The Kingdom Splits, Jeroboam's Calves
[ READ ] 1 Kings 12:16–33
The Kingdom Divided
16 And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.” So Israel went to their tents. 17 But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. 20 And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah only.
21 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: 23 “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, 24 ‘Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives the people of Israel. Every man return to his home, for this thing is from me.’” So they listened to the word of the Lord and went home again, according to the word of the Lord.
Jeroboam's Golden Calves
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. 27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” 29 And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one. 31 He also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites. 32 And Jeroboam appointed a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. 33 He went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he had devised from his own heart. And he instituted a feast for the people of Israel and went up to the altar to make offerings.
16 And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.” So Israel went to their tents. 17 But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. 20 And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah only.
21 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: 23 “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, 24 ‘Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives the people of Israel. Every man return to his home, for this thing is from me.’” So they listened to the word of the Lord and went home again, according to the word of the Lord.
Jeroboam's Golden Calves
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And he went out from there and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will turn back to the house of David. 27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. And he said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” 29 And he set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one. 31 He also made temples on high places and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not of the Levites. 32 And Jeroboam appointed a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. 33 He went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he had devised from his own heart. And he instituted a feast for the people of Israel and went up to the altar to make offerings.
Pride tore the kingdom in two. Ten tribes looked at David's grandson and said, what portion have we in David, calling him the son of Jesse, as if the man's whole legacy could be shrunk to nothing so their rebellion would feel justified. That is how we do it too. We belittle what we are walking away from so the leaving feels smaller than it is.
Rehoboam did not help himself. He sent his tribute collector to the people, and they stoned the man in the street. He talked big when the kingdom felt secure and looked small the moment it didn't. The proud often swagger in prosperity and cower in trouble.
Then a word arrives from God through a prophet: this thing is from me. Rehoboam raised an army and stood down. 2 Chronicles says Rehoboam did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord. He never fixed his heart on what was right. A man who is not fixed will bend toward whoever is loudest.
Jeroboam got the North, and fear got Jeroboam. He worried his people would drift back to Jerusalem, drawn by the temple's beauty and the house of David's pull. So he built two golden calves and told the people they need not travel so far to worship. It looked like convenience. It was idolatry, borrowed from Egypt, dressed up as devotion.
A practical disbelief in God's sufficiency sits underneath every one of our treacherous departures from him. We do not usually announce we are leaving God. We just decide the inconvenient road to him is no longer worth the walk, and we build something closer, easier, ours.
Here is the truth underneath the whole chapter. Rehoboam failed his people through pride. Jeroboam failed his people through fear. Every king Israel would ever crown would eventually fail, because no man ever fixed his eyes on obeying the one true God, so pride and fear set in. We were never meant to find our savior on an earthly throne. We were meant to keep looking, past every king who let us down, to the one King who never would. Jesus did not build a golden calf to make the road easier. He became the living sacrifice, walking the road to Calvary, because no road of our own making could ever reach God.
- Mary Gunther
Rehoboam did not help himself. He sent his tribute collector to the people, and they stoned the man in the street. He talked big when the kingdom felt secure and looked small the moment it didn't. The proud often swagger in prosperity and cower in trouble.
Then a word arrives from God through a prophet: this thing is from me. Rehoboam raised an army and stood down. 2 Chronicles says Rehoboam did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord. He never fixed his heart on what was right. A man who is not fixed will bend toward whoever is loudest.
Jeroboam got the North, and fear got Jeroboam. He worried his people would drift back to Jerusalem, drawn by the temple's beauty and the house of David's pull. So he built two golden calves and told the people they need not travel so far to worship. It looked like convenience. It was idolatry, borrowed from Egypt, dressed up as devotion.
A practical disbelief in God's sufficiency sits underneath every one of our treacherous departures from him. We do not usually announce we are leaving God. We just decide the inconvenient road to him is no longer worth the walk, and we build something closer, easier, ours.
Here is the truth underneath the whole chapter. Rehoboam failed his people through pride. Jeroboam failed his people through fear. Every king Israel would ever crown would eventually fail, because no man ever fixed his eyes on obeying the one true God, so pride and fear set in. We were never meant to find our savior on an earthly throne. We were meant to keep looking, past every king who let us down, to the one King who never would. Jesus did not build a golden calf to make the road easier. He became the living sacrifice, walking the road to Calvary, because no road of our own making could ever reach God.
- Mary Gunther
[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ 2 Chronicles says Rehoboam did evil because he “did not set his heart to seek the Lord.” What does it look like to be fixed on what is right, and what happens to a leader who is not?
+ God had already promised Jeroboam a kingdom through the prophet Ahijah, yet he built his own system of worship out of fear. Why do you think a promise from God was not enough to settle him?
+ 2 Chronicles says Rehoboam did evil because he “did not set his heart to seek the Lord.” What does it look like to be fixed on what is right, and what happens to a leader who is not?
+ God had already promised Jeroboam a kingdom through the prophet Ahijah, yet he built his own system of worship out of fear. Why do you think a promise from God was not enough to settle him?
[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Is there wise counsel you have avoided because you already suspect what it will say?
+ Where has fear led you to build a substitute for something God has already promised or provided?
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Is there wise counsel you have avoided because you already suspect what it will say?
+ Where has fear led you to build a substitute for something God has already promised or provided?
[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, you are the only King who has never failed me. Forgive me for the times I have heard wise counsel and turned away because it was not what I wanted. Forgive me for the shortcuts I have built out of fear, the small golden calves that promise comfort and deliver nothing. Fix my heart on what is right. Teach me to seek you again and again, through your Word, in prayer, and among your people. Give me the courage to stand when others will not. Thank you for Jesus, who became the living sacrifice and walked the road to Calvary, to deliver me from my sin. Amen.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, you are the only King who has never failed me. Forgive me for the times I have heard wise counsel and turned away because it was not what I wanted. Forgive me for the shortcuts I have built out of fear, the small golden calves that promise comfort and deliver nothing. Fix my heart on what is right. Teach me to seek you again and again, through your Word, in prayer, and among your people. Give me the courage to stand when others will not. Thank you for Jesus, who became the living sacrifice and walked the road to Calvary, to deliver me from my sin. Amen.
[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
+ Who in your life is facing a decision right now and could use someone to point them back to Scripture, prayer, and wise counsel?
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
+ Who in your life is facing a decision right now and could use someone to point them back to Scripture, prayer, and wise counsel?
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