A Divided Kingdom

1 Kings 11: 30-35

30 and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 Then he said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes. 32 But for the sake of my servant David and the city of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, he will have one tribe. 33 I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molek the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees and laws as David, Solomon’s father, did. 34 But I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon’s hand; I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees. 35 I will take the kingdom from his son’s hands and give you ten tribes.”

For the sake of David, God did not remove the kingdom from Solomon’s hands.  He removed it from Solomon’s son’s hands.  Solomon’s son would suffer for his father’s sins.  

God took the undivided kingdom from the hands of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, and gave the majority of the kingdom to Jeroboam, a former servant of Solomon.

We think of our sins as being very local and not affecting anyone but ourselves.  We never think that our sins may harm our children.  But, our examples, bad and good, can have far reaching consequences for those around us.

For Christians, Christ is our example, our model for how we should live our lives and relate to others.  If we live as Christ lived, those around us will be lifted up and not torn down.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)