God’s Sovereign Rule - 1 Kings 12v1-24

Okay, 1 Kings chapter 12, beginning at verse 1.

1 Kings 12 · chapter mention

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king.

When Jeroboam, son of Nebat, heard this, he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon, he returned from Egypt.

So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him,

Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lightened the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.

Rehoboam answered, Go away for three days and then come back to me.

So the people went away.

Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime.

How would you advise me to answer these people, he asked.

They replied, If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.

But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.

He asked them, What is your advice?

How should we answer these people who say to me, Lighten the yoke your father put on us?

The young men who had grown up with him replied, These people have said to you, Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.

Now tell them, My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.

My father laid on you a heavy yoke.

I will make it even heavier.

My father scourged you with whips.

I will scourge you with scorpions.

Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam as the king had said, Come back to me in three days.

The king answered the people harshly, rejecting the advice given him by the elders.

He followed the advice of the young men and said, My father made your yoke heavy.

I will make it even heavier.

My father scourged you with whips.

I will scourge you with scorpions.

So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the Lord.

To fulfill the word, the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam, son of Nebat, to Ahijah the Shilonite.

Thanks very much, Chris.

Let's keep our Bibles open as we continue in our studies, 1 Kings.

If you've missed any along the way, you can find them all on the church website.

So they've all been recorded for the purposes if you're on Sunday school or creche or you've missed any.

They are there for us to be able to follow along.

So I encourage you to do that.

Now let's pray.

Father, thank you that you are the Lord of heaven and earth.

the Lord who has written his word down for us, preserved it through the centuries so that we have it today in our language.

We thank you for this wonderful privilege that you speak to us through your word today.

And we pray that it would have such a transforming and changing effect on our lives.

That it would cause us to bow in wonder and worship at our great King.

So please help us today, we ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

So, who decides if Britain will leave or stay?

Who determines whether there will be a soft border or a hard border?

Who's in charge?

Somebody said something.

Who decides if you get married or move to another country?

Who determines where you live and where you work?

Who's in charge?

Well, listen to this from Proverbs.

In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

It's telling us that we are free to make all kinds of decisions, but every decision is under the direction of God.

Ultimately, it is God who is in control.

Now, Proverbs 16, verse 9, that we have there on the screen, is a great summary of the text that was just read to us.

Proverbs 16:9

If you want a summary for what 1 Kings 12, 1 to 15 or 1 to 24 is all about, well, in their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

We've reached a critical point in the story of the kingdom.

Under Solomon, the kingdom was at its best.

The people were blessed, living in their own land.

They were happy and secure.

But, if you remember from last week, have a quick look back at chapter 11, verse 4.

Chapter 11, verse 4.

As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.

And what follows is a sad decline of the kingdom.

Solomon's son, Rehoboam, becomes king, and the kingdom divides.

Bad decisions and selfish choices have left the kingdom in a terrible mess.

But, chapter 12 is written to remind us that God is the supreme king, ruling over the plans of man to fulfill his promises.

God is the supreme king, ruling over the plans of man to fulfill his promises.

So, two big things that we're going to look at this morning, that I trust will be helpful for us.

First, the plans of man serve the purposes of God.

The plans of man serve the purposes of God.

Let's pick it up in chapter 11, verse 42.

Chapter 11, verse 42.

Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, over all Israel, that is the United Kingdom, for 40 years.

Then he rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David his father, and Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king.

Now, it seems a normal succession of power.

They even go to a place called Shechem.

That was where God spoke to Abraham and where Moses had gone to speak with God.

Yet, tragically, in chapter 12, there seems to be little listening to God.

In fact, God is subtly ignored.

The people see the change in king as an opportunity to change the way things are done.

So, look at verse 3.

So, they sent for Jeroboam.

We're going to get confused, but let's keep our focus.

There's a Rehoboam.

He's king.

Jeroboam was a person who was under Solomon, but had begun to rebel against Solomon.

He didn't like what he was doing.

So, the people sent for Jeroboam.

And he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam, the king, and said to him,

Your father put a heavy yoke on us.

But now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.

Rehoboam answered, Well, go away for three days, then come back to me, and I'll have a decision.

So, the people went away.

Obviously, the king needs some advice.

The last thing he needs at this point is an all-out rebellion.

So, in verse 6, we're told that the king went off to his elders, asked them for their advice,

What should I do?

And they responded with great wisdom.

Serve them well, Solomon, and they will always serve you.

Be kind to them, and they'll always be in your pocket, as it were.

But Rehoboam doesn't seem to be in the mood for much listening.

That seems a little weak and pathetic.

Not a great way to start your reign as a king, giving in to your subjects.

So, Rehoboam turns to his old college buddies.

What should we do about these complaints, he asks them.

Well, they respond in verse 10.

The young men who had grown up with him replied,

These people have said to you,

Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.

Now tell them,

My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.

In other words, you tell the people,

You think my father was harsh?

Well, I'm going to show you who's boss.

Verse 11.

My father laid on you a heavy yoke.

I will make it even heavier.

My father scourged you with whips.

I will scourge you with scorpions.

That is, whips with lumps of lead at the end of it.

Well, that sounds more like the role of a king, doesn't it?

I like that, Rehoboam is thinking to himself.

Time to show them who's king round here.

I'm going to teach them a lesson about authority and power.

So just as Rehoboam had said three days later,

he goes back to the people to give the answer.

Have a look at verse 14.

He followed the advice of all the young men.

In other words, he ignored the advice of the elders and said,

My father made your yoke heavy.

I will make it even heavier.

My father scourged you with whips.

Well, I'm going to scourge you with scorpions.

So tell me,

who decided what to do with the people?

Who determined that the people should be treated harshly?

Well, he took advice from some younger people

but it certainly looks like Rehoboam is the one in charge.

He gave the decree and after all, he's the king.

Now we could be asking the same kind of questions about our country.

Who's decided that Fine Gael is in power?

I mean, we had a vote, didn't we?

Who determines what laws are passed

and how and when abortions should be carried out?

Well, it's the people, isn't it?

Because we all voted at the recent referendum.

And what about our church?

Right now we're in the process of appointing deacons.

Who decides who is a deacon?

Is it the elders?

Who determines what role and how they should serve?

Or does the church decide that?

Or is it the person themselves?

And think about your own life.

Who decides what college course you take

and where you end up working in your life?

I mean, we've all got the freedom to choose, don't we?

And who determines how you use your money?

And what you spend it on?

And where you go at the weekends?

I mean, it belongs to us

and it's us who pays the money over at the end of the day.

You see, we've all got freedom to make our choices.

We can all make our plans.

But, the purposes of God.

Rehoboam has determined and decreed.

After all, he's the king, right?

Well, let's look at verse 15.

So the king did not listen to the people,

for this turn of events was from the Lord

to fulfill what the Lord had spoken

to Jeroboam, son of Nebat,

through Ahijah, the Shilonites.

So again, let's ask the question,

who made the decision

not to listen to the people

and treat them badly?

Well, look closely at verse 15.

So the king did not listen to the people,

for or because

this turn of events

was from the Lord.

Yes, Rehoboam sought advice.

Yes, he made his choice.

But God determined

what should happen.

You say, how can that be?

Well, let's read on in verse 15.

For this turn of events

was from the Lord

to fulfill the word

the Lord had spoken

to Jeroboam, son of Nebat,

through Ahijah, the Shilonites.

Well, what had God said?

Well, have a look back

to chapter 11

and verse 29.

Because there it's recorded for us

what God had said

through the prophet Ahijah

to Jeroboam.

We'll pick it up in verse 29.

Solomon is still king

at this point.

Jeroboam had got sick

and fed up

with the latter reign of Solomon

and the way he began

treating the people

and he had rebelled.

So, verse 29.

About that time,

Jeroboam was going out

of Jerusalem

and Ahijah,

the prophet of Shiloh,

met him on the way

wearing a new cloak.

He'd obviously been to Debenhams

to buy himself

a nice new suit.

So, the two of them

were alone out in the country

and Ahijah took hold

of his nice new cloak

he was wearing

and he tore it

into twelve pieces.

Then he said to Jeroboam,

take ten pieces

for yourself,

for this is what

the Lord,

the God of Israel,

says.

See,

I am going to tear

the kingdom

out of Solomon's hand

and give you

ten tribes

but for the sake

of my servant

David

and the city

of Jerusalem

which I have chosen

out of all of the tribes

of Israel,

he will have

one tribe.

So, it's crystal clear,

isn't it?

God had said

that the kingdom

would be divided,

taken out of Solomon's hands.

We're not told

how that was going

to happen

but simply

that it would happen.

And God's purpose

was that Jeroboam

would have

ten tribes

and Rehoboam,

Solomon's son,

would only have

one tribe.

So, now

as we begin

to read chapter 12,

we can see

God's purposes

being worked out.

Rehoboam

is completely

unaware

of what God

had said

to Jeroboam.

He plans

to crush

the people

but in crushing

the people

it leads

to rebellion

and the rebellion

leads to

division.

You see,

through Rehoboam's

choice,

God's purposes

prevail.

The plans

of man

always

serve

the purposes

of God.

Now, our government

and the leaders

of the world

make choices

and decisions

all the time.

But what I want

us to be clear

about is that

they are only

serving

the greater

purposes

of God.

It's not saying

that every decision

they make

is good

or right.

Rehoboam's

plans were

clearly wrong

in the way

he treated

the people

and he will

be held

accountable

just as

every leader

of this world

will be held

accountable.

Just because

they serve

God's purposes

doesn't mean

to say

they're off

the hook.

God's sovereignty

never violates

human responsibility.

responsibility.

We will all

have to

answer to

God

for the way

we live

the choices

we make

and our

decisions.

But this

account in

chapter 12

is simply

there to

remind us

that we

are free

to make

decisions

and our

decisions

whether they

are right

or wrong

are always

always

determined

by God.

One author

Dale Ralph

Davis

has put it

so well.

He says

this,

human choice

never catches

God by

surprise.

Contrary to

our fears

human decision

making is not

running loose

but is on the

leash

of God's

sovereignty.

That means

that nothing

happens

in this

world

and nothing

happens

in our

lives

without

God's

say so.

More than

that,

every decision

of a nation,

every choice

of an

individual

is ultimately

decreed

and determined

by God

for our

good

and for

God's

glory.

The plans

of man

always

serve

the purposes

of God.

So,

the plans

of man

serve the

purposes

of God.

The second

big thing

we're going

to look at,

the plots

of man

surrender

to the

promises

of God.

You see,

we must

remember that

verse 15

is like

inserted

into the

history.

This is

the author's

interpretation.

It's written

for us,

the reader,

so that we

can get the

big picture

of what's

going on.

It's history

from God's

perspective.

For Rehoboam,

he obviously

didn't have

one kings

to read

and he

certainly

doesn't know

about verse

15,

so he

just continues

to plan

and to

plot.

Not

surprisingly,

verse 16,

when all

the people

saw that

the king

refused to

listen to

them,

they answered

the king,

what share

do we have

in David?

What part

in Jesse's

son?

To your

tents,

Israel,

let's get

out of

here,

we don't

want this

king anymore.

Look

after your

own house,

David.

So the

Israelites

went home.

they're

rebelling,

they don't

want this

king.

And as

far as

Rehoboam

is concerned,

this rebellion

needs to be

squashed and

quickly.

So,

verse 18,

King Rehoboam

sent out

Adoniram,

who was in

charge of

the forced

labour.

Here is the

one to

implement the

king's

decree,

to restore

order,

to fling

those whips

and get those

people in

line.

But,

verse 18,

all Israel

stoned him

to death.

King

Rehoboam,

however,

managed to

get into

his chariot

and escape

to Jerusalem.

He wasn't

going to

hang around

for any

questioning.

So Israel

has been

in rebellion

against the

house of

David to

this day,

to the

time that

it was

written.

So the

kingdom

divided

just as

God had

said.

Jeroboam

takes off

with ten

tribes,

and Rehoboam

was left

with only

one tribe.

But Rehoboam

is not

happy.

He wants

it all.

This is

his kingdom.

So he

begins to

plot,

verse 21.

When Rehoboam

arrived in

Jerusalem,

he mustered

all Judah

and the

tribe of

Benjamin.

So Judah

and Benjamin,

when it's

written,

is always

formed as

one tribe

or speaks

as one

tribe,

the tribe

of Judah.

So he

gathers

together

180,000

able young

men to

go to

war against

Israel and

regain the

kingdom for

Rehoboam,

son of

Solomon.

So now it

seems we're

faced with

two competing

forces.

We have

Rehoboam's

plot to

take back

all the

tribes for

himself and

to have

the kingdom

to himself.

And then we

also have on

the other

side God's

promise that

well Jeroboam

would have

ten tribes

and he

would only

have one.

So what's

going to

happen?

Well,

not only are

there the

plots of

man,

there is the

promise of

God.

You see as

Rehoboam

begins his

plotting and

his scheming,

God's word

rules.

Verse 22,

but this

word of

God came

to Shemaiah,

the man of

God, this

is another

prophet,

say to

Rehoboam,

son of

Solomon,

king of

Judah,

to all

Judah and

Benjamin and

to the rest

of the

people,

this is

what the

Lord says,

do not

go up to

fight against

your brothers

the Israelites,

go home

every one

of you,

for this

is my

doing.

You see,

God is now

letting

Rehoboam

in on the

big picture,

isn't he?

What we've

known all

the way

along,

because God's

word had

decreed it

and God's

word had

said,

Rehoboam

now begins

to see

what God

is decreeing

and what

God wants.

This is

my doing,

says God.

This is

my plan.

I ultimately

decide and

decree what

will happen.

I promised

that Rehoboam

would get

these ten

tribes and

that you

would only

get one.

I mean,

let's think

about it.

If Rehoboam

did go up

and fight

against

Rehoboam,

there was

only ever

going to

be one

winner,

wasn't

there?

Do the

maths.

Ten

tribes

versus one

tribe.

Who's

going to

win?

If

Rehoboam

went off

to fight,

he would

have ended

up with

no

kingdom.

But you

see,

God had

promised,

God had

promised

Rehoboam's

grandfather

David,

that there

would always

be one

tribe,

one

people,

that God

would preserve

because from

that one

tribe of

Judah

would come

God's

promised

king,

Jesus

Christ.

So God

ensures that

his promise

remains.

The plots

of man

always

surrender

to the

promises

of God.

Now how

does Rehoboam

respond to

what God

has decreed?

Well look at

the end of

verse 24.

So they

obeyed the

word of the

Lord and went

home again

as the

Lord had

ordered.

Rehoboam

surrenders to

God's word.

After all his

planning and

plotting,

he submits.

It may come a

surprise to us

because that's

not how we

started out,

but it's a

reminder of

how we should

all respond.

We can fight

God all we

like,

but we will

not win.

God will

see that his

word is

fulfilled,

because the

plots of

man always

surrender to

the promises

of God.

Of course

it's true that

men and

women have

always planned

and plotted to

do their own

thing, haven't

we?

We ignore

God and we

live as if

we're the

king.

This is my

world,

my life,

my money.

I will

decide what

I will

do.

In fact,

if there's

any threat

to our

sovereignty,

any threat

to our

self-rule,

we will

fight it.

Nobody will

tell me what

to do.

Isn't that

what happened

when God's

king,

Jesus Christ,

came?

Turn with me

please to

Acts chapter

Acts 2 · chapter mention

2.

Acts chapter

Acts 2 · chapter mention

2 in the

New Testament.

So,

Acts chapter

Acts 2 · chapter mention

2 is,

well,

Jesus has

already died,

he is risen

again,

he has poured

out his

Holy Spirit

and Peter

is preaching

to all the

people who

have gathered.

And he

gets to

the heart

of his

message in

verse 22.

So,

Peter is

preaching,

fellow

Israelites,

listen to

this,

Jesus of

Nazareth

was a

man accredited

by God

to you

by miracles,

wonders and

signs which

God did

among you

through him

as you

yourselves

know.

All these

miracles that

Jesus did,

all the

signs,

proves that

Jesus is

God's

King,

the one

with absolute

power and

supreme

authority.

The problem

is people

don't like

that.

It's a

threat to

their self

rule,

so what

do they

do?

Verse 23,

this man

was handed

over to you

by God's

deliberate

plan and

foreknowledge

and you

with the

help of

wicked men

put him

to death

by nailing

him to

the cross.

So,

who killed

Jesus?

Jesus?

Who planned

and decided

that Jesus

would die?

Well,

this verse

is telling

us that,

well,

they chose

to kill

Jesus.

They wanted

rid of

him.

But look

what it

says at the

beginning of

verse 23,

this man

was handed

over to

you by

God's

deliberate

plan and

foreknowledge.

God's

marriage.

You see,

their plans

to kill

Jesus

only served

the greater

purposes of

God.

Let's read

on,

verse 24,

but God

raised him

from the

dead,

freeing him

from the

agony of

death,

because it

was impossible

for death

to keep

its hold

on him.

You see,

we can't

fight

God.

We will

never defeat

him.

His purpose

to bring

salvation

through his

death and

his promise

to give

life through

his

resurrection

will prevail.

No one

can stand

against God's

promises and

God's

purposes.

Verse 36,

as he gets

to the

conclusion of

his sermon,

Therefore,

let all

Israel be

assured of

this,

God has

made this

Jesus,

whom you

crucified,

both Lord

and Messiah.

Jesus is

the risen

victorious

king,

who rules

over every

decision,

who determines

every act.

This is the

king who

planned his

own death

and plots

his own

resurrection

from before

time began.

The king

whose purposes

will not be

foiled,

and whose

promises will

never,

ever fail.

And how

are we to

respond to

such a

king as

this?

Verse 38,

Peter replied,

repent and

be baptized,

every one

of you,

in the name

of Jesus

Christ for

the forgiveness

of your

sins,

and you

will receive

the gift

of the

Holy Spirit.

The promise

is for you

and for your

children and

for all who

are far off,

for all whom

the Lord,

the God,

will call.

Surrender

to the

king who

died for

you.

Submit to

the king

who's

defeated

death for

you.

Do not

fight this

king,

but let us

live under

his sovereign

word.

Of course,

people still

fight against

God's king.

They will

not recognize

his rule,

and they will

fight against

you if you

are his

people.

Have a look

at Acts

Acts 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4.

Not long

after this

sermon,

Peter is

thrown in

prison for

preaching.

It seems

that those

who were

against Jesus

are also

against his

people.

But Peter

is released,

and we pick

it up in

verse 23.

On their

release,

Peter and

John went

back to their

own people

and reported

all that the

chief priests

and the

elders had

said to

them,

they had

said,

stop talking

about this

Jesus,

we don't

want you

to do it

anymore.

When they

heard this,

they raised

their voices

together in

prayer to

God.

Let's look

how they

prayed.

Sovereign

Lord,

they said,

you made

the heavens

and the

earth and

the sea

and everything

in them.

Verse 27,

indeed,

Herod and

Pontius Pilate

met together

with the

Gentiles and

the people

of Israel

in the city

to conspire

against your

holy servant

Jesus whom

you anointed.

They did

what your

power and

will had

decided

beforehand

should happen.

You see,

nothing can

stand in the

way of God's

purposes in

God's

plans.

And what

about these

people who

are now

threatened?

Well,

they cry

out to

the

sovereign

God who

is Lord

over every

ruler and

they remind

themselves that

even the

death of

Jesus and

the resurrection

of Jesus is

all part of

God's wonderful

plan.

Verse 29,

now Lord,

consider their

threats and

enable your

servants to

speak your

word with

great boldness.

Stretch out

your hand and

heal and

perform signs

and wonders

through the

name of

your holy

servant Jesus.

And after

they prayed,

the place

where they

were meeting

was shaken

and they

were all

filled with

the Holy

Spirit and

spoke the

word of

God boldly.

You see,

nothing was

ever going

to hinder

the preaching

of God's

word.

He's in

control.

You just

need to

read through

Acts.

The word

spread,

the word

spread,

the kingdom

expanded as

people came

to the

Lord Jesus.

So do

not fear.

Do not

fear the

outcome of

Brexit.

Do not

fret when

our government

introduces new

laws.

Do not

worry when

circumstances in

your life

change.

Jesus is

in charge.

Cry out to

him as

our sovereign

Lord and

ask him,

Lord, I

do not

know what

is going

on, but

I trust

that you

are in

control.

Enable

us to

keep speaking

your word.

Perform

your wondrous

deeds, because

God takes

every choice

that we

make and

the decisions

that others

make, whether

good or

bad, and

he uses it

all to

serve his

purposes and

his promises,

all for

our good

and all

for his

glory.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.