1 Kings 14.1-5 says that Jeroboam’s son became ill, probably due to his idolatry (1 Kings 13.34). He wants his wife to disguise herself and go to Shiloh to consult the true God through Ahijah the prophet. To show that she consulted the true God would destroy his whole system, so a disguise is needed. Ahijah was considered a true prophet and she took 10 loaves of bread and some honey.
So she left and met with Ahijah, who was blind by this time. The Lord told Ahijah that she was coming about her son, disguised as a another woman. His blindness physically didn’t matter because Yehovah told him what was going on. 1 Kings 14.6-16 tells us when he heard her coming to his door he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another woman? I am sent to you with a harsh message.” This shows the foolishness of trying to trick the Lord or his prophets, although anyone seeing her go in may have thought she was just another woman.
Ahijah then pronounces judgment on Jeroboam’s house. He had done more evil than all who went before him. Saul had no idols, David had no idols and Solomon did not lead the people into idolatry and replacement theology like Jeroboam. Jeroboam held the Lord in contempt (Ezek 23.35), so the Lord was going to cut off the house of Jeroboam, every male belonging to it, both bond and free. Jeroboam would have no lasting dynasty. The immediate consequences would be as soon as her feet entered the city, her son would die.
This may be an example of God allowing the righteous to die young so that they will escape the evil which is to come. The Lord found something good in the house of Jeroboam (v 13). He also told her that the Lord will raise up a king who will cut off the house of Jeroboam, and this will be fulfilled by Baasha (“wicked”) in 1 Kings 15.29-30. Israel’s national dispersion will not be fulfilled for centuries, but the death of Jeroboam’s son was the sign that it is true (1 Kings 14.15-18). The Lord said he would strike Israel as a reed shaken in the water. This idiom means that the times will be uncertain and fluctuating before Israel is finally driven out, and they will compromise with the truth and blown by every wind of doctrine (Matt 11.7).
1 Kings 14.19-20 tells us about the death of Jeroboam. 2 Chr 13.20 says that the Lord struck him down and he died. He did not die a natural death but from some type of stroke or physical problem. He died after he lost a battle with Judah in which 500,000 of his men died (2 Chr 13.16-19).
In 1 Kings 14.21-31 we learn about the end of Rehoboam. His mother was Naamah the Ammonitess and her heathen background is given to show her influence on him. He was faithful for years, but he departed (2 Chr 11.17). Judah did evil in God’s sight and they provoked him to jealousy through the illegal high places (bamot), the sacred pillars (mazavot) and the Asherim on every hill and beneath every green tree. There were male cultic prostitutes in the land who did all the abominations of the nations that the Lord dispossessed when they entered the land.
Judah is weakened by civil war (1 Kings 12.16) so Shishak, the King of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem in the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign. He took away the treasures of the Temple and the treasures in the king’s house, along with the gold shields Solomon had made that were placed in the House of the Forest of Lebanon (Beit Yair Ha Levanon). To accomplish this, Shishak took Sukkot, a city/fortress east of the Jordan River near Jabbok (Josh 13.27). It was the second main military base Judah had, and the people had no place to run. He used Sukkot as a base against Jerusalem. Shishak did not take the Ark of the Covenant because we know it was in Jerusalem 300 years later during the time of Josiah (2 Chr 35.3). With the shields of gold gone, Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place (no gold left).
So, 1 Kings 14.30 says that there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually, and Rehoboam died after a 17 year reign. He was 58 years old, and his son Abijam became king in his place. Now, one of the things we learn from the attack of Shishak is he sent out assault battalions from strong bases into the Negev. He destroyed and rebuilt existing defenses. This caused new and better fortifications to be built by Judah in response after he left. Spiritually, when we get hit hard by a “Shishak” and lose, and then the enemy pulls out, we need to assess the reasons why the attack happened in the first place and build up stronger defenses than before.
1 Kings 15.1-7 begins to tell the story of the son of Rehoboam named Abijam, who is also known as Abijah in 2 Chr 13. He reigned for three years and God did not bless his reign. His mother is Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom (Absalom-2 Chr 11.20). He did not walk in the Torah, but because of David, the Lord gave him a “lamp” (heir) in Jerusalem (a dynasty). It says that David did what was right in the sight of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything God commanded him, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. Psa 119.97-104 shows David’s heart. Abijam also fought against Jeroboam (2 Chr 13.1-3).
Now, from 1 Kings 15.8 through 1 Kings 16.28 we have a succession of kings in Israel and Judah. However, in 1 Kings 16.28 we come to a man named Ahab (Ahav in Hebrew meaning “father’s brother”), the son of Omri in Israel. So, we are going to spend some time on him and deal with him. This will also bring us to a man called Eliyahu Ha Navi, or Elijah the Prophet.
Ahav married Jezebal (“Itzevel”) who was the daughter of the king of Tyre named Ethbaal (“with Baal”). Ahav went to serve Baal rather than Yehovah and erected an altar to Baal in temple to Baal in Samaria. He also made Asherah and Ahav did more to provoke the Lord than all the kings of Israel who came before him.
In his days we learn that Hiel (“God lives”) of Bethel built Jericho again, and he laid the foundations with the loss of his first-born son named Abiram (“my father is exalted”). He also set up the gates of the city, losing his youngest son Segub (“elevated”), according to a prophecy given by Joshua in Josh 6.26. Hiel violated Lev 27.28-29 because Jericho was put under a ban, called a “cherem.”
So, before we go any further, we are going to take a look at some terms we have used. Those terms are “Asherim” and “Asherah.” However, in Scripture you will see Asherah, Ashterot and Asherim. So, we will pick up here in Part 15 and begin to discuss these terms.
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