1 - 25 - Secession of Israel
Rehoboam goes to Shechem Israel splits.
My notes: Even in David's time the northern tribes seemed ready to withdraw from Judah. The unreasonable attitude of Rehoboam toward them intensified the discontent caused by the oppression of Solomon and thus precipitated the establishment of a rival monarchy.
26 - 31 - Religious Rebellion
Jeroboam feared reunification of the divided kingdom through worship in the single temple in Jerusalem. To prevent this he encouraged shrines on the high places, and appointed false priests to supplement those of levitical descent. The golden bullocks he installed in two of his sanctuaries, though probably intended as bearers of the invisible Divine Majesty, quickly became occasions for idolatry. Thus Jeroboam caused Israel to sin, and sealed his doom and that of his royal house.
33
"Jeroboam ascended the altar he built in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the month in which he arbitrarily chose to establish a feast for the Israelites; he was going to offer sacrifice."
1 comment:
Well, things go downhill quickly. The Israelites pleaded to Rehoboam to lighten the heavy labor which Solomon placed on them (building the temple, palace, and restoring Jerusalem). Rehoboam consulted Solomon's advisors who told him that if he did this for the people they would always be his servants. He then consulted a group of friends his own age who told him to increase the burden and "show the people who's boss". Unfortunately, he took his young friends advice.
Jeroboam returned from exile in Egypt to confront Rehoboam. Israel turned to him as king. Only Judah remained loyal to Rehoboam. Rehoboam fled to Jerusalem and assembled 180,000 soldiers but a godly man made a proclamation for everyone to stand down and that all of this was God's plan; don't fight your brothers. Everyone listened.
Jeroboam shows his faults by making gold bulls for the people to worship. He instituted festivals for this and offered sacrifices himself (rather than letting priests do it).
Basically both new rulers are governing their own way rather than consulting God or revering God and their ancestry.
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