The Reigns of Jeroboam & Rehoboam

During the time of the divided kingdom, 20 kings reigned in both the north and the south. Heading the list of those reigning in the north, prior to the Assyrian captivity in 722 B.C., was Jeroboam. Neither he, nor the 19 kings who followed him, were of godly character. Rehoboam was the lead-off king for the southern kingdom through which the Davidic line would continue.

The southern kingdom benefited somewhat from having a few godly kings in the mix of the twenty who led them before they too were led off into captivity. Their first of three deportations to Babylon occurred in 605 B.C..

Jeroboam demonstrated the hardness of his sinful character by remaining unmoved and unchanged even after observing the death of a prophet for his disobedience. A good reminder to us, there are no excuses for God's people believing a lie - no matter its source - when it contradicts His Word.

In the south, Rehoboam reignd 17 years, doing evil in God's sight as he too indulged in idolatry. Even though he started out well, he did not finish well. Experiencing the consequences of judgment fail to have been enough to have brought either king back to the Lord. The kings and their kingdoms forsake the Lord so trouble comes upon them.

Valuable lessons we can learn from these accounts include:

1. God's Word is the bottom line.
2. Corrupt worship brings condemnation.
3. Godliness requires obedience.
4. Obedience requires consistency and perseverance to finish well.
5. Beware of temptation - particularly the second time it comes around.
6. God's control means we can have tranquility in the midst of trouble.