Stupidity vs. Sovereignty

1 Kings #12: an exposition of 1 Kings 12:1-33. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, May 3, 2015.

Intro:

I was just trying to be funny.  It was my first church.  Our first time together as pastor and congregation.  I was 25 years old.  Just a few months out of seminary.  I’m on the threshold of greatness (so I thought) as pastor of my own flock.  The question came, “What should we call you?”  I said, “Great One seems appropriate.”  I drove around for a year with a personalized license plate that read, “Great 1.”  “Who’s that arrogant jerk?”  “That’s our pastor.”  Probably not the best way to start off my service as the loving, humble pastor of that gracious fellowship.  Young people, in their first role in leadership often do stupid things.  We have a glaring example of that in our text this evening found in 1 Kings chapter 12.

Text: 1 Kings 12:1-33

Things are moving quickly in the story.
In chapter 10 Solomon is at his zenith.
It’s Israel’s golden age – he is at the height of his fame and popularity.
In chapter 11 everything changes.
Solomon loved many foreign women.
These foreign wives turned his heart away from God.
He built high places and participated in the worship of pagan gods.
So the Lord was angry (snorting mad) with Solomon.
He declared that he would, “tear the kingdom from him.”

Because of His covenant with David he would not do it during Solomon’s lifetime but during the reign of Solomon’s son.

Chapter 11 ends, “Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father.  And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.”

Chapter 12 opens and it doesn’t take long before God fulfills His promise.

12:16 -20 – And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David. So Israel went to their tents. 17 But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. 20 And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah only.

As we work our way through the 12th chapter we find that…

Thesis: The sad tale of Rehoboam’s folly, the division of the kingdom and the sin of Jeroboam makes it abundantly clear that man’s sinful, corrupt heart is no match for the Sovereign God.

There are three things I want to point out from our text.

  1. The foolish, arrogant boastful heart of man serves God’s Sovereign purpose.  (12:1-15)
  2. The heart of man fights God’s purpose until brought in humility to surrender to the Word of God.  (12:16-24)
  3. When driven to preserve one’s own agenda the heart of man constructs a religion to serve his own corrupt purpose.  (12:25-33)

Conclusion:
Jeroboam had been given a wonderful promise from God.
The same as was given to Solomon – follow me and I will establish you.
Jeroboam did think he could trust God to fulfill his promise so he sought to secure it himself.

We all know politicians are not above using religion to further their own ends.
But such sin is not the sole possession of politicians – we all are guilty.
Thus Calvin said the heart of man is an idol factory!

This chapter and its sad tale is a vivid reminder of the wicked, desperate heart of man.  Our only hope is to throw ourselves on the mercy of God in Christ.  To trust Christ and him alone.  To cling to the promise of God.

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