1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,760 Speaker 1: Let us pray. Whereupon the princes of Israel and the 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: King humbled themselves, and they said, the Lord is righteous 3 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: second Chronicles twelve six. Dear God, in this moment, I 4 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: will not allow my legacy to be remembered through a 5 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: negative lens like the two kings in today's story. As 6 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: much as it remains with me, I will leave a 7 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: legacy worthy of telling my future generations about. I will 8 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: use whatever influence You've given me to influence those around 9 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: me to honor and to love You Lord with their 10 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: whole hearts. In this moment, I declare that my life 11 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: will serve as a lamp to point people to the 12 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: marvelous path of abundant peace and provision you provide for 13 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: your children to live in accordance to your ways. Even 14 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: when I make a mistake, I will be swift to 15 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: correct and redirect my steps. Thank you for never leaving 16 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: me and for always giving me another chance to become 17 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: the best version of myself. You are good, and your 18 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 1: mercy endures forever. My soul knows this very well. In 19 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: Jesus name, Amen, thank you for making prayer a priority 20 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: in your day. To learn more about the Bible, stay 21 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 1: tuned for today's story, brought to you by Bible in 22 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: a Year dot com the Legacy of Kings. In our 23 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: last story, we learned about the Man of God's disobedience 24 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: towards the Lord. He was tricked into eating among the 25 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: wicked city and ultimately devoured by a lion. Meanwhile, the 26 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:11,119 Speaker 1: country of Israel was descending into wickedness under the leadership 27 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: of Jereboam. In this story, we behold the two kings, 28 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: Jeroboam of Israel and Rehoboam of Judah, and the fates 29 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: of both men, as well as their legacies inspired by 30 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: the Book of First Kings. Hello, this is Jack Graham 31 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 1: with today's episode of the Bible in a Year. In 32 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: our previous reading, we heard about the Man of God. 33 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: He went to Jeroboam to deliver a word of condemnation 34 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,519 Speaker 1: from God for this king, who had turned to idol 35 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: worship and abandoned God's truth. On his trip home, he 36 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: had believed the word of a prophet who had lied 37 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: to him about God, and then he disobeyed the Lord's command. 38 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: This disobedience cost this man his life, as we'll here 39 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 1: in today's passage, The Two Kings and the Divided Kingdom 40 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: of his Israel will suffer the consequences of their own sins. 41 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 1: Will once more be reminded that the only path to 42 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: true success in life is by believing God's commands and 43 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: obeying him. Let's listen now to God's word. It was 44 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: late into the night. The clouds were thick in the 45 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: sky and blocking the stars from shining down on Israel. 46 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: The land was asleep except King Jeroboam, who was sitting 47 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: at the bedside of his son Abijah. The boy quivered 48 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: in his sleep. The sheets were damp from his sweat, 49 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 1: and he trembled from his fever. Jereboam stroked his son's 50 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: hair and patted his forehead with a damned cloth. He 51 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: could not stand to see the suffering of his son. 52 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: His wife was beside him, holding her son's hand. Jereboam 53 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: looked at her and said, we have no clue what 54 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: is wrong with him, or if he will make it. 55 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: You should disguise yourself and leave the city towards Shiloh. 56 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 1: There is a prophet named Ahija. He is the one 57 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: who told me I would be king long ago. Go 58 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: and ask him about her son's future. So the king's 59 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: wife departed towards Shiloh. She rode into the night, shrouded 60 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: under a cloak to hide her identity. She came to Shiloh, 61 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 1: where he dwelled. There was a small home in the 62 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 1: hills where he lived. The queen entered the home to 63 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,479 Speaker 1: find the prophet old and a crepit in his bed. 64 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 1: Ahija could not see in his old age, but he 65 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: was still attuned to the Lord's spirit and wisdom. Jeroboham's 66 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 1: wife will come to you pretending to be someone else, 67 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 1: the Lord told him, tell her only what I tell you. 68 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:45,479 Speaker 1: So when he heard the footsteps of the queen, he 69 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 1: called out, come on in, dear wife of Jeroboham, why 70 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: do you hide your identity. She was shocked to hear 71 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: him call out to her, and paralyzed by his insight 72 00:04:56,560 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 1: despite his blindness. I have disturbing news, he told her. 73 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 1: The Lord has spoken to your husband, saying I have 74 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: given you all you have asked for. I ripped the 75 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 1: kingdom away from the line of David and gave it 76 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: to you. But you are nothing like my servant David. 77 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 1: You have done more evil than all kings who have 78 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: lived before you. Since you have turned your back to me, 79 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 1: I shall bring disaster to your lineage. Your family will 80 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: die in the city streets and be remembered no more. 81 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: A few small tears fell from Jeobaum's wife. Her hands 82 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,279 Speaker 1: began to shake as she listened to the old prophet's 83 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:37,039 Speaker 1: speak curses over her family. Ahija got up from his 84 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: bed and held her hands. When you return home, your 85 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: son shall be dead. All of Israel shall mourn for him, 86 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:47,719 Speaker 1: for he is the only good thing to come out 87 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 1: of Jerebaum's life. He then released her hands. The queen 88 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,280 Speaker 1: stood up and began to leave. As her back was 89 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: turned to the prophet, he spoke one last thing. This 90 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 1: would prove to be the most serving news of all. 91 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: The Lord will raise up a new king to destroy 92 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:08,360 Speaker 1: your husband. He will shake Israel to its core, and 93 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:11,160 Speaker 1: it shall be whipped about like a log and rapids. 94 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: They will be uprooted and scattered beyond the Euphrates River. 95 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: Israel will feel abandoned because of Jereboam. Without a word, 96 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,039 Speaker 1: she fled back to the city. The child had died, 97 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: just as a Hija had predicted, and the rest of 98 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 1: Jereboam's kingship was marked with war. His reign was twenty 99 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: two years and most of his time was plagued with dysfunction, 100 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: idol worship, and needless conflict. Once he passed, his son 101 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:48,720 Speaker 1: Nada took over as king. We begin to day scripture 102 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: in the palace of King Jeroboam. He refused to turn 103 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 1: from his wicked ways, and his son Abajah now lay 104 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: sick in his bed. The king is desperate for answers, 105 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: but there are none. He then remembered a name he 106 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 1: had long since forgotten, Ahijah, the prophet who had spoken 107 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: God's word to him concerning the division of Israel and 108 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,880 Speaker 1: that the northern tribes would make him king. It's the 109 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: same prophet who warned Jereboam to keep God's commands and 110 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:22,239 Speaker 1: follow him, something else that he had forgotten long ago. 111 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: So he sends his wife to Ahijah and tells her 112 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: to disguise herself and inquire of their son's future. She 113 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: does what the king asks and enters the prophet's home. 114 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: His eyes are weak, but his spirit is still strong, 115 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: and he senses God speaking to him, telling him who 116 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: this woman is and to tell her only what God says. 117 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: Ahijah beckons her to come near, identifying her as the 118 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 1: king's wife. He then delivers bad news. God gave Jereboam 119 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 1: all he had asked for, but he turned his back 120 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: on God. He became a more wicked king than Israel 121 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: had ever known, and for this his family would come 122 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: to destruction. The sixth son would be dead when the 123 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 1: woman got back home, and Jereboam's rule would come to 124 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: an end and the people would be scattered. Jereboam's sins 125 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 1: would cause all of Israel to feel abandoned. And in 126 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 1: First King's fourteen verse sixteen, we read God's final words 127 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: to Jereboam's wife, and he will give Israel up because 128 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: of the sins of Jereboam, which he sinned and made 129 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 1: Israel to sin. When she returned home, she found the 130 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 1: son dead, just as Ahijah had prophesied, and all the 131 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,959 Speaker 1: people mourned the loss of this child. It was said 132 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: that the child was the only good thing to ever 133 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: come from Jereboam's life. What a sad commentary on the 134 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:50,559 Speaker 1: worthless legacy of this king, who had been chosen by God. 135 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: He had held such promise, but his name is now 136 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: ruined forever because he chose to follow after other gods 137 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: and give his worship to false God rather than the 138 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: one True God and to lead Israel to sin. His 139 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: reign was marred by idolatry and conflict with the Southern Kingdom, 140 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 1: ruled by Realboum Reobohm did not fare much better. In fact, 141 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,319 Speaker 1: Judah was even worse off. Under his reign. The people 142 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:24,680 Speaker 1: turned to idolatry and ritual prostitution. God's wrath burned against Judah, 143 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 1: and the King of Egypt invaded the land, pillaging gold 144 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: and treasures from God's House and the king's palace. The 145 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,679 Speaker 1: richly adorned temple Solomon had built was a shadow of 146 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: its former glory. God was judging his people for their 147 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 1: lack of faith and devotion to Him, but he would 148 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 1: not abandon them. Their future would be marked by much 149 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: conflict and only a few kings who followed God and 150 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: sought his favor. Much of what would come would be 151 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: evil kings who turned from God and with them the people. 152 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: These evil kings ruled, and the people paid the price 153 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:05,680 Speaker 1: for they all fell into sin and judgment. There will, however, 154 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 1: be glimmers of a future hope, a time when God 155 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:12,199 Speaker 1: would send the true and one mighty king that would 156 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: point Israel and the whole world to God. The father. 157 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: His name is Jesus and the promised Messiah and the 158 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 1: savior of the world. Dear God, thank you for what 159 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: we learn in today's reading, that you are serious about 160 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:33,839 Speaker 1: sin and will always judge disobedience. May we learn your 161 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:38,559 Speaker 1: ways and do your will and walk in holiness before you. 162 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 1: May we see that judgment comes upon all of those 163 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:46,720 Speaker 1: who reject you and believe the lies of Satan. Thank 164 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:49,959 Speaker 1: you for your son, Jesus Christ, the Savior, who came 165 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 1: into the world to give his life on the cross, 166 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 1: to die and to rise again so that we could 167 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: have eternal life, that we can turn from our idols 168 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:02,839 Speaker 1: and our old way and have a brand new life. 169 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:07,119 Speaker 1: And if you want this brand new life, why don't 170 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,680 Speaker 1: where you are right now bow your head and pray 171 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 1: a prayer like this. Dear God, I thank you for 172 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: loving me, for sending your son into the world to 173 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 1: be my savior. I believe Jesus that you died and 174 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: rose again, and that you're coming again from me, and 175 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 1: I trust you as my Lord and my savior. Lord. 176 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: I give you my heart. I will follow you by 177 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 1: the power of your spirit all the days of my life. Amen. 178 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Today's Bible in a Year podcast. 179 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 1: I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the pray dot 180 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: com app and make prayer and Bible study a priority 181 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: in your life. If you enjoyed this podcast, share it 182 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: with someone you love, share it with a friend, Pass 183 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 1: it on because this podcast can make a huge difference 184 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: in people's lives. I'm hearing wonderful stories of the impact 185 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 1: of God's Word as a result of listening to Bible 186 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: in a Year. And if you want more biblical resources, 187 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:14,559 Speaker 1: resources from God's Word that will enable you and assist 188 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: you in your walk with God, then be sure to 189 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: visit Jack Graham dot org. That's Jack Graham dot org. 190 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: God bless you. This episode is sponsored by Medicine, an 191 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: innovative healthcare solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing 192 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 1: quality