Why did the kings of Israel and Judah face punishment? Did either of them repent? Do we? Let’s look at 1 Kings 14.
Did Jeroboam’s wife visit the prophet Ahijah about her sick son Abijah? Did she come disguised, not realizing that God sees all?
About the same time, Abijah son of Jeroboam got sick. Jeroboam told his wife: Disguise yourself so no one will know you're my wife, then go to Shiloh, where the prophet Ahijah lives. Take him ten loaves of bread, some small cakes, and honey, and ask him what will happen to our son. He can tell you, because he's the one who told me I would become king. She got ready and left for Ahijah's house in Shiloh. Ahijah was now old and blind, but the Lord told him, “Jeroboam's wife is coming to ask about her son. I will tell you what to say to her.” Jeroboam's wife came to Ahijah's house, pretending to be someone else. (1 Kings 14:1-5 CEV)
What bad news did Ahijah give to Jeroboam’s wife and why? Had Jeroboam cursed his family by disobeying God?
But when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another? For I am charged with unbearable news for you. Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over my people Israel and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes, but you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back, therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone. Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat, for the Lord has spoken it.”’ (1 Kings 14:6-11 ESV)
What particular sins was Jeroboam guilty of that God would destroy his dynasty? Asherah poles were like totem poles.
As for you, get up and go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the boy will die. All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He alone out of Jeroboam’s house will be put in the family tomb, because out of the house of Jeroboam the Lord God of Israel found something good only in him. The Lord will raise up for Himself a king over Israel, who will eliminate the house of Jeroboam. This is the day, yes, even today! For the Lord will strike Israel and the people will shake as a reed shakes in water. He will uproot Israel from this good soil that He gave to their ancestors. He will scatter them beyond the Euphrates because they made their Asherah poles, provoking the Lord. He will give up Israel because of Jeroboam’s sins that he committed and caused Israel to commit. (1 Kings 14:12-16 HCSB)
What events transpired to announce the end of Jeroboam, and who reigned in his stead?
Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and left for Tirzah. As soon as she set foot over the threshold of the house, the child died. All of Israel mourned him at his burial, just as the Lord had said when he spoke through Ahijah the prophet. Now as for the rest of Jeroboam’s accomplishments, including how he waged war and how he reigned, you may read about them in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. Jeroboam reigned for 22 years and then died, as had his ancestors, and his son Nadab reigned in his place. (1 Kings 14:17-20 ISV)
Switching now to Judah and Rehoboam, what sins were committed in the southern kingdom?
And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. (1 Kings 14:21-24 KJV)
What events came upon Judah because of their disobedience?
Now it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. And he took the treasures of the house of Yahweh and the treasures of the king’s house. And he took everything; he even took all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. Then King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place and committed them into the hand of the commanders of the guard who kept the door of the king’s house. Now it happened as often as the king entered the house of Yahweh, that the guards would carry them and would bring them back into the guards’ room. (1 Kings 14:25-28 LSB)
Was that the end of Rehoboam of Judah shortly after the death of Jeroboam of Israel?
Now as for the rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. And Rehoboam lay down with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. And his son Abijam became king in his place. (1 Kings 14:29-31 NASB)
If both Israel and Judah fell prey to false prophets and harmful lifestyles, can this also happen in churches?
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. (Matthew 7:15 NIV)
Though neither Jeroboam nor Rehoboam repented, could they have and would they have been forgiven?
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NKJV)
Why did the kings of Israel and Judah face punishment? Did either of them repent? Do we? You decide!
