1 Kings 14 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study
1 Kings 14 Short Summary:
King Jeroboam’s son fell sick. He sent his wife to the prophet Ahijah to ask whether his son would recover. Ahijah prophesied a curse against the house of Jeroboam and the nation of Israel, and he told him his son would die. The second part of the chapter documents Jeroboam’s death and the rising wickedness of Rehoboam’s kingdom in Judah.
1 Kings 14 Extended Summary
WHEN:
Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, became king in his father’s place in 975 B.C.
Rehoboam reigned 17 years (1 Kings 14:21) in Judah, from approximately 975-958 B.C.
When the kingdom of Israel and Judah divided, the people of Israel made Jeroboam their king.
CHARACTERS:
Ahijah – A prophet of God. He prophesied Jeroboam would become king of Israel during the days of Solomon (1 Kings 11).
Jeroboam – An Ephraimite who was originally a servant of Solomon. God selected him to be king over Israel after Solomon’s death.
Jeroboam’s Wife and Son – We are not told her name, but her son’s name was Abijah.
Rehoboam – Son of Solomon and king of Judah.
WHERE:
Ahijah was in Shiloh when Jeroboam’s wife visited him.
Jeroboam, his wife, and his son were in Tirzah.
OUTLINE:
JEROBOAM’S SICK SON AND AHIJAH’S PROPHECY AGAINST ISRAEL (14:1-18):
Jeroboam’s son, Abijah, fell very ill.
Jeroboam told his wife to disguise herself, take a gift to the prophet Ahijah, and ask him what would happen to their son.
Ahijah could not see (bad eyesight in old age), but God revealed the identity of his visitor to him.
He told her he had “unbearable news” for her, about her son and about her husband’s kingdom.
Sense Jeroboam promoted idol worship and turned away from God, God was going to turn away from him and “bring harm” to him.
God cursed Jeroboam’s house, telling him that his relatives who died in the cities would be eaten by dogs, and his relatives who died in the country would be eaten by birds.
Only Jeroboam’s sick son would receive a proper burial. He would die when Jeroboam’s wife entered the city.
Ahijah prophesied that the nation of Israel would be uprooted from their land and scattered.
Jeroboam’s wife returned to Tirzah and her child died just as Ahijah had said.
JEROBOAM’S DEATH (14:19-20):
A record of the acts of Jeroboam was recorded in the “Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.”
He died after reigning 22 years. He was replaced by his son Nadab.
SUMMARY OF REHOBOAM’S REIGN (14:21-31):
Rehoboam became king of Judah at 41 years old and reigned 17 years.
Judah was ungodly under Rehoboam’s leadership. They worshipped idols and acted like the pagan nations Joshua had driven out of the land.
In Rehoboam’s 5th year, Shishak, king of Egypt, plundered Jerusalem, taking all the treasures in the Temple and in the king’s house, and the 500 gold shields made by Solomon.
Rehoboam remade new shields out of bronze.
There was continual war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.
Rehoboam died and was buried in Jerusalem.
APPLICATIONS:
How metaphorical the plundering of Solomon’s golden shields and the withdraw of God’s shield of protection of Judah.
This should instruct all civil leader and citizens that a country, no matter how great in the past, is vulnerable to almost instant collapse when they walk away from God.
Judah fell from world prominence in one generation.
Don’t foolishly believe God lacks the tools to repeat the pattern in the modern day.
Better to repent of sin in humility than to keep up appearances out of pride.
Rehoboam tried to keep up an appearance of success by recreating the stolen gold shields.
His lesser bronze shields may have fooled some people, but he would have been better off repenting and turning back to God.
The same is true for us, if you’ve sinned, confess it and seek God’s forgiveness, don’t try to cover it up just to keep up appearances with the church-folk.
