Jeroboam not only carried the ten tribes away from the house of David, but he soon established other centers. He did not want his followers to go up to God’s center at Jerusalem, lest they should follow God’s king and own His authority. He therefore set up false gods in Bethel and Dan, and instituted sacrifices similar to those the Lord had appointed at Jerusalem. They were, however, planned out of his own heart and were hateful to God. We notice too that Jeroboam made priests of the lowest of the people, for when God’s authority is set aside, carelessness and the power of Satan soon come in.
How sad this is, and so soon after the wonderful reign of Solomon! What a failure man is in everything committed to him in responsibility. No privileges or blessings bestowed can keep us when our eyes are off the Lord. We are weak and helpless in ourselves, and how often the saddest falls come after the brightest days, because we are not watchful and dependent. Surely this was the case in Israel’s history.
But God did not leave Israel without a testimony at this time. He is never without a witness, and in spite of much failure in Judah, there was a man of God among them whom God could use to pronounce His displeasure upon that which Jeroboam had set up.
One day when Jeroboam was standing by his altar in Bethel, this man of God appeared and cried against it, saying, “O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.” It was a faithful and solemn word, not appreciated by Jeroboam, and especially when told that a king of the house of David would carry out this judgment. He therefore put forth his hand and commanded that they should lay hold of this faithful man of God. But Jeroboam’s hand which he put forth dried up, and at the same time the altar was rent and the ashes poured out as the prophet had said.
Before going on with our chapter let us learn from this not to draw back from the path of faithfulness to the Lord. He is able to protect His own, as He protected His servant here. He is mightier than all the opposition of the enemy — but He wants faithful sernts, not men-pleasers! May we ever be ready to do His will, even when we have to suffer for it.
When Jeroboam saw what had happened, he asked the man of God to entreat for him that his hand might be restored to him again. This the man of God did, and Jeroboam’s hand was restored. This was God’s grace to Jeroboam, for even though we are to be faithful in our testimony, we need to be careful that we do not fail of the grace of God (Hebrews 12:1515Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; (Hebrews 12:15)).
Jeroboam appreciated the kindness the man of God had shown, so he invited him to his house to refresh himself, offering him a reward. This was a test to God’s faithful servant, for the Lord had charged him not to eat bread or drink water in that place, and not to return by the same way that he had come. Sometimes when we are sent to deliver a faithful message, we are in danger of becoming too friendly with those to whom we are sent, and before we realize it we have become one of them. Then our testimony is gone.
ML 03/18/1956