1 Kings 14:1-20

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

Ahijah's Prediction that King Jeroboam’s Son will Die

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. God speaks to individuals in times of personal tragedy.

  2. God speaks to nations in times of national crisis.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Don’t compromise God’s message because of gifts.

QUESTIONS

  1. Prince Abijah, King Jeroboam’s son, trusted the Lord. How do we know this?

  2. Why are Sunday School ministries important?

  3. King Jeroboam had plenty of false prophets around that would gladly tell him what he wanted to hear. Why, then, did he go to Ahijah, the true prophet?

  4. How did the prophet Ahijah know the identity of King Jeroboam’s wife, even though she was disguised?

  5. What had Ahijah predicted before this to Jeroboam? What method did he use to reveal it to him?

ANSWERS

  1. “…because in him (Prince Abijah) there is found something good toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.” 1 Kings 14.13 The Lord knew the heart of this young boy.

  2. Because there are many young children trusting in the Lord, even though their parents may not be saved.

  3. Jeroboam knew that his false prophets would not speak the truth, and he wanted to know what would become of his son.

  4. The Lord gave him insight as to her identity as well as the coming death of Jeroboam’s son.

  5. He predicted that Jeroboam would become king. Ahijah’s new garment was torn into twelve pieces and ten of them were given to Jeroboam, representing the ten tribes of the northern kingdom.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Jeroboam’s son did not get sick by chance. God was giving Jeroboam a chance to repent of his proud and idolatrous ways. Jeroboam, known as the king who made Israel to sin, had been spoken to by the Lord through the illness and then the death of his son. Even the hardest of men sometimes soften when a personal tragedy takes them by surprise. But Jeroboam, in spite of this tragedy, did not listen to the Lord. He did not change his ways for the rest of his life. Refer to 2 Chronicles 13:20. Has the Lord spoken to you through a personal tragedy? Is He speaking to you right now? Are you listening? Or are you like Jeroboam? God speaks to individuals in times of personal tragedy.

  2. Not only would the dynasty of Jeroboam be brought down, but the whole northern kingdom of Israel would be removed. Both the nation and the king are held accountable for this coming crisis. Nineteen kings would come to the throne in northern Israel, but none would turn the heart of the nation back to God. The Lord would send prophets specifically to the northern kingdom, but the people would not listen. Finally, the Lord would bring on the armies of Assyria and they would strike Israel as a reed shaken in the water. Samaria and the northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. God is speaking to Israel right now. The secular state of Israel is facing a national crisis today. We know from end-time biblical prophecies that the national crisis in Israel will get worse before it gets better. But out of the nation of Israel will come a believing remnant of Jews who will prepare the nation for the Lord’s return. In view of our own nation and recent tragedies, is God speaking to this nation? Is He sending us a wake-up call? Are we listening?

CHALLENGE

  1. Jeroboam sent gifts to the prophet Ahijah, hoping for a message to his liking. But the prophet did not compromise God’s message because of gifts. He told the whole message, even thought it wasn’t pleasant to hear. We must do the same by not obscuring the fact that unbelievers are bound for hell, and that hell is a real place. Unbelievers use a number of tactics to try to get Christians to compromise this unpleasant message. Unfortunately, many Christian have capitulated in this area. Pray that you will stand firm by never compromising the word of God.

KEY VERSES

  • “Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick, and Jeroboam sent loves, cakes, and honey to the prophet Ahijah, to ask about his son.” 1 Kings 14:1-3

  • “Ahijah said, ‘Arise, go to your house. When you enter the city, the child will die.” 1 Kings 14:12

  • “The Lord will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water. He will uproot Israel from their good land which He gave to their fathers, an will scatter them…and He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned and who made Israel sin.” 1 Kings 14:15-16

1 Kings, Old Testament, TalksRon Reid1 KINGS 14:1-20