In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam became king of Judah, Sermons
I. IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE WILL OF THE REIGNING KING. 1. The principle of primogeniture was not considered. (1) Else Abijam could not have ascended the throne: for he had elder brothers, sons of Mahalath and Abihail, and we know not how many besides (see 2 Chronicles 11:18-21). (2) These were deliberately set aside by the choice of the king. The reason given for that choice is arbitrary. Rehoboam "loved Maachah, the daughter of Absalom, above all his wives," and therefore he "made Abijah, the son of Maachah, the chief ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king" (2 Chronicles 11:22, 23). (3) For this he had precedent. We have no proof that Rehoboam was not the only son of Solomon; but Solomon was a younger son of David (see 2 Samuel 3:2-5; 2 Samuel 13:13, 14), and was preferred before his elder brethren upon the designation of his father (see 2 Chronicles 1:13, 32-35). 2. Abijam represented Rehoboam by walking in his sins. (1) He recognized the God of Israel. This he did formally in his address to Jeroboam before engaging him in battle (see 2 Chronicles 13:4-12). So did Rehoboam recognize the God of Israel (see 2 Chronicles 12:10-12. (2) "But his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father." David never followed idols; but Rehoboam forsook not the sins of Solomon, and Abijam forsook not the sins of Rehoboam. (3) Their mixed worship was like that of the Samaritans of later times, who "feared the Lord and served their own gods" (2 Kings 17:32). If this was not worshipping other gods "before the Lord," it was worshipping them "beside Him" (see 2 Corinthians 6:16). Yet - II. THE CHOICE OF REHOBOAM HAD THE DIVINE SANCTION (ver. 4). 1. Primogeniture, therefore, cannot plead Divine right. (1) Else would not God have set aside the choice of Rehoboam in favour of his elder son, or rather, of the representative of the elder son of David? (2) David himself was a younger son in the family of Jesse. And if we go back to earlier times, Judah, a younger son, was preferred before Reuben, in the family of Jacob. Jacob himself was chosen to the prejudice of Esau, and Isaac before him to the prejudice of Ishmael. (3) God had His own reasons for confirming the election of Rehoboam, which, however, were different from those which moved the king. 3. God had respect to His servant David. (1) "Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord." He had no complicity with idolatry, but worshipped the one true God with pure delight. When away from the courts of the Lord he longed for them with vehement desire. What a worthy example! How it rebukes the half day worshippers of modern times! (2) He failed only "in the matter of Uriah." That was a foul blot. How sad so grand a life should have been so darkly blurred! (3) Yet "his heart was perfect with the Lord his God." For he heartily repented of that sin, and was forgiven (see 2 Samuel 12:18; Psalm 32:1-5; Psalm 51.) God giveth liberally and upbraideth not. 3. Therefore for David's sake Abijam reigned. (1) "That he might always have a lamp" - a man of his line. Abijam was a son of David by an unbroken male descent, and also by a female descent. "His mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom." Abishalom is written "Absalom" in 2 Chronicles 11:21. Maachah was the daughter of Absalom as Abijam was the son of David, viz., as being descended from him. Her father's name was "Uriel of Gibeah," who appeared to have married a daughter of Absalom, who left no son (2 Chronicles 13:2). She bore the name of her grandmother, who was" Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur" (2 Samuel 3:3). (2) Christ is the true lamp of David (see Psalm 132:17). For His sake the line of David must be preserved. (3) The lamp, too, must shine in Jerusalem. "God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up a son after him, and to establish Jerusalem." The Redeemer must come to Zion, there to turn away iniquity from Jacob. So before the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, and the family of David had lost their genealogies, Jesus came and became an expiatory sacrifice for sin. - J.A.M.
David kept my commandments... thou hast gone and made thee other gods. The people of God had left their God, and He had left them, so that Shishak, the King of Egypt, came against them; and though the Lord had respect to their humble prayer, and would not suffer Shishak to destroy Jerusalem, yet He brought them into subjection to the Egyptian king. Our text tells us the reason for this servitude: "They shall be his servants; that they may know My service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries."I. THERE ARE SOME WHO HAVE ALREADY CHOSEN THE SERVICE OF THE KINGDOMS OF THE COUNTLESS. We have many round about us who have deliberately chosen not to serve God, but to serve other masters. 1. Some choose to be the slaves of open sin. 2. There are many persons who are not the worshippers of vice, but they are the votaries of money-making. They are the slaves of the thirst for wealth. 3. There are some others who do not try to get much money, but they are lovers of fashion, lovers of society, admirers of the world. 4. Then there is another cult that has lately come up, which some have chosen, so that they have become the devotees of "culture." 5. I will only refer to one more class of those who have chosen the service of the kingdoms; these are the seekers of self-righteousness. This is an old-fashioned and very respectable deity whom many still worship. II. SOME SEEM TO BE PINING TO GIVE UP THE SERVICE OF GOD, AND TO GO TO THE SERVICE OF THE KINGDOMS. It is a strange thing; but this evil is always breaking out even among the people of God. 1. Some want to change out of sheer love of change. 2. Some want to be off to their idols, because of the outward aspect of the new thing. 3. Sometimes men turn aside because of their loss of joy in the service of God. They are not serving the Lord as they used to do; they are doing but little for Him. 4. Then there are many who are led to want a change from the service of God by the flagging of others. 5. There are some who turn aside because religion now has brought them to a point where it entails some extra self-sacrifice. III. THERE IS A GREAT CONTRAST BETWEEN THE SERVICE OF GOD AND ANY OTHER SERVICE. 1. If you are about to engage in the service of God, there is nothing demanded of you that will harm you. There Is no commandment of God which, if you keep it, will injure either your body or your soul. 2. Next, notice that there is nothing denied you, in the service of God, that would be a blessing to you. The promise is, "No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly" 3. Once more observe that in the service of God strength will always be given according to your day. 4. And all the while that you are the servant of God, you have a sweet peace in reflecting upon what you have done. As George Herbert said, when he helped a poor woman with her load, and men wondered that the parson of the parish should carry a poor woman's basket for her, "The memory of this will make the bells ring in my heart at night," so the service of God makes the bells ring in our hearts. 5. Lastly, there is above all this a hope of the eternal reward which is so soon to come. ( C. H. Spurgeon.) People Abel, Abijah, Abijam, Abishalom, Ahijah, Aram, Asa, Baasha, Ben, Benhadad, Ben-hadad, Benjamin, Dan, David, Hadad, Hezion, Issachar, Jehoshaphat, Jeroboam, Maacah, Maachah, Nadab, Naphtali, Nebat, Rehoboam, Rezon, Sodomites, Tabrimon, Tirzah, Uriah, UrijahPlaces Abel-beth-maacah, Chinneroth, Damascus, Dan, Geba, Gibbethon, Ijon, Jerusalem, Kidron, Mizpah, Ramah, Syria, TirzahTopics Abijah, Abijam, Abi'jam, Eighteenth, Jeroboam, Jerobo'am, Judah, Nebat, Reign, ReignedOutline 1. Abijam's wicked reign7. Asa succeeds him 9. Asa's good reign 16. The war between Baasha and him causes him to make a league with Ben-Hadad 23. Jehoshaphat succeeds Asa 25. Nadab's wicked reign 27. Baasha conspiring against him, executes Ahijah's prophecy 31. Nadab's acts and death 33. Baasha's wicked reign Dictionary of Bible Themes 1 Kings 15:1-3Library David's Sin in the Matter of Uriah. "And David said unto Nathan, 'I have sinned against the Lord.' And Nathan said unto David, 'The lord also hath put away thy sin; then shalt not die.'" The sin here referred to is that of David in the matter of Uriah. A strange and sad event--taken in all its circumstances and connections, it is without a parallel. But the circumstance most to be lamented, is that mentioned by the prophet, in the close of his message--"By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme." … Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects Asa Whether Christ is the Head of the Church? Whether it is Proper to Christ to be Head of the Church? Whether Obedience is the Greatest of the virtues? Whether Christ Died Out of Obedience? Whether Disobedience is the Most Grievous of Sins? Whether Predestination Can be Furthered by the Prayers of the Saints? Whether it is Lawful for Clerics to Kill Evil-Doers? Whether it is Becoming to Pray? Asa's Reformation, and Consequent Peace and victory Whether Vengeance Should be Taken on those who have Sinned Involuntarily? Redemption for Man Lost to be Sought in Christ. Question Lxxxiii of Prayer Kings Links 1 Kings 15:1 NIV1 Kings 15:1 NLT 1 Kings 15:1 ESV 1 Kings 15:1 NASB 1 Kings 15:1 KJV 1 Kings 15:1 Bible Apps 1 Kings 15:1 Parallel 1 Kings 15:1 Biblia Paralela 1 Kings 15:1 Chinese Bible 1 Kings 15:1 French Bible 1 Kings 15:1 German Bible 1 Kings 15:1 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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