As we saw in the case of King Solomon, he chose well at the beginning and was blessed with many riches, power, peace, and wisdom to rule the people. However, despite all this, he became complacent and allowed his devotion to God waiver. God did not abandon him, but the consequences of his actions were devastating. His sons split the nation into two parts, just as God told him they would. The did not make the right choices to Honor God always as the younger Solomon advised in Proverbs and the older broken-hearted Solomon concluded in Ecclesiastes. How much more powerful are our actions than our words?
To Make Right Choices: Be Careful of Your Counsel
When Rehoboam took over his father’s throne, many of the people from Israel traveled to Jerusalem to ask he be less of a task master concerning taxes than had King Solomon. He first consulted the elders who had surrounded his father.
7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” 1 Kings 12 (NKJV)
This was wise counsel, but he chose to reject it and then turned to the young men who had grown up around him. Growing up around Rehoboam, they too would have been accustomed to affluence. Thereby, they were among the elitists who could not understand the plight of the common people.
10 Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you should speak to this people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist! 11 And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’ ” I Kings 12 (NKJV)
His own arrogance allowed him to choose the unwise counsel, rather than that which could have held his kingdom. Furthermore, he chose the counsel of men and not God. We have a wise counselor indwelling us whom we may ask for guidance. Also, when we seek human counsel, we must seek those who have proven themselves tried and true in their faith.
To Make Right Choices—Listen Carefully to God’s Call
30 Then Ahijah ….31 said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you 32 (but he shall have one tribe for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel), I Kings 11
God then explains why this is so.
33 because they have forsaken Me, and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the people of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways to do what is right in My eyes and keep My statutes and My judgments, as did his father David. 34 However I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, because I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of My servant David, whom I chose because he kept My commandments and My statutes.
Notice God in telling Jeroboam the reason for His actions, God is also providing a warning. Logically, if He would tear a part of the Kingdom from the whole, then certainly He can destroy those whom He has separated.
To Make Right Choices—Never Forget the Conditional Promises of God
There are both conditional and unconditional promises. This we must remember. Thank God for the unconditional promises of His Salvation for all those who by faith receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Also, I thank God that He has promised to transform my regenerate heart to one day look like HIS Son, Jesus. Which means, yes, I must walk through many refining fires and storms while being transformed. Yet, there are conditional promises as well. Below is an example of a conditional promise—the one God gave Jeroboam.
37 So I will take you, and you shall reign over all your heart desires, and you shall be king over Israel. 38 Then it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you. 39 And I will afflict the descendants of David because of this, but not forever.’”
But alas, God kept His promise. Jeroboam failed to carry out the conditions for this to stand. God made Jeroboam King over the Northern 10 tribes of Israel. Yet, Jeroboam did not trust God fully, nor follow the conditions God had commanded. Instead, He feared the people would leave his rule if they traveled to Jerusalem to worship God as God desired. So, King Jeroboam built two Golden Calves to establish worship in Bethel. Guess he forgot the Golden Calf was a bad idea in the desert and a bad idea now. Hence, the Kings in Israel were evil and went against God throughout the years that Israel remained a separate state.
To Make Right Choices—You Must Be Willing to Stand Against Evil
As Kings of Israel came and went, the evilest of all was King Ahab, who married Jezebel.
30Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. 31 And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 1 Kings 16 (NKJV)
So, God sent Elijah to Confront the King.
And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” 1 Kings 17:1 (NKJV)
There is a lot to write about Elijah, but he was truly a man of God who stood up against evil. God provided for Elijah throughout the years of draught. He protected him while allowing so many miracles to touch others such as the Gentile widow whom he blessed with God’s provisions of food and restored the life of her son. This made Elijah one of the earliest missionaries to the gentiles. but I digress. Ultimately, Elijah returns to confront King Ahab who wanted him dead. It is then God displays His power to all of Israel on the top of Mount Carmal. I urge you to read I Kings 18: 20-40. It is a fascinating display of God’s power and His judgment.
And What About Us?
How do we fight evil? In the power of God, putting on the whole armor of God as outlined in Ephesians.
13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.18 With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, Ephesians 6 (NASB).
Make the Right Choices to Honor God—Seek God First
Although the Kings over Israel were all evil since King Jeroboam failed to keep God’s Command; the Kings of Judah were some good and some bad. This was because of God’s Unconditional promise that the true King and Messiah would come through the lineage of David. Therefore, the grace of God would carry on through Judah. That made the individuals no less responsible; but, it does speak of God’s amazing grace throughout the ages.
So, among those kings of Judah that honored God, Josiah stands out as one of the greatest.
Josiah was eight years old when he became king… 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
When he was 26 years old, he sent priests to secure the money and restore the temple.
4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money which has been brought into the house of the Lord, which the doorkeepers have gathered from the people. 5 And let them deliver it into the hand of those doing the work, who are the overseers in the house of the Lord; let them give it to those who are in the house of the Lord doing the work, to repair the damages of the house— 6 to carpenters and builders and masons—and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
Did he know the treasure they would find? Perhaps not. But he felt compelled to seek God through this act of service in repairing the hours of the Lord. Sometimes it is that way when one first seeks God, unaware of all the truths. Just drawn by a thought.
Make the Right Choices to Honor God—Know His Word
Well, that act led to the next.
Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9 So Shaphan the scribe went to the king…. 10 Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king. 11 Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes. 2 Kings 22 (NKJV)
There before the truth of God’s righteousness, King Josiah knew the depth of his own unworthiness before a Holy God. Truly, he understood that all he and the nation deserved was God’s wrath for their wickedness. He knew he needed to fall before him in sorrow and repentance, that he might receive mercy and grace through the sacrifice of innocent animals. These being the portrait of the true Messiah to come: Jesus Christ.
Understand the Truth of Your Sin to make Right Choices
12 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, 13 “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” 2 Kings 22 (NKJV)
So they went to Huldah the prophetess
15 Then she said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to Me, 16 “Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants—all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read— 17 because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore, My wrath shall be aroused against this place and shall not be quenched.’” 2 Kings 22 (NKJV)
There is no atonement for sin unless one first understands the wrath of God against sin. Walking an aisle and praying a prayer does nothing without a heart of true repentance. Only when we like every Old Testament prophet fall Prostrate in utter despair before the feet of Jesus, we cannot be saved. Without the knowledge of sin, there is no way one can truly accept the gift of salvation.
What Do I Mean by that?
So often, the invitations are: “Do you want to be healed? Then come to the healer. Do you want your marriage to turn around? Come to Jesus who can restore your marriage.” All that is true, but too many come for the gifts then and not the Giver of the Gifts. Without a true knowledge of God’s wrath and the penalty of sin, salvation is impossible. Yet, King Josiah understood and hence this was the message to him
18 But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, in this manner you shall speak to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Concerning the words which you have heard— 19 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the Lord. 20 “Surely, therefore, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place.”’ So, they brought back word to the king. 2Kings 22 (NKJV)
Make the Right Choices: Remember Judgement is Coming
The Year of Our Lord is yet to come. He came to pay the price for sin to all who bow before Him in humble repentance for their sin. It is only through the precious blood of Christ that we can be redeemed when we acknowledge and repent of our sins, accepting His gift of salvation, knowing we cannot earn it ourselves.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ….41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25 (ESV)
Make the Right Choices to Honor God: Worship Him
Love the Lord Your God with All Your Heart. If you do this then you will always seek Him, pray unceasingly, read His Word, and desire to always please Him. When He becomes truly the Love of Your Life you will spend your time in His presence to worship Him always.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2024
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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New King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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