The Last Days Of A United Israel

by L. Burrows | Category: Lessons From The Last Days | Jun 1962

"Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house ... And all the children of Israel looked on ... and they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and gave thanks unto the LORD" (2 Chronicles 7.1-8).

Thus the divine record portrays the climax of the dedication of Solomon's temple, a day which undoubtedly marked the zenith of Israel's glory. Looking with satisfaction upon this scene God saw His purposes in connexion with the collective worship of an earthly people being realized. He had given the pattern of the house by His Spirit to David. In due course all the details of the pattern, including the order of the service of the house of God, were faithfully handed on to Solomon by his father, with the injunction that he should serve the LORD with a perfect heart and a willing mind (1 Chronicles 28). Solomon obeyed his father implicitly and the LORD, who had chosen him to build His house, prospered him until the work was finished.

The completion of the Temple in Jerusalem was marked by great gladness and rejoicing in Israel at the goodness of God. Nevertheless God, knowing the fickleness of men's hearts, warned Solomon of the grave consequences of forsaking His commandments (1 Kings 9.1-9). It has often been pointed out that, in the experience of those who endeavour to serve the Lord, the attacks of Satan are most deadly after some service has been accomplished for the Lord. In such circumstances spiritual pride can cause the downfall of the unwary saint. Solomon, in spite of his wisdom, succumbed to this temptation, and very soon he relaxed his diligence in keeping the commandment of the LORD and forsook his first love.

It is instructive to consider the mistakes made by Solomon and his people which culminated in departure from God and the division of the kingdom. They were

(1)Prosperity tempted them to spend their time and energies in fleshly enjoyment (1 Kings 4.20-28).

(2)Solomon assembled a great number of horses in direct opposition to God's commandment (Deuteronomy 17.16).

(3)He married foreign women (1 Kings 11.1).

(4)Although God had forbidden the multiplying of wives and the accumulation of silver and gold (Deuteronomy 17. 17), Solomon ignored this commandment also (1 Kings 11.1-4).

Solomon had begun well. He had loved the LORD and walked in the ways of David his father, but he failed to endure faithfully to the end. It seems that there was a gradual decline in his spiritual life which finally resulted in the introduction of idol worship. Thus the reign which began bright with promise ended in utter failure. Solomon's bad example led the people astray and gave rise to evils which were not completely stamped out until the return from Babylon over 400 years later.

Rehoboam ascended the throne at the age of 41. Jeroboam, having already received the divine intimation of his future kingship, and having stolen away the hearts of the men of Israel, was quickly made the spokesman for those who wished to break away from the house of David. In spite of the great prosperity enjoyed by the nation for many years, there had developed among the people a deep dissatisfaction which was now beginning to find open expression. They had decided to submit no longer to the heavy taxes imposed by Solomon in order to sustain the pomp and luxury of his court. Now was their opportunity to bring their grievances before the new king. Their numerical strength emboldened them to demand a change of policy, and Rehoboam could not lightly disregard their wishes.

In the circumstances Jeroboam's request for a lightening of the burden of taxation was a reasonable one. The wise elders, who had stood before Solomon and had long experience in the administration of the kingdom, realized this and counselled moderation and humility. Only thus could the rebellious Israelites be pacified and the unity, which had been so painstakingly built up by David, preserved, Rehoboam, brought up in ease and luxury, refused outright to humble himself and serve his people. His folly brought disastrous consequences upon the nation. He had not learnt the great importance of humility, a lesson which the apostles in later times also found difficult to learn. As they argued about who was the greatest, the Lord Jesus said to them, "Ye shall not be so: but he that is the greater among you,... let him become as the younger; and lie that is chief, as he that doth serve" (Luke 22.26).

Having rejected this sound advice, the king had to look elsewhere to obtain support for his resolve to continue the pursuit of indolence and luxury. He turned to his contemporaries who had neither the knowledge nor the maturity of judgement possessed by Solomon's counsellors, but they were brought up with Rehoboam and there was a bond of sympathy between them. Consequently their pernicious advice was accepted without hesitation. Rehoboam's error is sometimes made today. Elders may at times seem out of touch with the realities of modern life and unsympathetic to the difficulties of their younger brethren and sisters. Thus their instruction remains unheeded whilst doubtful advice from one of more tender years is readily accepted. Any who may be tempted to err in this way should remember that scriptural truths are not learned quickly. The divine principle is that sound teaching should be handed down from elder to younger-Paul to Timothy, Timothy to faithful men, faithful men to others (2 Timothy 2.2).

On receiving the kingdom of the ten tribes Jeroboam was presented with a great opportunity. God had given him undisputed sway over the northern and major portion of Israel. Moreover He had promised to bless him and establish his dynasty. However, there were conditions to be observed which Jeroboam chose to ignore. He was to hearken to the LORD, to walk in His ways, to do that which was right in His eyes and to keel) His statutes and commandments (1 Kings 11.87, 38).

The sad story of Jeroboam's downfall began when he failed to hearken to the LORD, listening instead to a voice in his own heart (1 Kings 12.26). Setting aside God's sure promises, lie followed the dictates of fallible human reasoning as well as consulting ungodly counsellors. In order to discourage his subjects from going to Jerusalem to worship and possibly transferring their allegiance to Judah's king, he set up his own form of worship in Bethel and Dan, appointing priests who were not in the priestly line and ordaining feast days contrary to the law of Moses. Although it would be hard to dispute the logic of this policy, it was nevertheless a failure. The very means by which he intended to buttress his position became the cause of his destruction (1 Kings 13.84). God's thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways His ways. How often have men forgotten this! Looked at from a human standpoint, God's commandments may seem strange or impracticable, but the disciple who obeys them will discover that God works in mysterious and inscrutible ways to accomplish His purposes. But to disregard the will of God and rule our lives by our own unaided reasoning, as did Jeroboam, will end in spiritual ruin.

Jeroboam's subsequent conduct should be a warning of the depravity to which a man may descend once he has embarked upon a course of disobedience to the LORD. Although he had received God's promise concerning his accession to the throne and experienced its detailed fulfilment, this apparently made little impression upon him. God spoke to him also through the man of God who condemned the irregular worship at Bethel, prophesied the imminent destruction of its altar, and miraculously healed the king's right arm which had become paralysed by the judgement of God when he raised it against the prophet. It is strange that such remarkable happenings did not speak to the king to turn him from his evil ways. There seems to have been no response at all in his heart. We can only presume that persistent disregard of God's claims upon him had made him impervious to the message contained in such divine interventions. Not only did the northern kingdom's first ruler lead his subjects into evil practices, but his wicked influence persisted long after his death. The kings who succeeded him did the same things. Like Omri, who "walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sins wherewith he made Israel to sin" (1 Kings 16.26). What a responsibility lay upon this man's shoulders! We are reminded of David's words, "Lo, I have sinned, and I have done perversely: but these sheep, what have they done? let Thine hand, I pray Thee, be against me, and against my father's house" (2 Samuel 24.17). Assuredly God's hand will be heavy upon Jeroboam in the day when judgement is meted out.

We trust that the Lord may be speaking to each one through the inspired record of His dealings with Solomon, Rehoboam and Jeroboam. These men were spiritual failures because they closed their ears to the divine message. Let us therefore, in these last days, walk before the Lord in integrity of heart and in uprightness to do according to all that the Lord has commanded and to keep His statutes and judgements (1 Kings 9.4).

L. Burrows | Jun 1962
Lessons From The Last Days