DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GOD RULES IN HISTORY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GOD RULES IN HISTORY

" After this event, Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but again he made priests from every class of people for the high places, whoever wished, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.  And this thing was the sin of the house of Jeroboam, so as to exterminate and destroy it from the face of the earth."  (I Kings 13:33-34)

God is sovereign.  He does what He pleases to accomplish His desires and His plan, even when it does not make sense to me.  There are many things in this history that I do not understand.  But the facts are clear.  God rules.

After Solomon died, his son, Rehoboam, reigned in his place.  But he was an unwise king.  He listened to his youthful advisors, rejecting the advice of the elders, and increased the taxes on the nation.  And there was Jeroboam  waiting in the wings for just the right time to promote his insurgency.  This was the opportune time to activate his plan.  The ten northern tribes joined in the rebellion, leaving Rehoboam with just one tribe – Judah.

Jeroboam turned out to be a bad king, promoting idolatry by making two golden calves for the people to worship and making priests of whoever wanted to be one, even though they were not Levites as God had ordained, and even making himself a priest.

Jeroboam became king of the Northern tribes of Israel because God appointed him.  This was all a part of God's plan.  God had told Solomon before he died that, because he had led the nation into idolatry, He would tear the kingdom away from Solomon's house and give it to one of his servants (11:11-12).  And God sent the prophet Ahijah to tell Jeroboam that he would be king of the 10 northern tribes.

Did it take God by surprise when Jeroboam turned out to be such a wicked king?  I think not.  God is omniscient, and knows the first to the last.  But He uses bad people to accomplish His purposes. 

The prophet Habakkuk struggled with this very thing – that God would raise up the wicked Chaldeans to bring judgment on Israel, who, Habakkuk acknowledged,  had sinned but they weren't as bad as the Chaldeans (read Habakkuk 1).  

The lesson is that God can use ungodly people to bring His judgment on a nation.  God judged the house of Solomon just as He had said.  And in the end, God did bring judgment on Jeroboam for His evil ways. 

It may not seem right to me, but God is God and whatever He does is right in all His ways and His wisdom.   When I don't understand God's ways and things don't make sense to me, I just need to leave it in God's hands. He will do what is best. 

Love, Dad