1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: Let us pray, howbeit I will not take the whole 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: prince all the days of his life for David, my 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: servant's sake, whom I chose because he kept my commandments 5 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 1: and my statutes First Kings eleven thirty four. Lord. Through 6 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: the life of Solomon and the listening of First Kings 7 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: and Second Chronicles, I now know the value of wise 8 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 1: and honest counsel. Therefore, I pray that there is never 9 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: a moment in my life that I am ever without 10 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: wise and God fearing counsel. When others around me seek 11 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: to give advice that is contrary to your wisdom and 12 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: your ways. Place people like Jerobaum in my life to 13 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: remind me to honor what you have entrusted me with 14 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: and to deal kindly with every one I come in 15 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: contact with. From this truth, I know your hand will 16 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 1: stay upon me and guide me as you continue to 17 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 1: expand and enlarge the tent pegs of my life and ministry. 18 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: In Jesus name, Amen, thank you for praying with us 19 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: to day. Continue your time with God by listening to 20 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: to day's Bible story brought to you by Bible in 21 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: a year dot com. 22 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:40,679 Speaker 2: The Kingdom of Israel splits. In our last story, we 23 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 2: beheld the vast wisdom of the philosopher King Solomon. Kings 24 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 2: and queens of old would seek him out and travel 25 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 2: long distances to glean from his wisdom. Solomon led with 26 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 2: great kindness and pursued peace with other nations. However, Solomon 27 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 2: had a weakness for women. He am asked to here 28 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 2: of hundreds of wives and concubines from other nations. He 29 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 2: immersed himself and lude cultures and sexual devians. Eventually he 30 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 2: began to worship foreign gods. Therefore, his kingdom was promised 31 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 2: by God to be split. Solomon died and left his 32 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 2: kingdom to his son Ria Boam. Now we peer more 33 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 2: into the inner workings of rebellion during Solomon's reign and 34 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 2: witness the heart of Riaboam. His pride and unwillingness to 35 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 2: heed the advice of his elders may end up being 36 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 2: his downfall. Inspired by the Book of First Kings. 37 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible 38 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 3: in a Year. In yesterday's episode, we heard about Solomon's 39 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:49,079 Speaker 3: fall from God. Though he was wise and wealthy, his 40 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,959 Speaker 3: heart sought his own desires. He disobeyed God and married 41 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 3: foreign women, hundreds of them, and with each new wife 42 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 3: he would give a bit of his heart to a 43 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 3: false God. His life, though filled with such promise, ended 44 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,519 Speaker 3: up in strife and sorrow. But God's grace was with him, 45 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 3: and in the end he turned back to the Lord 46 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 3: and praised the God of his father, the one True God. 47 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 3: Today we'll hear how dissension was already brewing before Solomon's death, 48 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 3: and how his son Raya Boam, his successor, would face 49 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 3: the consequences of Solomon's sins and his own prideful spirit. 50 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 3: Let's listen now to today's scripture. 51 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 2: The trees shifted slightly from the breeze. Crickets chirped, and 52 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 2: the subtle sound of babbling brooks could be heard among 53 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 2: the forest. In the darkness, a faint chanting could be 54 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 2: heard from the distance. Deep among the trees, Solomon stood 55 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:46,839 Speaker 2: in the mount of Olives, where his father would once 56 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 2: go to pray and sing before the Lord. His face 57 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 2: was illuminated by candles and incense. There in the coolness 58 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 2: of evening, Solomon worshiped the moabide God, Shimosh. Shimosh was 59 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 2: known as the Destroyer. He was said to be a 60 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 2: god that craved blood. The Moabites would often make human 61 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 2: sacrifices to Shimash to appease him. There, bowing before a 62 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 2: massive black stone altar, Solomon worshiped the Destroyer. His kind 63 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,039 Speaker 2: heart was being tainted by the evil that lurked behind 64 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 2: the altar. He sat among a darkness that would not 65 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 2: relent in its desire to destroy Solomon's soul. Solomon's idolatry 66 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 2: was well known by his officials. 67 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 4: They watched as. 68 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 2: He left in the middle of the night. They witnessed 69 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 2: his lust for foreign women. They saw his insatiable hunger 70 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 2: for exotic sex. 71 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 4: And idol worship. 72 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 2: Jeroboam, son of Niebat, watched as Solomon came to and 73 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 2: fro from the black stone altar. His bones shook at 74 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 2: the thought of Israel's king worshiping a god that required 75 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 2: human blood. Jeroboam was the son of a widow and 76 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 2: knew the hardships some had experienced in Israel. It pained 77 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 2: him to watch the the king shirk his faithfulness for 78 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 2: the sake of simple pleasures and dark arts. One day, 79 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:10,159 Speaker 2: Solomon was overseeing a rebuilding project of Israel's walls. He 80 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 2: took many of his men to aid in the repairs. 81 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 2: Together in the hot sun, Solomon and his men began 82 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 2: to reinforce the walls, building better beams and support systems 83 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:23,599 Speaker 2: to keep it upright. Solomon saw ria Boam work. He 84 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 2: was a capable young man, strong, and a good leader 85 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 2: among the rest of his men. Solomon decided to put 86 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 2: him in charge of the labor force from the tribes 87 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:37,040 Speaker 2: of Ephrium and Manassa. Jeroboam accepted the task reluctantly, Still 88 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 2: leery of the king, Jeroboam departed from Jerusalem to begin 89 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 2: his work. He passed some of the farm lands on 90 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 2: the outskirts of the city. The fields were lush and 91 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 2: ripe for harvesting, and the air smelled of wheat and barley. 92 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,040 Speaker 2: Along the way, the prophet of Hyjah stopped him in 93 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 2: the middle of the field. A Hyjah was wearing a 94 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 2: brand new cloak that waved gracefully in the breeze. Jeroboam 95 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 2: watched as a Hyjah removed his new cloak and tore 96 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 2: it into ten pieces. He watched curiously as the prophet 97 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 2: ripped the robe. He handed the ten pieces to Jeroboam 98 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 2: and said take these pieces of my cloak, for the 99 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 2: Lord is about to tear the kingdom apart. Because of 100 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 2: Solomon's idolatry. Ten tribes of Israel will be given to you, Jeroboam. However, 101 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 2: he will leave one tribe to Solomon and his descendants 102 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 2: because of his loyalty to King David. You shall rule 103 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 2: over all that your heart desires. Listen to the ways 104 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 2: of the Lord, and your dynasty will be established. Jeroboam 105 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 2: held the torn pieces in his hands, and from that 106 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 2: day forward he began the secret workings of a rebellion. 107 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 2: When Solomon caught wind of Jeroboam's favor, he sent men 108 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,919 Speaker 2: to kill him. However, Jeroboam fled to King Shishak of 109 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:57,799 Speaker 2: Egypt and stayed there for a long while. The days 110 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,279 Speaker 2: of Solomon came to a close and it was time 111 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,480 Speaker 2: for his son ria Boam to take the throne. All 112 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 2: of Israel gathered to make him king. He was ushered 113 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 2: in with parades and dancing. The news of Solomon's passing 114 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 2: spread across the land, for Solomon was beloved among every 115 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 2: surrounding nation. The news came to Jeroboam, who had found 116 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 2: refuge in the land of Egypt for a few years 117 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 2: he had amassed wealth and influence in Egypt, yet left 118 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 2: it to return to his people. He walked the city streets. 119 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 2: While many kings would have seen a thriving and flourishing culture, 120 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 2: Jeroboam saw laborers who were worked hard and taxed too much. 121 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 2: His days living in Jerusalem with his widowed mother had 122 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 2: made him compassionate towards the suffering and poor in Israel. 123 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 2: Together with a few of the elders in Israel, Jeroboam 124 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 2: approached the new king. He stood before him and said, 125 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 2: your father was a hard master at times. If you 126 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 2: lightened the load of labor and decreased taxes, the people 127 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 2: will love you and thank you. They will be your 128 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 2: loyal servants. Riabaum stroked his young beard. A certain air 129 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 2: of arrogance came off of him. It vexed Jeroboam. Riabaum 130 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 2: deepened his voice and waved his hand like a child, 131 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 2: pretending to be king. He held out his hands and said, 132 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 2: give me three days to think. 133 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 4: This over and come back for my answer. 134 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 2: So Jeroboam and the elders left. Riabaum gathered his father's 135 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 2: advisers and asked for their advice. How shall I respond 136 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 2: to their requests, he asked the eldest counselor of the group. 137 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 2: Looked among the men. They all seemed to be in 138 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 2: agreement that Riaboum should lighten the load for the people. 139 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 2: He bowed before the king and said, if you would 140 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 2: become a servant to these people, they will serve you 141 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 2: with loyalty and honor. Riobaum did not like this answer. 142 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 2: He had waited his whole life to become king. He 143 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:57,680 Speaker 2: enjoyed the lavish lifestyle of his father's riches. He enjoyed 144 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:02,199 Speaker 2: the fine wines, the gardens, the women, and the expensive robes. 145 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:06,679 Speaker 2: The last thing Riobouam wanted was to serve anybody. Instead 146 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 2: of heeding their advice, Riobaum gathered his young friends together. 147 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 2: They drank reveled and pretended to speak of the kingdom's 148 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:18,439 Speaker 2: greatest needs. What is your advice, he asked them. How 149 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 2: shall I answer these elders and servants. The young men 150 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 2: were filled with the same self importance as their king. 151 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 2: They responded, just as expected, here is how you handle 152 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 2: the complainers of Israel. Say this to them, I have 153 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,080 Speaker 2: more power in my finger than my father did in 154 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 2: his whole body. He lashed you with whips, but I 155 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 2: shall lash you with scorpions. 156 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 4: Riobaum laughed. 157 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 2: The cackles of his friends filled the halls. Three days later, 158 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 2: Jeroboam entered into the palace halls with the elders behind him. 159 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 2: Jeroboam was tall, strong, and held his posture in a 160 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 2: commanding demeanor. King Rioboam took notice of this and was 161 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 2: slightly threatened. Riaboh Beaum shifted upright on his throne to 162 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 2: seem taller. He raised his staff in the air and said, 163 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 2: I have my answer. 164 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:09,559 Speaker 4: The whole crowd was silent. 165 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 2: My father gave you heavy burdens, but I will make 166 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 2: them even heavier. Jeroboam's fists clenched at the sound of 167 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 2: his words. The king smiled and said, my father last 168 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 2: you with whips, but I shall lash you with scorpions. 169 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:31,439 Speaker 2: His friends laughed behind him, Yet the elders and Jeroboam 170 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:33,760 Speaker 2: were unamused, saying nothing. 171 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 4: They left the halls. 172 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 2: So the king was brutal to his people. His cruelty 173 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 2: and taxation increased, and his heavy hands stirred up the 174 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 2: people of Israel. An uproar began to ignite among the people. 175 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 2: They shouted in the city streets down with the legacy 176 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:54,079 Speaker 2: of David. They refused to work any longer and returned 177 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 2: to their homes in protest. Riobaum was livid at their disobedience. 178 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 2: He sent his and furrser Arneium to restore order in 179 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,199 Speaker 2: the city streets. However, he was stoned to death as 180 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 2: a message to the king. When Riabaum heard of this, 181 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 2: he hopped on his chariot and hid in the palace 182 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 2: of Jerusalem. From that day forward, the northern tribes of 183 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 2: Israel refused to be ruled by the descendants of David. 184 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 2: The ten northern tribes of Israel gathered together in rejection 185 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 2: of their king. They talked among themselves and decided that 186 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 2: Jeroboam should be their new king. Jeroboam accepted their offer 187 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:36,439 Speaker 2: and ruled over every tribe except for Judah. When Riaboam 188 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 2: heard of this, he amassed a great army of one 189 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:42,840 Speaker 2: hundred eighty thousand troops. He was ready to destroy all 190 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 2: of Israel in vengeance. 191 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 4: However, the Lord. 192 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 2: Spoke to him sternly, saying, do not attack your brothers, 193 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 2: for this is my doing. So Rioboam cowered in his 194 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 2: palace and ruled over the vast nation of Judah once again. 195 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 2: Israel was a split kingdom. Are no perfect kings. The 196 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 2: entirety of Israel pointed to the faithfulness of God to 197 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 2: work in imperfect people. Solomon, for all his wisdom and 198 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 2: tact as a king, fell prey to the grips of sin. 199 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 4: His sins trickled down into the heart of his son. 200 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 2: God would not excuse this, nor would he abandon Israel altogether. Instead, 201 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 2: God would weave Israel's goodness and evil into one tapestry, 202 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 2: ultimately pointing to his grace. 203 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 3: Today we begin with Solomon, who is still alive. He 204 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 3: has given himself over to his foreign wives and their 205 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,680 Speaker 3: false gods, and his wisdom and kindness seems a distant 206 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 3: memory to many. In the Kingdom of Israel, we also 207 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:48,679 Speaker 3: meet a young Israelite leader by the name of Jeroboam. 208 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 3: He was a dedicated and hard worker, but even as 209 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 3: he served the king, Jeroboam witnessed the conflict in Israel 210 00:12:56,240 --> 00:13:01,199 Speaker 3: and Solomon's harshness with Jewish workers. La was impressed by 211 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 3: Jeroboam and tasked him with overseeing laborers from the northern 212 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 3: tribes of Ephraim and Manassa. Little did Solomon know that 213 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,199 Speaker 3: this began to set the stage for a divided kingdom. 214 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:18,719 Speaker 3: One day, as he was working, Jeroboam encountered the prophet Ahijah, 215 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 3: who delivered a dramatic message to Jeroboam. He tore his 216 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 3: robe into twelve pieces to symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel, 217 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 3: and told Jeroboam that God was going to take ten 218 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 3: of the tribes away from Solomon's successor and give them 219 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 3: to Jeroboam. With this promise came a warning he was 220 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 3: being given charge over a vast number of God's people, 221 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 3: so he must follow the Lord and listen always to 222 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 3: his counsel. I can only imagine the weight of all 223 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 3: this news on Jeroboam. Surely he was both excited and 224 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:58,199 Speaker 3: fearful at the same time. Shortly after he received the news, however, 225 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 3: Solomon got wind of this threat to his kingdom and 226 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 3: tried to kill Jeroboam, who had no choice but to 227 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 3: flee to Egypt and hide. After Solomon's death, when Rae 228 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 3: Boam was king, Jeroboam felt it was safe to return, 229 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:14,680 Speaker 3: and for the sake of his people, that's what he did. 230 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:17,959 Speaker 3: His first order of business was to approach the new 231 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 3: king and appeal to him for the people. They were 232 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 3: being worked too hard and taxed too much, So Jeroboam 233 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 3: asked the king to ease their burden. Rayeboam's initial response 234 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 3: seems reasonable. He doesn't immediately deny the request or concede. 235 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 3: He asked for time to consider it. Then he seeks 236 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 3: counsel from the elders, and their response was a wise one. 237 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 3: If he will serve the people, then they will reward 238 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 3: him with service and loyalty of their own. It's the 239 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 3: kind of response Solomon himself would have given in his 240 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 3: younger years when he walked with the lord. Tragically, Rayaboam 241 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 3: wasn't seeking wise counsel. What he wanted was an end answer. 242 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 3: He liked one that stroked his ego. So in One 243 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 3: Kings twelve, verse eight we read this, but he abandoned 244 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 3: the council that the old men gave him and took 245 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 3: counsel with the young men who had grown up with 246 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 3: him and stood before him. So he asked his friends, 247 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 3: his yes men, and they gave him the response he wanted. 248 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 3: Show your power and don't back down. They said, in fact, 249 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 3: turn the heat up. It's a response reminiscent of Pharaoh's 250 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 3: answer to Moses, not of a gentle king who loves 251 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 3: his people, but that's the answer he gave Jeroboam and 252 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 3: the people when they returned. Rather than lighten their load, 253 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 3: he would pile on more. His plan to gain power 254 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 3: and respect by force backfired immediately. When the people saw 255 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 3: that he didn't care for them, they dropped their tools 256 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 3: and abandoned their work. Ray of Boam, rather than acknowledge 257 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 3: his mistake, tried once again to force the people to submit. 258 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 3: He sent an enforcer to put the people back to work, 259 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 3: but the Israelites stoned him to death in the streets. 260 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 3: At the end of the day, Ray of Boham was 261 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 3: left with only two tribes to rule, while the ten 262 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 3: tribes of the north made Jereboam king. And so, just 263 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:17,960 Speaker 3: as God had told Solomon it would happen, the Kingdom 264 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 3: of Israel was split in two. Jeroboam would now have 265 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 3: to remember Ahijah the Prophet's warning to follow God's commandments 266 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 3: and to seek him. How would he fare We'll find 267 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:34,280 Speaker 3: out in tomorrow's reading. Dear God, we thank you always 268 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 3: for your word, for it is light and life to us. 269 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:40,480 Speaker 3: Thank you for the lesson that we learned today, that 270 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 3: it is always right and best to seek wise counsel 271 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 3: rather than foolish counsel. Help us always to listen to 272 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 3: those who give us godly counsel, wise men and women 273 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:55,240 Speaker 3: who seek You and your ways. For we pray this 274 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 3: in Jesus's name. Amen. Thank you for listening to today's 275 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 3: Year podcast. I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey 276 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 3: dot com app and make prayer and Bible study a 277 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 3: priority in your life. If you enjoyed this podcast, share 278 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 3: it with someone you love, share it with a friend, 279 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 3: Pass it on because this podcast can make a huge 280 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:22,199 Speaker 3: difference in people's lives. I'm hearing wonderful stories of the 281 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 3: impact of God's Word as a result of listening to 282 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:30,160 Speaker 3: Bible in a year. And if you want more biblical resources, 283 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 3: resources from God's Word that will enable you and assist 284 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 3: you in your walk with God, then be sure to 285 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 3: visit Jack Graham dot org. That's Jack Graham dot org. 286 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 3: God bless you.