Biblical Prophets - Bible Study Online

As we continue our journey throughout the Sacred Scriptures, we find ourselves approaching a time when king Solomon had just passed away; and the prophesy that came from the prophet Ahijah that dealt with the division of the "House of David" is now starting to come to pass:

"But I will not take the whole kingdom from 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 observed my commands and statutes.

"I will take the kingdom from his so hands and give you ten tribes. I will give one tribe to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I choose to put my Name." (1 Kings 11:34-36)

But when it came to Jeroboam, his rule would come with some conditions that he must keep:

"However, as for you, I will take you, and you will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel. If you do whatever I command you and walk in my ways and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you.

"I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you. I will humble David's descendants because of this, but not forever." (1 Kings 11:37-39)

Here we have the twelve tribes now being divided into two Kingdoms.

One would be called the Southern Kingdom and the other would be called the Northern Kingdom.

The ten tribes that was ripped from the "House of David" had departed and formed what we would call the Northern Kingdom.

They also took the name of "Israel" with them.

Now this Northern Kingdom lasted for about 200 years before it was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.

The other two remaining tribes which were Judah and Benjamin made up the Southern Kingdom. Now the Southern Kingdom lasted for about 300 years before it was destroyed by Babylon in around 586 B.C.

So now here we are at a time period were the first ruler of the Northern Kingdom which was Jeroboam, had just returned to establish the kingdom and dynasty that God had promised him.

But instead of him staying dedicated to the one true God, he decided to create a different religion in the form of Calf Worshiping.

He did this, so the people that he ruled over would not have any reason to go down to the Southern Kingdom and continue to worship the one true God.

Well of course this angered the one true God, who in return sent a prophet from Judah to deliver a message to Jeroboam. Now this prophet, we are not told of his name, but that he was a Prophet that came down from Judah.

Now what's interesting about this event, is the fact that Jeroboam was dedicating his newly built altar when the man of God had came and confronted the altar where Jeroboam was standing.

Now I did type that right, it was the altar and not Jeroboam that the man of God was confronting.

Now this was not a timid kind of clash between Jeroboam altar and this prophet of God, but one that displayed a tremendous amount of courage.

For the Bible says that this prophet came up and cried out the message that God wanted Jeroboam and all that the altar he built represented to hear.

Now this prophesy that was given by this Christian Prophet of Judah was very powerful?

For it did not just state the events that were to follow behind Jeroboams actions, but it actually named the name of the man that was going to do it, 300 years before he was born.

Now after Jeroboam had heard this, he had stretched out his hand and pointed to the prophet of God, and gave the order for his guards to seize him. Upon doing this, his hand had shriveled up to where he could not withdraw it back.

Now after this had happen, Jeroboam pleaded with the Prophet, for him to pray to the one true God, so his hand could be restored.

This prophet decided to intercede for Jeroboam and prayed that his hand would be restored. After the Prophet had finished his prayer, Jeroboam hand was immediately restored.

Then afterward Jeroboam had invited this man of God to come home and dine with him. Jeroboam had also stated that he was going to give this prophet a gift as well.

After hearing of Jeroboam invitation and gift proposal, the prophet denied his invite and gift by saying these words:

Now obviously God did not want this prophet to partake in anything that was connected with Jeroboams idolatry and apostasy (abandonment and defection from God).

Also with the invite it would have been some form of payment for what the prophet had did for him in the healing of his hand.