Old Testament # 27
The Influence of Wicked and Righteous Leaders
1 Kings 12–14; 2 Chronicles 17; 20
Introduction
I thought I would find us a readable chart of the divided Kingdom after Solomon since it gets a bit complicated sorting out who is what over which. Staying on the frivolous! Did you know that some large wine/champagne bottles are named after Biblical kings?
You may have read that as of January 2019 a new curriculum is being introduced to Sunday School. Come Follow Me for adults will focus on the New Testament but will be presented in a different format, along the lines of that program followed by the youth for a few years and this year in the third hour. As more information becomes available, I will attempt to include it in this blog.
Getting back to this week’s lesson, David and Solomon manage to create and maintain a united Israel, but, especially with Solomon, backsliding into idol worship let the way to schism. We don’t hear a lot from the prophets in this section of the Old Testament. As you know, the Hebrew Bible is divided into three sections which is why it is called the Tanakh: Torah (“Teaching”, also known as the Five Books of Moses), Nevi'im (“Prophets”) and Ketuvim (“Writings”)—hence TaNaKh.[1]We straddle the Prophets and Writings section in this week’s lesson. But we have heard briefly from prophets such as Nathan, and now Ahijah enters the scene.
1. The kingdom of Israel is divided, primarily because of Rehoboam’s harsh leadership.1 Kings 12:1–20.
The old adage “a new broom sweeps clean” does not necessarily signify a good thing. With Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam rightly seeks advice from his father’s counselors, including Jereboam, and they give it wisely. But then he goes to his friends, people his own age without the experience his father’s counselors had. It seems to me that his friends came from the same philosophy as King Noah and most of his priests. Compare the two sets of advice, first from the wise men and Jereboam:
And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people? And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever (2 Chronicles 10:6–7)
And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee (1 Kings 12:3–4).
Now from the young men:
But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter? And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins. And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions (1 Kings 12:8–11).
Regrettably he followed the latter, and Israel went back home vowing not to follow him. As with Samuel anointing David long before he succeeded Saul, so Ahijah the prophet came to Jereboam, one of Solomon’s 12 counselors to foretell and inform him of the consequences of Rehoboam’s decision (1 Kings 11: 29–31).
2. Jeroboam and Rehoboam lead their kingdoms into idolatry.1 Kings 12:25–33; 13:33–34; 14:14–16, 21–24.
So now we have the southern Kingdom of Judah (inc. Benjamin), led by Rehoboam and based in Jerusalem, and the northern Kingdom of Israel (10 tribes) let by Jeroboam and based in Samaria principally. So I am asking myself, why did Jeroboam stray? He had the advice he had given to Rehoboam and the mandate from a prophet. Instead of consulting with the Lord, even through his prophet if not directly, he was fearful that if his people went to Jerusalem to the temple to worship, they would defect to Rehoboam, so what did he do? Well he built “high places” and golden calves for them to worship without having to travel. Idol worship! When you focus on the wrong things, everything goes wrong. And for Jeroboam, things went badly wrong. His son got sick—read 1 Kings 14 to find out what Ahijah prophesied and then the fulfilment in 2 Kings 17.
Predictably, Rehoboam did no better.
3. Jehoshaphat leads the kingdom of Judah to follow the Lord and His prophets. 2 Chronicles 17:1–10; 20:1–30.
Things do get better for a little bit though but not until three generations later. Jehoshaphat destroys the idol-worship “high places” and reinstates study of the Torah. The manual has a great quote from President Benson on the impact a regular, consistent study of the scriptures can have on individuals and families.
Often we spend great effort in trying to increase the activity levels in our stakes. We work diligently to raise the percentages of those attending sacrament meetings. We labor to get a higher percentage of our young men on missions. We strive to improve the numbers of those marrying in the temple. All of these are commendable efforts and important to the growth of the kingdom. But when individual members and families immerse themselves in the scriptures regularly and consistently, these other areas of activity will automatically come. Testimonies will increase. Commitment will be strengthened. Families will be fortified. Personal revelation will flow (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson[1988], 44).
But then Jehoshaphat and his people are in mortal danger. Here is Elder Hales:
King Jehoshaphat had several great armies coming to battle with him in an attempt to possess his land. Understandably, he was seized with dreadful fear, so he proclaimed a fast throughout all his kingdom and gathered the people of Judah together to plead for guidance from the Lord. Jehoshaphat humbly and earnestly prayed: “O our God, … we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee” (2 Chr. 20:12). Then came the answer of the Lord through the prophet Jahaziel: “Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. … “Fear not, nor be dismayed; … for the Lord will be with you” (2 Chr. 20:15, 17). Jehoshaphat and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell in thankful prayer before the Lord. Jehoshaphat then gave very important counsel that we today would do well to obey. Indeed, just as the people of Judah, our lives may depend upon it—even our eternal lives: “Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper” (2 Chr. 20:20; emphasis added). As promised, the Lord protected the good people of Judah. As Jehoshaphat’s forces looked on, those armies which came to battle against them fought so fiercely among themselves that they completely destroyed one another before they ever reached the people of Judah. Listen to a prophet’s voice and obey. There is safety in following the living prophet.[2]
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