1 Kings 12 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

1 Kings 12 Short Summary:

Rehoboam’s first move as Israel and Judah’s new king severed the nation. He heeded the advice of his peers rather than the sage advisors of his father. This resulted in the nation of Israel breaking away and appointing Jeroboam as their king. But Jeroboam was not the king Israel needed. He disobeyed the Lord by creating two golden calves in Bethel and Dan to divert the people from worshipping in Jerusalem.

1 Kings 12 Extended Summary

WHEN:

• Solomon, who died in the last chapter, was king over Israel and Judah for 40 years, from approximately 1015-975 B.C.

• Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, became king in his father’s place in 975 B.C.

CHARACTERS:

• Jeroboam – An Ephraimite who was originally a servant of Solomon. God selected him to be king over Israel after Solomon’s death.

• Rehoboam – The son of Solomon and the 4th king of Israel and Judah.

WHERE:

• Rehoboam was made king in Shechem. Later, Jeroboam made Shechem his capital.

• Jeroboam made two golden calves, one in Bethel and one in Dan.

OUTLINE:

• JUDAH AND ISRAEL SPLIT, THE BEGINNING OF THE DIVIDED KINGDOM (12:1-24):

  • The people of the nation gathered in Shechem for Rehoboam’s coronation.

  • They had a request of their new king. Solomon had asked a lot of the people (taxes, labor, etc.), and the people wanted Rehoboam to lighten their burden.

  • Rehoboam asked for 3 days to speak with his advisors.

  • First, he consulted the old advisors, those who served Solomon, and they counselled him to give the people what they asked for.

  • Afterwards, he consulted his peers, the young men who grew up with him. They told him to threaten the people and warn them their lives could get even harder under his leadership.

  • When the people returned to Rehoboam on the third day, Rehoboam heeded the advice of the young men and threatened the people.

  • When the men of Israel heard his answer, they were so mad, they split the kingdom, rejecting Rehoboam’s rule over them, and leaving him to govern only the tribe of Judah.

  • In anger, the men of Israel stoned Rehoboam’s task master to death.

  • Rehoboam gathered an army of 180,000 men of Judah and Benjamin to make war with Israel, but the battle never happened. God sent his prophet to Rehoboam and forbid him from making war with Israel.

• JEROBOAM MAKES TWO GOLDEN CALVES (12:25-33):

  • The people of Israel made Jeroboam their king.

  • Some time after Jeroboam was made king, he started worrying about his people in Israel going south to worship at the Temple.

  • He was worried their loyalty would shift back to Rehoboam and he would lose power.

  • He decided to make two golden calves, one in Bethel and one in Dan, and tell the people to worship there instead.

  • The people accepted Jeroboam’s idols and it became a great sin in Israel.

  • Jeroboam appointed priests who were not Levities, and he appointed a feast day, the 15th day of the 8th month, so the people wouldn’t travel to Jerusalem for the God appointed feasts.

APPLICATION:

• If you ever find yourself in a position of leadership or influence, serve well as long as God permits you to fill that role, but do not resort to sin to hold on to your influence.  

• God made Jeroboam king, but as soon as Jeroboam came to power, he started worry about losing it, and he resorted to any means necessary to keep it.  

• Our greatest concern shouldn’t be our level of influence. Our greatest concern should be serving faithfully in the season and in the role God has placed us in.  

• If God decides to increase our influence, so be it.

• If God decides to diminish our influence, so be it.

• Our goal should be to serve faithfully, and a love of power is detrimental to that goal.