1 Kings 12:22-31 (NKJV)
“This Thing is From Me”
June 25, 2023
God’s sovereignty is defined by his omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. He is all-knowing, ever-present and all-powerful. Nothing that happens within our world is hidden from God's view or outside of God's provision for rescue. The world’s upheaval that includes pandemics and devastating wars, economic downturn, and our personal suffering, struggles or brokenness have not escaped God's attention and can only be answered by His presence, knowledge, and power. The doctrine of God’s sovereignty is despised by the natural mind. Human pride loathes the suggestion that God orders everything, controls everything, and rules over everything. The carnal mind, burning with enmity against God, abhors the biblical teaching that nothing comes to pass except according to His eternal decrees. Psalm 103 says, “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His Kingdom rules over all”. God is in control of all things and rules over all things. A powerful provision for us in the Christian life is the knowledge of God’s sovereignty. There is no greater comfort than knowing that our Lord is sovereign over everything. We are reminded of this truth time and time again in Scripture for it says in Psalm 93 says, “The Lord reigns; He is robed in majesty; He has put on strength as His belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.” In moments of never-ending chaos and darkness, knowing that I serve a God who can never be shaken brings me immediate comfort and peace. It is the only hope we can find within our text today. Knowing without a shadow of doubt that God said, “This thing is from Me.” I bring your attention to the worst time in Israel’s history. For God gives one of the harshest rebukes we will ever read, “You have done more evil than all who lived before you.” —1 Kings 14:9. Today our lesson begins with a divided kingdom; I want to preach about the Reign of two Kings, the Return of the Warrior and the Religion of the depraved.
The Reign - Chapter 11 ends very sadly with the death of King Solomon. He dies a disgrace and disappointment because he did not follow God as his father David did. And God tells Jeroboam the Secretary of Labor because of Solomon’s sin I will tear the kingdom from his son Rehoboam. When Rehoboam takes the throne, his first official act is to decree that though King Solomon was hard with labor and taxes, and I am going to be harder! "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!" He friends told him to be tough and they will respect you but immediately 10 tribes rebel and the kingdom of Israel is divided. They ready themselves for war and the only thing that calms them is the Word of the Lord, “This thing is from Me.” God chooses Jeroboam to rule the 10 tribes of Israel in the North and He allows Rehoboam, because of His love for King David, to rule Judah in the South with Jerusalem as the capital. But instead of obeying God, Jeroboam led Israel astray into blatant rebellion against Him. So rather than being blessed, his reign became a blot on Israel’s history. The Apostle Paul teaches in Romans 13 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God… Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. This is hard when we don’t like the ruler! You do what is good! Don’t do evil! He is God’s servant for your good. Sometimes God has evil servants, but you are still called to do good.
The Return - There was none who followed Rehoboam and the House of David, but the tribe of Judah and Benjamin. Just as the prophet said that 10 tribes in the North would be torn away from Rehoboam and only 2 tribes would stay in order to keep the line of David as God had promised. When Rehoboam sent his new Secretary of Labor to negotiate the terms of his government, they stoned him to death and send Rehoboam running back to Jerusalem. There he assembled 180,000 soldiers of Judah and Benjamin who were ready to fight the North. God said, “You shall not go up to fight against your brothers the children of Israel! Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me.” And they obeyed the Word of the Lord. ILLS: Many years ago, I found myself trying to drink my sorrows away at a bar in Chicago. My good friend called me on the phone and asked what I was doing. He said, “Larry, pay you tab and go home!” Jeroboam’s reign was supposed to humble David’s descendants (1 Kings 11:39) by splintering their kingdom, while still letting David’s line keep the city of Jerusalem, where God’s temple stood (2 Samuel 7). God designed the divide. God designed the disagreement, but He did not call for the destruction of either. Romans 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
The Religion - Jeroboam’s own voice is so loud it drowned out the Word of God. God said, “I’m dividing the kingdom” and the kingdom divided. God said, “I’m going to give you 10 tribes” and exactly 10 tribes follow Jeroboam. Then the Bible says in verse 26 that Jeroboam started to listen to his heart over the Word of God. Jeremiah 17 teaches that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?” John teaches that “if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things!” Jeroboam did not trust that whatever God gave him, God could secure it for him. This is the first time we see how political division can lead to religious division. So instead of listening to God he listens to his heart and then the advice of others. Here are the sins of Jeroboam! First, he said, “It’s too much for you to go and worship in Jerusalem” where that Lord has called you to worship. Second, he shows them 2 golden calves he had made and says, “Here are your gods. I’m going to put one in Bethel and the other in Dan.” These are the gods that brought you up out of Egypt! Third, he makes priests out of those who were not called to be a priest! And he caused the people to sin. But the Prophet Isaiah teaches, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” The Prophet Hosea 14:1 says Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity. The Prophet Zechariah 1:3 says, Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you,” The Apostle James 4:8 says Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. King David said, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” God’s love for us is greater than His judgement.
