From the northern kingdom, the story of Jeroboam’s golden calves has just been told and, now, a man of God cried out against those altars and the king who had had them erected. Jeroboam, for his part, stretched out his hand against the man and the king’s hand withered. The man of God prayed, and Jeroboam’s hand was restored. To the king’s invitation to come and live in the royal house, the man replied, “If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you. And I will not eat bread or drink water in this place, for so was it commanded me by the word of the Lord” (13:8-9). A man of principle!
An old prophet in Bethel heard of the man of God and invited him into his house. Initially the man refused but eventually gave in, and the Lord said to him through the prophet that he would die because of his disobedience in staying and eating in the land where he was. A man of principle but, obviously, not consistently principled. Jeroboam’s son fell sick and he entreated the Lord but God brought judgment upon the king’s house because of his idolatry and disobedience.
Back to the south, Judah, and Abijah reigned after Rehoboam, and he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord “and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father. Nevertheless, for David’s sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem” (15:3-4). Every year, we read these stories about men and their idolatries and disobedience and wickedness. So often we might despair but, no, the Lord will establish his King and nothing man can do can thwart his purposes.
Rejoice, the Lord is King:
Your Lord and King adore!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore.
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
His kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o’er earth and heav'n;
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus giv’n:
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice! -- Charles Wesley (1744)