1 Kings 11:34 says, 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: After God told Jeroboam that He was going to give him ten tribes to rule over, He then said that He was not going to take the whole kingdom from Solomon's descendants because they were descendants of David also and David had remained true to Him. Of course, we cannot be saved because of our parent's faithfulness to God. Verse thirty-five adds, But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. Even though God wasn't going to take the whole kingdom from Solomon's descendants, He was going to give the majority to Jeroboam. If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we will never have our place in His kingdom taken away from us, but if we allow sin back into our life, we may have the gifts that He was going to bless us with in this world taken away and given to someone who is obedient to Him. Verse thirty-six continues, 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. God also said that He was going to give Solomon's descendants one tribe that included Jerusalem, because David was to always have a descendant on the throne. This promise was fulfilled with Jesus Christ and the promise is no longer about a physical location but is about the attitude of a person toward Jesus Christ. We can either accept Him as our personal Savior and Lord, or we will forever be outside the Kingdom of God. Verse thirty-seven states, And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel. God promised Jeroboam that He would make him the king over most of Israel and he would reign according to his heart's desire. I believe this meant in accordance with Jeroboam's covenant relationship with God, which should have led him to desire what God wanted for Jeroboam himself and the people of Israel. I do know that once we become a Christian that we are not promised whatever we may selfishly desire but are only promised what we need to accomplish God's work. I don't believe that God is ever going to just give us whatever we want just to fulfill our own desires, though some people may preach and teach that. Verse thirty-eight adds, 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. We have the "if" that comes with God's promises quite often. In order for God to make Israel great under Jeroboam as it was under David, he had to be obedient to God. If God is going to make us a great Christian or a great Christian nation, we must be obedient to His commandments. We are not saved by keeping His commandments, but once we are saved, that does not mean that we can ignore them. God's Laws will last forever. Verse thirty-nine continues, And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever. God also said that He would afflict the descendants of David, but not forever. Even though the earthly kingdom may never have been totally restored to a descendant of David, God's promise to him that one of his descendants would always rule over Israel, God's chosen people, was fulfilled through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, will rule forever over God's chosen people, which includes everyone who puts their faith in Him as their Savior and Lord. Verse forty says, Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. Much like Saul with David, when Solomon became aware that Jeroboam had been chosen to be the next king, he attempted to kill him. Solomon, one of the wisest men to ever live had not only started worshipping other gods, but he was attempting to defy God's plan for Israel. We may have all the wisdom in the world, but if we do not come to Jesus Christ by faith, we are the dumbest of people. Also, like David with Saul, Jeroboam had to flee until Solomon died. Like David, Jeroboam didn't just immediately attempt to claim the throne. We as followers of Christ are called on to spread the gospel to the world, but that doesn't mean that people of the world will always welcome us. As a matter of fact, they may attempt to kill us to silence us forever. Still, we must continue to live by faith in God no matter what. Verse forty-one adds, And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? Evidently, there was a book written about all the acts of Solomon that we do not have. I believe this is because this book likely focused on Solomon and not God's work through Solomon. I also believe that the things we do that are not for God's glory will also never be remembered. Verse forty-two continues, And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. Solomon had ruled for forty years, during which time Israel was basically at peace and prosperous, but for all his wisdom, Solomon had strayed away from God and started worshipping other gods. Even if we were to be in a time of peace and prosperity today, we must never stray away from God and start worshipping other gods. which can be anything that becomes more important to us than God. Verse forty-three concludes, And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead. Solomon died and was buried with David, and his son Rehoboam ruled in his place. Once again, as with Saul and David, we would have a man appointed king, Rehoboam, and a God appointed king, Jeroboam. Today, as Christians, we can have only one King, and that is Jesus Christ.
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