Stupid KingsSample

Jeroboam Part II: Don’t Mess with Blind Prophets

King Jeroboam has earned a second mention here. As Jeroboam’s kingship goes on, his son becomes deathly sick. He asks his wife to disguise herself and go to Ahijah the prophet to inquire about their child. Ahijah is old and cannot see well, which is perhaps why Jeroboam thinks he can fool him into healing his son. He sends loaves, cakes, and jars of honey with his undercover wife, as if to buy a positive response. The whole covert operation backfires on Jeroboam horribly.

Before Jeroboam’s wife can even see if her costume works, God reveals to Ahijah who she is. Ahijah has terrible news to convey: God has "cast behind his back", and "every male of his house will be cut off and burnt like dung and the dogs and birds will eat their bodies". Even more tragically, his son will die.

Jeroboam never seemed to fully understand God or his ways. He excelled only at provoking God to anger and making Israel sin.  And he enjoys just one (very dubious) honor, that of having his name mentioned over 15 times in 1 and 2 Kings, forever immortalized as the paradigm of godlessness. Whenever a king walks fully in sin it is called “The way of Jeroboam". 

Lessons:

The tragic story of Jeroboam is one long tale of a man attempting to devise his own plans and trying to use God as a genie when he wants something. A clear message comes through: we cannot bribe or manipulate God to do something for us. No favor from God can be bought. We can only humbly ask and seek him with our requests.

More than anything else, God wants our hearts. He desires us to be wholly after him. Jeroboam's story is there to help us examine our own lives and ask ourselves if we have departed from God’s word and calling. It is sobering to think that a man like Jeroboam could begin with such great blessing and end with such massive disfavor. 

May the Lord grant us grace and courage to serve him all the days of our lives and keep us from the foolish way of Jeroboam.

Prayer:

Father, I can so easily see you as a God who just helps me when I need it. Teach me to seek your help, even when I feel I do not want it. Lord, may I follow you whole-heartedly today and always, not swerving from the way you have placed before me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Limerick:

“The way of King Jeroboam”

Forever engraved in stone

As a path of offense

That God is against

Not all roads lead to Rome!