THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST: Solomon's Temple (8)

The Destruction of the First Temple (b.)

1 Kings 11:29-39 - King James Version (KJV)

29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:

30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:

31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

32 (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)

33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.

34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:

35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.

36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.

37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.

38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

39 And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.

11: 29-39 in an illustrated prophecy, Ahijah tears a new garment into 12 pieces (v.30) to give a visible demonstration of how God would tear the kingdom from Solomon. 10 pieces (vv.31,35) were given to Jeroboam and represented the 10 northern tribes (the Israel in v. 37-38). Two pieces would be left for Solomon’s son and represented the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Benjamin was assimilated into Judah, so the two were often regarded as one tribe (vv. 33,36) called 'Judah'.

Note: We have here the first mention of that infamous and wicked gentleman by the name Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that made Israel to sin; he is an adversary to Solomon, whom God had specifically told (1 Kgs. 11:11) that he would give the greatest part of his kingdom to his servant, and Jeroboam was the man. Here’s a description,

· It was in Solomon’s wisdom that when he had work to do, to employ proper persons in it. He observed Jeroboam to be a very industrious young man, one that minded his business, took a pleasure in it, and did it with all his might, and therefore he gradually advanced him, till at length he made him receiver-general for the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Note, Industry is the way to promotion. "Seest thou a man diligent in his business, that will take care and pains, and go through with it? he shall stand before kings, and not always be on the level with mean men". Observe a difference between David, and both his predecessor and his successor: when Saul saw a valiant man he took him to himself (1 Sam. 14:52); when Solomon saw an industrious man he preferred him; but David’s eyes were upon the faithful in the land, that they might dwell with him: if he saw a godly man, he preferred him, for he was a man after God’s own heart, whose countenance beholds the upright.

11: 36 This is an revealing commentary on the fact that God will honor His promises to a person, even beyond his lifetime on this Earth. Though David was gone, God honored His commitment to him.

· Of his designation to the government of the ten tribes after the death of Solomon. There are some think Jeroboam was himself plotting against Solomon, and contriving to rise to the throne, that he was unstable and aspiring. The Jews say that when he was employed by Solomon in building Millo he took opportunities of reflecting upon Solomon as oppressive to his people, and suggesting that which would alienate them from his government. It is not indeed probable that he should say much to that purport, for Solomon would have got notice of it, and it would have hindered his promotion; but it is plainly intimated that he had it in his thoughts….

11: 37 The prophet Ahijah tells Solomon , Thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth. But this was the cause, or rather this was the story, of the lifting up of his hand against the king: Solomon made him ruler over the tribes of Joseph, and, as he was going to take possession of his government, he was told by a prophet in God’s name that he should be king, which encouraged him to aim high, and in some instances to oppose the king and give him annoyance.

e delivered his message to Jeroboam vaguely, under …cautious. The sign by which it was represented to him was the rending of a garment into twelve pieces, and giving him ten (vv.30,31). It is not certain whether the garment was Jeroboam’s, as is commonly taken for granted, or Ahijah’s, which is more probable: He (that is, the prophet) had clad himself with a new garment, on purpose that he might with it give Jeroboam a sign. Recall: The rending of the kingdom from Saul was signified by the rending of Samuel’s mantle, not Saul’s, (1 Sam. 15:27, 28). And it was more significant to give Jeroboam ten pieces of that which was not his own before than of that which was. The prophet’s message itself assures Jeroboam that he shall be king over ten of the twelve tribes of Israel. The meanness of his extraction and employment shall be no hindrance to his advancement, when the God of Israel says, (by whom kings reign), I will give ten tribes unto thee. Then He tells him the reason; not for his good character or deserts, but for the chastising of Solomon’s apostasy: “Because he, and his family, and many of his people with him, have forsaken me, and worshipped other gods,”