible History.

4. The character of Omri’s reign: he is worse than any king before him. v25-26

5. Omri’s dynasty is the worst of all Israel’s kings, composed of Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, and Joram.

III. King Abab, The Epitome of Wickedness. v29-34

A. His wicked reign. v29, 30

1. Twenty-two years in length. We will find out much about this man in the next few lessons.

2. He exceeded his father as well as all the others in sin. v30

B. His Unholy Marriage; v31

“The heathen blood and religion ran like poison through several generations of Hebrew sovereigns in both kingdoms. She was a woman of imperious will and fanatical zeal, whose name for nearly three thousand years has been a synonym of all that is hateful in womankind. She introduced the licentious Baal worship, and began so fierce a persecution that the worship of Jehovah, which had lingered on among the people, was well nigh rooted out.” from B. S. Dean’s, An Outline of Bible History

1. Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal.

a. Ethbaal means “with Baal.”

b. Ethbaal was a priest of Baal and king of Zidon.

c. He had murdered his own brother, King Philetos, and reigned in his stead.

2. Jezebel was a promoter of Baal worship, and was perhaps a priestess of Baal.

C. Ahab led the nation to reject God, and to worship Baal. v32-33

1. A number of national gods were named Baal. The Baal of Tyre and Zidon was Melkarth, and was their chief god. Melkarth was the kind of god that required the burning of innocent children as oblations upon his altar.

2. For the second time, the Bible declares that Ahab exceeded all those before him in wickedness.

D. His wickedness encourages others in presumptuous acts. v34

1. For over 500 years, the curse of Joshua 6:26 was respected; now in Ahab’s time, Hiel disobeys God’s Word. Joshua 6:26, “ And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.”

2. The prophecy is fulfilled in the death of his sons.

—Joe Everett

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