The
kingdom has been divided into two kingdoms, northern (Israel) and southern
(Judah). Rehoboam, Solomon’s son reigns in the south and Jeroboam in the north.
Jeroboam turns away from the Lord and completely disobeys his commands. “But
you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for
yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me
behind your back” (14:9) So God prophesies through the prophet Ahijah what will
happen to Israel: “The Lord will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the
water, and root up Israel out of this good land that he gave to their fathers
and scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherim,
provoking the Lord to anger. And he will give Israel up because of the sins of
Jeroboam, which he sinned and made Israel to sin.” (14:15-16) Because of the
sins of Jeroboam God will send Israel away into Babylonian captivity, some 200
years later in 722 b.c. There will
be 17 more kings of the northern kingdom (by my quick count), but because of
the very first one their doom is sealed.
What
a sad and terrible tragedy. To think that one leaders sins can have such
far-reaching consequences. If only the people had collectively and continually
humbled themselves before the Lord and cried out to him for forgiveness and
walked faithfully before him. Would God have relented and allowed them to
remain? We will never know, will we.
All
of this prompts me to think of the condition of our nation today and the
desperate need of spiritual awakening to come to us. We are a sinful nation.
The wrath of God is evident in the horrible sins that are taking place
continually. It may be too late, but our only hope is to cry out to God for him
to sovereignly bring a spiritual awakening to this land…for his glory alone.
Brothers, let’s pray. Let’s join our hearts in One Cry with others across this land.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we humbly ask that you send revival. We ask that you burden
your people with hunger for spiritual awakening. We pray, Father, that if it
could be according to your will that you would turn this nation to you. Help
us, Lord, we pray.
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