Israel – From Golden Age to Desolation

Transcript

good morning and and thank you for your prayer brother rich so brother rich and his prayer alluded to what i had to what i had wanted to talk about for the next month wanted to talk about for the next month and it kind of ruins my opening but and it kind of ruins my opening but that's okay rich i'll forgive you that's okay rich i'll forgive you can't thank me can't thank me no no you're all over so you're all over so there we go so there's my opening and i there we go so there's my opening and i was going to use a a jim sullivan comedy was going to use a a jim sullivan comedy line here line here saying i was going to pick up where rich saying i was going to pick up where rich left off left off and talk about and talk about present-day israel present-day israel activities in food and if you look up activities in food and if you look up there um there um candy bars not so much anymore but candy bars not so much anymore but banana splits i love banana splits banana splits i love banana splits and then you can see some of the other and then you can see some of the other things up there there's anyone off the things up there there's anyone off the top of their head and hopefully this top of their head and hopefully this came real quick to you what all these came real quick to you what all these images have in common you have a 710 split in bowling which i got many at times i just said the word got many at times i just said the word so you should know it by now so you should know it by now split so we're going to be talking about split so we're going to be talking about split or the act of splitting up and split or the act of splitting up and when you usually think of that it's not when you usually think of that it's not at least to me anyhow not at least to me anyhow not normally a positive thing normally a positive thing when you think of splitting up you think when you think of splitting up you think of couples splitting up you know that's of couples splitting up you know that's not a pleasant thing not a pleasant thing you know this ballerina that might be you know this ballerina that might be pleasant to her but to me that would be pleasant to her but to me that would be deadly deadly you know i wouldn't like that at all the you know i wouldn't like that at all the 710 split i don't like that when i used 710 split i don't like that when i used to bowl to bowl you know the time i think the make on you know the time i think the make on that is all of five percent maybe that is all of five percent maybe and of course the top one is something and of course the top one is something you never want to see an oil tanker you never want to see an oil tanker splitting in the middle of the ocean splitting in the middle of the ocean um the other ones banana split i'm good um the other ones banana split i'm good with that one with that one uh candy bar uh candy bar i think would be 50 50. i think would be 50 50. you know if i had the whole candy bar to you know if i had the whole candy bar to myself and then had to share it with my myself and then had to share it with my dad dad he might be happy because he went from he might be happy because he went from nothing to half of something and i'm nothing to half of something and i'm giving up half so i might be a little giving up half so i might be a little bummed out unless i'm a nice giver then bummed out unless i'm a nice giver then i'm happy to share i'm happy to share so that's kind of 50 50. and of course so that's kind of 50 50. and of course what we'll be talking about this really followed up on my classes on solomon solomon was what happened after solomon was what happened after solomon let's just keep go let's go keep going let's just keep go let's go keep going pushing forward on what happened to the pushing forward on what happened to the nation of israel after solomon so uh nation of israel after solomon so uh lord willing that's what we'll be lord willing that's what we'll be talking about the next few weeks talking about the next few weeks um to do that um to do that i'm gonna do a little recap today i'm gonna do a little recap today uh not a leak cap this will be a mark uh not a leak cap this will be a mark cap cap uh we're gonna do a recap just because uh we're gonna do a recap just because it's been a year since i was last up it's been a year since i was last up here and not that i'm doubting that you here and not that i'm doubting that you remembered everything we talked about remembered everything we talked about with solomon with solomon or that you remembered everything rich or that you remembered everything rich talked about with saul talked about with saul or steve talked about with david but a or steve talked about with david but a little refresher might help us out and little refresher might help us out and set the mood set the mood for the rest of our classes on the kings for the rest of our classes on the kings so let's do that if you don't mind so if you remember back in samuel first if you remember back in samuel first samuel chapter eight samuel chapter eight you know you'll remember these words and you know you'll remember these words and as soon as i say them but you remember as soon as i say them but you remember the people came to samuel and basically the people came to samuel and basically said samuel said samuel you'll be you're an old man you'll be you're an old man you know you don't have much longer to you know you don't have much longer to be here with us and lead us and guide us be here with us and lead us and guide us and your sons and your sons forget them forget them you know your sons are crooked you know your sons are crooked they take bribes they're not nice guys they take bribes they're not nice guys and what are the famous words that the and what are the famous words that the people say the same people say the same we want a king we want a king we want a king like the other nations to we want a king like the other nations to lead us lead us and you remember the response from and you remember the response from samuel he was angry right samuel he was angry right he was angry he was angry but you remember god's response but you remember god's response and you can really if you read the words and you can really if you read the words in first samuel eight of the lord to in first samuel eight of the lord to samuel samuel feel the pain feel the pain that god must have felt that god must have felt as he tells samuel this and you all know as he tells samuel this and you all know the words you've read them many times the words you've read them many times the lord said to samuel hawking under the lord said to samuel hawking under the voice of the people and all that the voice of the people and all that they say unto thee they say unto thee for they have not rejected you for they have not rejected you but they have rejected me god's children the nation that he had put together the nation that he had put together to be a witness to the world to be a witness to the world to declare his righteousness to the to declare his righteousness to the nations around them rejected they wanted to be like the nations they wanted to be like the nations around them around them totally totally different than what god had planned different than what god had planned can you imagine as a parent can you imagine as a parent feeling rejection from your children feeling rejection from your children how god must have felt how god must have felt and you know he felt it and you know he felt it that rejection that rejection it must have been a tough thing but god it must have been a tough thing but god said let them have their king said let them have their king and god earlier and god earlier and i put it up here on our first slide and i put it up here on our first slide some three to four hundred years before some three to four hundred years before this time this time had foretold that the nation his people had foretold that the nation his people would want a king would want a king he knew it was going to happen he knew it was going to happen he knew the heart of his people he knew the heart of his people and let's take a look at this because we and let's take a look at this because we touched upon this with the solomon class touched upon this with the solomon class but i don't think i really did it but i don't think i really did it justice justice until i've looked at it a little bit until i've looked at it a little bit more and if you look at it more and if you look at it and it's in deuteronomy 17 but i have and it's in deuteronomy 17 but i have most of it up here so you don't need to most of it up here so you don't need to turn it up unless you want to turn it up unless you want to but look what what god says but look what what god says verse 15 verse 15 whoever the people desired as a king had whoever the people desired as a king had to be endorsed by yahweh to be endorsed by yahweh he had to endorse it we know solomon was he had to endorse it we know solomon was and we'll look at that a little bit and we'll look at that a little bit david was david was because it was god's kingdom wasn't it because it was god's kingdom wasn't it it was god's kingdom and the people had it was god's kingdom and the people had lost sight of that lost sight of that and he must be a true israelite born of and he must be a true israelite born of israelitis parents israelitis parents secondly secondly and we looked at this with solomon and we looked at this with solomon the king must not multiply horses or the king must not multiply horses or weapons weapons will lead the people back to egypt why not multiply horses what's wrong with horses i love horses i don't own with horses i love horses i don't own any never ridden on one i'd like to any never ridden on one i'd like to i've been told i'm kind of big to ride a i've been told i'm kind of big to ride a horse rich i know you were thinking horse rich i know you were thinking have you have you well why well why in the book of job tells us that horses in the book of job tells us that horses are considered proud animals are considered proud animals they love to fight they love war they love to fight they love war so multiplying horses back in those days so multiplying horses back in those days is rich probably covered in one of his is rich probably covered in one of his classes those were used as classes those were used as in wartime in wartime so when you multiplied horses you were so when you multiplied horses you were in fact building up your armies in fact building up your armies for your self-protection thus for your self-protection thus not depending on god for your protection not depending on god for your protection in the case of solomon he bought up more in the case of solomon he bought up more and more horses for trade for monetary and more horses for trade for monetary value value for his own benefit don't go back to egypt what did egypt represent what did egypt represent to the people of israel to the people of israel sin yeah dad sin yeah dad yeah brother gordon said sin lust of the yeah brother gordon said sin lust of the flesh flesh pride of life pride of life they sacrifice to more gods and you can they sacrifice to more gods and you can probably count probably count didn't want his people going back there kings shall not multiply wives the wives will tend to turn you on i'm sorry will tend to turn you on i'm sorry ladies but ladies but the wives would turn the king away the wives would turn the king away from his true love which should be god from his true love which should be god and we and we we see that with solemn and a we see that with solemn and a hundredfold don't we king must not accumulate silver and gold well david accumulated silver and gold well david accumulated silver and gold but there's a difference but there's a difference you know the parable of jesus it's it's you know the parable of jesus it's it's harder for a rich man to enter the harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom than for a camel to go through kingdom than for a camel to go through an eye of the needle an eye of the needle doesn't mean that having wealth in doesn't mean that having wealth in itself is a horrible thing itself is a horrible thing it's what you do with that wealth it's what you do with that wealth what the purpose of that wealth is in what the purpose of that wealth is in your life your life are you hoarding money and laying it up are you hoarding money and laying it up in barns for accumulation of wealth or in barns for accumulation of wealth or using it to good using it to good david used it to good it wasn't for david used it to good it wasn't for himself it was for the building of the himself it was for the building of the temple temple he laid all this aside and prepared it he laid all this aside and prepared it for solomon for solomon so solomon could come in and finish the so solomon could come in and finish the work david set the foundation work david set the foundation he did all the fighting he did all the fighting he cleared the land of the enemies he he cleared the land of the enemies he started setting up started setting up the the the goods and the money needed the the the goods and the money needed to build to build he prepared it for his son he prepared it for his son so having wealth and among itself is not so having wealth and among itself is not a horrible thing and solomon as we know a horrible thing and solomon as we know god gave solomon wealth didn't he god gave solomon wealth didn't he but at some point solomon took it too but at some point solomon took it too far far and we'll see that a little bit as well and we'll see that a little bit as well and this is the last point and i again i and this is the last point and i again i touched on it touched on it in our first classes in our first classes with solomon uh number five with solomon uh number five and this one and this one i didn't give it enough credence i don't i didn't give it enough credence i don't think and i don't think i digested it think and i don't think i digested it enough enough really either at the time but really either at the time but i'm gonna actually read this from the i'm gonna actually read this from the account in deuteronomy 17. and this is what it says and it shall be when he sitteth upon the and it shall be when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom throne of his kingdom that he shall write him a copy of this that he shall write him a copy of this law law in a book in a book out of that which is before the priest out of that which is before the priest the levites the levites and it shall be with him and he shall and it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the lord his that he may learn to fear the lord his god god to keep all the words of this law to keep all the words of this law in those statutes to do them in those statutes to do them that his heart be not lifted up above that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turned not his brethren and that he turned not aside from the commandment to the right aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left hand or to the left to the end that he may prolong his days to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom in his kingdom he and his children in the midst of he and his children in the midst of israel the new king was supposed to write down the words of the law the words of the words of the law the words of deuteronomy deuteronomy not only was he not only was he his father his father like if my dad were king and he wrote like if my dad were king and he wrote the words it wasn't that dad could just the words it wasn't that dad could just pass them down to me i had to write them pass them down to me i had to write them for myself for myself and i'm trying to equate what that would and i'm trying to equate what that would be like for us today i mean we can talk be like for us today i mean we can talk about bible study marking your bibles about bible study marking your bibles and and doing that kind of stuff but the and and doing that kind of stuff but the thing that kind of gets closer for me is thing that kind of gets closer for me is when i was a child doing multiplication when i was a child doing multiplication tables tables we used to and i don't think they do we used to and i don't think they do this anymore you can correct me if i'm this anymore you can correct me if i'm wrong but we used to have to go home at wrong but we used to have to go home at night and on a sheet of paper write our night and on a sheet of paper write our our four our four times tables our four our four times tables one times four is four two times four is one times four is four two times four is eight three times four is twelve and we eight three times four is twelve and we had to write them over and over again had to write them over and over again that's how i learned multiplication that's how i learned multiplication i don't know if they do that today but i don't know if they do that today but over and over repetition over and over repetition you learn how to do something and it you learn how to do something and it never leaves you never leaves you that's one of the few things i'm i can that's one of the few things i'm i can do is numbers i'm pretty good with do is numbers i'm pretty good with numbers and that's probably a big reason numbers and that's probably a big reason why and that's what god wanted for miss why and that's what god wanted for miss king king write down the law write down the law read the law study the law read the law study the law pass it down to your children pass it down to your children pass it down to the people and we know pass it down to the people and we know that the law that moses wrote when it that the law that moses wrote when it was given to the levites was given to the levites all right they were to read it to the all right they were to read it to the people i think it was every seven years people i think it was every seven years to remind the people to remind the people of all that god has done for him his of all that god has done for him his laws and commandments so that they could laws and commandments so that they could be witnesses to him of his righteousness and the kings were supposed to do these things things and and it's not something you you there are it's not something you you there are instances where you you hear about it instances where you you hear about it again again in scripture in scripture but more times than not there's silence but more times than not there's silence when it comes to this and probably when it comes to this and probably because as rich said in his prayer because as rich said in his prayer most of the kings didn't do right in the most of the kings didn't do right in the eyes of the lord eyes of the lord you know i think of saul you know i think of saul my guess and again i don't know i don't my guess and again i don't know i don't think it's in scripture but he probably think it's in scripture but he probably started off writing out his copies of started off writing out his copies of the law as he was supposed to do but did the law as he was supposed to do but did he end up that way he end up that way i can't imagine he did i can't imagine he did you know think of times in your lives you know think of times in your lives brothers and sisters brothers and sisters you know the times we we're we're like you know the times we we're we're like this you know when we're up here and this you know when we're up here and we're feeling great we're doing our we're feeling great we're doing our readings we're studying readings we're studying we're feeling good we're doing classes we're feeling good we're doing classes and just everything seems to be great and just everything seems to be great and then there are times when we're and then there are times when we're spiritually low when we're not reading spiritually low when we're not reading things get in the way well i don't have things get in the way well i don't have time for that today i'll do it some time for that today i'll do it some other time other time you know god wanted his kings you know god wanted his kings you know they were shepherds to the you know they were shepherds to the people people god's athleisure they were shepherds and god's athleisure they were shepherds and they needed to have these things they needed to have these things forefront in their minds and not their forefront in their minds and not their own personal own personal gain gain make sense make sense any questions thoughts any questions thoughts so again that's go ahead rich uh was supposed to write down this stuff uh write down the law uh write down the law and so i i think this is an example of and so i i think this is an example of the jewish people putting the jewish people putting um you know very strong emphasis on um you know very strong emphasis on reading and writing reading and writing and um you know thankfully and um you know thankfully that allowed the law and the old that allowed the law and the old testament to continue on because they testament to continue on because they were always writing it down so the were always writing it down so the jewish religion is really based upon jewish religion is really based upon reading and writing right and that's i reading and writing right and that's i think that's one of the reasons why they think that's one of the reasons why they uh you know education is very important uh you know education is very important i want to make generalizations but i want to make generalizations but education is very important even today education is very important even today to uh to jewish people they put an to uh to jewish people they put an emphasis on that and i think it was true emphasis on that and i think it was true here and this is kind of where i think here and this is kind of where i think this started from was the reading and this started from was the reading and writing of the law you needed to not writing of the law you needed to not only read it but also write it and very only read it but also write it and very a lot of times kings during this time a lot of times kings during this time didn't even know how to read or write didn't even know how to read or write right they they had to you know the right they they had to you know the scribes had to do all of this stuff and scribes had to do all of this stuff and i was just gonna say yeah so yeah you i was just gonna say yeah so yeah you see the pictures you know the scribes see the pictures you know the scribes doing all the doing all the all the writing all the writing but that's how how important it was for but that's how how important it was for god to keep it the kings focused god to keep it the kings focused so let's remember that as we go through so let's remember that as we go through our study for the next few weeks our study for the next few weeks you know as we see the different you know as we see the different temperaments and temperaments and and changes and of these kings and changes and of these kings and how they are in relationship to god and how they are in relationship to god you know at the times with you know they you know at the times with you know they may or may not be writing down the law may or may not be writing down the law and following god's commandment and following god's commandment and not that we're judging them because and not that we're judging them because as i said there are times in our lives as i said there are times in our lives i'm sure i'm sure when we all are at the same point where when we all are at the same point where we're not doing the things that god we're not doing the things that god wants us to be doing wants us to be doing and the key point is and the key point is can we can we have someone kick us in the butt can we have someone kick us in the butt can we figure it out on our own can we pray on figure it out on our own can we pray on it it look for help and turn it around look for help and turn it around uh some of these kings most of these uh some of these kings most of these kings couldn't do that kings couldn't do that they would didn't want to do it so let's they would didn't want to do it so let's remember i thought this was a key point remember i thought this was a key point for us as we go on in our study for us as we go on in our study so i like i said i'm not going to try to you know summarize brother rich's class on saul or brother steve's class on king david so what i steve's class on king david so what i did is came up with one slide and i did is came up with one slide and i thought it summarizes both kings very thought it summarizes both kings very well well all right the first two kings all right the first two kings of the nation of israel and of the nation of israel and brothers lg sergeant who i found out was brothers lg sergeant who i found out was editor of the christadelphian back in editor of the christadelphian back in the 60s the 60s uh uh wrote a book called teaching of the wrote a book called teaching of the master and he has a couple of quotes master and he has a couple of quotes that i pulled from him regarding these that i pulled from him regarding these two kings two kings if you look at the one at saul and we if you look at the one at saul and we know through rich's classes you know how know through rich's classes you know how well he started off but he became a well he started off but he became a tragic figure tragic figure and this is what uh and this is what uh brother sergeant says about saul he says brother sergeant says about saul he says saul was the story of a man who by saul was the story of a man who by worldly standards was not irreligious worldly standards was not irreligious but who was lacking in the faith which but who was lacking in the faith which would make the word of god a living would make the word of god a living reality in his life reality in his life weakness and trust weakness and trust had in him its retribution the ground of had in him its retribution the ground of trust trust in god was removed and as a result in god was removed and as a result rebellion against the divine judgment rebellion against the divine judgment finds an outlet in the murderous pursuit finds an outlet in the murderous pursuit of david and stubbornness of david and stubbornness leads at last to the seeking of leads at last to the seeking of consolation in the witchcraft which consolation in the witchcraft which stands stands an antithesis to the god an antithesis to the god who has forsaken him who has forsaken him and in david he speaks in beautiful and in david he speaks in beautiful contrast to saul was the forefather of contrast to saul was the forefather of the lord whose faith the lord whose faith was as true as a sheep in its shepherd was as true as a sheep in its shepherd and who in spite of one great sin and who in spite of one great sin remained in his contrition remained in his contrition the man after god's own heart the man after god's own heart david is the most profoundly david is the most profoundly god-conscious man in the old testament god-conscious man in the old testament and i thought these summed up both those and i thought these summed up both those kings very well kings very well and as we got to david you know as we and as we got to david you know as we said he he built up he did the dirty said he he built up he did the dirty work work laying to the foundation of of solomon laying to the foundation of of solomon taking over and leading israel into that taking over and leading israel into that golden age that we spoke of golden age that we spoke of um back in our classes a year ago um back in our classes a year ago and the impact of david's life on and the impact of david's life on solomon solomon you know if you think of a king that was you know if you think of a king that was writing down the law writing down the law and reading it and taking it to heart it and reading it and taking it to heart it had to be it had to be king david had to be it had to be king david because you look at the times because you look at the times we read in either first chronicles of we read in either first chronicles of first kings how he's first kings how he's trying to raise up solomon to depend on trying to raise up solomon to depend on the lord to fear the lord uh to do the the lord to fear the lord uh to do the will of the lord to respect the lord to will of the lord to respect the lord to you know you know everything which was toward the lord everything which was toward the lord accept the lord love the lord accept the lord love the lord count on the lord for guidance he'll be count on the lord for guidance he'll be there for you and he does this over and there for you and he does this over and over and right in first kings itself over and right in first kings itself i'm going to do a little snippet of i'm going to do a little snippet of reading on his reading on his charge to solomon charge to solomon as he's preparing to die david says the as he's preparing to die david says the following be thou strong therefore and show thyself a man thyself a man keep the charge of the lord thy god to keep the charge of the lord thy god to walk in his ways to keep his statutes walk in his ways to keep his statutes and his commandments in his judgments and his commandments in his judgments and his testimonies and his testimonies as it is written in the law of moses that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest and whithersoever thou thou doest and whithersoever thou turnest thyself that the lord may turnest thyself that the lord may continue his word which he spake continue his word which he spake concerning me concerning me saying if thy children take heed to saying if thy children take heed to their way their way to walk before me in truth with all to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul they their heart and with all their soul they shall not fail thee shall not fail thee said he a man said he a man on the throne of israel on the throne of israel those words tell me that david was those words tell me that david was writing writing copying the law copying the law he was teaching it to his children he was teaching it to his children at least to solomon at least to solomon the word of god the word of god and he wanted solomon to continue in and he wanted solomon to continue in that way that way so now we're going to get to solomon so now we're going to get to solomon and i know we did classes on it but i and i know we did classes on it but i think we're going to do a quick recap of think we're going to do a quick recap of solomon solomon and we're going to look at the and we're going to look at the consequences of what happened with to consequences of what happened with to solomon solomon and then next week we'll start our and then next week we'll start our fascinating i i think it's fascinating fascinating i i think it's fascinating uh look at the first two kings of the uh look at the first two kings of the split kingdom rehoboam split kingdom rehoboam and jeroboam and jeroboam you know sometimes when you get to the you know sometimes when you get to the kings and i'm as guilty as probably kings and i'm as guilty as probably anybody you just read it anybody you just read it for the sake of reading it for the sake of reading it you know the kings can be you know the kings can be you know there's names you know there's names okay but the kings can be a little okay but the kings can be a little tedious sometimes to read tedious sometimes to read you know you may think what does this you know you may think what does this have to do with me today have to do with me today well they're in here because god well they're in here because god this is the early ecclesia this is the early ecclesia god's people and we can get lessons from god's people and we can get lessons from reading on these kings and how they reading on these kings and how they handled situations good or bad handled situations good or bad and apply them to our lives and apply them to our lives so let's take a look so let's take a look any questions comments before any questions comments before we move on we move on good and again this is all stuff we good and again this is all stuff we covered so i'll try to go through it covered so i'll try to go through it fairly quickly but i think again we need fairly quickly but i think again we need to get to get we need to remember the background of we need to remember the background of why we're doing this why we're doing this because my hope in these classes is to because my hope in these classes is to cover 60 years after solomon 60 years after solomon takes us to king ahab king ahab was one of the the worst most evil kings the worst most evil kings in in jewish history 60 years in in jewish history 60 years and the downfall of the nation was so and the downfall of the nation was so great that god had to call seemingly out great that god had to call seemingly out of nowhere of nowhere elijah elijah to to teach and to speak to his people to to teach and to speak to his people 60 years that's my life 60 years that's my life and just look and not to get off on a and just look and not to get off on a tangent but look at our country today tangent but look at our country today if you think of it now when that if you think of it now when that and this is the same with solomon's and this is the same with solomon's kingdom when economic times are great kingdom when economic times are great and people are prosperous and people are prosperous usually a lot of the underlying rifts usually a lot of the underlying rifts stay stay suppressed you don't hear about it suppressed you don't hear about it when things start getting tough all of a when things start getting tough all of a sudden there's divisions sudden there's divisions you know this group is against this you know this group is against this group which is against this group group which is against this group divisions and we see that in our country divisions and we see that in our country unfortunately a lot of division unfortunately a lot of division and it's the same here with solomon's and it's the same here with solomon's kingdom as great as the golden age was kingdom as great as the golden age was we can't be fooled because there was we can't be fooled because there was underlying division underlying division but things were so good it just stayed but things were so good it just stayed suppressed suppressed it stayed away it stayed away but as soon as that crack but as soon as that crack instincts aren't good that's when all instincts aren't good that's when all that stuff starts bubbling back up and that stuff starts bubbling back up and we see that with solomon as well but it we see that with solomon as well but it started so great didn't it started so great didn't it for solomon and what i want to look at for solomon and what i want to look at real quick is something i didn't cover a real quick is something i didn't cover a lot in our classes that in each stage of lot in our classes that in each stage of solomon's life he was worn by god solomon's life he was worn by god he was issued three warnings he was issued three warnings in his life by god in his life by god and we want to i want to look at those and we want to i want to look at those real quick and we'll go through some of real quick and we'll go through some of this other stuff quickly because it's this other stuff quickly because it's stuff stuff you know we know and we've already you know we know and we've already covered but in his early life you know covered but in his early life you know he he really had a zeal it's like he he really had a zeal it's like you relate it to baptism you relate it to baptism you know those first you know those first i don't know i don't know month two months three months four month two months three months four months months you can't get much higher you can't get much higher or feel much better about yourself or feel much better about yourself and then all of a sudden you do and then all of a sudden you do something wrong something wrong and you start and you start you know you know and solomon started off so great didn't and solomon started off so great didn't he i mean he i mean you remember his prayer you remember his prayer for that understanding heart that he for that understanding heart that he asked god for asked god for understanding heart not only to understanding heart not only to be there for the people to understand be there for the people to understand their situations and to have a loving their situations and to have a loving heart open to them to understand and heart open to them to understand and appreciate god's word and what god appreciate god's word and what god wanted him to do wanted him to do that's what he asked for an that's what he asked for an understanding heart wisdom in in in looking at god's word and in in in in looking at god's word and in figuring out what was the right thing to figuring out what was the right thing to do do and we know god gave that to him and and we know god gave that to him and much more he gave him everything he much more he gave him everything he didn't ask for the wealth and everything didn't ask for the wealth and everything else else and then we read in first chronicles 29 and then we read in first chronicles 29 about about the royal majesty that solomon had that the royal majesty that solomon had that no other king had and will have until no other king had and will have until the time of christ the time of christ you know he was magnified and he reached you know he was magnified and he reached heights that no other king would heights that no other king would we read about the prosperity and the we read about the prosperity and the peace in the land peace in the land every man sitting under his own fig tree every man sitting under his own fig tree things were good things were very good things were good things were very good he built the temple he built the temple he was outwardly in everything he did he was outwardly in everything he did looking for ways to glorify god looking for ways to glorify god to show the nations around him that god to show the nations around him that god was active in their lives and this is was active in their lives and this is what things can be like for you too what things can be like for you too if if yahweh is your god if you follow if if yahweh is your god if you follow god with all your heart and all your god with all your heart and all your mind and solomon was doing that he mind and solomon was doing that he brought the people together brought the people together to build the temple to build the temple and to work on other projects it was and to work on other projects it was really the time of his purest and really the time of his purest and loftiest goals everything was done to loftiest goals everything was done to glorify god glorify god and then we get to first kings chapter and then we get to first kings chapter three three and god issues his first warning to and god issues his first warning to solomon in first kings chapter three and this is what that warning entails first kings chapter 3 well that's verse 3 i think is a great place to start because it says solomon place to start because it says solomon loved the lord walking in the statutes loved the lord walking in the statutes of david his father of david his father so everything david had done in his life so everything david had done in his life to prepare solomon to prepare solomon solomon had carried it over and solomon had carried it over and let's say the train was continuing to let's say the train was continuing to roll down the tracks roll down the tracks everything was good everything was good but then we get to verse 14 and god but then we get to verse 14 and god tells solomon tells solomon look look solomon if you will walk in my ways to solomon if you will walk in my ways to keep my statutes and my commandments as keep my statutes and my commandments as thy father david then walk then i will thy father david then walk then i will lengthen thy days lengthen thy days he'll lengthen his days he'll give him he'll lengthen his days he'll give him prolonged life prolonged life now you might say brother mark that's now you might say brother mark that's not a warning well it is because the not a warning well it is because the opposite would be true opposite would be true implied if you don't implied if you don't then your days will be shortened then your days will be shortened and unfortunately for solomon his days and unfortunately for solomon his days were shortened were shortened i think he he only lived to about 60 i think he he only lived to about 60 years old years old so that's the first warning to solomon so that's the first warning to solomon from god he really he really cranks it up he finishes the temple he finishes the temple and then he has a decision to be made if and then he has a decision to be made if you remember we talked about you remember we talked about how great solomon was at infrastructure how great solomon was at infrastructure at getting people together at getting people together for building projects for building projects roads bridges storehouses you name it roads bridges storehouses you name it barns for the barns for the barnes solomon was great at that stuff he was solomon was great at that stuff he was good at at putting people and groups good at at putting people and groups together the best people you know if he together the best people you know if he wanted someone to begin a business for wanted someone to begin a business for you today he would be a man you would you today he would be a man you would want want you know my boss always says you know my boss always says you know i only hire the best of the you know i only hire the best of the best best don't know why i'm there but that's what don't know why i'm there but that's what he says he says and that's what solomon did he wanted and that's what solomon did he wanted the best the best person for the best person for the best role and that's what he did role and that's what he did in everything you know structure in everything you know structure solomon was all about that but he had a solomon was all about that but he had a choice to make after the the building of choice to make after the the building of the temple the temple you know he could slow down you know he could slow down and concentrate on other things and concentrate on other things you know maybe he noticed his spiritual you know maybe he noticed his spiritual life was a little lacking his families life was a little lacking his families was a little lacking was a little lacking i don't know i don't know or or you know i built this powerful machine you know i built this powerful machine i might as well keep going and build i might as well keep going and build more and more things more and more things and this is where and this is where things start to change things start to change you know the account seems you know the account seems all of a sudden late in his life all all of a sudden late in his life all these things started happening these things started happening it's usually a gradual build up in one's it's usually a gradual build up in one's life doesn't it life doesn't it it's not usually like that it's not usually like that that you oh i stopped coming to church that you oh i stopped coming to church i'm not interested anymore you know like i'm not interested anymore you know like that it's usually a gradual build up but that it's usually a gradual build up but i think if this was the case with i think if this was the case with solomon solomon um um you know he was a wise he was getting on you know he was a wise he was getting on top of his game top of his game he kept building and building and he kept building and building and building building and and things were well things were and and things were well things were well and and in this case we see the well and and in this case we see the second warning second warning given to god and this warning um given to god and this warning um there's a little more a little more meat there's a little more a little more meat on it than just i will lengthen thy days on it than just i will lengthen thy days or shorten thy days in chapter 9 or shorten thy days in chapter 9 god says this to solomon god says this to solomon regarding regarding the second warning and it's in verse 6. if ye shall at all turn from following me ye or your children me ye or your children it will not keep my commandments and my it will not keep my commandments and my statutes which i have set before you statutes which i have set before you but go and serve other gods and worship but go and serve other gods and worship them them then will i cut off israel then will i cut off israel so now it's not just you solomon so now it's not just you solomon but your actions but your actions have consequences for israel i will cut off israel out of the land which i have given them in this house which i have given them in this house which i have hallowed for my name which i have hallowed for my name will i cast out of my sight and israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people byword among all people and at this house which is high everyone and at this house which is high everyone that passeth by it shall be astonished that passeth by it shall be astonished and shall hiss and shall hiss and they shall say why hath the lord and they shall say why hath the lord done thus done thus unto this land unto this land into this house that's pretty severe that is pressure solomon solomon we're not talking just you you're the we're not talking just you you're the shepherd you're the king of my people shepherd you're the king of my people this is what i expect from you and we know what happened there as well but god warned him but god warned him he gave him warning that he would cast he gave him warning that he would cast off not just him but israel off not just him but israel so we get to later in his life so we get to later in his life um and by this time um and by this time solomon is is a driven man he solomon is is a driven man he just can't stop just can't stop building it it was like uh building it it was like uh you know you know like a drug that's the only thing i can like a drug that's the only thing i can think of it was something he craved think of it was something he craved it engulfed his life the more and more it engulfed his life the more and more wealth he accumulated the more and more wealth he accumulated the more and more effort effort he needed to put to keep it he needed to put to keep it he levied heavier taxes on the people he levied heavier taxes on the people he made their work he made their work more burdensome more burdensome in accomplishing all these building in accomplishing all these building projects projects he started to change you remember we he started to change you remember we talked and i don't think i have it here talked and i don't think i have it here but the deal he made with hiram but the deal he made with hiram hyrum was to supply him ships hyrum was to supply him ships solomon would supply him cities solomon would supply him cities hyrum upheld his bargain hyrum upheld his bargain and for the first time i think here we and for the first time i think here we get a real crack in solomon's armor get a real crack in solomon's armor where he basically tries to shortchange where he basically tries to shortchange hiram hiram he gives him undesirable cities remember he gives him undesirable cities remember hyrum complains to him hyrum complains to him and says solomon nothing for nothing but and says solomon nothing for nothing but you know like you got a fleet of ships you know like you got a fleet of ships now you could travel the world and trade now you could travel the world and trade and you're going to make all this money and you're going to make all this money and this is what you're giving me in and this is what you're giving me in return return on a gentleman's agreement hiram ended up taking it he ended up being the bigger man in the situation being the bigger man in the situation but you could see but you could see the greed part with solomon the greed part with solomon he just wanted more and more and it he just wanted more and more and it started started eating into his life and eating into his eating into his life and eating into his personality and eating into who he was personality and eating into who he was he was changing him and we we sell that he was changing him and we we sell that with hiram with hiram um chapter 10 you know it talks about um chapter 10 you know it talks about all the the things he accumulated all the the things he accumulated he had an ivory throne and gold drinking he had an ivory throne and gold drinking vessels and vessels and he gathered more chariots and horses he gathered more chariots and horses we talked about what those represent we talked about what those represent he brought them out of egypt he brought them out of egypt he made silver to be in jerusalem like he made silver to be in jerusalem like stones stones he built a house for himself a palace he built a house for himself a palace took twice as long to build as the took twice as long to build as the temple temple and i mentioned this in our class the and i mentioned this in our class the house that david had was only 40 to 50 house that david had was only 40 to 50 years old couldn't have lived in that house nowadays if someone offered me a 40 to nowadays if someone offered me a 40 to 50 year old house i'd take it 50 year old house i'd take it i'd live in it i'd live in it solomon needed a palace a splendid solomon needed a palace a splendid palace um and this is an important thing to and this is an important thing to remember as he gets later in his life remember as he gets later in his life that the tax that was levied he kept that the tax that was levied he kept that tax and we laugh about that that tax and we laugh about that nowadays right nowadays right when the government comes out and issues when the government comes out and issues well this is a temporary tax for this well this is a temporary tax for this this or that this or that it's never temporary it's always there it's never temporary it's always there you know the high food prices you know the high food prices you know i'm in the food industry you know i'm in the food industry and and people come to me mark when is and and people come to me mark when is this you know this you know it might prices may settle back but do it might prices may settle back but do you think some of these chains are going you think some of these chains are going to cut back on their prices when they to cut back on their prices when they can get what they're getting can get what they're getting the markup on food is pretty good the markup on food is pretty good some of the some of the products are 30 some of the some of the products are 30 percent some are as high as 50. percent some are as high as 50. so so it's hard for those companies to give it's hard for those companies to give that back when they know they can get it that back when they know they can get it joanne and i went food shopping joanne and i went food shopping [Music] [Music] yesterday yesterday morning yesterday yesterday morning i remember when it was just the two of i remember when it was just the two of us before children our food bill was 50 us before children our food bill was 50 a week a week now it's basically still just the two of now it's basically still just the two of us with elizabeth there when she wants us with elizabeth there when she wants to be to be 170 dollars 170 dollars and i looked at what we got and i'm like and i looked at what we got and i'm like honey what did we get honey what did we get you know it's just incredible and it's you know it's just incredible and it's the same here with solomon the same here with solomon you know i well i told you this would be you know i well i told you this would be a temple tax but a temple tax but you know we're going to keep this going you know we're going to keep this going we got to feed the engine we got to feed the engine if we want to keep this wealth and if we want to keep this wealth and prosperity this is what it takes prosperity this is what it takes and that's what he wanted to do and that's what he wanted to do for himself for himself he wanted to keep that engine going so he wanted to keep that engine going so that's an important part when we get that's an important part when we get into into uh the split uh the split of what caused the downfall of what caused the downfall you know we say during good times the you know we say during good times the underlying dissension kind of hides underlying dissension kind of hides itself itself because everyone's happy because everyone's happy but as soon as things start falling but as soon as things start falling apart some of that stuff starts apart some of that stuff starts sprinkling up to the top again sprinkling up to the top again and that's what we're going to find out and that's what we're going to find out that happens and then we get to the famous chapter 11 in in in in that really hammers home that really hammers home solomon's downfall don't we uh the solomon's downfall don't we uh the strange women strange women uh many of whom he married for political uh many of whom he married for political alliances which were popular in those alliances which were popular in those days i think rich covered that one of days i think rich covered that one of his classes you know to make alliances his classes you know to make alliances with countries it was it was with countries it was it was practiced that the king or the king's practiced that the king or the king's son or someone would marry the princess son or someone would marry the princess or the queen or the other country and or the queen or the other country and that would solidify an alliance that would solidify an alliance and he had more alliances with other and he had more alliances with other nations than nations than you know and they weren't for the glory you know and they weren't for the glory of god of god he wasn't they weren't being witnesses he wasn't they weren't being witnesses to god after the queen of sheba queen of to god after the queen of sheba queen of sheba left solomon and she saw all the sheba left solomon and she saw all the glory glory of god in everything of god in everything but solomon went above and beyond that but solomon went above and beyond that and unfortunately these many strange and unfortunately these many strange wives turned his heart away wives turned his heart away and we read we talked about the horrific and we read we talked about the horrific incident in in first kings 11 that many incident in in first kings 11 that many times you can overlook if you read it times you can overlook if you read it quickly of the account where he he builds the shrines shrines on the mount of olives he builds shrines on the mount of olives uh verse eight uh verse eight solomon did evil in the sight of the solomon did evil in the sight of the lord and went not fully after the lord lord and went not fully after the lord is did david his father so at this time i can't imagine solomon's solomon's writing his his law notes he's not copying the law anymore he's not reading it is he anymore he's not reading it is he teaching it to his children teaching it to his children probably not probably not i mean it doesn't say but i mean it doesn't say but you know if he's not following the lord you know if he's not following the lord with all his heart i'm sure that's a big with all his heart i'm sure that's a big part of it part of it solomon built a high place for chimash solomon built a high place for chimash the abomination of moab in the hill that the abomination of moab in the hill that is before jerusalem the mount of olives is before jerusalem the mount of olives and for molech the abomination of the and for molech the abomination of the children of ammon children of ammon and likewise did he for all his strange and likewise did he for all his strange wives which burnt incense and sacrifice wives which burnt incense and sacrifice under their gods under their gods he was jeroboam before jeroboam he was jeroboam before jeroboam and we tend to forget that and we tend to forget that you know we solomon was great wisest man you know we solomon was great wisest man in the land but in the land but he turned away from god he turned away from god and he did more than turn away he he did and he did more than turn away he he did some abominable things and it affected some abominable things and it affected not only himself not only himself affected the whole nation didn't it affected the whole nation didn't it affected the whole nation and it would affected the whole nation and it would be some 400 years be some 400 years before those shrines would come down before those shrines would come down king josiah would take them down king josiah would take them down that's a long time that's a long time it's a long time he receives his third warning here in first kings first kings chapter 11 and it chapter 11 and it i guess you can call it a warning but i guess you can call it a warning but right it's more of a verdict right it's more of a verdict after all that had happened after all that had happened um we read in verse nine um we read in verse nine lord was angry with solomon because his lord was angry with solomon because his heart was turned from the lord god of heart was turned from the lord god of israel which appeared unto him twice israel which appeared unto him twice and it commanded him concerning this and it commanded him concerning this thing that he should not go after other thing that he should not go after other gods gods but he kept not that but he kept not that which the lord which the lord commanded commanded just just it's like a total cut off you know we can sit here and we could say boy that would never happen to me say boy that would never happen to me and i think of it and it just and i think of it and it just there's no way there's no way right but unfortunately we've seen it we've seen brothers and sisters just we've seen brothers and sisters just inexplicably inexplicably walk away so it can happen to us but we can but we can plenty of safeguards for it not plenty of safeguards for it not happening being here is one happening being here is one riding the law in our hearts riding the law in our hearts reading reading praying praying asking god for that strength for it not asking god for that strength for it not to happen to us or our loved ones or or to happen to us or our loved ones or or our family our family that's why we do those things that's why that's why we do those things that's why we need to do those things we need to we need to do those things we need to keep being fed so that other stuff keep being fed so that other stuff the stuff that solomon went through the stuff that solomon went through doesn't take over our lives verse 11 the lord said unto solomon for as much the lord said unto solomon for as much as this has done of thee and thou has as this has done of thee and thou has not kept my covenant not kept my covenant in my statutes which i have commanded in my statutes which i have commanded thee i will rend the kingdom from thee thee i will rend the kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant and will give it to thy servant notwithstanding in thy days i will not notwithstanding in thy days i will not do it do it for david thy father's sake and how many for david thy father's sake and how many times when we read times when we read further on in the account of the kings further on in the account of the kings do we read about those words for david's do we read about those words for david's sake sake the respect the love that god had for the respect the love that god had for david david played a key role played a key role in a lot of what god didn't do in a lot of what god didn't do he kept his covenant he wanted to keep he kept his covenant he wanted to keep his covenant his covenant but i will render it out of the hand of but i will render it out of the hand of thy son thy son howbeit i will not rent it away all the howbeit i will not rent it away all the kingdom but will give one tribe to thy kingdom but will give one tribe to thy son for david my servant's sake there it son for david my servant's sake there it is again and for jerusalem's sake is again and for jerusalem's sake which i have chosen which i have chosen and as we continue in this chapter we and as we continue in this chapter we read of these i talked about old read of these i talked about old foes things bubbling up and right away foes things bubbling up and right away here in this chapter we're told of three here in this chapter we're told of three three men three men who make an appearance who make an appearance and the first one and the first one is is king uh hey dad the edomite and i won't king uh hey dad the edomite and i won't read it but basically read it but basically hey dad hey dad was a child at the time david and joab was a child at the time david and joab if you remember the account of david and if you remember the account of david and joab in this the slaughter joab in this the slaughter of the of the haydad was there he saw it he lived haydad was there he saw it he lived through it as a child he escaped it through it as a child he escaped it and he fled and he ended up in egypt and and he fled and he ended up in egypt and to make a long story short much like to make a long story short much like joseph he found favor with pharaoh joseph he found favor with pharaoh and pharaoh gave him his sister's wife and pharaoh gave him his sister's wife he gave him you know land he gave him he gave him you know land he gave him things and he was he was living quite things and he was he was living quite well in egypt but something was burning inside a hate ad ad for what david what he perceived as for what david what he perceived as wrong by david and joab and when david wrong by david and joab and when david and joab died haydad asked pharaoh i and joab died haydad asked pharaoh i want to go back want to go back i want to go back to israel i want to go back to israel and he would become a thorn in the side and he would become a thorn in the side of solomon of solomon that was adversary number one and if i'm that was adversary number one and if i'm not mistaken uh edom is to the southwest not mistaken uh edom is to the southwest of israel south of israel south i think i think southeast thank you brother southeast thank you brother now the next gentleman who we're told on now the next gentleman who we're told on is resin and he comes from syria which is resin and he comes from syria which is from the north right rich is from the north right rich he comes from the north he comes from the north and he causes trouble and he causes trouble for solomon for solomon and most a lot of historians say that and most a lot of historians say that hey dad and resident might have worked hey dad and resident might have worked together in some together in some things we're not exactly told what he things we're not exactly told what he does to solomon but he was a thorn in does to solomon but he was a thorn in his side as well so you have the north his side as well so you have the north you have the south you have the south so all of a sudden all this nice and so all of a sudden all this nice and quiet peace from your enemies quiet peace from your enemies is gone is gone it's gone it's gone and then finally right in the middle and then finally right in the middle god sets up one more adversary god sets up one more adversary and that adversary would be jeroboam and that adversary would be jeroboam and jeroboam started and jeroboam started as one of solomon's workers as one of solomon's workers if you look at the account because if you look at the account because sometimes we for we don't look at it we sometimes we for we don't look at it we think of jeroboam well he got the 10 think of jeroboam well he got the 10 tribes and he caused israel to sin which tribes and he caused israel to sin which he does he does but he had a life before that and we're but he had a life before that and we're told in a brief snippet of what he did told in a brief snippet of what he did all right jeroboam the son of nebat an all right jeroboam the son of nebat an ephrathite a zoraida solomon's servant ephrathite a zoraida solomon's servant uh uh his mother's name was zariah a widowed his mother's name was zariah a widowed woman even he lifted up his hand against woman even he lifted up his hand against the king so where does it say oh the man the king so where does it say oh the man jeroboam was a mighty man of valor jeroboam was a mighty man of valor and solomon seeing the young man that he and solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious remember we talked about was industrious remember we talked about how solomon was able to find talented how solomon was able to find talented people people and put them to work where they best fit and put them to work where they best fit and he did that with jeroboam and he did that with jeroboam jeroboam would become overseer ruler jeroboam would become overseer ruler over the charge of the house of joseph over the charge of the house of joseph the tribes of ephraim and manasseh those the tribes of ephraim and manasseh those workers were workers were jeroboam oversaw them jeroboam oversaw them so he worked he was side by side i don't so he worked he was side by side i don't want to say task master but i guess he want to say task master but i guess he was kind of that he was their overseer was kind of that he was their overseer making sure they were doing what they making sure they were doing what they were supposed to do were supposed to do he was in charge he was in charge and what do you think and what do you think we talked about the taxes not being we talked about the taxes not being lifted the work being lifted the work being more stringent as solomon wanted to more stringent as solomon wanted to build more and more what do you think build more and more what do you think jeroboam heard from those people jeroboam heard from those people were they happy were they happy complaints yeah sharon complaints complaints yeah sharon complaints he overheard everything and he was going to try to use it to his advantage so now we have solomon advantage so now we have solomon this is his life just totally in his this is his life just totally in his later years falling apart later years falling apart he's has issues to his south he's has issues to his south he's has issues to the north he's has issues to the north he's going to have one more issue right he's going to have one more issue right in the heart in the heart right in the nation of israel itself in right in the nation of israel itself in jeroboam jeroboam all by the the hand of god all by the the hand of god controlling these situations and what we'll do starting next week is we'll look at we'll look at we'll look at you know from the time of we'll look at you know from the time of solomon's death solomon's death we'll look at rehoboam and jeroboam we'll look at rehoboam and jeroboam because there's a lot there because there's a lot there and we'll continue in my my hope is that and we'll continue in my my hope is that we get we'll get to the time of ahab in we get we'll get to the time of ahab in the time of elijah the time of elijah and we'll we'll get that far 60 years and we'll we'll get that far 60 years it's amazing what can happen in 60 years it's amazing what can happen in 60 years you know i think of of present day with you know i think of of present day with technology technology you know you think of certain you know you think of certain technologies that technologies that 20 years ago weren't around 30 years 40 20 years ago weren't around 30 years 40 years the technology from early 1900s years the technology from early 1900s today how much it's changed today how much it's changed and how much something like this you and how much something like this you know know can change and i want to leave you we we can change and i want to leave you we we looked at ecclesiastes looked at ecclesiastes as the book of solomon's prayer for as the book of solomon's prayer for forgiveness in his old age that he forgiveness in his old age that he repented repented and one thing solomon says and one thing solomon says and i'm not sure if we covered this but and i'm not sure if we covered this but i i think it's so i i think it's so noteworthy to we'll conclude with these noteworthy to we'll conclude with these words words in chapter 9 verse 18. in chapter 9 verse 18. this is what solomon says he says wisdom this is what solomon says he says wisdom is better than weapons of war is better than weapons of war now these are the words i want you to now these are the words i want you to remember for our next class remember for our next class but one sinner but one sinner destroyeth destroyeth much good solomon coming to realization that what he did coming to realization that what he did what he became in his later life what he became in his later life destroyed much good not only for himself destroyed much good not only for himself but for israel for the nation and we're but for israel for the nation and we're going to see going to see how this how this how this plays out in our next class how this plays out in our next class any questions thoughts comments any questions thoughts comments go dad nope can you pass that there go dad nope can you pass that there thanks thanks oh dad right behind you the mic we want to hear you pop yeah there you go on the microphone sir go on the microphone sir thank you whoa thank you whoa you know you know so many of the kings of israel neglected so many of the kings of israel neglected god's instructions god's instructions to read and copy the law to read and copy the law but jesus as king but jesus as king would have followed those instructions would have followed those instructions to the letter to the point that he would to the letter to the point that he would have memorized the law have memorized the law he would have memorized it right he would have memorized it right so so for us for us the instruction is the instruction is to constantly to constantly read god's word read god's word to to constantly constantly take those thoughts and take those thoughts and the words of our lord into our minds and the words of our lord into our minds and our hearts so that we our hearts so that we have unm always with us have unm always with us and not forget and not forget what is right and profit to do right what is right and profit to do right right right right he was the only one wasn't he yeah right he was the only one wasn't he yeah he was the only one he was the only one and we the lord the psalms the prophets he would have the psalms the prophets he would have known all those things he came to known all those things he came to fulfill it yesterday and he did he fulfill it yesterday and he did he fulfilled it and we humbly how often did fulfilled it and we humbly how often did he said have he not read he said have he not read how is it written in the law right so he how is it written in the law right so he knew knew what he was talking about right what he was talking about right thanks dad thanks dad anyone else anyone else yeah rich you mentioned hey dad and jeroboam uh hey dad went down to egypt as you uh hey dad went down to egypt as you said i believe jeroboam went down to said i believe jeroboam went down to egypt as well i think you're gonna egypt as well i think you're gonna actually get into it okay okay actually get into it okay okay i just think i just think i'll just leave you with this i think i'll just leave you with this i think it's very interesting the role that it's very interesting the role that egypt plays in all of this egypt plays in all of this you know you can see some of the big you know you can see some of the big political political uh political issues that are going on uh political issues that are going on here underneath the surface to try to here underneath the surface to try to gain mastery of that area right so yeah gain mastery of that area right so yeah that's it yeah the role of egypt in the that's it yeah the role of egypt in the history of israel is history of israel is you know what it's been used for for for you know what it's been used for for for good for the children of israel and for good for the children of israel and for bad is is it's those are the classes on bad is is it's those are the classes on their own their own you could do a lot of classes on that so you could do a lot of classes on that so good point and we'll touch on that next good point and we'll touch on that next week when we we look closely at jeroboam

Transcript

so last week we ended up um meeting jeroboam there we go it's a good start um we ended up after it's a good start um we ended up after solomon's apostasy in in first kings 11. solomon's apostasy in in first kings 11. we learned we learned good afternoon miss elizabeth hampton good afternoon miss elizabeth hampton welcome welcome we we learned that god sent adversaries we we learned that god sent adversaries against solomon and israel against solomon and israel haydad haydad rezan and the last one was jeroboam rezan and the last one was jeroboam and we said that jeroboam was a little and we said that jeroboam was a little different from the other two the other different from the other two the other two were outside forces two were outside forces sent against solomon sent against solomon jeroboam would come from within jeroboam would come from within right from the heart so to speak of right from the heart so to speak of israel jeroboam would become an israel jeroboam would become an adversary not only to solomon but adversary not only to solomon but for the whole land of israel for the whole land of israel but before in this it's so interesting but before in this it's so interesting because i because i i must be a horrible reader of scripture i must be a horrible reader of scripture i really must be because a lot of things i really must be because a lot of things i don't notice until i don't notice until you have to do a class or a study you have to do a class or a study it's amazing i mean when you think of it's amazing i mean when you think of jeroboam jeroboam the first word you think causes real the first word you think causes real descent descent that's that's it i mean there's no that's that's it i mean there's no redeeming qualities about jeroboam at redeeming qualities about jeroboam at all but it's not the case here at the all but it's not the case here at the beginning of beginning of this the tale so to speak we find that this the tale so to speak we find that there are some qualities that there are some qualities that people liked and that people liked and that god actually liked about jeroboam so god actually liked about jeroboam so let's look at those really quick because let's look at those really quick because you know it's amazing because you know it's amazing because you just think jeroboam sinner from day you just think jeroboam sinner from day one one you know caused israel to sin bad guy you know caused israel to sin bad guy well that's not how it started well that's not how it started so if you have your bibles with you and so if you have your bibles with you and you want to uh we're going to be in you want to uh we're going to be in first kings 11 and 12 quite a bit this first kings 11 and 12 quite a bit this morning morning and we're going to look at and we're going to look at the arrival of jeroboam the arrival of jeroboam and as we said last week jeroboam and as we said last week jeroboam if you go to first kings 11 26 if you go to first kings 11 26 jeroboam was solomon's servant jeroboam was solomon's servant and he was actually one of those and he was actually one of those i'll call him a task master or a boss i'll call him a task master or a boss over a group over a group of israelites from the tribe of joseph of israelites from the tribe of joseph when it came to we've always talked when it came to we've always talked about solomon's work projects about solomon's work projects how we always had projects going on i how we always had projects going on i was always building was always building and and jeroboam was one of those leaders of a jeroboam was one of those leaders of a group of men group of men that were working on these projects for that were working on these projects for solomon solomon and it says right in the account and it says right in the account it describes jeroboam it describes jeroboam as as solomon saw among the young men that he solomon saw among the young men that he was industrious was industrious and he made him ruler over all the and he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of joseph charge of the house of joseph so solomon saw qualities in him so solomon saw qualities in him that were advantageous for solomon to that were advantageous for solomon to hire him and to make him a leader of men hire him and to make him a leader of men so there's a quality we're going to find so there's a quality we're going to find about jeroboam right away about jeroboam right away and it does carry on later in the and it does carry on later in the account account he's a leader he's a leader it looks like he's a born leader it looks like he's a born leader so jeroboam we we learned that about him so jeroboam we we learned that about him we learned that he had a position among we learned that he had a position among the workers of solomon's the workers of solomon's um um workforce workforce and one thing that we we talked about and one thing that we we talked about last week is that he was probably privy last week is that he was probably privy up to a lot of information up to a lot of information you know when you're a boss at work you know when you're a boss at work or you're within a group at work people or you're within a group at work people love to gossip and talk and you can love to gossip and talk and you can learn a lot of information learn a lot of information by listening by listening and we're going to find out that and we're going to find out that jeroboam was probably a great listener jeroboam was probably a great listener because during this time he probably because during this time he probably heard a lot of the grumbling going on heard a lot of the grumbling going on about solomon about solomon how hard the work was how unfair it was how hard the work was how unfair it was and the people complaining and he all and the people complaining and he all this would just day after day sink into this would just day after day sink into his head his head and give him ideas and give him ideas so that's another thing we need to so that's another thing we need to consider consider as we look at jeroboam but there was as we look at jeroboam but there was someone else that was interested in someone else that was interested in jeroboam as well and that was god jeroboam as well and that was god god saw something in jeroboam that god saw something in jeroboam that he could use in his in his plan he could use in his in his plan so we're going to look at that real so we're going to look at that real quick and it starts quick and it starts with the arrival of a hija the prophet with the arrival of a hija the prophet who comes to jeroboam as he's going to who comes to jeroboam as he's going to jerusalem jerusalem and ahijah and ahijah starts in verse 29 comes from shiloh he starts in verse 29 comes from shiloh he was a shyla knight was a shyla knight does anyone remember any any key and i does anyone remember any any key and i have it up on the screen so you could have it up on the screen so you could probably probably cheat if you want and look at it but cheat if you want and look at it but shiloh was the place shiloh was the place where joshua with the tabernacle was set where joshua with the tabernacle was set up up shiloh was the place where the tribes shiloh was the place where the tribes divided the land by lot divided the land by lot coincidence that a hija was from shiloh coincidence that a hija was from shiloh no no no god was going to cause again for the no god was going to cause again for the tribes to be divided tribes to be divided by lot by lot by a prophet from shiloh by a prophet from shiloh it's just one of the the amazing rhythms it's just one of the the amazing rhythms of scripture isn't it throughout of scripture isn't it throughout scripture these rhythms that just are scripture these rhythms that just are undeniable so elijah undeniable so elijah appears to jeroboam and i don't know appears to jeroboam and i don't know what jeroboam was going to jerusalem for what jeroboam was going to jerusalem for but it says he was headed there and but it says he was headed there and ahijah has a new garment on and that new garment was representing israel israel representing the new representing the new division of israel to come by the lord division of israel to come by the lord god god and we read and we read in in the account that in in the account that ahijah ahijah caught the new garment that was on him caught the new garment that was on him and i have up there that the word and i have up there that the word garment indicates it was a dress or a garment indicates it was a dress or a mantle so i pictured something that was mantle so i pictured something that was from head to toe from head to toe one long i should have probably tried to one long i should have probably tried to find a picture of it but i didn't find a picture of it but i didn't and it's reminder and it's reminder of when king saul of when king saul was told was told after he failed to totally wipe out i after he failed to totally wipe out i think it was the amalekites in think it was the amalekites in in 1st samuel in 1st samuel 15 15 that he was told the kingdom would be that he was told the kingdom would be rent for you you remember and he re rent for you you remember and he re reaches out and grabs hold of the reaches out and grabs hold of the garment and tears a piece off of it garment and tears a piece off of it this reminds me of that it happens here this reminds me of that it happens here as well as well so we have jeroboam so we have jeroboam tearing this garment that ehyge is tearing this garment that ehyge is wearing wearing in in this portrayal of a new start for israel this portrayal of a new start for israel all under the control of god all under the control of god dividing again the tribes as they were dividing again the tribes as they were divided earlier in joshua's time at divided earlier in joshua's time at shiloh shiloh so we have this happening again again so we have this happening again again god saw something in jeroboam that he he god saw something in jeroboam that he he could use for his plans and purpose verses 31-36 31-36 of of the account here in chapter 11 talks the account here in chapter 11 talks about about um this division into the two and the um this division into the two and the ten tribes and if we could look up and ten tribes and if we could look up and if if uh ii samuel uh ii samuel 19 verse 43 19 verse 43 this has happened before this has happened before this isn't new this this this division this isn't new this this this division of these tribes of these tribes in second samuel in second samuel chapter 19 and this is an chapter 19 and this is an amazing amazing and we'll be we'll be coming back to and we'll be we'll be coming back to this later because there's so much this later because there's so much that happens in this this second samuel that happens in this this second samuel 19 and 20 19 and 20 that applies to what will happen that applies to what will happen to ray obama's kingdom to ray obama's kingdom so i'm going to skip around a little bit so i'm going to skip around a little bit because some of this information we're because some of this information we're going to get back to and i don't want to going to get back to and i don't want to ruin the later on stuff now ruin the later on stuff now but in verse 43 but in verse 43 if you remember this is when david makes if you remember this is when david makes his return to jerusalem his return to jerusalem and barzillai uh he greets baseline and and barzillai uh he greets baseline and thanks him for all the kindness thanks him for all the kindness in inverse in inverse starting in verse if you look starting in verse if you look at 39 at 39 it says all the people went over the it says all the people went over the jordan and when the king was come over jordan and when the king was come over the king kissed barzillai the king kissed barzillai blessed him blessed him and he returned unto his own place and he returned unto his own place then the king went on to gilgal and then the king went on to gilgal and chimham went on with him and all the chimham went on with him and all the people of judah people of judah conducted the king conducted the king and also half and also half the people of israel the people of israel and behold all the men of israel came to and behold all the men of israel came to the king and said unto the king the king and said unto the king why have our brethren the men of judah why have our brethren the men of judah stolen thee away and have brought the stolen thee away and have brought the king and his household and all david's king and his household and all david's men with him over the jordan men with him over the jordan so we're going to talk about this in a so we're going to talk about this in a little while little while lord willing lord willing again again tribal jealousies rearing its head we tribal jealousies rearing its head we mentioned it last week i'm going to mentioned it last week i'm going to hopefully talk about it a little more hopefully talk about it a little more today but you can see the the the other today but you can see the the the other tribes of israel saying wait a minute tribes of israel saying wait a minute why is judah why is judah you know taking him taking him away like you know taking him taking him away like that and all the men of judah answered that and all the men of judah answered in verse 42 the men of israel because in verse 42 the men of israel because the king is near of kin to us he's our the king is near of kin to us he's our king king you know pumping their chests so to you know pumping their chests so to speak speak you know like um you know like um in the day this won't mean anything to in the day this won't mean anything to you guys but when i was a teenager we you guys but when i was a teenager we had a had a basketball player in my high school by basketball player in my high school by the name of craig watts the name of craig watts he was almost he was almost almost 6 10. he was a big man almost 6 10. he was a big man and he was a pretty good basketball and he was a pretty good basketball player player and ever you know the town easton's and ever you know the town easton's craig watts you know they declared him craig watts you know they declared him as as their own their own and i think craig watts after college and i think craig watts after college never returned to east never returned to east so um you know this is what was so um you know this is what was happening here the tribe of judah was happening here the tribe of judah was you know david our king david from judah you know david our king david from judah david ours you know you could just see david ours you know you could just see it and the other tribes were jealous it and the other tribes were jealous they were upset over this this they were upset over this this declaration declaration of david um you know being just judas so of david um you know being just judas so we can see this division we can see this division already appearing here long before we already appearing here long before we get to the account of rehoboam and get to the account of rehoboam and jeroboam jeroboam uh throughout the the reading of the uh throughout the the reading of the prophecy prophecy uh back in first kings 11 you'll notice uh back in first kings 11 you'll notice how many times how many times the words for my servant david saca the words for my servant david saca mentioned mentioned and there's seven times and there's seven times that those words are mentioned um that those words are mentioned um repeatedly repeatedly you know god didn't forget david didn't you know god didn't forget david didn't forget his faithfulness and his love and forget his faithfulness and his love and and his faith in god and he continually and his faith in god and he continually brings this about um to jeroboam brings this about um to jeroboam in in in in in this time where jeroboam learns that in this time where jeroboam learns that he is going to get 10 tribes and lead he is going to get 10 tribes and lead the nation the nation because of solomon's apostasy because of solomon's apostasy and then he also mentions jerusalem and then he also mentions jerusalem for jerusalem's sake for jerusalem's sake you know god said he would set his name you know god said he would set his name in jerusalem and that wasn't going to in jerusalem and that wasn't going to change change even with even with this redivision this redivision of the land of the land so jeroboam so jeroboam hears these words from ahijah and we're hears these words from ahijah and we're going to skip down to verse 37 because going to skip down to verse 37 because these three verses are amazing to me and these three verses are amazing to me and i don't think i've ever really i don't think i've ever really contemplated them before contemplated them before you know as as i said you know as as i said you know many times we read scripture you know many times we read scripture and we read it and we read it and we don't and we don't really dwell on it or think about it and really dwell on it or think about it and listen to these words in verse 37 of listen to these words in verse 37 of chapter 11. chapter 11. and a high just speaks to jeroboam the and a high just speaks to jeroboam the words of god and this is what god is words of god and this is what god is saying saying to jeroboam to jeroboam okay okay god i will take thee jeroboam god i will take thee jeroboam and thou shalt reign according to all and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth and shalt be king that thy soul desireth and shalt be king over israel over israel and it shall be if thou wilt hearken and it shall be if thou wilt hearken unto all that i command thee unto all that i command thee and will walk in my ways and do that and will walk in my ways and do that is right in my sight to keep my statutes is right in my sight to keep my statutes and my commandments as david my servant and my commandments as david my servant did there's david again i will be with thee and build the ashore house as i built for david and will give house as i built for david and will give israel unto thee israel unto thee you know i will be you know i will be and i will for this afflict the seed of and i will for this afflict the seed of david but not forever david but not forever those words in verses those words in verses 37 37 and 38 remind me a lot of what god had and 38 remind me a lot of what god had said to david and to solomon didn't it said to david and to solomon didn't it remember we looked at some of the remember we looked at some of the warnings to solomon and one of them was warnings to solomon and one of them was you know you you know you'll have long you know you you know you'll have long life if you obey me the kingdom will be life if you obey me the kingdom will be yours these are the same words yours these are the same words almost as god spoke to david almost as god spoke to david and he's saying them to jeroboam and he's saying them to jeroboam if you will follow me i will build the if you will follow me i will build the assure house and this is something i've never you know again when i think of jeroboam you know again when i think of jeroboam he's the man that caused israel to sin he's the man that caused israel to sin i'd never i'd never really contemplated that god really contemplated that god had said these words to him if he obeyed had said these words to him if he obeyed all right and we know that all right and we know that in the future the words that if thou in the future the words that if thou wilt hack and unto all that i command wilt hack and unto all that i command thee will be a real challenge for thee will be a real challenge for jeroboam and it's going to happen real jeroboam and it's going to happen real quick quick you know this isn't a prolonged thing you know this isn't a prolonged thing like solomon like solomon who solomon as we we looked at over his who solomon as we we looked at over his lifetime lifetime started off great but slowly and surely started off great but slowly and surely over the span of his life over the span of his life he started turning away from god and he started turning away from god and started turning to his own pursuits started turning to his own pursuits in his own desires well that happens in his own desires well that happens really quick for jeroboam really quick for jeroboam it starts really quick for jeroboam it starts really quick for jeroboam okay any questions or comments before we okay any questions or comments before we go on wow it's great to see you everybody hi stevens annie everybody hi stevens annie good to see you good to see you everyone come in that snow's not too bad everyone come in that snow's not too bad so it's great to see everybody so next so it's great to see everybody so next thing we read is we skip down to verse thing we read is we skip down to verse 40. so these promises are made to 40. so these promises are made to jeroboam jeroboam basically he it sounds like he just basically he it sounds like he just needs needs just but he needs to be faithful and just but he needs to be faithful and divine god's divine power will intervene divine god's divine power will intervene over his rule over his rule right right that's what it seems like that's what it seems like and then we get to verse 40 of of the and then we get to verse 40 of of the chapter chapter and and it says that solomon sought to kill it says that solomon sought to kill jeroboam jeroboam and i didn't point this out back when a and i didn't point this out back when a hija met jeroboam hija met jeroboam but the the record clearly states but the the record clearly states in verse 29 in verse 29 when they met that they were alone when they met that they were alone the biblical record says the two were the biblical record says the two were alone in the field alone in the field so i started thinking you get to verse so i started thinking you get to verse 40 and it says solomon sought therefore 40 and it says solomon sought therefore to kill jeroboam to kill jeroboam so how did solomon find out what was so how did solomon find out what was going to happen going to happen how did he find out that maybe a hija how did he find out that maybe a hija had talked to jeroboam and that the had talked to jeroboam and that the tribes were promised to him tribes were promised to him it's solomon's sons reign and the only it's solomon's sons reign and the only thing i can think of is that jeroboam thing i can think of is that jeroboam told everybody about it told everybody about it and he was plotting on his own and he was plotting on his own behind the scenes remember he was behind the scenes remember he was working with a group of people that were working with a group of people that were complaining complaining and and saying things about solomon and i think saying things about solomon and i think over the course of time jeroboam started over the course of time jeroboam started thinking i can win the hearts of these thinking i can win the hearts of these people people and i can be their king and i can be their king and move the process up instead of on and move the process up instead of on god's time and wait for god well i've god's time and wait for god well i've been promised these things maybe maybe been promised these things maybe maybe i'll start the process sooner and see if i'll start the process sooner and see if i can get this thing to happen and i can get this thing to happen and solomon heard of it solomon heard of it people somebody must have told solomon people somebody must have told solomon and solomon went after jeroboam and and solomon went after jeroboam and jeroboam flees to all places jeroboam flees to all places egypt everyone flees to egypt egypt everyone flees to egypt um and this shows you know jeroboam's we um and this shows you know jeroboam's we we said he starts his fall pretty quick we said he starts his fall pretty quick and this is where it starts because and this is where it starts because we've talked about last week in we've talked about last week in deuteronomy 17 deuteronomy 17 with one of the first commandments god with one of the first commandments god gives through his king is thou shalt not gives through his king is thou shalt not return to egypt return to egypt and that's where jeroboam goes first and and that's where jeroboam goes first and foremost he flees foremost he flees to egypt to egypt breaking the commandment of god breaking the commandment of god um and most historians as we get to um and most historians as we get to the death of of king solomon uh the death of of king solomon uh have really settled on a date of 931 bc have really settled on a date of 931 bc for solomon's death for solomon's death and the thought being that jeroboam and the thought being that jeroboam probably fled to egypt some three to probably fled to egypt some three to four years before solomon died four years before solomon died so he would spend three to four years in so he would spend three to four years in egypt and as you know three to four egypt and as you know three to four years is plenty of time years is plenty of time to be consumed to be consumed by the idolatry by the idolatry um the cravings of the flesh the lust of um the cravings of the flesh the lust of the flesh the pride of the of egypt the flesh the pride of the of egypt that's a lot of time to be spending in that's a lot of time to be spending in egypt and that had to change jeroboam egypt and that had to change jeroboam even more even more uh as he comes back uh as he comes back so i think it's pretty clear as we read so i think it's pretty clear as we read this account this account that he had great opportunity jeroboam that he had great opportunity jeroboam did did uh uh he was a leader he had potential and not he was a leader he had potential and not only did solomon see that but god did as only did solomon see that but god did as well well and he must have and he must have possessed a great potent potential to be possessed a great potent potential to be to develop after what david's pattern to develop after what david's pattern was was for god we as we read promised him a for god we as we read promised him a short house if if he followed him and short house if if he followed him and obeyed him but as we soon find out obeyed him but as we soon find out he couldn't do it or he didn't want to he couldn't do it or he didn't want to do it do it and again and again the biblical point drives it home that the biblical point drives it home that he lived in egypt that he stayed in he lived in egypt that he stayed in egypt if you look at chapter 12 egypt if you look at chapter 12 the first couple of verses the first couple of verses verses two and three verses two and three it came to pass when jeroboam the son of it came to pass when jeroboam the son of nebat who was yet in egypt nebat who was yet in egypt heard of it heard of it heard of the death of solomon heard of the death of solomon um um that he was fled from the presence of that he was fled from the presence of solomon and jeroboam dwelt in egypt solomon and jeroboam dwelt in egypt that they sent and called him and that they sent and called him and jeroboam and all the congregation jeroboam and all the congregation congregation came of israel came and congregation came of israel came and spake under roy obama and this will be spake under roy obama and this will be an account we'll get into in a little an account we'll get into in a little bit bit so it's stressed a couple of times that so it's stressed a couple of times that jeroboam was in egypt jeroboam was in egypt and let the reader know what egypt and let the reader know what egypt usually does to people usually does to people okay so now we get to rehoboam so we've covered roughly 17 chapters in first covered roughly 17 chapters in first kings 11 and part of 12 kings 11 and part of 12 talking about jeroboam talking about jeroboam and we haven't even talked about the and we haven't even talked about the successor to king saul successor to king saul king solomon upon his death king solomon upon his death and and so we kind of need to fill in some so we kind of need to fill in some pieces we know a little bit about pieces we know a little bit about jeroboam from what we've read jeroboam from what we've read but ray obama just but ray obama just appears appears um i couldn't find any previous um i couldn't find any previous references to rehoboam in the biblical references to rehoboam in the biblical account until this one here that says account until this one here that says ray obama went to shechem for all israel ray obama went to shechem for all israel will come to shechem to make him king will come to shechem to make him king and he's mentioned and he's mentioned in verse 43 of chapter 11 after the in verse 43 of chapter 11 after the death of solomon death of solomon it says that rehoboam would be king it says that rehoboam would be king i couldn't find anything else prior to i couldn't find anything else prior to that on him so we really need to to look that on him so we really need to to look at things to find out where raya boa at things to find out where raya boa might be at as he's to become king might be at as he's to become king uh one thing we do know he is he was 41 uh one thing we do know he is he was 41 years old years old when he became king so he wasn't a young when he became king so he wasn't a young man man he was i guess would consider that he was i guess would consider that middle age nowadays middle age nowadays um um you'd say it's young you'd say it's young wow wow why because we're all older than 41. yeah i guess i wish i was 41 again could do a lot more at 41 than i can today do a lot more at 41 than i can today but he was 41 years old and his mother but he was 41 years old and his mother was an ammonitis was an ammonitis and if you remember back from first and if you remember back from first kings 11 kings 11 those were from the group of the strange those were from the group of the strange women that solomon loved women that solomon loved you know the forbidden women the women you know the forbidden women the women that caused that caused solomon's heart to turn away she was one solomon's heart to turn away she was one of those women of those women so so that aspect right there has to give us a that aspect right there has to give us a little warning about ray obama little warning about ray obama consider for a second if you will consider for a second if you will solomon was a busy guy solomon was a busy guy i mean his hand was into everything i mean his hand was into everything uh building projects philanthropy you uh building projects philanthropy you name it name it and with all those wives and all those and with all those wives and all those children you know children you know it had to have been hard for him to it had to have been hard for him to concentrate on one son even if this son concentrate on one son even if this son was to be king was to be king so i'm sure a lot of ray opponens so i'm sure a lot of ray opponens growing up was influenced by his mother growing up was influenced by his mother and and that couldn't have been a good thing if that couldn't have been a good thing if she's listed among those who she's listed among those who you know the strange wives that worship you know the strange wives that worship strange gods that couldn't have been a strange gods that couldn't have been a good thing for ray obama good thing for ray obama another thing you know we know he grew another thing you know we know he grew up in the lap of luxury right up in the lap of luxury right i don't think rehoboam ever picked up a i don't think rehoboam ever picked up a hammer or a saw or a shovel or hammer or a saw or a shovel or or did any of that kind of work he was or did any of that kind of work he was probably probably lived among servants and lived very well lived among servants and lived very well and taking very well good care of and taking very well good care of so that tells me that maybe his his so that tells me that maybe his his heart and his mind really weren't heart and his mind really weren't in tune with the people he was going to in tune with the people he was going to be king over be king over he wasn't david he wasn't david david was in tune with the people david was in tune with the people he really was he really was his heart and he he was one of them his heart and he he was one of them rehoboam wasn't with the the everyday rehoboam wasn't with the the everyday israelite i don't think rehoboam would israelite i don't think rehoboam would be able to relate to them be able to relate to them and that's going to be another key uh to and that's going to be another key uh to his success or failure in leadership his success or failure in leadership and how about his father and how about his father you know one thing i just thought of you know one thing i just thought of this morning and i don't know why i this morning and i don't know why i didn't think of this sooner but didn't think of this sooner but you know do you think ray obama ever saw you know do you think ray obama ever saw solomon copying the words of the law in solomon copying the words of the law in the book the book as as god had asked the kings to do as as god had asked the kings to do did ray obama see solomon do this did ray obama see solomon do this if he did did he remember it maybe it if he did did he remember it maybe it was in his young years six seven years was in his young years six seven years old old and solomon was writing and solomon was writing did he remember it did david talk to did he remember it did david talk to solomon solomon i mean did david talk yeah did solomon i mean did david talk yeah did solomon talk to rehoboam sorry about that talk to rehoboam sorry about that about about god as they were instructed to do teach god as they were instructed to do teach your children your children in the ways of the lord in the ways of the lord did he talk to rehoboam about this book did he talk to rehoboam about this book and the need to copy the law for himself and the need to copy the law for himself did ray obam see did ray obam see remember that part of solomon's life or remember that part of solomon's life or do you remember the later years of do you remember the later years of solomon's life solomon's life when solomon had turned his heart from when solomon had turned his heart from the lord is that what rehoboam's going the lord is that what rehoboam's going to remember to remember and is he going to be influenced more by and is he going to be influenced more by that and we'll find out that and we'll find out that as well and we i know we all know that as well and we i know we all know what happens to ray obama but these are what happens to ray obama but these are some of the questions i came up with as some of the questions i came up with as i was i was you know preparing this class trying to you know preparing this class trying to get into ray opom's get into ray opom's mind a little bit and obviously we mind a little bit and obviously we we can't be sure we can't be sure but we we can reason but we we can reason we can reason a little bit on the the we can reason a little bit on the the circumstances of his life circumstances of his life um you know what was solomon's words in um you know what was solomon's words in ecclesiastes of one man's sin causing ecclesiastes of one man's sin causing others to sin going to play out in ray others to sin going to play out in ray obama's life would solomon's what part of solomon's life would would affect rehoboam the life would would affect rehoboam the most most you know you know and you tend to think nowadays i think and you tend to think nowadays i think we call them we call them spoiled rich kids or preppies or i don't spoiled rich kids or preppies or i don't know what the words are nowadays but was know what the words are nowadays but was he one of those he one of those chances are he probably was and what how chances are he probably was and what how he was raised he was raised you know you know i can't imagine him playing out in the i can't imagine him playing out in the the dusty streets of the dusty streets of of jerusalem with with the other kids of jerusalem with with the other kids he was probably playing with other he was probably playing with other children of like privilege children of like privilege you know you know so those are things so those are things sometimes we got to think about when sometimes we got to think about when when we read scripture as the when we read scripture as the upbringings of that person if we can tap upbringings of that person if we can tap into some of that and it kind of into some of that and it kind of explains a little bit of of how they explains a little bit of of how they turned out and what led their lives turned out and what led their lives he was probably very inexperienced with he was probably very inexperienced with people people we already mentioned he probably we already mentioned he probably couldn't relate to the everyday couldn't relate to the everyday israelite israelite and then another thing that came to me and then another thing that came to me later later did he ever ask is there an account of did he ever ask is there an account of him praying to god him praying to god asking god for that same wisdom remember asking god for that same wisdom remember solomon asking for that understanding solomon asking for that understanding heart heart to lead the people there's no account of rehoboam ever doing that doing that or praying to god at all that i could or praying to god at all that i could find find it doesn't seem like it doesn't seem like there's much wisdom there's much wisdom in rehoboam's in rehoboam's reign at all reign at all so so i i you know when it comes to praying to i i you know when it comes to praying to god for guidance he doesn't seem to did god for guidance he doesn't seem to did there's no account of him doing that there's no account of him doing that so there's a lot of questions so there's a lot of questions about ray obama's leadership as he heads about ray obama's leadership as he heads to shechem to meet with with the tribes to to coordinate him as king over israel a lot coordinate him as king over israel a lot of questions of questions but before we answer those questions and but before we answer those questions and we're going to spend just a little bit we're going to spend just a little bit of time because i think it's important of time because i think it's important just to set a mood and we're not going just to set a mood and we're not going to look at at all of these to look at at all of these because i think you'll know most of them because i think you'll know most of them so it's kind of a refresher so it's kind of a refresher as we look at at these as we look at at these um um you know we talked about tribal you know we talked about tribal jealousies how all this stuff jealousies how all this stuff was under the surface of solomon's was under the surface of solomon's kingdom kingdom long before rehoboam goes to shechem long before rehoboam goes to shechem all right i don't want you to think that all right i don't want you to think that rehoboam goes to shechem rehoboam goes to shechem he tells the people no i'm going to he tells the people no i'm going to chastise you with scorpions and that's chastise you with scorpions and that's it that's that caused the whole split it that's that caused the whole split we we already read one reference where we we already read one reference where there was already jealousy and tension there was already jealousy and tension between the tribes between the tribes and that started early on uh with lear and that started early on uh with lear and rachel and rachel jacob's wives and we're not going to jacob's wives and we're not going to look this up but you all remember look this up but you all remember the backbiting the back and forth the backbiting the back and forth between the two of them between the two of them their their their their their handmaidens and their children their handmaidens and their children throughout their lives there was throughout their lives there was jealousy jealousy uh you know when it came to childbearing uh you know when it came to childbearing uh in jacob's attention uh in jacob's attention there was this jealousy that brewed there was this jealousy that brewed early on and jacob was a huge early on and jacob was a huge contributor to that jealousy and that contributor to that jealousy and that tribal division um you know uh tribal division um you know uh genesis 33 genesis 33 this is if this doesn't point out this is if this doesn't point out a big you know a big you know fact a point of jealousy between fact a point of jealousy between the tribes rachel and leah i i don't the tribes rachel and leah i i don't know what does know what does and it it to me and it it to me you know when you first read this you know when you first read this account account you know it's kind i kind of gloss over you know it's kind i kind of gloss over it but listen to these words of what it but listen to these words of what jacob does and if you remember jacob does and if you remember in genesis 33 jacob's preparing to in genesis 33 jacob's preparing to reunite with esau reunite with esau and you remember how fearful he was and you remember how fearful he was esau is going to attack me he's going to esau is going to attack me he's going to take he's going to take my wives my take he's going to take my wives my children my things you know because of children my things you know because of the hatred that jacob perceived esau the hatred that jacob perceived esau still had for him and look what jacob still had for him and look what jacob does in chapter 33 uh in verse one so does in chapter 33 uh in verse one so jacob lifts up his eyes and he looks and jacob lifts up his eyes and he looks and behold he sees esau coming behold he sees esau coming and what does he do and what does he do uh he he he divided the children onto uh he he he divided the children onto leah and under rachel in under the two leah and under rachel in under the two handmaids and he put the handmaids and handmaids and he put the handmaids and their children at the front their children at the front and leah and her children after and leah and her children after and then rachel and then rachel and joseph in the back and joseph in the back if that doesn't show you who we favored if that doesn't show you who we favored rachel and her rachel and her and joseph over the others and joseph over the others i don't know what will so it's all right i don't know what will so it's all right for the the handmaidens and their for the the handmaidens and their children my son my children to be in the children my son my children to be in the front and if he saw gets that's okay front and if he saw gets that's okay that seemed to be acceptable to jacob that seemed to be acceptable to jacob but i'll i'll put the others toward the but i'll i'll put the others toward the back back so again this this developing theme of so again this this developing theme of of tribal jealousy of tribal jealousy you know if i if i was you know if i if i was leah and it's like i'd be like wait a leah and it's like i'd be like wait a minute i'm the oldest i should be in the minute i'm the oldest i should be in the back right i was your first wife put me back right i was your first wife put me in the back in the back why is rachel behind me why do i have to why is rachel behind me why do i have to take the arrows before rachel take the arrows before rachel you know this you know this this theme of this theme of of of tribal of of tribal you know jealousies and we saw it again you know jealousies and we saw it again we all know the story of the code of we all know the story of the code of many colors in joseph many colors in joseph jacob's favoritism jacob's favoritism toward joseph toward joseph the blessings in genesis 49 the blessings in genesis 49 where where jacob says where where jacob says the other tribes will bow down to the other tribes will bow down to judah judah and that jesus the scepter will come and that jesus the scepter will come from the tribe of judah from the tribe of judah you know you can't tell me that these you know you can't tell me that these type of words didn't type of words didn't affect the other brothers the other affect the other brothers the other tribes tribes and in numbers two we read in the and in numbers two we read in the wilderness wanderings that wilderness wanderings that judah would be the leader judah would be the leader would take the head whereas ephraim and would take the head whereas ephraim and manasseh those of joseph would be in the manasseh those of joseph would be in the back we'd bring up the rear in the in the judges the covenant was kept kept the ark was kept in shiloh in ephraim the ark was kept in shiloh in ephraim which is part of the northern tribes which is part of the northern tribes again little things that you may not again little things that you may not think of but contribute to this tribal think of but contribute to this tribal jealousy jealousy samuel was from the tribe of ephraim and samuel was from the tribe of ephraim and he anointed the first two kings he anointed the first two kings david if you remember was anointed first david if you remember was anointed first by samuel by samuel and then and then who would anoint him he was anointed who would anoint him he was anointed three times if you remember the first three times if you remember the first time by samuel time by samuel and basically that first anointing was and basically that first anointing was king saul you you've been rejected this king saul you you've been rejected this is the true king is the true king all right it kind of reminds me a little all right it kind of reminds me a little bit of of jesus's baptism bit of of jesus's baptism when john baptizes jesus when john baptizes jesus almost proclaiming this is the true king almost proclaiming this is the true king this is what i read here you know this is what i read here you know samuel anoints david as king samuel anoints david as king you may be king now on paper but this is you may be king now on paper but this is the true king the true king and then judah and then judah baptizes david as their king baptizes david as their king before even the rest of israel joins in before even the rest of israel joins in i think it's seven years later i think it's seven years later if you remember david was first anointed if you remember david was first anointed by judar and hebron by judar and hebron and then it was seven years later when and then it was seven years later when all of israel all of israel got together and anointed him king over got together and anointed him king over all of israel so there's judah again all of israel so there's judah again first and foremost first and foremost over the other tribes you can see the over the other tribes you can see the divisions divisions uh forming uh forming and david throughout his reign tried to and david throughout his reign tried to bring things together between the two bring things together between the two tribes tribes by forming alliances by forming alliances you can see some of the quotes here and you can see some of the quotes here and we won't we won't we won't look at them just for time's we won't look at them just for time's sake but he tried to be a unifier sake but he tried to be a unifier of the tribes by things that he did of the tribes by things that he did all right but still throughout it all all right but still throughout it all the tension was there and unfortunately the tension was there and unfortunately his son his son solomon solomon would go on to stir things up again solomon would add to that rift solomon would add to that rift he created if you remember from our he created if you remember from our classes on solomon he created 12 classes on solomon he created 12 districts throughout the land districts throughout the land and he put and he put a person in charge of those districts a person in charge of those districts and those districts were responsible for and those districts were responsible for a couple of things a couple of things they were responsible for providing for they were responsible for providing for the palace for the administration the palace for the administration and they were supposed to and they were supposed to provide the taxes provide the taxes to the land but there was one big omission the tribe of judah was excluded the tribe of judah was excluded from doing this from doing this again you can see again you can see you know the contribution how how angry you know the contribution how how angry must over time these other tribes been must over time these other tribes been that judah was excluded that judah was excluded you know that's like you know that's like you know mark you got to pay two you know mark you got to pay two thousand dollar a month tax but thousand dollar a month tax but elizabeth you don't have to pay anything elizabeth you don't have to pay anything free ride free ride that that would make people jealous that that would make people jealous envious envious and i'm sure that did that and i'm sure that did that and a seldom and a seldom point was the one point was the one regarding to you remember the account we regarding to you remember the account we looked at looked at solomon and hyrum had made an agreement solomon and hyrum had made an agreement hiram would provide hiram would provide ships material for shipbuilding for ships material for shipbuilding for solomon's massive fleet solomon's massive fleet and solomon was to provide and solomon was to provide i think it was uh he was to provide land i think it was uh he was to provide land cities he promised hiram great plate cities he promised hiram great plate great land great land and we know in the account that when and we know in the account that when hiram went and saw his land he left tire hiram went and saw his land he left tire which if if you can see on the map up which if if you can see on the map up above tire is right about if i can get my mouse over there i think that's tire right over there i think that's tire right there there it's up in the northern part of galilee it's up in the northern part of galilee north north of galilee so tiger comes north north of galilee so tiger comes down and he looks at this city's land down and he looks at this city's land and he he called them cobble and he he called them cobble or barren worthless or barren worthless and he went and he said my brother you and he went and he said my brother you know i gave you all this and this is know i gave you all this and this is what you give me in return what you give me in return and we quoted this as part of solomon's and we quoted this as part of solomon's change change he was becoming an he was becoming an unfair unfair in his dealings with others he was in his dealings with others he was looking for advantages you know whatever looking for advantages you know whatever i can do to keep my money i can do to keep my money you know if i can give him this you know if i can give him this you know i'm happy with that you know i'm happy with that you know so the you know so the the people of the north the people of the north must have been taken aback by that wow must have been taken aback by that wow you're calling our land barren and you're calling our land barren and and useless and and useless and and all these things and and that had to and all these things and and that had to to you know prick them a little bit to you know prick them a little bit you know you know into their bone marrow as it came to into their bone marrow as it came to solomon solomon and what did solomon do we talked about and what did solomon do we talked about this as well a lot of that money this as well a lot of that money that solomon took from the northern that solomon took from the northern tribes the workers tribes the workers that were mostly from the northern that were mostly from the northern tribes tribes he didn't use and spread them out all he didn't use and spread them out all over the empire over the empire okay especially later on when when okay especially later on when when shaishak shaishak the king of egypt was threatening israel the king of egypt was threatening israel he poured all his resources into the he poured all his resources into the south south into judah into judah he fortified it he built the wall at he fortified it he built the wall at jerusalem jerusalem he did all these projects he did all these projects the temple the palace you can keep going the temple the palace you can keep going all these things he did were in the all these things he did were in the south that's like you know taking massachusetts tax money and sending it massachusetts tax money and sending it all to california what good does that do all to california what good does that do me that the north is claiming and they me that the north is claiming and they had a threat of their own in the north had a threat of their own in the north didn't they we talked about that um hey didn't they we talked about that um hey dad and res they had their own problems dad and res they had their own problems up there up there and solomon didn't really seem to mind and solomon didn't really seem to mind them much attention he was worried about them much attention he was worried about the south the south and he concentrated his forces there so and he concentrated his forces there so this rift um this rift um was really starting to take shape and it was really starting to take shape and it would climax would climax here at shechem here at shechem as rey brother steve you say that um he divided the districts purposely uh purposely uh yeah he divided yeah he divided by his own division it wasn't by his own division it wasn't i don't know if you can see but some of i don't know if you can see but some of the divisions kind of cross the divisions kind of cross tribal lines so so in other words like tribal lines so so in other words like he'd split a town in half yeah in some he'd split a town in half yeah in some cases he did yeah so he split things up cases he did yeah so he split things up and this must have caused some more and this must have caused some more division amongst division amongst amongst the tribes as well um he split amongst the tribes as well um he split them up for for collection of taxes them up for for collection of taxes taxes and and purposes for for serving taxes and and purposes for for serving the palace the palace interesting yeah thanks mark yeah interesting yeah thanks mark yeah interesting stuff so i think it if you interesting stuff so i think it if you think about it steve if if i all of a think about it steve if if i all of a sudden became governor of massachusetts sudden became governor of massachusetts and i said well i'm going to rewrite the and i said well i'm going to rewrite the maps of the state for taxation purposes maps of the state for taxation purposes and i drew a line in the middle of and i drew a line in the middle of mansfield mansfield you know half a man's field is gonna do you know half a man's field is gonna do it this time half you know it's just it this time half you know it's just further division among the people you're further division among the people you're being alienated you feel being alienated you feel you know like you're not part of the you know like you're not part of the whole whole and that's what i think the northern and that's what i think the northern tribes really felt as tribes really felt as you know you you read in verse 1 of you know you you read in verse 1 of chapter 12 and the first question you chapter 12 and the first question you you need to ask yourself is why is you need to ask yourself is why is rehoboam going to shechem in the first rehoboam going to shechem in the first place place shouldn't he be in jerusalem shouldn't he be in jerusalem to be crowned king to be crowned king and i think this has a lot to do with and i think this has a lot to do with these divisions the people of the these divisions the people of the northern tribe said look at northern tribe said look at we want to speak to you first we are all we want to speak to you first we are all set to make you our king set to make you our king but we need some concessions our way but we need some concessions our way first first you know this is what we need and this you know this is what we need and this is something that's gone on through is something that's gone on through history right i mean you see the way uh history right i mean you see the way uh people of color were treated in in people of color were treated in in certain cities and you know certain cities and you know yeah it's pretty yeah yeah it's pretty yeah inconsistent throughout history it is inconsistent throughout history it is where you'd see the way a man yeah where you'd see the way a man yeah yeah good point yeah good point yeah yeah so by the time so by the time ray obama ray obama you know and i don't know maybe he was you know and i don't know maybe he was naive maybe he knew ahead of time what naive maybe he knew ahead of time what was coming was coming um you know i um you know i he goes to shekham he goes to shekham and the reason i think that it was and the reason i think that it was checkum was chosen is the northern tribe checkum was chosen is the northern tribe says you know we we need some says you know we we need some concessions here concessions here and this is the first one you're going and this is the first one you're going to come to us to come to us we're not going to come down to we're not going to come down to jerusalem to you you're going to come to jerusalem to you you're going to come to us us and check them and check them and we'll talk about this and then if and we'll talk about this and then if we're happy we're happy you know we'll make you king you know we'll make you king and that's that's why i think he went to and that's that's why i think he went to shechem unless somebody has a better shechem unless somebody has a better answer that really the only one that answer that really the only one that makes sense to me makes sense to me is is why he went there is is why he went there and and before we even get before we even get to the results of of his trip to shechem to the results of of his trip to shechem um um you know those those famous words that you know those those famous words that we're going to read later on what we're going to read later on what portion have we and david this has portion have we and david this has happened before this has happened before so what's about to happen to ray obama at shechem should to happen to ray obama at shechem should not be a surprise because it happened not be a surprise because it happened before in second samuel before in second samuel and we just looked at these verses in and we just looked at these verses in chapter 19 and i didn't want to go any chapter 19 and i didn't want to go any further because it would take away this further because it would take away this part of of one that i wanted to talk part of of one that i wanted to talk about but about but second samuel 19 and i should have had second samuel 19 and i should have had you kept your fingers there but it and i you kept your fingers there but it and i should have kept mine there but if we go should have kept mine there but if we go back there back there okay okay and look at verse and look at verse 41 to 43 41 to 43 um um well we'll just skip to verse 43. so well we'll just skip to verse 43. so again this is when david returns to again this is when david returns to jerusalem jerusalem in the northern tribes the men of israel in the northern tribes the men of israel answered the men of judah after jude has answered the men of judah after jude has been bragging that david's hours been bragging that david's hours and they said hey we have 10 portions in and they said hey we have 10 portions in king david king david 10. 10. we have 10 parts in king david and we we have 10 parts in king david and we have more right to david than you have more right to david than you why then do you despise us why then do you despise us that our advice should not be first had that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king in bringing back our king in the words of the men of judah were in the words of the men of judah were fiercer than the words of the men of fiercer than the words of the men of israel israel that must have been something to hear that must have been something to hear that back and forth that back and forth okay and then okay and then as we go into verse as we go into verse 20 20 we read of of sheba's rebellion we read of of sheba's rebellion and these very words that are going to and these very words that are going to be spoken by in jeroboam's time were be spoken by in jeroboam's time were spoken here spoken here we have no part in david neither have we we have no part in david neither have we inheritance and the son of jesse every inheritance and the son of jesse every man to his tents o israel man to his tents o israel and we know that this rebellion failed and we know that this rebellion failed but this next one but this next one you know it's like a flashback it it's you know it's like a flashback it it's going to happen again and this one would going to happen again and this one would succeed succeed all right so then in the account back in all right so then in the account back in first kings chapter 12 we're told that first kings chapter 12 we're told that the the northern tribes basically the the northern tribes basically summoned jerome back so obviously in the four years that he's been gone a lot has been going on maybe been gone a lot has been going on maybe there was correspondence there was correspondence back and forth i don't know back and forth i don't know between some in the in the northern between some in the in the northern tribes that wanted to rebel again in tribes that wanted to rebel again in jeroboam jeroboam and finally they got word hey solomon's and finally they got word hey solomon's gone gone and we got this man ray obama who we're and we got this man ray obama who we're not too sure about not too sure about why don't you come back why don't you come back and you know and they put him in the and you know and they put him in the leadership role leadership role front and center as they go to rehoboam front and center as they go to rehoboam to off to off to ask for their concessions to ask for their concessions for their for their their faithfulness to him as king their faithfulness to him as king and we know what they wanted they wanted and we know what they wanted they wanted a break from the taxes and they wanted a a break from the taxes and they wanted a break from the heavy break from the heavy yoke of the work that they were doing yoke of the work that they were doing under solomon under solomon and if you if you think about it and if and if you if you think about it and if ray obama had that understanding heart ray obama had that understanding heart that his father had early on that his father had early on he would have been very sympathetic to he would have been very sympathetic to their cause their cause he he just could not read he he just could not read the the error of the people like many of the the error of the people like many of our leaders today our leaders today you know don't know you know don't know the the real working class the real the the real working class the real everyday persons struggle everyday persons struggle you know they can come out and say yeah you know they can come out and say yeah i understand food prices have doubled i understand food prices have doubled and gas is tripled and and everything and gas is tripled and and everything but do they really really but do they really really understand it understand it ray obama didn't and we know by his ray obama didn't and we know by his responses uh responses uh that he didn't that he didn't and he fails and he fails to have that understanding heart that to have that understanding heart that that solomon had early on so we right that solomon had early on so we right away away get this get this our answers to our questions about our answers to our questions about rehoboam he wasn't going to reflect the early part of his father he was going to part of his father he was going to reflect the later part reflect the later part you know you thought my dad was tough you know you thought my dad was tough i'm going to be tougher on you i'm going to be tougher on you i'm going to want more taxation and i'm i'm going to want more taxation and i'm going to work you harder than you've going to work you harder than you've ever worked before ever worked before okay but one thing he did do correctly okay but one thing he did do correctly and will end here and will end here is he may not have reached out to god is he may not have reached out to god there's no mention of asking god for there's no mention of asking god for help help when jeroboam and the northern tribe when jeroboam and the northern tribe come and say come and say you know this is what we want ray obama you know this is what we want ray obama says give me three days says give me three days and i'll give you an answer and he and i'll give you an answer and he doesn't go to god doesn't go to god now he does go to the now he does go to the old men old men um um who had been there from the end of who had been there from the end of david's reign through solomon's reign david's reign through solomon's reign so they had a lot of wisdom and these so they had a lot of wisdom and these old men old men had have read it correctly they had have read it correctly they basically said you know be a servant basically said you know be a servant under these people under these people let's lighten up on them a little bit let's lighten up on them a little bit and they'll follow you and you remember i probably put it i did a principle that jesus sets forward and a principle that jesus sets forward and we won't look it up but you you all we won't look it up but you you all probably remember it quite well probably remember it quite well you know you know be a servant be a servant a true a true a true a true believer is a servant to others not a believer is a servant to others not a ruler a harsh ruler like ray obama ruler a harsh ruler like ray obama wanted to be wanted to be so he he turned to his peers so he he turned to his peers and again we mentioned earlier who his and again we mentioned earlier who his peers probably were they were probably peers probably were they were probably 40 year old rich kids 40 year old rich kids i mean i don't know other way to put it i mean i don't know other way to put it well-off kids maybe well-off kids maybe well-educated well-educated uh uh you know very well-off financially those you know very well-off financially those were his peers were his peers and that's where he went for his advice and that's where he went for his advice and of course they and of course they you know you got to keep this train you know you got to keep this train going going you know this gravy train that we're on you know this gravy train that we're on keep it going you know tax them more and keep it going you know tax them more and don't let up and we know that's the don't let up and we know that's the advice advice that he seeks that he seeks uh as is that of his peers and not uh as is that of his peers and not that of the older men that of the older men and we're gonna end there um and we're gonna end there um you know we could we could you know we you know we could we could you know we know everything that's been happening know everything that's been happening you know was caused by the lord um you know was caused by the lord um this turn of affairs if you look at this turn of affairs if you look at verse 15 it says cause and i look that verse 15 it says cause and i look that up in strong's up in strong's and that word is siba in hebrew and it and that word is siba in hebrew and it means turn of affairs means turn of affairs a prophet you know a divine intervention a prophet you know a divine intervention god is is ruling in the kingdoms of men god is is ruling in the kingdoms of men and everything that's happening now is and everything that's happening now is under his hand in his control under his hand in his control and then as we know the rebellion and then as we know the rebellion is fortified uh the northern tribes go is fortified uh the northern tribes go to their tents to be led by jeroboam to their tents to be led by jeroboam and the southern tribe of and the southern tribe of would be led by rehoboam so what we'll would be led by rehoboam so what we'll look at next week look at next week is after is after this all happens this all happens the after effects where did these two the after effects where did these two kings turn kings turn in their in their in their leadership of in their in their in their leadership of the people the people would they become shepherds would they become shepherds would they become writers of copiers of would they become writers of copiers of the law and teaching it to their the law and teaching it to their children and children and into the people and guiding the people into the people and guiding the people as god had had wanted or we know as god had had wanted or we know jeroboam had that opportunity god god jeroboam had that opportunity god god tells us tells us what jeroboam had in front of him if he what jeroboam had in front of him if he was faithful was faithful what would happen to ray obama what would happen to ray obama and we'll pick that up next week and we'll pick that up next week any thoughts comments elizabeth you had a question no interesting mark i really like the sort of the big picture talking about sort of the big picture talking about this uh this uh you know tribal stress and strain and you know tribal stress and strain and how solomon was involved and sort of how solomon was involved and sort of creating that yeah um and we tend to creating that yeah um and we tend to sometimes think of these sometimes think of these these ins like this rebellion as a these ins like this rebellion as a flashpoint it just happened right well flashpoint it just happened right well no they were no they were you know 150 you know 150 years of pent-up frustration years of pent-up frustration seemingly more by the north than the seemingly more by the north than the south south that just boiled over that just boiled over and you know that happens in a lot of and you know that happens in a lot of nations that's why a lot of empires nations that's why a lot of empires crumble crumble and you know and you know so that's what happened here you know so that's what happened here you know solomon pushed it to the edge and god solomon pushed it to the edge and god said you know this you know this has said you know this you know this has gone on long enough gone on long enough this is what's going to happen and this is what's going to happen and you know it just all came to a boiling you know it just all came to a boiling point and the thing that you we're gonna point and the thing that you we're gonna find the kings find the kings you know uh jeroboam and rehoboam you know uh jeroboam and rehoboam look at how god makes this all happen look at how god makes this all happen it's like it was a it's like it was a a political process gone bad over but we a political process gone bad over but we know it's the divine hand of god the know it's the divine hand of god the faithful person faithful person can see the hand of god in this can see the hand of god in this and will jeroboam and rehoboam see that and will jeroboam and rehoboam see that as they now become kings will they see as they now become kings will they see god's hand in this or is it just all the god's hand in this or is it just all the politics and all the all the the earthly politics and all the all the the earthly stuff that caused all this to happen so stuff that caused all this to happen so we'll look at that next week

Transcript

well i found this um on the web last week um on the web last week um it's an it's a painting and i don't know it's an it's a painting and i don't know how to pronounce this gentleman's name how to pronounce this gentleman's name uh i'll just say it's hobie in and be uh i'll just say it's hobie in and be happy with that sharon's shaking her happy with that sharon's shaking her head do you know holby and sharon no head do you know holby and sharon no he was around in the 1500s so he was around in the 1500s so i wasn't sure if you might know him or i wasn't sure if you might know him or not not i'm kidding i love you i'm kidding i love you um um but he was famous for painting but he was famous for painting people from the old testament it's one people from the old testament it's one of his famous things and this painting of his famous things and this painting um is actually in a museum now in um is actually in a museum now in switzerland switzerland and it's a picture of and it's a picture of uh rehoboam uh rehoboam holding out his little finger remember holding out his little finger remember when he says my little finger will be when he says my little finger will be thicker than my father's thicker than my father's loins loins and and actually that's what the young men tell actually that's what the young men tell him to say him to say to jeroboam in in the northern tribe but to jeroboam in in the northern tribe but he actually says he actually says um you know i'll chastise you with um you know i'll chastise you with scorpions but you can see him holding scorpions but you can see him holding out his little finger and to me every out his little finger and to me every time i look at it i think a scrooge time i look at it i think a scrooge yeah you know ebenezer scrooge but i yeah you know ebenezer scrooge but i thought that was kind of neat uh to get thought that was kind of neat uh to get a visual a visual of that time so we we can't come to of that time so we we can't come to we we got to the crisis last week the we we got to the crisis last week the division division where the northern tribes get get to where the northern tribes get get to your tents oh israel what portion have your tents oh israel what portion have we in david we in david and that's basically where we left off and that's basically where we left off so now so now we're at a crisis we're at a turning we're at a crisis we're at a turning point point all right there's still in my mind an all right there's still in my mind an opportunity here i i kind of think of opportunity here i i kind of think of this this of a sports labor of a sports labor stoppage stoppage let's look at it that way you got two let's look at it that way you got two sides totally disagreeing with one sides totally disagreeing with one another another they have an option like now the they have an option like now the baseball they're on lockout and they're baseball they're on lockout and they're not really discussing anything but not really discussing anything but they're making attempts to so what will they're making attempts to so what will these two kings do these two kings do will they put away their pride will they put away their pride and think of the whole and think of the whole the the whole nation all the people the the whole nation all the people and be true dad's already shaking his and be true dad's already shaking his head because we all know what happens head because we all know what happens but but but but yeah neither one yeah neither one but they have an opportunity here to but they have an opportunity here to reverse course to come to the bargaining reverse course to come to the bargaining table to talk it over and just say well table to talk it over and just say well this is foolish this is foolish you know we need to talk this out and do you know we need to talk this out and do what's best for god's people what's best for god's people or or do they they draw lines in the sand and do they they draw lines in the sand and have confrontation and have confrontation and as dad has already pointed out we don't as dad has already pointed out we don't have to have class they draw lines in have to have class they draw lines in the sand and have confrontation without the sand and have confrontation without considering the people considering the people without reaching out to god for guidance without reaching out to god for guidance and their pride just takes over and their pride just takes over and and so there is always opportunity i guess so there is always opportunity i guess is a point i'm trying to make is a point i'm trying to make um um you know before you know when it comes you know before you know when it comes to major decisions whether it be in an to major decisions whether it be in an ecclesia ecclesia or personal life or personal life you know not to get off on things but you know not to get off on things but many of you know joanne had an many of you know joanne had an opportunity once to take a pretty big opportunity once to take a pretty big promotion out in chicago promotion out in chicago when we were younger when we were younger and it was so enticing and it was so enticing you know i could be a stay-at-home dad you know i could be a stay-at-home dad probably not but it would sounded good probably not but it would sounded good and and she would get a high position she would get a high position but we'd have to pack up the kids but we'd have to pack up the kids and move out to the midwest and move out to the midwest and and the money part weighed heavily because the money part weighed heavily because it was quite a bit of money it was quite a bit of money probably triple what she was making if probably triple what she was making if not more not more so we decided you know what was best for so we decided you know what was best for our family and for our children was to our family and for our children was to be near their family instead of moving be near their family instead of moving away away and these guys had the same choice what and these guys had the same choice what was best for their families they were was best for their families they were shepherds of their people shepherds of their people and that's what they needed to be and that's what they needed to be thinking about but what we're going to thinking about but what we're going to find out is they they totally weren't find out is they they totally weren't thinking of that thinking of that um they were thinking of their own best um they were thinking of their own best interest over the interest of the people interest over the interest of the people and we remember with jeroboam you know and we remember with jeroboam you know he had divine help from god god had told he had divine help from god god had told him i will build you a sure house him i will build you a sure house and he had that in his in his back and he had that in his in his back pocket so to speak knowing pocket so to speak knowing that this would come to pass if he if he that this would come to pass if he if he obeyed and rehoboam had an opportunity obeyed and rehoboam had an opportunity didn't he he really did i mean he could didn't he he really did i mean he could have have gone back to the beginning of his gone back to the beginning of his father's reign and father's reign and and changed the course of things solomon and changed the course of things solomon had done had done and he could have made things better and he could have made things better but what we're going to see is is as i but what we're going to see is is as i said that they decided both of them not said that they decided both of them not to follow that course so what did they to follow that course so what did they do do what did they do and uh our we'll be what did they do and uh our we'll be concentrating quite a bit in in first concentrating quite a bit in in first kings kings 12 13 14 and a few times we'll look at 12 13 14 and a few times we'll look at the accounts in second chronicles as the accounts in second chronicles as well well and most of the and most of the references i'll have up here references i'll have up here in front of me so you could could look in front of me so you could could look at them so what did they do and the at them so what did they do and the first thing that we read about is truly first thing that we read about is truly amazing amazing so if you remember the the northern so if you remember the the northern tribes left because of tribes left because of mainly two things they wanted their mainly two things they wanted their taxes taxes lessened lessened and they wanted their workload lessened and they wanted their workload lessened they wanted a break they thought they they wanted a break they thought they were overtaxed and they were being were overtaxed and they were being worked way too hard and all these worked way too hard and all these construction projects that solomon had construction projects that solomon had started and that's what they were started and that's what they were looking for looking for pretty normal concessions pretty normal concessions so what does ray obama do so what does ray obama do and it's one verse and it's one verse right in in chapter 12 right in in chapter 12 verse 18. verse 18. so ray obama so ray obama sends sends a doram a doram to to jeroboam in the northern tribes and i'm jeroboam in the northern tribes and i'm in second first kings 12 in second first kings 12 verse 18. he sends a doram and the text verse 18. he sends a doram and the text is playing it says write in the text is playing it says write in the text who was over the tribute so they send the man who represents everything the northern tribes everything the northern tribes is against and angry about to them is against and angry about to them now it isn't clear why he was sent now it isn't clear why he was sent there are two reasons two thoughts there are two reasons two thoughts some thoughts i've read say that he was some thoughts i've read say that he was sent as a delega a delegate to talk to sent as a delega a delegate to talk to the northern tribe to try to appease the northern tribe to try to appease them them adorama was it was an older gentleman he adorama was it was an older gentleman he was one of the the elders so to speak um was one of the the elders so to speak um some some references i've looked at say that he references i've looked at say that he actually started his role as tax actually started his role as tax collector under david at the end of collector under david at the end of david's reign and continued through david's reign and continued through solomon's reign solomon's reign so he was an elder he had experience and so he was an elder he had experience and ray obama being inexperienced sent him ray obama being inexperienced sent him to the northern tribe to the northern tribe to talk to them others to talk to them others speculate that he was sent there to speculate that he was sent there to discuss well discuss well you can flee you can turn from us and you can flee you can turn from us and split from us but you're still going to split from us but you're still going to pay your taxes pay your taxes you're still going to pay you're still going to pay you know we've got all these projects you know we've got all these projects and that need to be taken care of you and that need to be taken care of you you still have to deal with that you still have to deal with that and the northern tribe's response and the northern tribe's response is swift is swift um it says the durham who was over the um it says the durham who was over the tribute and all israel stoned him tribute and all israel stoned him swift and decisive swift and decisive and at that jeroboam quickly and at that jeroboam quickly he's reading the the the pulse of the he's reading the the the pulse of the people now i think remember earlier we people now i think remember earlier we said he didn't really have a good read said he didn't really have a good read on the people when he first told them on the people when he first told them that he was going to increase their that he was going to increase their workload well now he does workload well now he does now he does poradoram had to die now he does poradoram had to die for jeroboam to see the light and he for jeroboam to see the light and he flees and goes back to jerusalem flees and goes back to jerusalem he goes back home he goes back home into his palace so now it's really getting tough now it's really getting tough okay the point of no return is getting okay the point of no return is getting pretty close and and ray obama even pretty close and and ray obama even pushes it further as we read in the pushes it further as we read in the account account starting in verse 21 he prepares his starting in verse 21 he prepares his armies for war armies for war you know whatever a durham went to the you know whatever a durham went to the northern tribes and talked to them northern tribes and talked to them trying whether it was to appease them to trying whether it was to appease them to reconcile or to talk about the tribute reconcile or to talk about the tribute ray obama said that's it i'm taking it ray obama said that's it i'm taking it by force by force and he set up a hundred and eighty and he set up a hundred and eighty thousand men thousand men to prepare for battle to prepare for battle again again no mention of him reaching out to god no mention of him reaching out to god and asking for god's guidance and asking for god's guidance war war and boy does that ring a bell with us and boy does that ring a bell with us today with russia knocking on the today with russia knocking on the ukraine's door ukraine's door amassing troops amassing troops and just preparing to to take it by and just preparing to to take it by force that's what ray obama was going to force that's what ray obama was going to do do here is my force now he was here is my force now he was probably outmanned at the time i think probably outmanned at the time i think israel probably his army was probably at israel probably his army was probably at least twice least twice as big as his but that didn't matter as big as his but that didn't matter we're going in we're going to take bring we're going in we're going to take bring it all back it all back not by the hand of god but but by my not by the hand of god but but by my hand hand and he gets and he gets and you know it just shows the pride and and you know it just shows the pride and the arrogance the arrogance of rehoboam his inexperience of rehoboam his inexperience so instead of shepherding the people he so instead of shepherding the people he was willing to have was willing to have thousands upon thousands slaughtered thousands upon thousands slaughtered so what about jeroboam so what about jeroboam well jeroboam goes about and he starts well jeroboam goes about and he starts fortifying and the first place he fortifying and the first place he fortifies is shechem fortifies is shechem which would become israel's first which would become israel's first capital capital the capital would move around a little the capital would move around a little bit it actually goes to i believe terza bit it actually goes to i believe terza for a little while and then ends up in for a little while and then ends up in samaria samaria and most of the time when we read about and most of the time when we read about the capital it's it's mentioned as the capital it's it's mentioned as samaria but right at the very beginning samaria but right at the very beginning he fortifies shechem he fortifies shechem so obviously he's thinking something's so obviously he's thinking something's coming coming it's going to happen so we fortify it's going to happen so we fortify shechem shechem um um and then he builds up penul and then he builds up penul and one of the fascinating things that and one of the fascinating things that i find when you need to do a study when i find when you need to do a study when you do a study you do a study is the places that are named in is the places that are named in scripture scripture how many times do you read the names of how many times do you read the names of the villages or the cities and just read the villages or the cities and just read them and not think about their them and not think about their significance significance i do it all the time i do it all the time all the time but what you're going to all the time but what you're going to find in these readings throughout the find in these readings throughout the kings is if you look back you'll see kings is if you look back you'll see some of the history of some of these some of the history of some of these places that are named places that are named and you probably all remember penul and you probably all remember penul that's where that's where jacob wrestled with it with an angel jacob wrestled with it with an angel and realized how dependent he was on god and realized how dependent he was on god helping him helping him through his struggles instead of trying through his struggles instead of trying to do it on his own how ironic is that huh here here is jeroboam building up penul here here is jeroboam building up penul i'll do it on my own i'll do it on my own my own power my own strength will get my own power my own strength will get this done this done in the place where jacob came to realize in the place where jacob came to realize that he needed god that he needed god it's just just some of the you know the it's just just some of the you know the way the bible weaves itself is just way the bible weaves itself is just amazing amazing and this was something that jeroboam and this was something that jeroboam would never come to grips with as jacob would never come to grips with as jacob did did jeroboam would never come to grips with jeroboam would never come to grips with that we'll see in rehoboam that there that we'll see in rehoboam that there seems to be times when he does seems to be times when he does but not fully but not fully he's kind of you know starting there but he's kind of you know starting there but then he goes back then he goes back so i thought that was so i thought that was um um fascinating just looking at that fascinating just looking at that so fortification so fortification both sides were fortifying both sides were fortifying well unfortunately they weren't well unfortunately they weren't fortifying in the right way fortifying in the right way you know in our times of trouble in you know in our times of trouble in times where we're we're in need and times where we're we're in need and things are stacked up against us we things are stacked up against us we reach out in prayer and fortify reach out in prayer and fortify ourselves through the word of god ourselves through the word of god we look to god as our we look to god as our you know the battle is the lords that's you know the battle is the lords that's what we turn to and these these what we turn to and these these gentlemen these shepherds didn't do that gentlemen these shepherds didn't do that at all at all they relied on their own strength and one of the amazing verses um if you look up look up if we go to this in verse 26 if we go to this in verse 26 of first kings 12 it says jeroboam said in his heart how shall the kingdom return to the how shall the kingdom return to the house of david house of david so all of this was jeroboam so all of this was jeroboam um there's actually a word and maybe i um there's actually a word and maybe i might have it later that it says might have it later that it says jeroboam took counsel jeroboam took counsel and i always thought of the word counsel and i always thought of the word counsel meaning he reached out to others like meaning he reached out to others like ray obama went to the elders and to the ray obama went to the elders and to the younger men for advice younger men for advice but that word didn't mean the way i but that word didn't mean the way i thought it meant until i looked it up thought it meant until i looked it up and it actually meant he thought of it and it actually meant he thought of it in his own mind in his own mind he only consulted himself he only consulted himself he didn't consult anybody it was just he didn't consult anybody it was just what he wanted and this backs that up what he wanted and this backs that up when it says in his own heart all of when it says in his own heart all of this came from jeroboam this came from jeroboam he didn't consult anybody he didn't consult anybody um um you know i manage now a group of people you know i manage now a group of people at work at work um five people um five people one of my new jobs is to be their boss one of my new jobs is to be their boss and i am their boss final decisions are and i am their boss final decisions are usually mine always mine usually mine always mine but i do take their advice we have pow but i do take their advice we have pow wows and we we kick ideas around wows and we we kick ideas around thoughts what's best for us to operate thoughts what's best for us to operate you know my i'll make the decision or you know my i'll make the decision or you know or we'll all come to a common you know or we'll all come to a common agreement agreement um um jeroboam you know it was it was his jeroboam you know it was it was his his rule and his rule only and now jeroboam faces a test of faith right here and now a test of faith right here and now he starts thinking of his mind long history of the people going to jerusalem for the the people going to jerusalem for the feast feast and the festivals and the festivals how do i drive that out of their minds how do i drive that out of their minds how did i keep them under my control how did i keep them under my control and keep them from not thinking of the and keep them from not thinking of the past and thinking of jerusalem past and thinking of jerusalem thinking of yahweh thinking of yahweh thinking of going back thinking of going back how do i do that how do i do that so his mind is totally so his mind is totally warped into his thinking what's best for warped into his thinking what's best for him as king over anything that's good him as king over anything that's good for his people well i can't wait uh yeah yeah yes brother sorry i was just yeah yeah yes brother sorry i was just gonna say you all look so cute on the gonna say you all look so cute on the blue mask but i can't wait for the time blue mask but i can't wait for the time when we can not wear them anymore when we can not wear them anymore jason ask isn't cute oh yeah pink is jason ask isn't cute oh yeah pink is that pink that pink i can't tell i can't see jason it's like i can't tell i can't see jason it's like only the blue mass people matter only the blue mass people matter i'm sorry you matter [Laughter] jim you have a black mask on so we don't jim you have a black mask on so we don't even want to go there even want to go there yeah really interesting uh stuff um you yeah really interesting uh stuff um you know just a few when i was growing up my know just a few when i was growing up my dad would always tell me you know show dad would always tell me you know show me your friends and i'll be able to tell me your friends and i'll be able to tell you what kind of person you are you what kind of person you are and you know who we get counsel from who and you know who we get counsel from who we get advice from we get advice from can make all the difference in the world can make all the difference in the world for for the direction that our life can for for the direction that our life can go and a piece of advice that i was go and a piece of advice that i was given given was go to people that you know will was go to people that you know will disagree disagree with the decision you're making so that with the decision you're making so that you can get maybe balanced out and see a you can get maybe balanced out and see a different perspective our tendency is different perspective our tendency is sometimes to go sometimes to go to the people that are going to be in to the people that are going to be in our corner and that's how different you our corner and that's how different you know factions and camps could be created know factions and camps could be created and then ultimately you know this has uh and then ultimately you know this has uh led to war led to war and we've seen it in the even in the and we've seen it in the even in the history of this country you see history of this country you see presidents who surround themselves with presidents who surround themselves with only people that will only people that will kind of be yes men yes women and kind of be yes men yes women and they end up making poor decisions and they end up making poor decisions and and it ends up in uh in poor leadership and it ends up in uh in poor leadership and we know the proverbs tells us and we know the proverbs tells us that that um in many counsel as many you know um in many counsel as many you know advisers is a good thing to have so that advisers is a good thing to have so that we can get like you say you have a we can get like you say you have a pow-wow at work you can bounce around pow-wow at work you can bounce around those ideas and maybe something that you those ideas and maybe something that you hadn't thought of and hadn't thought of and um you know we we try to do that in our um you know we we try to do that in our family you know sit everybody down and family you know sit everybody down and you know what do we want to do for a you know what do we want to do for a family vacation or which bible school do family vacation or which bible school do we want to go to or you know there's two we want to go to or you know there's two study weekends on the same time we know study weekends on the same time we know where to where to what does everybody want to do and that what does everybody want to do and that way people feel included way people feel included in the decision that's being made and in the decision that's being made and they can take ownership of it so that it they can take ownership of it so that it can be kind of a team effort right yeah can be kind of a team effort right yeah exactly and jeroboam exactly and jeroboam by by what we just looked at wasn't by by what we just looked at wasn't doing that at all doing that at all it was whatever was in his own mind in it was whatever was in his own mind in his own heart that was going to happen his own heart that was going to happen because that's what he wanted yeah thank because that's what he wanted yeah thank you brother jason anything else okay so now we're going to get to the choices so now we're going to get to the choices that these two that these two shepherds make shepherds make um jeroboam's choice um jeroboam's choice was to make sure his own house was to make sure his own house by himself by himself on his time schedule not on god's on his time schedule not on god's schedule and he does it by by under the veil so to speak of under the veil so to speak of helping the people helping the people you know i'm going to make i'm going to you know i'm going to make i'm going to do this do this but i'm going to make it sound like i'm but i'm going to make it sound like i'm helping the people helping the people and and this is where this it's too much for you this is where this it's too much for you to go to jerusalem anymore to go to jerusalem anymore you know dad and sharon it's too much you know dad and sharon it's too much for you for you to leave hingham and to come to to leave hingham and to come to stoughton one time a week to go to stoughton one time a week to go to meeting i'm going to set something up meeting i'm going to set something up right in hingham right in hingham how does that sound how does that sound does that sound good does that sound good yeah well that's what jeroboam was yeah well that's what jeroboam was saying saying so he sets up so he sets up two calves two calves now i've you can see the picture of the now i've you can see the picture of the calf i have i don't know if that's calf i have i don't know if that's exactly it or not i've seen exactly it or not i've seen dozens of different illustrations of dozens of different illustrations of what this calf might have looked like what this calf might have looked like um but i went with that one because i um but i went with that one because i thought it was pretty good thought it was pretty good so he sets one up in bethel and he sets so he sets one up in bethel and he sets one up and dan one up and dan and again the way scripture weaves us and again the way scripture weaves us through these places through these places think of bethel for one second and think of bethel for one second and you'll see what i have up up on on the you'll see what i have up up on on the screen and you can probably think of screen and you can probably think of another one or two other places these another one or two other places these are the first two that came to my mind are the first two that came to my mind bethel is where abraham built an altar bethel is where abraham built an altar and he called upon the name of the lord and he called upon the name of the lord in bethel and this is where jacob also set up a pillar pillar in bethel and what is jeroboam doing he's taking he's taking these two these two significant spiritual places in the significant spiritual places in the children of israel's lives children of israel's lives and he's corrupting them by putting a and he's corrupting them by putting a calf calf in bethel and it reminds me of so much of what solomon did when he built those solomon did when he built those poles and images on the mount of olives poles and images on the mount of olives jeroboam does it in bethel jeroboam does it in bethel that's poignant that's that's poignant that's had dust had dust that stinks that stinks and then he built another one up and dan and then he built another one up and dan and i and i my attempt at a map here i'll show you my attempt at a map here i'll show you this map it's this map it's and hopefully you can see so bethel and hopefully you can see so bethel you see right under israel it says you see right under israel it says bethel bethel now if you notice is now if you notice is a line going near it or through it and a line going near it or through it and brother steve in one of his classes brother steve in one of his classes mentioned a main trading road mentioned a main trading road that would go through this area and this that would go through this area and this road went right through bethel road went right through bethel to jerusalem and these two cities cities were only a little ways apart i think it were only a little ways apart i think it was all of 11 miles if my notes are was all of 11 miles if my notes are correct 11 miles correct 11 miles so you got to give jeroboam credit for so you got to give jeroboam credit for this he was pretty smart in putting one this he was pretty smart in putting one in bethel in bethel because if the people had an inclination because if the people had an inclination to go to jerusalem they'd have to go to go to jerusalem they'd have to go through bethel to get there through bethel to get there that's why he put it there that's why he put it there now the other one up in dan is a little now the other one up in dan is a little more mind-blowing dan more mind-blowing dan you know was some 70 to 80 miles away you know was some 70 to 80 miles away from the capital uh of shechem at the from the capital uh of shechem at the time time all right all right 70 to 80 miles and if i remember 70 to 80 miles and if i remember correctly that area where dan was i'll correctly that area where dan was i'll bring the map back up bring the map back up dan is way up here in the north and if i dan is way up here in the north and if i remember that's a pretty mountainous remember that's a pretty mountainous area area tough terrain it's not an easy place to tough terrain it's not an easy place to get to get to and you put one there and you put one there why would he put one there why would he put one there and i've been kind of thinking about and i've been kind of thinking about that that for a little bit for a little bit and when i look back at dan and when i look back at dan if you remember the tribe of dan if you remember the tribe of dan originally settled originally settled and i don't know if you can see us but and i don't know if you can see us but if you could see over here along the if you could see over here along the mediterranean mediterranean where joppa is i don't think my map's where joppa is i don't think my map's going to show the tribe but dan was going to show the tribe but dan was right in this area right in this area if i'm not mistaken the tribe of dan and if i'm not mistaken the tribe of dan and they couldn't they couldn't secure the land the philistines you know secure the land the philistines you know those dreaded philistines who were those dreaded philistines who were always a thorn in the side of god's always a thorn in the side of god's people were a thorn in the side of dan people were a thorn in the side of dan and they couldn't couldn't subdue the and they couldn't couldn't subdue the land so they left land so they left and they headed out looking for a new and they headed out looking for a new place to settle and they ended up place to settle and they ended up uh way up here uh way up here um um and settled and settled in the city in the city of dan in the city in the city of dan and and what they did there and we won't just what they did there and we won't just because of time get into the story but because of time get into the story but if you remember back in if you remember back in back in judges 17 and 18 back in judges 17 and 18 when they get up to that area that they when they get up to that area that they start their own apostate religion start their own apostate religion and i recommend that you look at this and i recommend that you look at this this story again they you remember the this story again they you remember the story where uh micah had made story where uh micah had made his own images his own images and he hired and he hired his own priest his own priest okay and the danites okay and the danites i think it was five men they sent and i think it was five men they sent and they basically stole the images and they they basically stole the images and they took micah's took micah's priest priest so they could have their own worship so they could have their own worship service service in that area in that area how appropriate did jeroboam pick that how appropriate did jeroboam pick that spot as well to spot as well to to to continue this this apostate continue this this apostate worship by sending up a calf and dan and worship by sending up a calf and dan and the amazing thing is if you look at the amazing thing is if you look at verse 30 verse 30 of chapter 12 of chapter 12 and i don't know how to read this any and i don't know how to read this any other way but well verse 29 he set one other way but well verse 29 he set one up in bethel and the other he put in dan up in bethel and the other he put in dan and this thing became a sin for the and this thing became a sin for the people went to worship before the one people went to worship before the one even unto dan even unto dan i only read that as meaning the people i only read that as meaning the people were willing to go 70 80 miles and go to were willing to go 70 80 miles and go to dan to worship this calf dan to worship this calf instead of going to jerusalem instead of going to jerusalem they were willing to make that journey they were willing to make that journey to go to dan to go to dan to worship to worship so then i started thinking well so then i started thinking well why why farther away and the only thing i could compare it to was jonah remember jonah tried to flee was jonah remember jonah tried to flee from the presence of the lord from the presence of the lord and try to get away from god and try to get away from god and that he set this up here out of and that he set this up here out of guilt guilt that maybe if i go to the farthest that maybe if i go to the farthest reaches of our land naively god won't know about it i don't know i can't think of any other i don't know i can't think of any other reason why reason why it would he would set it up there it would he would set it up there obviously for the northern folks that obviously for the northern folks that lived up there it would be easier to get lived up there it would be easier to get to than going to bethel but to than going to bethel but but people were willing to go up there but people were willing to go up there to worship to worship so it's an amazing thing when you look so it's an amazing thing when you look at the history of these towns and cities at the history of these towns and cities um um you know in this case how ironic it is you know in this case how ironic it is that jeroboam picked dan to set up that jeroboam picked dan to set up his calf and his calf and the plight of the day knights and judges the plight of the day knights and judges boy it would have been so much easier boy it would have been so much easier for them over the course of the time to for them over the course of the time to just stay where they were just stay where they were reach out to god's help god would have reach out to god's help god would have helped them with the philistines right helped them with the philistines right because we know throughout scripture he because we know throughout scripture he tells his people be strong and tells his people be strong and courageous courageous for the battle is mine the battle is the for the battle is mine the battle is the lord's lord's you know be patient the time will come you know be patient the time will come when that lane would have been subdued when that lane would have been subdued but it's on god's time god on ours but it's on god's time god on ours and that's we all struggle with that and that's we all struggle with that sometimes and jeroboam didn't want any sometimes and jeroboam didn't want any part of god's time he just wanted part of god's time he just wanted everything to happen when he wanted it everything to happen when he wanted it to happen to happen questions comments questions comments thoughts so again this is under the guise that sure house that god had told jeroboam sure house that god had told jeroboam about he wanted it on his time and he about he wanted it on his time and he wanted it now wanted it now he wanted it to be done on his time he wanted it to be done on his time frame and the next few verses in chapter frame and the next few verses in chapter 12 talk about everything he did 12 talk about everything he did to try to make it set up that way to to try to make it set up that way to turn the people's heart away from going turn the people's heart away from going to jerusalem to going back to to to jerusalem to going back to to rehoboam into the things of david and to rehoboam into the things of david and to stay in israel into worship here under stay in israel into worship here under his system his nice look at i'm doing his system his nice look at i'm doing this for you this for you convenient convenient and these verses tell us everything that and these verses tell us everything that he he did um he he did um you know he built to simplify he he made you know he built to simplify he he made priests of the lowest of the people priests of the lowest of the people outside the tribe of levi you needed no outside the tribe of levi you needed no record no qualifications my friends you record no qualifications my friends you wanted to be a priest wanted to be a priest come on in you can be a priest here come on in you can be a priest here no qualifications what god said no qualifications what god said before don't don't worry about that just before don't don't worry about that just come on up come on up uh he changed the feast dates uh he changed the feast dates uh he offered him uh he offered him himself sacrifices upon the altar he himself sacrifices upon the altar he took upon himself the role of the high took upon himself the role of the high priest priest and we're to see in a little bit and we're to see in a little bit uh a an amazing event that happens while uh a an amazing event that happens while he's offering sacrifices upon the altar he's offering sacrifices upon the altar um he sacrificed on the cavs and um he sacrificed on the cavs and and the thing and the thing early on he probably made to the people early on he probably made to the people look he says these are your gods oh look he says these are your gods oh israel israel you know this is this is a substitute you know this is this is a substitute you can you can come here and worship to you can you can come here and worship to these like god these like god you know instead of going to jerusalem you know instead of going to jerusalem but you know he didn't mean that but you know he didn't mean that you know you're not sacrificing to god you know you're not sacrificing to god yahweh you're sacrificing to yahweh you're sacrificing to a thing made of gold a calf nothing a thing made of gold a calf nothing right but he tried to play it off that right but he tried to play it off that way way to win the hearts of the people to win the hearts of the people he placed in bethel the priest he made he placed in bethel the priest he made bethel the city bethel the city the the house of worship there that was the the house of worship there that was the center bethel the center bethel instead of jerusalem it's bethel instead of jerusalem it's bethel all right come to bethel all right come to bethel and we read earlier once again in verse and we read earlier once again in verse 33 all this 33 all this was in his own mind his own heart was in his own mind his own heart to do this stuff to do this stuff there's no mention at all of jeroboam there's no mention at all of jeroboam talking to elders talking to elders even talking to his peers talking to god there's no mention at all it's all what there's no mention at all it's all what jeroboam wanted jeroboam wanted and i put up there the quote from and i put up there the quote from solomon from ecclesiastes because solomon from ecclesiastes because jeroboam was well on his way jeroboam was well on his way one sinner one sinner destroying much good he was destroying destroying much good he was destroying the spiritual welfare of the northern the spiritual welfare of the northern tribes tribes he was destroying it so what of rehoboam what did rehoboam do what did rehoboam do well he fortified in second chronicles well he fortified in second chronicles uh uh it says he had benjamin and judah on his it says he had benjamin and judah on his side and he prepared them by fortifying building up the cities there's a long list of cities that he builds up list of cities that he builds up preparing for war preparing for war fortification and we mentioned this fortification and we mentioned this earlier at the beginning of our class earlier at the beginning of our class was this the right was this the right kind of fortification kind of fortification is this what was needed at this time to is this what was needed at this time to build up armies and to fight against build up armies and to fight against your brother your brother or was there another type of or was there another type of fortification he should have sought fortification he should have sought after after should he sought after that should he sought after that understanding heart that solomon asked understanding heart that solomon asked for in the beginning of his reign for in the beginning of his reign a heart that could reach out and and try a heart that could reach out and and try to to mend broken bridges to to mend broken bridges with his brothers i think that's what with his brothers i think that's what needed to be fortified not needed to be fortified not building up of armies and troops for war building up of armies and troops for war and rare couldn't see that and rare couldn't see that couldn't see that picture couldn't see that picture so he too so he too was preparing for war was preparing for war and an ironic thing in verses 13 to 17 and an ironic thing in verses 13 to 17 or second chronicles there was actually or second chronicles there was actually a door open we're gonna find a door open we're gonna find coming up that there are little windows coming up that there are little windows of opportunity for both kings of opportunity for both kings to change to change direction direction and this is one for ray obama and this is one for ray obama see there were still many in israel see there were still many in israel that did not accept jeroboam in his new that did not accept jeroboam in his new worship and they fled worship and they fled the levites were told left the levites were told left and many in israel left and many in israel left and they went to judah and they went to judah they went back to judah and they lived they went back to judah and they lived there there so all wasn't that great a lot of people so all wasn't that great a lot of people were leaving and coming down to judah were leaving and coming down to judah and this was a great opportunity for ray and this was a great opportunity for ray bone bone the account says that the account says that with the influx of these people with the influx of these people that they had integrity judah integrity that they had integrity judah integrity with god for three years with god for three years and i take that as meaning okay you know and i take that as meaning okay you know there's some things going on here there's some things going on here but overall but overall you're okay right now you're okay right now three years you they're doing okay and i three years you they're doing okay and i think it had to do with the levites and think it had to do with the levites and the influx the influx of people coming in of people coming in they kind of kept ray obama in check a they kind of kept ray obama in check a little bit before he fully little bit before he fully you know goes off the ledge you know goes off the ledge and i think that's what's happening and and i think that's what's happening and i think he had a real opportunity i think he had a real opportunity to turn things back to turn things back but would he do it but would he do it would he do it would he do it one thing that he did do and there were one thing that he did do and there were quite a few verses on ray obama's uh quite a few verses on ray obama's uh family family one of the few things that they give him one of the few things that they give him credit for for a wise decision was credit for for a wise decision was placing placing family members in different parts of his family members in different parts of his kingdom and instructing them on the on kingdom and instructing them on the on the ways of a politics so to speak the ways of a politics so to speak so that he wouldn't run into a situation so that he wouldn't run into a situation like happened in shechem like happened in shechem he prepared his son abaja he prepared his son abaja who would become king who would become king in the ways of politics so to speak in the ways of politics so to speak so in that aspect politically so in that aspect politically he you know is probably one of the he you know is probably one of the wisest things roy obama did wisest things roy obama did was preparing his family was preparing his family for what was to come for what was to come and i have to thank brother jim last and i have to thank brother jim last week you know you could see week you know you could see ray obama had ray obama had 18 wives 18 wives but he was smart enough that three of but he was smart enough that three of them were from the line of david them were from the line of david and it was from there that abaja would and it was from there that abaja would come from from maca so the line would continue with abijah being from the family of david but he being from the family of david but he had 18 wives and 60 concubines i do had 18 wives and 60 concubines i do believe it said and he had 88 children believe it said and he had 88 children and i mistakenly said and i mistakenly said a couple of weeks ago that you know a couple of weeks ago that you know solomon had too much time with all his solomon had too much time with all his children and all his wives i really children and all his wives i really should have just said all his wives should have just said all his wives because solomon his brother jim pointed because solomon his brother jim pointed out out it had only three children it had only three children out of all those wives out of all those wives so ray obama says he followed in his so ray obama says he followed in his father's footsteps there for he loved father's footsteps there for he loved many women many women but maca seems to be quote unquote his but maca seems to be quote unquote his favorite and his real wife favorite and his real wife and abaja and abaja would be the sun between their union we we we just talked about how rehoboam's kingdom became strong rehoboam's kingdom became strong uh for three years with the influx of uh for three years with the influx of the levites the levites and those in israel who disagreed with and those in israel who disagreed with jeroboam's jeroboam's apostasy apostasy but but let's look at second chronicles 12 if let's look at second chronicles 12 if you keep your fingers in first kings you keep your fingers in first kings look at second chronicles 12 look at second chronicles 12 and this is what it says and this is what it says it says when rehoboam had established a it says when rehoboam had established a kingdom and had strengthened kingdom and had strengthened himself himself he forsook the law of the lord he forsook the law of the lord in all israel with him funny statement all israel statement all israel well he was the king of judah well he was the king of judah why would he take all israel with him why would he take all israel with him and then i remembered and then i remembered all the the levites and all the all the the levites and all the dissatisfied israelites who moved into dissatisfied israelites who moved into judah judah to get away from it from jeroboam's to get away from it from jeroboam's apostasy apostasy well here we go again well here we go again ray obam starting up ray obam starting up those three years of okay we're all those three years of okay we're all right right we're soon gonna go on the decline and we're soon gonna go on the decline and right they were gonna live through it right they were gonna live through it all again all again those in israel that had moved to judah those in israel that had moved to judah they had to go through it again they had to go through it again this time with rare obama this time with rare obama that's the only thing i can think of that's the only thing i can think of that that could possibly mean that that could possibly mean uh with those people that had come down uh with those people that had come down into the land into the land that ray obama's policies were now going that ray obama's policies were now going to affect them again to affect them again and he took them with him and he took them with him into his apostasy and it says in first kings if we go back there if we go back there uh back to chapter 14 uh back to chapter 14 as we stay on rehoboam as we stay on rehoboam and things just start trickling downhill and things just start trickling downhill for him and things get worse for him and things get worse verse 22 verse 22 judah did evil in the sight of the lord judah did evil in the sight of the lord they provoked him to jealousy they provoked him to jealousy in their sins which they had committed in their sins which they had committed above all that their fathers had done it's amazing how when you think things get bad enough with this with judah and with israel it's always mentioned that it you it's always mentioned that it you haven't seen anything yet it just gets haven't seen anything yet it just gets worse worse it gets worse it gets worse nothing nothing's getting better and no nothing nothing's getting better and no one's one's thinking of making it better that's the thinking of making it better that's the thing that that drives home with me that thing that that drives home with me that these shepherds of the people these shepherds of the people aren't making it better aren't making it better when they should be when they should be um verse 24 is a disturbing one um verse 24 is a disturbing one well 23 they built them high places and well 23 they built them high places and images and groves on every high hill images and groves on every high hill and under every green tree so you know and under every green tree so you know what solomon had started what solomon had started you know after three years of respite it you know after three years of respite it just snowballed again just snowballed again they were continuing in in the sins of they were continuing in in the sins of solomon solomon in verse 24. in verse 24. there were also sodomites in the land sodomites those from sodom and we know how depraved the place sodom was how depraved the place sodom was so even the people that they had driven so even the people that they had driven out out were coming back into the land were coming back into the land and mingling and mingling uh with god's people uh with god's people so things weren't good so things weren't good things weren't good at all things weren't good at all and god as we know and god as we know is not one to stand by and watch is not one to stand by and watch he's always sending messengers or he's always sending messengers or warnings or to try to turn his people warnings or to try to turn his people around and around and he does that by using egypt to punish he does that by using egypt to punish judah judah and he sends shai shack who was the and he sends shai shack who was the pharaoh the king of egypt at the time pharaoh the king of egypt at the time he goes in and he takes the gold in he goes in and he takes the gold in jerusalem including the shields that jerusalem including the shields that solomon had made those golden shields solomon had made those golden shields that he stored in in the house of the that he stored in in the house of the forest in lebanon forest in lebanon and he took him what do you think that signifies his significance there and i probably have significance there and i probably have it up on the screen so you can probably it up on the screen so you can probably read it read it so i'll tell you what it signifies to me so i'll tell you what it signifies to me anyhow anyhow because we're born we're told replace because we're born we're told replace them with brass them with brass so in symbol you have the faith of judah so in symbol you have the faith of judah at one time at one time at the beginning of solomon's reign at the beginning of solomon's reign which was so great you remember that which was so great you remember that dedication of the temple in solomon's dedication of the temple in solomon's time time and those verses that say how happy the and those verses that say how happy the people were people were and how much joy they had in serving god and how much joy they had in serving god that was the gold that was the gold now they were now they were reduced to brass reduced to brass their faith their love of god it just their faith their love of god it just totally totally gone away and so were things of rehoboam's that he treasured were also being taken away so we're going to go back to jeroboam because as you know there's a lot more because as you know there's a lot more to the jeroboam to the jeroboam story than there is of rheobone there's story than there is of rheobone there's just a little more meat to it just a little more meat to it so in first kings 13 so in first kings 13 um as we we get back to jeroboam um as we we get back to jeroboam i mentioned earlier that i mentioned earlier that that image that i had of jeroboam at the that image that i had of jeroboam at the altar with his hand altar with his hand being raised he had made himself a high being raised he had made himself a high priest and he was offering sacrifices priest and he was offering sacrifices and god says now it's time it's time for and god says now it's time it's time for me to intervene in jeroboam's affairs me to intervene in jeroboam's affairs give him a chance to turn give him a chance to turn here's jeroboam's chance and god here's jeroboam's chance and god sends this nameless man he's just sends this nameless man he's just mentioned as the man of god mentioned as the man of god and he sends them to jeroboam just as and he sends them to jeroboam just as jeroboam was about to offer incense at the altar and i did a little research and and i did a little research and and most people seem to think this is and most people seem to think this is the inaugural celebration the inaugural celebration of jeroboam's first big of jeroboam's first big offering offering unto unto his gods his gods and here comes the man of god to and here comes the man of god to interrupt him just as he's about to interrupt him just as he's about to offer incense offer incense and it says he cries against the altar and it says he cries against the altar he has a message from god against he has a message from god against jeroboam jeroboam against the altar i'm sorry against the altar i'm sorry yeah if in the account he actually makes yeah if in the account he actually makes it against the altar he doesn't say it against the altar he doesn't say anything against jeroboam but it's the anything against jeroboam but it's the altar altar and he prophesy and he prophesy um um against the altar in the system of against the altar in the system of worship and trying to tell jeroboam how worship and trying to tell jeroboam how displeased displeased god was with everything god was with everything and you remember as jeroboam had reached and you remember as jeroboam had reached up up to the altar he switches he actually to the altar he switches he actually turns his hand turns his hand to grab the man of god can you imagine to grab the man of god can you imagine how angry jeroboam must have been right how angry jeroboam must have been right now now this is his shining moment this is his shining moment his day in the spotlight with probably his day in the spotlight with probably thousands of people there thousands of people there as he's worshipping to this calf and as he's worshipping to this calf and this man dare interrupt the king this man dare interrupt the king so he reaches to grab so he reaches to grab this man of god and his hand is dried up this man of god and his hand is dried up his hand is dried up his hand is dried up just like he's doing to the people he's just like he's doing to the people he's drying them up faithfully drying them up faithfully spiritually his hand spiritually his hand is is his dried up his dried up and jeroboam as the altar was rent and the ashes are as the altar was rent and the ashes are poured out you could see that poured out you could see that the power jeroboam had was being taken the power jeroboam had was being taken away by god away by god god was totally god was totally demolishing this form of worship demolishing this form of worship jeroboam had set up jeroboam had set up and you can only imagine the humility and you can only imagine the humility uh uh humiliation and embarrassment jeroboam humiliation and embarrassment jeroboam had had as king as king of what was going on of what was going on from this man of god who had come from this man of god who had come and he reaches out and he reaches out uh to this man of god in chapter 13 uh to this man of god in chapter 13 and we're going to look at those verses and we're going to look at those verses because they're pretty pretty because they're pretty pretty interesting it says verse 6 interesting it says verse 6 jeroboam answers the man of god and he jeroboam answers the man of god and he says entreat now the face of the lord thy god not my god he's your god he's your god and treat him approach him for me please and treat him approach him for me please talk to him talk to him and pray for me that my hand maybe and pray for me that my hand maybe restored me again restored me again and the man the god did so in the king's and the man the god did so in the king's hand was restored to him again and he hand was restored to him again and he became as it was before but it's thy god it's not his god and the king said to the man of god come and the king said to the man of god come home with me and refresh thyself and i home with me and refresh thyself and i will give you a reward will give you a reward come home with me i'll give you money come home with me i'll give you money i'll give you things and the man of god was specifically told um by god um by god he tells them he tells them god told me not to god told me not to to eat or drink or to associate with you to eat or drink or to associate with you or to have fellowship with you or to have fellowship with you i'm here for one purpose i'm here to i'm here for one purpose i'm here to give you a warning and that's what i'm here for and he was actually told he says to go and he was actually told he says to go another way another way and that's an interesting phrase don't and that's an interesting phrase don't go don't come back to judah by the way go don't come back to judah by the way you came go out another way why would you came go out another way why would that why would why would god tell him to that why would why would god tell him to do that do that the only thing i can think of is he the only thing i can think of is he didn't want people to think the man of didn't want people to think the man of god was in there as part of the worship god was in there as part of the worship service service he wasn't there as one of those folks he he wasn't there as one of those folks he was there deliver a message and to get was there deliver a message and to get out out and that's exactly what he did but then we read at the end of the account in chapter 13 verse 33 that account in chapter 13 verse 33 that jeroboam jeroboam did not return from his evil way and it did not return from his evil way and it was unfortunate that it was was unfortunate that it was a lot of it was probably helped by the a lot of it was probably helped by the man of god man of god who ended up not fulfilling who ended up not fulfilling his full commission his full commission because he ends up because he ends up eating with the old prophet we're told eating with the old prophet we're told and he goes back to his house and he and he goes back to his house and he eats a meal with him and he ends up dying he ends up being killed and his body lays on the side of killed and his body lays on the side of the road and jeroboam hears of it so any the road and jeroboam hears of it so any thought jeroboam might have thought of thought jeroboam might have thought of turning from his ways turning from his ways we're quickly we're quickly squashed squashed because he sees what happens to the man because he sees what happens to the man of god of god well this this couldn't have been well this this couldn't have been from god look at look what happened to from god look at look what happened to this guy he's dead this guy he's dead you know this this wasn't anything you know this this wasn't anything i don't need to do anything different i don't need to do anything different and in verse 33 it says after this thing and in verse 33 it says after this thing after he learned the man of god after he learned the man of god was dead he returned not from his evil was dead he returned not from his evil way but made again of the lowest of the way but made again of the lowest of the people priest of the high places so it people priest of the high places so it makes it sounds like he just ratcheted makes it sounds like he just ratcheted up more up more let's go let's go like solomon this building machine is like solomon this building machine is going to keep going jeroboam was this going to keep going jeroboam was this this machine of idolatry was going to this machine of idolatry was going to keep rolling keep rolling because this is what i want because this is what i want and he continued and this thing became and he continued and this thing became sin under the house of jeroboam sin under the house of jeroboam even to cut it off and destroy it from even to cut it off and destroy it from off the face of the earth so we're running short on time but um the final slides that i had which were the final slides that i had which were the final verdicts on both of them and the final verdicts on both of them and we won't have time to get into it but we won't have time to get into it but ray obama actually has another chance ray obama actually has another chance uh shimmy ai comes uh shimmy ai comes and he and he comes to rheobone comes to rheobone and and he tells them that he tells them that you know talks to them about what god is you know talks to them about what god is going to do by sending shy shack going to do by sending shy shack and we're told that ray obama and his and we're told that ray obama and his men humble themselves before god men humble themselves before god and that he publicly for a little while and that he publicly for a little while was going in and worshipping god but it was going in and worshipping god but it seems to have been just the front seems to have been just the front and his final and his final account second chronicles 12 14 he did account second chronicles 12 14 he did evil because he prepared not his heart evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the lord to seek the lord and with jeroboam and with jeroboam um his time ended remember his um his time ended remember his his so-called trusted prophet elijah who his so-called trusted prophet elijah who told him that he'd get the kingdom told him that he'd get the kingdom well jeroboam's son had gotten well jeroboam's son had gotten very ill very ill near to death near to death and jeroboam thought i'll turn to elijah and jeroboam thought i'll turn to elijah he gives me good news why wouldn't i go he gives me good news why wouldn't i go to him to him and he'll tell me what will happen to my and he'll tell me what will happen to my son and he sends his wife son and he sends his wife you remember in disguise you remember in disguise but god had talked to elijah beforehand but god had talked to elijah beforehand and said and said the wife of jeroboam is coming to see the wife of jeroboam is coming to see you you this is what you should tell her this is what you should tell her and and he goes and and elijah tells him all he goes and and elijah tells him all these tells her all these things and and these tells her all these things and and right away the the one thing right away the the one thing as you see right i have on the screen he as you see right i have on the screen he tells her go tell jeroboam tells her go tell jeroboam you know it's almost like he's angry he you know it's almost like he's angry he wasn't man enough to come to me himself wasn't man enough to come to me himself he sent you he sent you in disguise even in disguise even and this is what god has said will and this is what god has said will happen to jeroboam happen to jeroboam he hasn't been like my servant david he hasn't been like my servant david he didn't turn out the way i thought it he didn't turn out the way i thought it nor hoped he would nor hoped he would you've done evil you've done evil above all that were before thee above all that were before thee you cast me behind your your back you cast me behind your your back uh i'll bring evil against your house uh i'll bring evil against your house and your child will die and that child dying i think was actually you know actually you know child dying is a horrible thing but you know i think god did it to protect the child of to what was to come to the child of to what was to come to jeroboam's family line jeroboam's family line because we read that basha wipes it out wipes it out and then the verse that says the dogs and then the verse that says the dogs shall the dogs eat shall the dogs eat of him of the house of jeroboam that of him of the house of jeroboam that dieth a prelude to what's to come to dieth a prelude to what's to come to ahab ahab into jezebel into jezebel the lord shall raise him up a king basha the lord shall raise him up a king basha who would wipe out the house of jeroboam who would wipe out the house of jeroboam and of course we all know jeroboam's and of course we all know jeroboam's epitaph jeroboam epitaph jeroboam who did sin and who made israel to sin who did sin and who made israel to sin how many times in scripture do you read how many times in scripture do you read that that 19 times in different forms 19 times in different forms not something you'd want to have on your not something you'd want to have on your gravestone as the man who caused a gravestone as the man who caused a nation to sin nation to sin and it was and it was a horrible time a horrible time but they both had opportunity but they both had opportunity they had opportunity whether it be uh they had opportunity whether it be uh shimaya for rehoboam or or ehija for shimaya for rehoboam or or ehija for jeroboam jeroboam god was there god was there sending them messages during their whole sending them messages during their whole lives lives and there were times ray obama does and there were times ray obama does kind of see things and starts to go but kind of see things and starts to go but he never commits fully to god and he he never commits fully to god and he always falls back always falls back and finally totally corrupt and finally totally corrupt worships the idols and the grills and worships the idols and the grills and images and jeroboam just never images and jeroboam just never i think saw the daylight i think saw the daylight so that's the epitaph on those two kings so that's the epitaph on those two kings supposed shepherds of the people supposed shepherds of the people next week we're going to skip quite a next week we're going to skip quite a few of the other kings few of the other kings and i want to end on a happy note next and i want to end on a happy note next week week we're going to look at king asa a little we're going to look at king asa a little bit next week bit next week the great reformer will will look at his the great reformer will will look at his life and maybe look at armory a little life and maybe look at armory a little bit to bit to the king of israel any questions the king of israel any questions comments before comments before i late i late wrap this up pop a lot of the apostasy that we see with these tribes these tribes stems from the earlier fact that stems from the earlier fact that they broke they didn't obey god when they broke they didn't obey god when they went into the land they went into the land they did not drive out all the they did not drive out all the inhabitants they allowed many to remain inhabitants they allowed many to remain and of course and of course they were idle worshipers worshipers they were idle worshipers worshipers so that so that it's a great point well that went it's a great point well that went hand in hand with hand in hand with you know their own you know their own problems right you had all these people problems right you had all these people in the land already that were in the land already that were worshipping false gods the sodomites worshipping false gods the sodomites yeah yeah you had groups and they didn't yeah yeah you had groups and they didn't drive them out right drive them out right let them stay let them stay that's part of their problem right also that's part of their problem right also because of that because of that one tribe would infringe on the one tribe would infringe on the territory of another territory of another causing causing friction so all that played into it friction so all that played into it right right that's a great point dad that's a great point dad thank you anyone else

Transcript

um so continuing last week um so continuing last week um i i i i thought i had covered everything with thought i had covered everything with jeroboam but then i forgot the last few jeroboam but then i forgot the last few years of his life so years of his life so we'll touch on that quickly when it we'll touch on that quickly when it comes to abasha king of judah but i put comes to abasha king of judah but i put up on the screen up on the screen the kings of israel and judah the kings of israel and judah for about the 60 years after solomon for about the 60 years after solomon and there should be something pretty and there should be something pretty as an overview striking when you look at as an overview striking when you look at the list the list the amount of kings in israel at the the amount of kings in israel at the time are almost double time are almost double of what is in judah of what is in judah and the main reason for that is is one and the main reason for that is is one judah even though they were judah even though they were not totally committed to the lord not totally committed to the lord they still held on to worshiping yahweh they still held on to worshiping yahweh they they still had idols groves they they still had idols groves in their in their nation but they still in their in their nation but they still held on to the worship of yahweh whereas held on to the worship of yahweh whereas israel as we know from looking at israel as we know from looking at jeroboam jeroboam totally blew yahweh out of their lives totally blew yahweh out of their lives uh for the most part uh for the most part and the consequences of that and the consequences of that were a a period of were a a period of during the whole 200 years that the during the whole 200 years that the nation of israel was separated from nation of israel was separated from judah was chaos judah was chaos without god in their lives without god without god in their lives without god being their their king being their their king the nation of israel really the nation of israel really had a lot of troubles and politically as had a lot of troubles and politically as well as you can see well as you can see by some of these reigns how short they by some of these reigns how short they were were political aspirations assassinations political aspirations assassinations upheaval upheaval that that summarizes the nation of that that summarizes the nation of israel and we'll see that a little more israel and we'll see that a little more today as we go through our class today as we go through our class whereas judah was a little more secure a whereas judah was a little more secure a little more little more solid so to speak and as we get to king solid so to speak and as we get to king asa asa um we'll see a a great um we'll see a a great uh revival in judah uh revival in judah uh one that never really takes place in uh one that never really takes place in israel so i just wanted you to see that israel so i just wanted you to see that and if you notice king acer of judah his and if you notice king acer of judah his reign reign was roughly 40 to 41 years was roughly 40 to 41 years and that encompasses the reigns if you and that encompasses the reigns if you if you look of of the end of jeroboam's if you look of of the end of jeroboam's reign reign right down to ahab right down to ahab all seven kings all seven kings of israel at one point in time of israel at one point in time had to deal with asa had to deal with asa during his reign and that just goes to during his reign and that just goes to show you again the mark differences show you again the mark differences and and it really when i think about it and and it really when i think about it you know times in my life when i don't you know times in my life when i don't call upon god or don't lean upon god call upon god or don't lean upon god and lean upon myself to try to do things and lean upon myself to try to do things usually end up more turbulent than that usually end up more turbulent than that when they started when they started when you lean upon god seems things when you lean upon god seems things always seem to be a little clearer it always seem to be a little clearer it seems the work out maybe not the way i seems the work out maybe not the way i want them to work out but the way god want them to work out but the way god wants them to work out so see things wants them to work out so see things seem to be a little smoother when god is seem to be a little smoother when god is involved in our lives and we'll and involved in our lives and we'll and that's one of the great lessons i think that's one of the great lessons i think from these kings from these kings when you think about it when you think about it is you know you see the pain and the is you know you see the pain and the turmoil many of them went through turmoil many of them went through because they had turned away from from because they had turned away from from yahweh yahweh so what we're going to do is i mentioned so what we're going to do is i mentioned earlier who's that hey good afternoon butch nice to see you're on time to see you're on time always good to see you brother so the always good to see you brother so the end of jeroboam's reign you remember end of jeroboam's reign you remember last week we talked about the death of last week we talked about the death of his son his son and how god in his mercy saw something and how god in his mercy saw something good good in jeroboam's son that he he took his in jeroboam's son that he he took his life then instead of having to endure life then instead of having to endure the cruelty of the death that jeroboam's the cruelty of the death that jeroboam's family would endure family would endure and it one of the amazing things that we and it one of the amazing things that we didn't look at it didn't look at it uh at the death of jeroboam's son uh at the death of jeroboam's son but at the end of chapter 14 it says but at the end of chapter 14 it says this this um um when jeroboam's wife she came to terza when jeroboam's wife she came to terza in which she came to the threshold of in which she came to the threshold of her house her child died her house her child died and listen to this and listen to this they buried him in all israel mourned they buried him in all israel mourned for the child for the child all israel mourned for the child all israel mourned for the child according to the word of the lord according to the word of the lord what happened when jeroboam died there's what happened when jeroboam died there's no mention of anyone no mention of anyone mourning for jeroboam mourning for jeroboam so again that that goodness there was so again that that goodness there was something in jeroboam's child something in jeroboam's child that touched some of the people in that touched some of the people in israel israel so jeroboam in the last three to four so jeroboam in the last three to four years of his life did not have it easy years of his life did not have it easy he lost his son he lost his son and now he had um abidesha to deal with and now he had um abidesha to deal with ray obama has already died uh he died ray obama has already died uh he died probably four years before jeroboam and probably four years before jeroboam and his son his son abijah or a bai jum as second chronicles abijah or a bai jum as second chronicles we'll call him takes over in rehoboam we'll call him takes over in rehoboam stead stead and and abaja abaja you the first thing you have to think of you the first thing you have to think of and brother jason brought it out last and brother jason brought it out last week with rehoboam week with rehoboam was the household that he was raised in was the household that he was raised in just think of it for one minute abaja just think of it for one minute abaja knew nothing but hatred and war knew nothing but hatred and war between his father and jeroboam between his father and jeroboam he knew nothing but that he grew up in he knew nothing but that he grew up in that kind of i'll call it toxic a toxic that kind of i'll call it toxic a toxic household he really did so he was very household he really did so he was very much much like his father but he was more so than like his father but he was more so than his father he took it to the next level his father he took it to the next level he was very aggressive with jeroboam he was very aggressive with jeroboam uh so much so that in jeroboam's as we uh so much so that in jeroboam's as we see ebija only reigned for three years see ebija only reigned for three years but he packed a lot of aggression into but he packed a lot of aggression into those three years against jeroboam those three years against jeroboam and there's the account in second and there's the account in second chronicles 13 chronicles 13 of where jeroboam of where jeroboam musters his armies against musters his armies against uh where baja musters his armies against uh where baja musters his armies against jeroboam jeroboam even though he's outgunned two to one even though he's outgunned two to one the account in second chronicles 13 says the account in second chronicles 13 says the jeroboam that abaja shows up for a the jeroboam that abaja shows up for a fight with 400 000 men jeroboam sitting there with twice as many men 800 000 many men 800 000 all right and he goes to a place called all right and he goes to a place called mount and i'm probably going to mount and i'm probably going to mispronounce this uh zemerayam mispronounce this uh zemerayam in which is located just outside of in which is located just outside of bethel if you remember bethel was where bethel if you remember bethel was where jeroboam jeroboam made the center of his false worship made the center of his false worship where he set up the calf where he set up the calf and that's where his center of false and that's where his center of false worship is so so elijah goes basically worship is so so elijah goes basically to the heart to the heart of jeroboam's false worship and he calls of jeroboam's false worship and he calls out to jeroboam out to jeroboam and it reminds you of of and it reminds you of of of the prophet of the prophet um um the hydra who came who jeroboam's wife the hydra who came who jeroboam's wife came to see came to see and his words to her were tell jeroboam and his words to her were tell jeroboam and abijah does the same thing here and abijah does the same thing here he calls out jeroboam and he calls out jeroboam and and his people um and some of the things and his people um and some of the things that he says to him uh that he says to him uh abaja stood upon mount zamarram abaja stood upon mount zamarram uh which is part of mount ephraim and he uh which is part of mount ephraim and he said hear me thou jeroboam in all israel said hear me thou jeroboam in all israel all right and he goes through this all right and he goes through this laundry list of things how how they've laundry list of things how how they've turned away from god turned away from god and he mentions things like well god is and he mentions things like well god is with us we have david with us we have david as our king the family line is through as our king the family line is through david and and you jeroboam have david and and you jeroboam have destroyed all that and you have caused destroyed all that and you have caused israel to sin israel to sin now of course at the same time abaja now of course at the same time abaja hadn't really done anything in judah to hadn't really done anything in judah to clean out you know the idols that type clean out you know the idols that type of worship but they still they still of worship but they still they still worship god so he could use that he used worship god so he could use that he used that lever against jeroboam you know that lever against jeroboam you know you've gotten rid of god totally you've gotten rid of god totally and this is what you've done you've and this is what you've done you've caused caused israel to descent israel to descent and when he was surrounded because and when he was surrounded because jeroboam jeroboam puts his armies into play he surrounds puts his armies into play he surrounds uh abaja with his army uh abaja with his army abijah turns to god abijah turns to god he turns to god he prays to god he turns to god he prays to god for help and god for help and god helps him and the account says that 500 helps him and the account says that 500 000 000 fell down slain fell down slain that is a number i just can't comprehend that is a number i just can't comprehend that's almost the population of boston that's almost the population of boston 500 000 men fell down slain 500 000 men fell down slain and he goes in and he takes control of and he goes in and he takes control of bethel bethel he goes right into the heart of he goes right into the heart of jeroboam's worship and he takes it he takes it from jeroboam and in the account in verse 20 in second chronicles account in verse 20 in second chronicles we read that jeroboam we read that jeroboam um um you know he takes bethany verse 20 you know he takes bethany verse 20 jeroboam jeroboam never recovered strength again in the never recovered strength again in the days of abaja days of abaja and the lord struck him and he died that's a tough end for jeroboam but when he he knew if if he believed but when he he knew if if he believed the word of the lord he knew it was the word of the lord he knew it was coming because of what he had done coming because of what he had done so abaja goes in and he takes so abaja goes in and he takes you know he gets rid of jeroboam he you know he gets rid of jeroboam he takes bethel and and that is is takes bethel and and that is is basically when when you go to the reign basically when when you go to the reign of abaja he was a great military man of abaja he was a great military man and his strength and his energies and his strength and his energies were dedicated were dedicated to the military to fighting to the military to fighting like solomon's was his one of his great like solomon's was his one of his great strengths was building administrations strengths was building administrations and building up and building up uh the land ebayers was in the military uh the land ebayers was in the military he really he did nothing when it came to he really he did nothing when it came to the spiritual the spiritual well-being of his people um well-being of his people um and that would be and that would be come down to his son uh asa come down to his son uh asa uh who we'll look at in more depth uh who we'll look at in more depth uh in a little bit uh in a little bit so before we get to that there are so before we get to that there are really two kings we're going to focus on really two kings we're going to focus on today today um sure we'll focus a little bit on um sure we'll focus a little bit on armory armory the king of israel and we'll fi we'll the king of israel and we'll fi we'll finish off with asa finish off with asa uh as we said all these kings we're uh as we said all these kings we're looking at now looking at now reign during the time of asa during that reign during the time of asa during that 41 year period they all had dealings 41 year period they all had dealings with acer in one form or another and with acer in one form or another and some of these kings of israel we'll just some of these kings of israel we'll just glance at because truthfully there's not glance at because truthfully there's not a a lot in the record to for us to digest lot in the record to for us to digest basically their evil reign and that's basically their evil reign and that's that's about it that's about it um in the we we looked at jeroboam uh um in the we we looked at jeroboam uh after that his son nadab took over and after that his son nadab took over and and he was he just continued everything and he was he just continued everything his father had done um his father had done um you know again if we think about you know again if we think about um you know being in a household um you know being in a household you know how you rear up your children you know how you rear up your children and how important it is how they're and how important it is how they're raised imagine the household that nadab raised imagine the household that nadab grew up in grew up in you know like abaja he was seeing you know like abaja he was seeing nothing but nothing but uh hatred you know hatred for rehoboam uh hatred you know hatred for rehoboam and for judah and for judah but he was also seeing a lot worse a lot worse things because you know the worship of god was was being destroyed worship of god was was being destroyed it was being it was being you know you know regulated out of israel regulated out of israel so he had none of that influence in his so he had none of that influence in his life he just had a father jeroboam who life he just had a father jeroboam who was corrupt who was was corrupt who was aggressive who was only looking out for aggressive who was only looking out for himself and who was spiritually ruining himself and who was spiritually ruining his people and that's how nadab grew up his people and that's how nadab grew up he was assassinated you see his reign he was assassinated you see his reign was only was only only a year he was assassinated by basha only a year he was assassinated by basha and in verse 31 and in verse 31 of the accountant first kings of the accountant first kings it's it it's it it's an interesting thing i i as i it's an interesting thing i i as i looked at this last night what it says looked at this last night what it says about nadab about nadab in first kings 15 in first kings 15 verse 31 verse 31 it says the rest of the acts of nadab it says the rest of the acts of nadab and all that he did are they not written and all that he did are they not written in the books of the chronicles of the in the books of the chronicles of the kings of israel kings of israel no they are not no they are not if you go to chronicles you won't see if you go to chronicles you won't see nadab nadab they are written they are written but in his wisdom god decided not to but in his wisdom god decided not to include anything else about nadab include anything else about nadab in the account for us in the account for us um and we're gonna find that out with um and we're gonna find that out with with one other king as well with one other king as well that that even though it says there's a written even though it says there's a written account it's not included for us account it's not included for us um um and and that tells you something doesn't and and that tells you something doesn't it it you know you know how how evil this this you know you know how how evil this this king was once is enough maybe king was once is enough maybe i don't know but god decided not to i don't know but god decided not to include it in the account and then we get on to king basia and as you can see you can see i i i didn't point this out with the i i i didn't point this out with the first slide and i should have first slide and i should have with abaja but if you look at the um the with abaja but if you look at the um the symbol that looks like a coin with the symbol that looks like a coin with the image of a baja on it it's not a coin image of a baja on it it's not a coin i pulled this out of i pulled this out of out of the web it's actually a metal or out of the web it's actually a metal or a medallion a medallion and i'm not even gonna pronounce and i'm not even gonna pronounce you know the the prompturium iconium you know the the prompturium iconium you know you can read that yourself all you know you can read that yourself all i'm to tell you is it it was published i'm to tell you is it it was published in 1553 in 1553 okay okay and this this this gentleman made these and this this this gentleman made these medallions medallions in the images of in the images of of rulers during that time and he made of rulers during that time and he made one as you can see this one here of one as you can see this one here of abaja abaja and then he also did it and then he also did it where i could find them i actually tried where i could find them i actually tried to pull it for the other kings is the to pull it for the other kings is the one for nadab one for nadab um um you know and i thought they were kind of you know and i thought they were kind of cool cool i thought they were kind of cool because i thought they were kind of cool because sometimes you know when you read the sometimes you know when you read the accounts accounts you know there are no pictures of my you know there are no pictures of my bible so i don't have pictures of what bible so i don't have pictures of what these people look like and sometimes i these people look like and sometimes i like to put a face to it it's like when like to put a face to it it's like when you do emails nowadays i hate email i you do emails nowadays i hate email i really do i like picking up the phone really do i like picking up the phone and talking to somebody and talking to somebody but we do email it's part of the world but we do email it's part of the world we live in and i like to put a face to we live in and i like to put a face to the email so i ask people hey you know the email so i ask people hey you know one of these days can we do a zoom so i one of these days can we do a zoom so i can see what you look like can see what you look like you can see what i look like you can see what i look like you know i think it helps things to so i you know i think it helps things to so i thought the pictures were cool it kind thought the pictures were cool it kind of puts a face to what we're talking of puts a face to what we're talking about about how accurate these are i don't know but how accurate these are i don't know but you know wait wait do you see armories you know wait wait do you see armories this is pretty scary this is boy this is this is pretty scary this is boy this is pretty scary pretty scary uh before we move to beijing any uh before we move to beijing any thoughts thoughts before we go on okay so one what one thing about basia and it so one what one thing about basia and it makes me laugh all the time you can see makes me laugh all the time you can see on the top line what his name means in on the top line what his name means in hebrew um i guess i wouldn't want to have a name i guess i wouldn't want to have a name that means to stink that means to stink but again that that kind of summarizes but again that that kind of summarizes the feeling of these kings in in israel the feeling of these kings in in israel that we're dealing with as a whole that we're dealing with as a whole doesn't it doesn't it offensive they stank to god offensive they stank to god and basha was no different um he was and basha was no different um he was god's judge though god used him to god's judge though god used him to destroy the house of jeroboam destroy the house of jeroboam um and he does that in in first kings um and he does that in in first kings 15. 15. um there's not much recorded of him um there's not much recorded of him though which is surprising because he though which is surprising because he reigned for 24 years and there's not a reigned for 24 years and there's not a lot in his in the record here for us lot in his in the record here for us mainly that he destroyed the house of mainly that he destroyed the house of jeroboam jeroboam but the historians say that he he was a but the historians say that he he was a very ambitious very ambitious man man striving for power and control that striving for power and control that sounds familiar sounds familiar how many kings do we find how many kings do we find you know that don't have their people's you know that don't have their people's interests at heart they only have their interests at heart they only have their own in the we see it today own in the we see it today you know in the leaders of the world you know in the leaders of the world their strive for power and control over their strive for power and control over the people the people he attacks he attacks king ace and we'll get into that a king ace and we'll get into that a little later when we talk on asa little later when we talk on asa but he's turned away but he's turned away and that was a turning point in aces and that was a turning point in aces reign reign at that point and you would say well at that point and you would say well well mark you know well mark you know you know basher attacked asa but he was you know basher attacked asa but he was turned away how can that be it well it turned away how can that be it well it was and we'll see why because it wasn't was and we'll see why because it wasn't the normal channels that asa had been the normal channels that asa had been using using to help him turn basia away and we'll to help him turn basia away and we'll look at that a little bit look at that a little bit uh in first kings 16 uh in first kings 16 jehu offers this prophecy against basha jehu offers this prophecy against basha and some of these words should sound and some of these words should sound familiar to us because they were some of familiar to us because they were some of the words that were spoken to jeroboam verse i don't know verse 3 of chapter 16 of first kings of first kings uh god says through jehu i will take uh god says through jehu i will take away the posterity of bashar in the away the posterity of bashar in the bostiti of his house and will make thy bostiti of his house and will make thy house like the house of jeroboam the son house like the house of jeroboam the son of nebat of nebat him that dieth abasha him that dieth abasha in the city shall the dogs eat in the city shall the dogs eat we've heard that before and we're going we've heard that before and we're going to hear it again to hear it again if you continue reading into king ahab if you continue reading into king ahab and jezebel and jezebel that's what's going to happen that's what's going to happen and those who die out in the fields the and those who die out in the fields the fowls of the air shall eat fowls of the air shall eat now the rest of the acts of asia and now the rest of the acts of asia and what he did what he did his might his might are they not written in the books of the are they not written in the books of the chronicles of the kings of israel chronicles of the kings of israel and bashar slept with his fathers and and bashar slept with his fathers and was buried in tursa which was the was buried in tursa which was the capital now remember earlier last week i capital now remember earlier last week i mentioned the capital that moved is mentioned the capital that moved is starting to move around in israel again starting to move around in israel again that shows you the lack of stability in that shows you the lack of stability in the country the country the capital had moved from shechem the capital had moved from shechem and now it's in terzar and it's going to and now it's in terzar and it's going to move again move again under armory under armory and again that's because these kings and again that's because these kings instead of thinking of the nation really instead of thinking of the nation really as a whole as a whole thought of it as my dynasty what can i thought of it as my dynasty what can i do to secure my dynasty and my power do to secure my dynasty and my power and we'll see that big time with armory and we'll see that big time with armory so basha slept with his fathers he was so basha slept with his fathers he was buried buried and ila his son reigned in his stead and and ila his son reigned in his stead and ila ila you know is worth maybe you know is worth maybe in the biblical account in the biblical account what we're really told is that ela is a what we're really told is that ela is a drunk drunk he was a drunken king he really should he was a drunken king he really should never have been a king he loved his never have been a king he loved his spirits spirits and he was assassinated and he was assassinated by zimrai by zimrai so you thought ila's reign was short so you thought ila's reign was short zimrai zimrai who was captain of ela's armies who was captain of ela's armies assassinated uh elah and zimmer i became assassinated uh elah and zimmer i became king king anyone remember how long zimmer i lasted anyone remember how long zimmer i lasted on the throne jim sullivan does james on the throne jim sullivan does james seven days seven days seven it says right there so i gave it seven it says right there so i gave it away jim i knew you knew that though away jim i knew you knew that though um but in seven days of his leadership um but in seven days of his leadership he wiped out the whole house of basha he wiped out the whole house of basha seven days seven days and then and then we get to king army of israel we get to king army of israel now king armory if you read historically now king armory if you read historically with with modern historians with with modern historians if you take away all the if you take away all the religious aspects spiritual aspects of religious aspects spiritual aspects of army army he's considered a great leader he's considered a great leader in modern day terms for the things he in modern day terms for the things he did did um um but it's all the negative things that he but it's all the negative things that he did did that kind of ruined some of the that kind of ruined some of the positives he did positives he did as we said armory was the leader of as we said armory was the leader of ela's ela's armed forces and armed forces and after the assassination of zimrai after the assassination of zimrai his armed forces make him king his armed forces make him king and the account we're going to look at and the account we're going to look at is back in first king 16 is back in first king 16 some of the things that he does now some of the things that he does now after the overthrow zimrai runs back to after the overthrow zimrai runs back to the palace the palace in terza in terza and he burns it down and he burns it down and the palace crumbles it caves in on and the palace crumbles it caves in on him and he dies him and he dies now the account doesn't say if he now the account doesn't say if he killed himself before he set it on killed himself before he set it on ablaze or you know it's neither here nor ablaze or you know it's neither here nor there i guess it would have been a very there i guess it would have been a very painful death painful death if he had just sat in a chair and in a if he had just sat in a chair and in a burning building and falling all over burning building and falling all over him uh but he killed himself him uh but he killed himself and and an interesting thing in verses 21 to 23 an interesting thing in verses 21 to 23 is the people of israel if you look at is the people of israel if you look at verse 21 of chapter 16 verse 21 of chapter 16 okay it says the people okay it says the people of israel were divided into two parts of israel were divided into two parts half the people followed timney the son half the people followed timney the son of gennath to make him king of gennath to make him king and half the people and half the people followed armory so when you first read that you don't really think much of it because there's really think much of it because there's not much detail there but if you dig in not much detail there but if you dig in a little bit a little bit you can find out quite a bit of detail you can find out quite a bit of detail um um if you go back a for a few verses in the if you go back a for a few verses in the chapter it says zimrai chapter it says zimrai uh reigns started in the 28th year of uh reigns started in the 28th year of acer and armories was in the 31st year acer and armories was in the 31st year of asa all right well we know zimri only reigned for seven days reigned for seven days so there was a three-year stretch in so there was a three-year stretch in there where this division there where this division that this verse speaks of encompasses that this verse speaks of encompasses three years and what happened in those three years is there was there was there was civil is there was there was there was civil war in israel between the two camps war in israel between the two camps and apparently it was armory and apparently it was armory who prevailed because he becomes king so who prevailed because he becomes king so again again without god in their without god in their lives controlling lives controlling situations you see the turmoil of the situations you see the turmoil of the nation of israel and how bad it was it said the people that follow andre prevailed prevailed so even though we're looking at two so even though we're looking at two verses it's three years of time verses it's three years of time that is encompassed in these two verses that is encompassed in these two verses um um henry prevailed um henry prevailed um and tim and i died in armory reigned and tim and i died in armory reigned so in the 31st year of asa we have so in the 31st year of asa we have armory king of israel armory king of israel taking over taking over in reigning in israel in reigning in israel and he reigns six years in terza and he reigns six years in terza now i mentioned armory is known by now i mentioned armory is known by modern scholars as a very modern scholars as a very driven man driven man we talked in those terms about solomon we talked in those terms about solomon remember how driven he was remember how driven he was in his building projects and making in his building projects and making his kingdom glorious for himself you his kingdom glorious for himself you know in ecclesiastes solomon speaks know in ecclesiastes solomon speaks about everything i did about everything i did what i built what i built you know the ships that i sailed you know the ships that i sailed everything that i did everything that i did you know reminds you of nebuchadnezzar you know reminds you of nebuchadnezzar how he speak the same word type of words how he speak the same word type of words well armory was the same thing well armory was the same thing he wanted that dynasty he wanted that dynasty and he would get it for 50 years and he would get it for 50 years and he wanted to build his own legacy he and he wanted to build his own legacy he didn't want even though he rebuilt the didn't want even though he rebuilt the palace in terza that was burned down he palace in terza that was burned down he wanted his own legacy so he moves the wanted his own legacy so he moves the capital capital to samaria to samaria and builds his own palace and starts his and builds his own palace and starts his own dynasty there own dynasty there in samaria um in samaria um you know people you know people modern historians again modern historians again give armory kudos for his choice of the give armory kudos for his choice of the hill in samaria hill in samaria this hill was about 300 feet wide and i this hill was about 300 feet wide and i wish i had a better picture it's on the wish i had a better picture it's on the bottom bottom um that area but it was surrounded on um that area but it was surrounded on three sides by hills three sides by hills so if you can picture it so if you can picture it you know there's a hill on this side a you know there's a hill on this side a hill on this side and he was in the hill on this side and he was in the middle looking this way middle looking this way he was looking out uh to the west he was looking out uh to the west toward the mediterranean coast he had a toward the mediterranean coast he had a great view of everything great view of everything in any one and in any one and it was strategically it was strategically many people's historians say a perfect many people's historians say a perfect spot spot for him to build for him to build and it just shows again you know yeah and it just shows again you know yeah he's driven he was driven in he's driven he was driven in the wrong way but he was an intelligent the wrong way but he was an intelligent man and he was he was a true leader in man and he was he was a true leader in that respect that respect so he was surrounded by these mountains so he was surrounded by these mountains uh in i guess uh in i guess the mediterranean again when you think the mediterranean again when you think of the land area of the land area you know we think the land areas and we you know we think the land areas and we think a hundreds of miles difference think a hundreds of miles difference between and jason could could speak of between and jason could could speak of this but it was only 23 miles this but it was only 23 miles from where he was building to the from where he was building to the mediterranean mediterranean you know 23 miles from here is you know 23 miles from here is boston maybe it's boston 23 miles boston maybe it's boston 23 miles roughly give or take roughly give or take it's not very far it's not very far you know it's one thing i love about you know it's one thing i love about living here you can be anywhere living here you can be anywhere mountains coast anywhere in short time mountains coast anywhere in short time and it was it's the same there as well and it was it's the same there as well so it was really close so it was really close um and as i said it's been extolled um and as i said it's been extolled by commentators and historians for what by commentators and historians for what he did he did but unfortunately where he was so strong but unfortunately where he was so strong in some of those aspects he did nothing in some of those aspects he did nothing for the people in their spiritual life for the people in their spiritual life he just continued in the ways of he just continued in the ways of jeroboam and at the end of jeroboam and at the end of verse 25 verse 25 it says army wrought evil in the eyes of it says army wrought evil in the eyes of the lord and did worse than all the the lord and did worse than all the kings that were before him kings that were before him and this is another buildup we see and this is another buildup we see with the kings of israel it just gets with the kings of israel it just gets worse and worse in the eyes of god which worse and worse in the eyes of god which is the only eyes that count is the only eyes that count you know modern historians may look at you know modern historians may look at army and say well he was a great army and say well he was a great he was a great leader a great this and he was a great leader a great this and but in the eyes of god but in the eyes of god you know he was evil you know he was evil and he was worse than all the kings and he was worse than all the kings before him before him and he's not the worst yet and he's not the worst yet and we won't get to ahab but and we won't get to ahab but you know ahab you know ahab would do worse things than armory would do worse things than armory verse 26 he walked in all the ways of verse 26 he walked in all the ways of his jeroboam again his jeroboam again the man who caused israel to sin the man who caused israel to sin and his sin wherewith he made israel and his sin wherewith he made israel descend to provoke the lord god of descend to provoke the lord god of israel to anger israel to anger uh the rest of the acts of armory which uh the rest of the acts of armory which he did in his might that he showed are he did in his might that he showed are they not written they not written in the book of chronicles of the kings in the book of chronicles of the kings of israel and he slept of israel and he slept with his fathers with his fathers again do you notice we don't see again do you notice we don't see anywhere that it says all israel mourned anywhere that it says all israel mourned for him for him it's not recorded it's not recorded i mean i guess it could have happened i mean i guess it could have happened i'm sure he had his own i'm sure he had his own you know administration and people that you know administration and people that were loyal to him were loyal to him you know do something when he died but you know do something when he died but it doesn't say all israel it doesn't say all israel born for him born for him doesn't say that at all so we're going to end our our talk on the kings looking on the kings looking on on a mostly positive note we're going to on a mostly positive note we're going to look at asa and as we said ace's reign look at asa and as we said ace's reign encompassed all the reigns of these encompassed all the reigns of these kings of israel we touched on briefly kings of israel we touched on briefly okay you know asa and it doesn't say and i i wanted to try and it doesn't say and i i wanted to try to figure out to figure out you know with all the negativity that you know with all the negativity that followed followed preceded asa preceded asa his grandfather his grandfather and his father and his father how did asa turn out the way he did how did asa turn out the way he did and i i haven't come up with anything and i i haven't come up with anything maybe if if one of you have you could maybe if if one of you have you could you could tell me but you could tell me but right away right away uh we are told good things about asa uh we are told good things about asa that he was completely that he was completely opposite of his father and his opposite of his father and his grandfather grandfather he was not aggressive or warlike at all he was not aggressive or warlike at all and he was a lover of righteousness and he was a lover of righteousness so i i can only assume somewhat that you so i i can only assume somewhat that you know he was a humbler man obviously than know he was a humbler man obviously than his father and grandfather his father and grandfather and we're gonna see that he had a heart and we're gonna see that he had a heart he wanted i think that understanding he wanted i think that understanding heart that solomon prayed for heart that solomon prayed for for the people for the people and asa wanted to be that way and we're going to look at continuing first kings first kings you know he had his first you know he had his first as soon as he became king as soon as he became king what we read about him um what we read about him um and i might have that wrong and i might have that wrong let's see let's see um if we look at asa so verse 10 of chapter 15. it says right away he reigned 41 years it says right away he reigned 41 years and asa did that which is right in the and asa did that which is right in the eyes of the lord eyes of the lord so right away we're told that he he so right away we're told that he he tried with all his heart tried with all his heart and that's the key when we think of asa and that's the key when we think of asa we got to remember that he tried to love we got to remember that he tried to love the lord god with all his heart the lord god with all his heart doesn't mean he doesn't fail because he doesn't mean he doesn't fail because he does does and we're told about his failure at the and we're told about his failure at the end end but david failed as well didn't he but david failed as well didn't he and how many times throughout these and how many times throughout these accounts of the kings do we read for accounts of the kings do we read for david's sake david's sake god kept the lamp in jerusalem a light god kept the lamp in jerusalem a light stand stand you know david's heart was following the you know david's heart was following the lord lord our hearts our hearts follow the lord we're far from perfect follow the lord we're far from perfect we make mistakes we make mistakes but our hearts follow after the lord and but our hearts follow after the lord and aces did as well aces did as well um um you know he took away the sodomites you know he took away the sodomites remember we spoke about the sodomites remember we spoke about the sodomites earlier how they earlier how they your dad made a great point that your dad made a great point that their failure to drive out the nations their failure to drive out the nations that they were supposed to get rid of at that they were supposed to get rid of at god's command came back and bit them the god's command came back and bit them the sodomites were still there and they sodomites were still there and they caused the people to do perverse things caused the people to do perverse things and dad had mentioned that last week and dad had mentioned that last week where lisa drove them away where lisa drove them away he got rid of him he got rid of him and i think brother jim boyco in one of and i think brother jim boyco in one of his excitations a while ago mentioned to his excitations a while ago mentioned to us us that we we have things in our lives that that we we have things in our lives that cause us to do cause us to do you know maybe not the greatest things you know maybe not the greatest things things that maybe that god things that maybe that god his son might not find acceptable would his son might not find acceptable would get rid of him totally get rid of him totally asa did that he got rid of the sodomites asa did that he got rid of the sodomites he drove them out of the land he drove them out of the land look what he does in verse 13. look what he does in verse 13. now the account here says he removed his now the account here says he removed his mother mother from being queen took her off the throne from being queen took her off the throne and it really wasn't i did research on and it really wasn't i did research on this you remember my car this you remember my car we mentioned her a few weeks ago well we mentioned her a few weeks ago well this would be his grandmother so she this would be his grandmother so she must have at some point become like a must have at some point become like a royal queen like queen elizabeth she's royal queen like queen elizabeth she's sitting on this throne and she's just sitting on this throne and she's just there until she passes away there until she passes away well she had groves and idols well she had groves and idols acer took her out removed her acer took her out removed her removed her from the throne removed her from the throne that's that's that's courage that's courage that's strength that's strength that would be like that would be like dear sharon taking her up taking her dear sharon taking her up taking her away away you know you know i'm glad i don't have to do that i'm glad i don't have to do that but but asa had to do that but but asa had to do that he had to do that he had to do that and he did it and he did it he did it he removed he did it he removed his grandmother from the throne uh he his grandmother from the throne uh he put vessels back into the temple and uh put vessels back into the temple and uh he did what was right he did what was right in the eyes of the lord for most of his in the eyes of the lord for most of his life life and god rewarded him he gave ace of rest and god rewarded him he gave ace of rest for 10 years for 10 years the account tells us he had rest that's a great thing you know we rest is rest is you know you know compare it to us compare it to us we have pretty good amount of rest we have pretty good amount of rest compared to the rest of the world being compared to the rest of the world being in this country in this country right we see it now right we see it now i mean god has given us a period of rest i mean god has given us a period of rest he gave it to asa he gave it to asa asa did something with his rest asa did something with his rest we have rest now does it mean five years we have rest now does it mean five years from now we'll still from now we'll still enjoy this same rest i don't know enjoy this same rest i don't know we pray that we do we pray that we do that we can come here together as a that we can come here together as a family in worship family in worship but how quickly times change right in but how quickly times change right in the blink of an eye the blink of an eye situations change situations change so what do we do during this period of so what do we do during this period of rest that we enjoy now rest that we enjoy now well asa did something remember we well asa did something remember we talked about fortification talked about fortification in my mind there are two types of in my mind there are two types of fortification there's fortifying armies fortification there's fortifying armies and buildings and buildings for war for war and then there's fortifying ourselves and then there's fortifying ourselves spiritually spiritually asa would do both asa would do both he took advantage of this time of rest he took advantage of this time of rest that god provided him and he didn't that god provided him and he didn't slack off he didn't kick back and say slack off he didn't kick back and say well i put my feet up on my throne and well i put my feet up on my throne and and just live high off the hog and enjoy and just live high off the hog and enjoy things because god's given me rest he things because god's given me rest he went to work went to work he went to work and in both ways he went to work and in both ways not only did he not only did he fortify um yeah not only would he go on to fortify yeah not only would he go on to fortify um the land um the land okay yeah he in second chronicles um he okay yeah he in second chronicles um he builds it up builds it up he builds up his army he builds up his army and then in second chronicles and then in second chronicles we hear he he's attacked by ethiopia we hear he he's attacked by ethiopia the ethiopians send a million-man army the ethiopians send a million-man army to aces doorstep to aces doorstep and threaten him with war and threaten him with war and we're going to go through this and we're going to go through this quickly because quickly because time just flies by but time just flies by but asa verse 11 of second chronicles 14 it asa verse 11 of second chronicles 14 it says he cries says he cries he cried under the lord he cried under the lord think of that prayer brothers and think of that prayer brothers and sisters and friends he cried sisters and friends he cried you can see asa you can see asa if you think of this this medallion if you think of this this medallion picture of asa prostrating himself on picture of asa prostrating himself on the ground the ground tears coming down his face tears coming down his face a million man army's about to a million man army's about to destroy everything he wants to do for destroy everything he wants to do for his people his people to build them up again and he cries to to build them up again and he cries to god for help god for help and god heard him and he turned back the and god heard him and he turned back the ethiopians ethiopians god heard him and he turned them back god heard him and he turned them back and it just makes you think so much of and it just makes you think so much of the words of james five the words of james five you know the you know the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much man availeth much will we always get the answer we seek no but we get the right answer we may not be able to see it we may not be able to see it but in god's plan but in god's plan it's it's what's right and in this case it's it's what's right and in this case he turned back the ethiopians he turned back the ethiopians um so then after the victory over the ethiopians ethiopians acer is is acer is is met by another prophet uh this one as met by another prophet uh this one as aurier and the account of that is in aurier and the account of that is in second chronicles 15. second chronicles 15. and azariah meets acer and his army and and azariah meets acer and his army and you know he was almost like i don't want you know he was almost like i don't want to call him a party pooper but you can to call him a party pooper but you can imagine how jubilant and happy easter imagine how jubilant and happy easter and his men were after this battle and his men were after this battle well he he comes up and well he he comes up and he in his own way he he reminds asa he in his own way he he reminds asa whose victory this really was whose victory this really was you know the victory is the lords right you know the victory is the lords right and and god must have seen something god must have seen something going on that he needed to remind acer going on that he needed to remind acer of this and he does so of this and he does so um it says azariah went out to meet him um it says azariah went out to meet him in in second chronicles 15 2. in in second chronicles 15 2. and again hear the word hear me asa and again hear the word hear me asa hear me tell tell jeroboam you know you hear me tell tell jeroboam you know you hear those words and you think right hear those words and you think right away this is coming from the from god away this is coming from the from god hear me asa and all judah the lord is hear me asa and all judah the lord is with you with you while ye be with him and if you seek him while ye be with him and if you seek him he will be found he will be found but if you forsake him but if you forsake him he will forsake you he will forsake you then he goes on to say look at you know then he goes on to say look at you know the troubles that your father and the troubles that your father and grandfather had that israel had because grandfather had that israel had because they're not with god the chaos the they're not with god the chaos the turmoil turmoil you know you don't want that to be part you know you don't want that to be part of your reign do you of your reign do you but instead fortify but instead fortify you fortified your land you fortified your land now it's time to go back to work and now it's time to go back to work and fortify your people fortify your people and asa does that again and asa does that again he redoubles his reformation efforts he redoubles his reformation efforts with the nation with the nation and it says for five years he tours the and it says for five years he tours the whole whole nation and he's tearing down the images nation and he's tearing down the images and the idols and the groves and the idols and the groves and he's he's teaching people he's and he's he's teaching people he's reinstituting the correct worship of the reinstituting the correct worship of the lord he's speaking to as many people as lord he's speaking to as many people as he can he can and he calls for a meeting of all the and he calls for a meeting of all the people to go to jerusalem people to go to jerusalem let's all meet in jerusalem let's all meet in jerusalem and he draws them into a renewed and he draws them into a renewed covenant with god covenant with god and through all these efforts we in the and through all these efforts we in the account it says like it did at the end account it says like it did at the end of solomon when he dedicated the temple of solomon when he dedicated the temple it said the people went away with joy it said the people went away with joy and were happy and were happy and it said the same thing here and it said the same thing here with asa that after this meeting in with asa that after this meeting in jerusalem in their covenant renewing of jerusalem in their covenant renewing of the covenant the people went away and the covenant the people went away and celebrated they were happy celebrated they were happy it's been a while since they've been it's been a while since they've been able to enjoy that kind of happiness able to enjoy that kind of happiness and god gave asa 20 more years of rest and god gave asa 20 more years of rest the account says the account says and and what did he do with this rest what did he do with this rest all this work his heart being fully with all this work his heart being fully with god god and he and he his reformation efforts his reformation efforts um had had been um had had been immense immense so we're going to end here and we're not so we're going to end here and we're not going to have a lot of time to cover going to have a lot of time to cover this but this but um before i do any thoughts or comments um before i do any thoughts or comments up to this point on acer and up to this point on acer and the great reformation and the great reformation and you know i really suggest there's a lot you know i really suggest there's a lot of material out there not only in the of material out there not only in the bible but historical stuff on acer as bible but historical stuff on acer as well that if you have time you want to well that if you have time you want to look at it look at it um it's it's quite intriguing um it's it's quite intriguing well king basha at the time well king basha at the time toward the middle or end of aces reign toward the middle or end of aces reign was still around and was still around and he decided he wanted to cause trouble he decided he wanted to cause trouble you know when when you know we can't you know when when you know we can't have judah prospering have judah prospering in israel being a mess so basia decides in israel being a mess so basia decides he wants to mix it up with acer a little he wants to mix it up with acer a little bit bit and and he reaches out and in the account if you he reaches out and in the account if you read it in second chronicle 16 read it in second chronicle 16 asa makes a mistake asa makes a mistake asa makes a mistake he reaches out asa makes a mistake he reaches out to the king of syria benedad for help to the king of syria benedad for help instead of god and he goes into the temple and he takes all the and he takes all the all the gold it says and he gives it to all the gold it says and he gives it to benedad benedad you know break your treaty with baisha you know break your treaty with baisha king of israel and help me and benedict king of israel and help me and benedict does does and he causes basha so much problem that and he causes basha so much problem that bashar turns away bashar turns away and judah is saved well as you know the lord you know the lord quickly calls quickly calls acer out on this acer out on this and he sends han and i and he sends han and i um um to say hey to say hey you know you were spared you know you were spared but you didn't reach out to me and asa didn't like han and i's message and there's a lot of times and there's a lot of times if you think of this god is sending hin if you think of this god is sending hin and i to correct asa and i to correct asa you know as brothers and sisters we are you know as brothers and sisters we are to to um take correction correct um take correction correct that's one of the things we had to do if that's one of the things we had to do if we're on a wayward we're on a wayward if a brother or sister approached me and if a brother or sister approached me and wanted to talk to me about something we wanted to talk to me about something we had to listen had to listen we had to listen and we had to listen and you know take it to heart you know take it to heart well this is a case where god goes to well this is a case where god goes to acer and wants to correct him but asa acer and wants to correct him but asa does the opposite does the opposite and that image there is one of of hannah and that image there is one of of hannah and i talking to asa and asa having him and i talking to asa and asa having him taken away in chains taken away in chains he didn't listen he didn't want to he didn't listen he didn't want to listen listen and the end of his life unfortunately he and the end of his life unfortunately he gets a disease in his feet gets a disease in his feet and he ends up he ends up dying and he ends up he ends up dying even then when he was ill he wouldn't even then when he was ill he wouldn't turn to the lord in prayer so many many many many good years he many many many many good years he reigned reigned with the lord being being first and with the lord being being first and foremost foremost in his thoughts in his thoughts but then toward the end but then toward the end god wasn't as close to him he wasn't as god wasn't as close to him he wasn't as close to god close to god but in spite of all that we're told that but in spite of all that we're told that his legacy is of a man of faith his legacy is of a man of faith and one thing i couldn't find and one thing i couldn't find like we did with solomon how we turned like we did with solomon how we turned to to uh uh you know you know his 800 wives and he set up shrines all his 800 wives and he set up shrines all over the countryside over the countryside you don't see that with asa so you so the point is yeah he he lapsed and turned from god but and turned from god but his heart still must have been there his heart still must have been there somewhere for god because somewhere for god because you know in the end he's still you know in the end he's still considered a faithful man of the lord considered a faithful man of the lord you know all the good things he did you know all the good things he did for judah for judah were things that people in israel were things that people in israel imagine if you had lived in israel imagine if you had lived in israel and you yearn for the old days when and you yearn for the old days when yahweh was the only way of worshiping yahweh was the only way of worshiping you let's say trapped behind the lines you let's say trapped behind the lines in israel in israel how it must have looked on the other how it must have looked on the other side if they knew the joy and the good side if they knew the joy and the good things that were happening under asa things that were happening under asa how you would have longed to want to get how you would have longed to want to get out out we see those things in the world today we see those things in the world today don't we don't we you know these these sad situations you know these these sad situations where these nations where these nations are tormenting and oppressing their are tormenting and oppressing their people people and it's been going on forever and it's been going on forever it's been going on forever it's been going on forever so that's where we're going to end so that's where we're going to end we'll end with asa