Transitions in the Kingdom of Israel

But we saw here tonight, as we're going to begin looking here in 1 Kings chapter 12,

1 Kings 12 · chapter mention

but just to kind of work through here a little bit,

remember that the kingdom that God established through David and Solomon

is now on the verge of being divided.

And between Judah, between the house of Judah and the house of Joseph,

is one way you can look at that, is to understand the dynamic,

but also it's referred to in the Scripture, you have the tribe of Judah

and the northern tribes and the southern tribes.

You have these dynamics that we're going to see as we move forward.

But we understand that this was caused by God's judgment because of Solomon's decisions.

And the one thing we need to always realize is that all decisions have consequences.

You know, the one thing we always keep in mind, there's always consequences to our decisions.

They might be good consequences or they might be bad consequences,

but there's always a consequence to your decision.

There's always something that impacts that in a great way,

and so we need to be thinking through those things.

And even though Solomon started well, we learned he did not end well.

And it reflected upon his son, Rehoboam.

That was Solomon's consequence that he faced was the impact of what it had on the generations to come.

You know, and our decisions do impact those to come.

And we find here that Rehoboam, through how he learned from his father,

you know, and even though Solomon wrote great wisdom,

you know, it's interesting that Rehoboam didn't do much listening.

You know, even though he had everything he needed before him,

and, you know, the choice he made in what he was going to get his validation,

where was he going to get his information,

how was he going to make his decisions, played out.

And so keep your finger there in 1 Kings,

but look over into Proverbs chapter 2 for a moment.

Proverbs 2 · chapter mention

Because as we think about Rehoboam and the decisions

and the things that he's going to make tonight that we're going to be looking at,

I want you to consider that Proverbs here was written by Solomon,

and it gives you a little good context to what Solomon was writing about here.

Because look here in Proverbs chapter 2, look at verse 1.

Proverbs 2 · chapter mention

What's the first words there? He says what?

My son.

So when you think about this in context of Solomon writing,

who was he probably writing towards?

Towards Rehoboam.

He's giving his son information.

He's giving him some wisdom.

Look, it says,

My son, if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandments with thee,

so thou wilt incline thine ear into wisdom and apply thy heart to understanding.

Yea, if thou criest out of knowledge and lifteth up thy voice for understanding,

if thou seekest her as silver and searchest her as for a hid treasure,

then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Now, Solomon here is making that statement,

and oftentimes we look and say,

Well, Solomon, if he was the wisest guy, why didn't he follow his own advice?

And the only thing I'll tell you is just go home and look in the mirror.

Because we can sometimes understand a lot of things,

but the applying of that in our lives is a little different, isn't it?

Because sometimes we can ask,

How can Solomon have written this and do the decisions he made?

The Bible makes it clear that we can know to do good and not do it.

We can know what we ought to do and not do it.

And so when we're looking at this tonight,

I want you to understand that even as Rehoboam,

if you remember Rehoboam, one of the problems,

think about what his father wrote,

but look at what he did,

because no place do we find that Rehoboam sought the Lord

and what decision he ought to make.

He sought the old men's counsel.

He sought the young men's counsel.

But you never find one time in here

that you find that he sought the Lord's counsel,

that he sought after what God wanted.

You know, one of the wisest things we can do

is to seek after what God wants

and to understand that.

And we're going to look tonight at the ramifications of that

because Rehoboam is here as in has rejected those things.

Let's pick up here in verse 16,

here in 1 Kings chapter 12,

1 Kings 12 · chapter mention

here tonight, and notice it says here,

So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them,

the people answered the king, saying,

What portion have we in David?

Neither we have inheritance in the son of Jesse.

To your tents, O Israel,

now see to thine own house David.

So Israel departed unto their tents.

But as for the children of Israel,

which dwelt in the cities of Judah,

Rehoboam reigned over them.

Now we're going to see here

that there was a rejection that took place.

They rejected Rehoboam as their king.

You know, that's the first thing

they ever need to understand.

There was a rejection,

there was a choice that was made.

And when he made that choice,

it impacted a lot of things

because when Rehoboam chose

to increase the tribute on the people,

it resulted in their rejection of him as king.

You know, when we understand

that the separation from Rehoboam

was based upon his unwillingness

to seek wisdom.

His unwillingness to grab a hold

of the truth of wisdom

that his father Solomon

had provided for him.

But we realize here

that this conflict that followed

was going to be detrimental in that

because there was some defiance

in their statement.

There was this rejection

of Rehoboam.

Because look there in verse 16

with me again.

Notice the two statements

that they say.

What portion have we in David?

Neither have we inheritance

in the son of Jesse.

You know, those are some

two powerful questions, aren't they?

To think about what they're stating there.

What is our portion?

What's our part?

Here is Israel

making a decision

saying that we have no part

in David,

neither an inheritance

in the son of Jesse.

You know,

they no longer saw

the benefit

of standing alongside

David and his kingdom.

They no longer saw

the benefit

of what portion

they would have

because the division here

is along those same lines

that you find throughout.

You know,

take a look over

in 2 Samuel for a moment

because to understand

what's happening here

a little bit,

we also have to understand

a little history.

You know,

because sometimes

we can draw the wrong conclusion

or get the wrong idea

of what's happening

if we don't understand

what happened before.

And where some of the sediment

came up of these things,

this sediment of,

of kind of this division.

We have no part in you

and we see here

this dynamic.

Look here in 2 Samuel chapter 19.

2 Samuel 19 · chapter mention

2 Samuel chapter 19.

2 Samuel 19 · chapter mention

Look down here in verse 40.

It tells us this,

And the king went to Gilgal

and Chimam

and went on with him

and all the people of Judah

conducted the king

and also half the people of Israel.

And behold,

all the men of Israel

came to the king

and said unto the king,

Why have thy,

our brother

and the men of Judah

have stolen thee away

and have brought the king

and his household

and all David's men

with him over Jordan?

And all the men of Judah

answered the men of Israel

because of the king

is near kin to us.

Wherefore,

then be angry

for this matter.

We've eaten

at all of the king's cost

or have we given us

any gift?

And the men of Israel

answered the men of Judah

and said,

We have ten parts

in the king.

Now that's an important statement

when he said here

because here when David,

this is right after Absalom,

his son had reared up

a rebellion against David

and David's coming back

into Jerusalem,

being brought back

over the Jordan

and here Israel comes

and they make a,

the ten tribes

make a declaration

that says,

We have what?

Ten parts in this kingdom.

We have an investment.

We have a portion.

We have a part of this.

Now we find

with Rehoboam

they make the exact

opposite statement,

don't they?

What part have we with you?

You know,

they made a decision

in this

and they were angry

as you find there

in 2 Samuel 19

but these words,

this statement

is also

another rebellion

that was against David

that kind of raised up

by the man

of the name

of Sheba.

You know,

look over in 2 Samuel

2 Samuel 20 · chapter mention

chapter 20 there

just right after that

because notice

the repeat

of the words here

that were faced

with David.

Notice what

Sheba says here

in 2 Samuel chapter 20

2 Samuel 20 · chapter mention

and it says,

There happened to be

a man of Belial

whose name was Sheba

the son of Berechi,

a Benjamite

and he blew a trumpet

and said,

We have no part

in David

neither have we

inheritance

in the son of Jesse.

Every man

to his tenso Israel

and so every man

of Israel

went up from

after David

and followed

Sheba

the son

of Berechi

but the men

of Judah

clave unto their king

from Jordan

even to Jerusalem.

You know,

they were dissatisfied

here just like

the children of Israel

the ten tribes

were dissatisfied

and rejected

what God

had established.

You know,

one thing we need

to be careful of here

is because often

we find that rejection

of the Lord

finds its root

in the dissatisfaction

of what we desire

because we'll desire

something

and what God wants

doesn't line up

with our wants

or our desire

of what we think

ought to happen

doesn't line up

with what God

allows to happen

and we can become

dissatisfied

which leads

to a rejection

well God must be

wrong on everything.

The children of Israel

here were saying

that they had no part

in what God established.

They were rejecting

the things of God

and we're going to see here

in this

the ten tribes

had rejected

David

before

had before

rejected David

and now openly

rejecting

Rehoboam.

You know,

I want you to understand

that when

the statements

that are being made

though are important

because this is more

of an attitude thing

in this rejection

it's a way of thinking

because the statements here

to what part

have we

in David

and the son of Jesse

and when they make

that declaration

there in the scripture

notice what it tells them

here at the end

here in verse 16

it says

to your tents

O Israel

now see to thine own house

David

so Israel departed

unto their tents.

Now I want you to understand

this was one of those

where you might put it

this way

they're saying

okay guys

let's pick up our marbles

and go home.

I'm dissatisfied

I'm not happy

with what's going on here

let's take my stuff

and we're going to go

mind our own business

and do our own thing.

This is not a call

to an open rebellion.

Okay?

That comes a little later

we'll find

but I want you to understand

rejection

rejection

is the first step

to rebelling.

Is that mindset

of rejection

is the first step

of rebelling

against the Lord

because it opens

the door

for those things

to say

what God wants

doesn't match

what I want

so therefore

there must be a problem

and we always look

at the problem

as being God.

And to understand

what's happening here

we see this

taking place

but this was not

they had not

openly

put in rebellion

against

Rehoboam

at this point

they just kind of

went home

with their marbles

you might say.

But when Rehoboam

sees this

he's doing

exactly

what his father

Solomon

was worried about.

Turn to Ecclesiastes

for a moment.

Look over

in Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2

Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2

we see over here

that Solomon

was concerned

about his kids

that were going

to follow him.

And that's one

of those things

I don't know

if there's a dad

that's not concerned

about what's going

to happen to their kids

and anybody

in leadership

that's working

to do things

and establish something

is not concerned

about what's going

to follow.

You know

who's going

to come after me?

Who's going

to do these things?

Notice here

in Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2

and verse 18

notice what it says

it says

yea I've hated

all my labor

which I had

taken under the sun

because I should

leave it under

the man

that shall be

after me.

Now notice

this statement

here he says

and who knoweth

whether he shall

be a wise man

or a fool

yet shall he

rule over

all my labor

wherein I have

labored

and wherein I

have showed

myself wise

under the sun

this also

is vanity.

you know

in other words

Solomon understood

that he might

do all the right

things

put all the

right things

in places

but you still

can't control

what somebody

else does.

That's an

important reality

to grab a hold

of because we

have a responsibility

but your

responsibility

is there

to teach

and to direct

the next generation

but it doesn't

guarantee

what they're

going to do.

You know

we see here

that Rehoboam

was definitely

not wise

I mean we

definitely say

that he was

the fool

that his father

was worried

about.

He was definitely

the fool

that he was

worried about

and he was

not wise

in his response

to the departure

of the ten

tribes

because take a

look at what

happens here

you know

Israel departs

to their tents

and Rehoboam

is left with

those even

though they

might have

been of the

other tribes

if they were

under his

territory

they fell

under

if they were

in Judah

they fell

under his

authority

but I want

you to see

here what

takes place

because he

didn't make

a very

good decision

you might

say

because notice

here in

verse 18

of our text

here in

1 Kings

1 Kings 12 · chapter mention

chapter 12

then King

Rehoboam

said Adoram

who was over

the tribute

now I want

you to stop

and consider

what's being

said here

because remember

the picture

why did all

the people

depart and

go to their

own place

because they

didn't like

the levy of

people and

money that

was placed

on them

and remember

what did

Rehoboam

tell them

when they

said hey

you need to

lighten the

load

what did

Rehoboam

tell them

I'm going

to get

more

I'm going

to take

more

and they

said we're

done

you ain't

taking

any more

so Rehoboam

sends his

tax collector

who had been

around a while

it's not the

first time this

guy had went

and collected

the levy of

money and

people

and when we

see what

Adoram has

happened to

him here

because as

he goes

together the

levy which

he had done

before but

this time his

reception we

might say was

a little rocky

good dad joke

right

got to get

that one in

there

but consider

what's happening

here because

seeing that he

brought with him

not the old

tax code but

the new tax

code

and said

hey guys

I'm here to

collect and

you owe me

more

now needless to

say it

definitely didn't

go over very

well

because look

with how the

response of the

people was

it says

and the

Israel stoned

him with stones

that he died

you know

so he goes

to do his

duty

you know

and we see

here that now

the children of

Israel do

have a

rebellious

attitude

that sparks

up because

they do a

total rebellious

against

everything that

Rehoboam had

commanded

he commanded

them to collect

the levy and

they said no

you're not

that's an open

rebellious attitude

towards it isn't

it

and we see here

as they rebelled

against these

things

this rebellious

attitude

results in

Adorim being

stoned or

killed

and the news

reaches Rehoboam

which I imagine

came back pretty

quick because I

imagine he

didn't

his tax collector

didn't go alone

so I suspect

that somebody

came back and

told Rehoboam

and said hey

dude this has

not turned out

so well

so what's he

do notice

what he does

in this

because therefore

King Rehoboam

made speed

to get him

up to his

chariot

to flee to

Jerusalem

you know

so when the

news reaches

Rehoboam

the departure

for safety

quickly ensues

it says he

made speed

to get up

to his

chariot

in other words

we find

it was probably

a pretty rough

ride back

to Jerusalem

because I have

a feeling

the chariot

wasn't letting

any grass

grow under

the wheels

I mean he

was heading

back

you say why

was he heading

to Jerusalem

because that's

where he felt

safe

remember Jerusalem

was a fortified

city

matter of fact

a lot of the

levy had went

into fortifying

Jerusalem

and all the

things with it

and so we see

here as a

Rehoboam there

makes speed

to go back

and notice

verse 19

what it says

so Israel

rebelled against

the house of

David and to

this day

this is when

the rebellion

the rebellious

portion came

out

and began

to manifest

itself

against the

house of

David

and while

Rehoboam

raced back

to Jerusalem

the ten

tribes were

busy doing

something else

the ten

tribes

notice what

the tribes

did

because they

knew there

was going

to be a

problem

and there

was going

to be

retaliation

I mean

I think

we pretty

much

understand

what's

going to

happen

when you

kill the

king's

tax

collector

he's

probably

going to

be a

bit

upset

I mean

that's

pretty

natural

so what

they do

is they

go find

Jeroboam

who's in

the area

because remember

he was at

the meeting

he was their

spokesman

he had come

back from

Egypt

he was there

and it

notices in

verse 20

and it came

to pass

when all

Israel heard

that Jeroboam

was come

again

that they

sent and

called him

unto the

congregation

and made

him king

over all

Israel

and there

was none

that followed

the house

of David

but the tribe

of Judah

only

so we see

here

while Rehoboam

is heading

back to

Jerusalem

the tribes

are getting

together with

Jeroboam

and to make

him king

you know

they selected

the king

and said

you're going

to be

our king

the people

had given

him

that authority

to place

in that

position

now we know

God was

working in

the background

this whole

time

don't we

we understand

that God

had already

foretold

that these

things were

going to

happen

that this

is the

kingdom

was going

to be

divided

after Solomon's

death

that these

things were

going to

come about

but I want

you to

understand

God

allowed

those things

to happen

God knew

what was

going to

happen

God's

putting

judgment

upon the

house

of David

because of

Solomon's

actions

but God's

also faithful

to keep

a lineage

God

had made

a promise

to David

and we

looked at

that previously

a few weeks

ago

and we

see here

that the

ten tribes

gathered to

make him

king

just as

Ajiah

the

Shilohanite

had shown

to Jeroboam

back in

1 Kings

1 Kings 11 · chapter mention

chapter 11

all these

things are

coming to

pass

all these

things are

happening

directly

here

now notice

with me

what takes

place

because look

at verse

21

because now

the revolt

really happens

because you

think about

they've rebelled

they've stoned

the tax

collector

and then they

said we're

really done

with you

because we've

set and

established

our own

kingdom

they put

in place

a new

government

it was

now open

revolt

against

Rehoboam

they said

we're just

not done

with you

we want

absolutely

nothing

to do

with you

to have

their own

way

in the

matter

and look

here

in verse

21

it says

in Rehoboam

was come

to Jerusalem

he assembled

the house

of Judah

with the

tribe of

Benjamin

104

score

thousand

chosen

men

which were

warriors

to fight

against

the house

of Israel

to bring

the kingdom

again

to Rehoboam

the son

of Solomon

so we see

here when

Rehoboam

gets back

to Jerusalem

we find

that the

tribes

are setting

up Jeroboam

there's an

open revolt

happening

against him

and so

what does

he do

Rehoboam

does what

any good

king would

do

he rallies

the troops

now I want

you to

understand

the crowd

that he

gathered here

because he

didn't gather

just everybody

off the

street

it says he

gathered

180,000

chosen

men

that were

warriors

in other

words he

had 180,000

men that

had already

been in

battle

who have

already proved

themselves

he was

going up

to take

it back

he had

the manpower

to do it

he had the

experience

to do it

you know

because

we all

understand

very easily

somebody who

hasn't faced

battle

somebody from

different than

somebody who

has

he's taking

up the guys

that already

knew what

they were

getting into

they were

ready to

go

there wasn't

going to be

any delay

they were

ready to

move forward

with what

Rehoboam

had wanted

in 180,000

warriors

both of

Judah

and of

Benjamin

and so

we see

here this

revolt

that takes

place

and their

intention

was to

move against

the northern

tribes

to put

down the

revolt

against

the one

they saw

that was

the rightful

heir to

the kingdom

I want you

to understand

the guys

he gathered

I think

were just

doing what

they should

have been

doing

but we're

going to

see what

happens here

because what

happens next

is important

because Rehoboam

was still

acting out of

his own

self-interest

wanting to

do what

he wanted

to do

Rehoboam

was doing

the exact

thing

spiritually

that the

northern tribes

were doing

to him

physically

because he

rejected the

things of

God

he rebelled

against the

things of

God

and ultimately

we're going

to see a

revolt against

the things

of God

but notice

what God

intervenes

because something

happens here

that turns the

narrative

completely around

because I want

you to see the

picture of what's

happening because

here's Rehoboam

he's got 180,000

men ready to go

armed up

supplied up

they're ready

to leave

town

they're ready

to leave

town

ready to go

take care of

business

and God

intervenes

he intervenes

with a man

and I want you

to see something

important here

about this

individual

because look

at verse 22

all this is

happening

and then in

verse 22

it says

but

the word of

God came

unto Shemai

the man

of God

saying

speak unto

Rehoboam

the son of

Solomon

king of

Judah

and unto

all the

house of

Judah and

Benjamin

and to

the remnant

of the

people

now

I want you

to understand

here

a little bit

because I want

to look here

at Shemai

here

the man

of God

because he

enters in a

very difficult

time

he entered in

some pretty

perilous times

I mean when

everybody's prepared

to go to war

and here he is

he gets the

word of God

the man of

God

hears from

God

and says

this is what

I want

you to do

he says

I want you

to go out

in front

of 180

thousand

soldiers

that are

ready to

go to

battle

that are

upset

that their

king has

been

deposed

with a

king that's

mad he's

been deposed

and your

message to

him is

go home

to me that

doesn't

sound like

an easy

message to

bring

I would

say that's

probably a

pretty hostile

crowd

to that

message that

would have

been a

pretty hostile

crowd

but it was

a man of

God

enters with

the clamor

of war all

around

now I want

you to notice

something here

because Shemaiah

here we don't

know anything

really specific

about him

but he's

got a good

attribute that

God attaches

to him

that makes

a big

statement when

it says

the man of

God

we might

not know

much about

where he

came from

or who he

is but it

tells us a

lot about his

character and

what he

believed

because when

you look at

that phrase

of man of

God

that's

directly attached

to Moses

and his

authority

the Bible

says Moses

a man of

God

that authority

that connects

with that

by following

what God

would have

to say

and here

Shemaiah

here is

simply had

to have

faith in

the word

of God

but I

think he

understood

something

very important

that he

needed to

follow the

word of

God

because look

back in

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8

for a

moment

because this

is where

this becomes

very practical

to us

today

as we're

going to

look because

notice here

in Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8

look here in

verse 3

because there's

something important

about that the

man of God

did something

when he heard

the word of

God

because notice

here in

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8

look down in

verse 3

and he

says this

and he

humbled

thee and

suffered

thee to

hunger

and fed

thee with

manna

which thou

knowest

not

neither did

thy fathers

know

now notice

here

that he

might make

thee to

know

that man

doth not

live by

bread alone

but every

word that

proceedeth

out of the

mouth of

God

doth man

live

now

here's your

Bible trivia

question for

Wednesday night

where's that

quoted

in the

New Testament

who

quoted

it

and what

event

when

Satan

was

tempting

him

that's

the verse

that Jesus

quoted back

to the

devil

man

doth not

live by

bread

alone

but

every

word

that

proceedeth

out of

the

mouth

of

God

Shemaiah

understood

one thing

that the

word of

God

had an

importance

it had

a priority

he said

I don't

need to

worry so

much about

what these

guys can

do

I need

to worry

about what

God

has held

me account

to

and here's

an individual

I guarantee

he had to

be by no

doubt a

man's man

to stand

up and a

man of

God to

say I'm

willing to

trust God

at the

word of

God to

go before

180,000

men ready

for battle

along with

a king

that's at

his heart

set on

battle

to take

back and

and he

goes

because the

word of

God came

to him

and expressed

to him

and gave him

direction of

what he was

supposed to

do

it says

the word

of God

came unto

Shemaiah

the man

of God

I want you

to understand

that why

could he

stand up

in such a

perilous

time as

this

because he

was already

had trusted

God before

because he

was a

man of

God

being a

person of

God doesn't

happen by

flipping a

switch

it's somebody

who's been

tested and

matured

somebody that

understands what

the conflict

is like

you might

say why

the men

that

Rehoboam

gathered

were

physically

battle

hardened

Shemaiah

was a

man who

was

spiritually

battle

hardened

he had

stood the

test of

the battles

that take

place

spiritually

now notice

here

in the

New Testament

turn to

2nd Timothy

chapter 3

for a

moment

because

here the

apostle Paul

is talking

to Timothy

and I want

you to see

the correlation

here between

this man of

God in the

Old Testament

and the man

of God

that we

ought to be

today

because I

want you to

see here what

he brings

forth

notice here in

verse 1

in 2nd Timothy

chapter 3

he says

and this

know also

that in

the last

days

perilous

times

shall

come

you know

I think

Shemaiah

lived in

a pretty

perilous

time

you know

we live

in some

pretty

perilous

times

we

understand

it says

for men

shall be

lovers of

their own

self

covetous

boasters

proud

blasphemers

disobedient

to parents

unthankful

unholy

without natural

affection

truce

breakers

false

accusers

incontinent

fears

despisers

of those

that are

good

traitors

heady

high-minded

lovers

of pleasure

more than

lovers

of God

having a

form of

godliness

but denying

the power

thereof

from such

turn away

so he's

laying the

groundwork

he says

here's what

perilous

times look

like today

Shemaiah

lived in

perilous

times

in his

day

but now

look at the

end of the

chapter

go down

to verse

14

because Paul

says hey

if you're

in perilous

times

doesn't

mean you

can't

be a

man

of

God

matter

of fact

he says

it calls

for us

to be

notice

what it

says

but continue

thou

in the

things

which thou

has learned

and been

assured

of

knowing

of whom

thou

hast

learned

them

and that

from a

child

thou hast

known

the

holy

scriptures

were able

to make

thee wise

into salvation

through faith

which is in

Christ

Jesus

now notice

what he says

remember

he says

all scripture

is given

by inspiration

of God

now all

scripture

what's he

talking about

he's talking

about the

word of

God

he's talking

about the

word of

God

very directly

here

now notice

with me

it says

given by

inspiration

God

is profitable

for doctrine

for reproof

for correction

for instruction

in righteousness

now look at

that next

phrase

in verse 17

why are all

these things

there

why is the

word of

God

there

that the

man of

God

may be

what

perfect

that word

perfect

means mature

means growing

up

literally means

tested

thoroughly

furnished

that means

to equip

to accomplish

has what's

needed to

accomplish

to be a

man of

God