Brief Description Of Jeroboam
Israel’s 1st king of the divided kingdom.
Reigns 22 years during the days of Rehoboam, Abijam, and Asa(kings of Judah)
Spiritual State: Always Evil
Tribe = Ephraim
Parents: Nebat(father) Zeruah(mother)
Texts = 1 Kings 11:26-14:20, 2 Chronicles 10-13
His prophets = Ahijah and unnamed man of God.
Name = Let The People Contend.
The story of Jeroboam begins a little bit before king Rehoboam. Solomon is still king and he sees Jeroboam. Solomon is impressed with him because he was a “mighty man of valor” and “industrious.” So he makes him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. Since king Solomon has turned his heart from the LORD, the LORD has raised up adversaries against him. One of them just happens to be Jeroboam.
The LORD sends Ahijah the prophet to Jeroboam and lets him know that the kingdom is going to be divided. Ahijah says by the word of the LORD that Jeroboam will rule 10 of the twelve tribes.
The LORD even promises to prosper and take care of Jeroboam if he will walk in the way of the LORD.
1Ki 11:38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.
1Ki 11:39 And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.
1Ki 11:40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
So Jeroboam will be in Egypt until Rehoboam becomes king. We saw the reign of Rehoboam in the last episode. Rehoboam and Jeroboam reign at the same time as Jeroboam’s reign stretches out through the reign of Rehoboam, Abijam, and Asa.
So with that quick background information I’m going to give you 13 similarities between Jeroboam & the antichrist.
PROMOTES OTHER GODS
Jeroboam was afraid for Israel to go to Jerusalem to the house of the LORD. So he makes two gold claves(1 Ki 2:28). He says to Israel “behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.”
Notice that Jeroboam didn’t care if they worshipped a god as long as they didn’t worship the true GOD. The devil is the same way. He doesn’t care who you worship as long as God doesn’t get the worship.
The antichrist will want direct worship eventually. However I believe there will be a time when he promotes idols of silver and gold like Jeroboam.
Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
A wicked ruler wants you to worship something other than God because it is hard to control a God fearing man with convictions.
PERSUADES WITH CONVENIENCE
1Ki 12:25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.
1Ki 12:26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
1Ki 12:27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.
1Ki 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
1Ki 12:29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
Notice that Jeroboam is persuading them with convenience. He says “it is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem.” That is exactly what the devil does in the life of a Christian. He will tell you the Christian walk is too hard. The devil says “you already do enough.” He doesn’t want to make you better but he wants to make you worse. He doesn’t want you to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our LORD and saviour Jesus Christ.”
The antichrist will “persuade with convenience.” We are living in a world that is all about that very thing. The devil is quickly getting the lifestyle and mindset of people ready to serve the beast. The antichrist is going to have everything set up to where if you have taken his mark and worship him than it will be convenient for you while your here.
Rev 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Do you know how convenient it will be to buy, sell, clock in, clock out, start your car, enter your house, and do basically everything you do with something the devil puts in your right hand and in your forehead.
We already see the stage being set for it. When I enter my work place they scan my forehead for a temperature. When you enter certain places they require a mask or you can’t buy or sell. It’s not a sin to wear a mask and it isn’t a sin to get your temperature checked. At the same time though, do you see where it is headed?
The big shots of this world love to trick the little guys and into things by persuading them with convenience. They make them think they are taking care of them but they are really taking care of themselves. Jeroboam is no different. He didn’t want Israel to worship God and leave him for Rehoboam. He was protecting his own life.
HIS PRIESTS ARE FOR DEVILS
1Ki 12:30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
1Ki 12:31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
Not only did Jeroboam make his own “house” to worship in, he also made his own priests. These priests didn’t even come from the right tribe. God commanded that the priests come from the tribe of Levi. Specifically from Aaron and his son.
The same way God chooses men like Paul who was “an apostle not of men neither by man”(Gal 1:1), the devil also chooses men. Today there are people who are ordained to fight the gospel like Christian men are to preach the gospel.
In the “church age” we are currently in, we are called a “priesthood.” If you are a bible believer than you believe in the “priesthood of the believer.”
1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
This is something different than what they had in the Old Testament with the priestly tribe of Levi. The devil’s counterfeit today are the priests in the Roman Catholic Church. The devil has set up his own priests just like Jeroboam did to counterfeit the LORD.
During the future time of the end the antichrist will for a time endorse the Roman Catholic Church before he gets direct worship. You read about this in Revelation 17-18. The great whore is the Roman Catholic Church. The antichrist will have his pedophile priests. This is a counterfeit priesthood like Jeroboam had a counterfeit priesthood.
So Jeroboam’s “priests are for devils.” The Roman Catholic priests are forbidden to marry. Do you know what Paul calls this doctrine? A doctrine of a devil. (1 Timothy 4:1)
Partakes In Signs
1Ki 13:1 And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
1Ki 13:2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.
1Ki 13:3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
Not only does God send a young man of God to preach to Jeroboam but he is also going to GIVE SIGNS.
Jeroboam is going to be on the receiving end of this sign. The antichrist also has sign associated with his story.
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
The false prophet and antichrist will both have power to perform signs.
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Be careful about trying to look for a sign. Today we operate by faith and not by sight.
2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
Pushes New Times & Laws
1Ki 12:32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.
1Ki 12:33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
Jeroboam took it upon himself to ordain a new feast and make his own dates to do so. He did what he devised in his own heart.
The antichrist does the same thing.
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Prophets Are Against Him
1Ki 13:1 And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
1Ki 13:2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.
This young prophet is preaching against the altar, golden calves, and the horrible things Jeroboam has started for Israel. If you see the rulers of this world doing something and 90% of the preachers are against it than it is probably WRONG. How many Bible believing preachers do you know that agree with what is going on in this country?
The prophets are against Jeroboam. Two prophets show up in the time of the end that are against the antichrist. The antichrist hates them so much he has them killed.
Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Notice that Jeroboam also wants to kill the young prophet. He doesn’t but the young prophet ends up with his dead body laying on the ground by the end of the chapter just like the body of the two witnesses will lay in the streets.
1Ki 13:3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
1Ki 13:4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.
You have “signs” going on because in the Old Testament God is dealing with Jews that require a sign. (1 Cor 1:22) Here in 1 Kings 13 you have the sign of the dried up hand.
PAST FEELING
1Ki 13:4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.
You can quickly see that the king has no regard for the life of the prophet. He hates what the preacher says. He is willing to kill anyone who gets in the way of his wicked heart’s desire.
He doesn’t care that the message is from the LORD even though he knows it is. This isn’t his first run in with a prophet from God.
The antichrist will be the same way.
Dan 11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
During the days of the coming antichrist the sin of the world will be so dominant that the love of people serving him will wax cold.
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
When you get so far off into sin like king Jeroboam you begin to have unnatural affection. You will begin to be unfazed by the death of others, the torment of others, the sadness of others, and you won’t care about anyone but you & your sin.
PROPHECY OF THE DRIED UP HAND(arm)
So Jeroboam gets his hand dried up. The antichrist has the same thing happen to him.
Zec 11:17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
The antichrist will get a deadly head wound, then he will resurrect, and he will have a dried up arm and a bad right eye. This is why Lil Nas X advertises his “Satan shoes” covering up his right eye.
1Ki 13:4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.
Notice that Jeroboam’s reaction to truthful preaching is rebellion. You can tell so much about how a person reacts to hard, truthful, and negative preaching.
1Ki 13:5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
1Ki 13:6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
Jeroboam’s hand is healed just like the antichrist deadly wound will be healed in Revelation 13.
PRETENDER
After Jeroboam gets his hand dried up the thing the prophet says immediately comes to pass. It proves he is a true man of God. You’ll notice that Jeroboam asks help from the man of God. Deep down he knows where to go for help.
Your going to see how he pretends to be friends with the man of God because he thinks it will benefit him.
1Ki 13:5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
1Ki 13:6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
Many lost people come to church and talk to the preacher because they are in sorrow about how their life is going. However they just don’t have a repentant heart about how vile they are. They may turn over a new leaf but they never believe the gospel.
1Ki 13:7 And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.
Jeroboam would actually “TAKE HIS REWARD.”
Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
2Jn 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
I wouldn’t go home with Jeroboam either. He might try to touch me. A lot of these old kings were ok with the sodomites.
1Ki 13:8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
He wasn’t FOR SALE! Elijah tells Ahab that he sold himself to work evil in the sight of the LORD. The devil wants you to sell out to him. He said to Jesus Christ “I will give you all these things if you fall down and worship me.” He wants to give you something in exchange for worship.
1Ki 13:9 For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.
1Ki 13:10 So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
This story reminds me of Proverbs 23.
Pro 23:1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
Pro 23:2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
Pro 23:3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
Pro 23:4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
Pro 23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Pro 23:6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
Pro 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
If your going to eat during the days of the antichrist than you have to take his mark and worship him. If a person does this they lose everything when it comes to the things of God.
The antichrist is a pretender. He pretends to be for the people. So he is the people’s choice. This will be how he deceived. The Bible says he will “come in peaceably.”
Dan 11:21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
You’ll also see that the wife of Jeroboam is a “pretender.” Just like the bride of the antichrist is a pretender. Remember how we talked about the great whore in Revelation 17-18? She is a counterfeit of the bride of Christ. She is the Roman Catholic Church. She’s nothing but a “pretender.” When the world thinks of Christianity , they don’t think of bible believers, they think of Catholics. That great whore is the greatest pretender of all time. Unless you have your bible down. You know how sometimes a man gets drunk and he has beer goggles on? He thinks every one he gets with is miss America when he has his beer goggles on. Well if you get your bible goggles on than you’ll see right through the great whore. She will no longer look like Eve before the fall. She will look like Jezebel after the dogs got a hold of her.
Look at this great pretender in Revelation 17. This is the bride of Satan.
Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Now I’m going to show you Jeroboam’s wife who is also a pretender.
1Ki 14:1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.
1Ki 14:2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.
Notice that Jeroboam knows to go to the man of God when trouble comes. Lost people many times know where to go and they just don’t want to.
1Ki 14:3 And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child.
He knew Ahijah could tell the future because he already did it!
1Ki 14:4 And Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age.
1Ki 14:5 And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman.
She is a PRETENDER. Not everyone is what they claim to be and if you don’t filter them through the word of God than you’ll also be fooled. Before Mrs.Pretender showed up, Ahijah had already gotten a word from the LORD. The reason Christians are so deceived today is because they haven’t gotten a word from the LORD since the day they got saved.
1Ki 14:6 And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.
If you have gotten a word from the LORD you’ll spot a Jehovah’s Witness before you even open the door. You’ll know by the sound of her feet. How ugly are the feet of them that preach a gospel that Paul didn’t preach.
Jeroboam is Mr.Pretender and his wife is Mrs.Pretender. A great picture of the antichrist and his ugly bride out of hell. They come out looking like the corpse bride and the crypt keeper if you have your BIBLE GOGGLES ON.
PROVOKED GOD TO ANGER
Jeroboam makes the God of heaven full of wrath. Notice the message Ahijah has for Mrs.Pretender when she comes to his house.
1Ki 14:7 Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel,
1Ki 14:8 And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which wasright in mine eyes;
You’ll notice the kings are compared to KING DAVID. The model king. King David is a PICTURE OF JESUS CHRIST. When the antichrist(the counterfeit king) is placed up against the King of kings(Jesus Christ) you will see he is so PALE in comparison that he almost needs to change horse colors in Revelation 6:2-8.
1Ki 14:9 But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:
Jeroboam cast the LORD behind his back. That is what the antichrist does. He wants rid of the LORD and he will sit in the temple claiming to be God.
1Ki 14:10 Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
1Ki 14:11 Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it.
The same way Jeroboam provokes the LORD to anger, so does the antichrist.
2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
The LORD is coming back at the second coming IN FURY. He will cast the antichrist into the lake of fire.
PRESSURES MEN TO SIN
1Ki 14:16 And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.
Can you imagine the “greater damnation” that Jeroboam is feeling the flames of hell? He didn’t just sin, he made his own religion, and damned souls to hell.
Revelation 21:27 talks about how those who “maketh a lie” will not enter into the city. Jeroboam didn’t just sin, he MADE A LIE with a false religion and damned people to hell with it. His sin effected the nation for years.
The antichrist also pressures men to sin through the mark of the beast system.
Rev 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Rev 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
The pressure to literally sale your soul to the devil during this future time period will be at an all time high. You won’t be able to do anything unless you turn into a sellout.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE 13s
The antichrist is associated with the number 13. The famous chapter in Revelation about him is Revelation 13. Judas Iscariot is a type of the antichrist and his name has 13 letters. “The antichrist” has 13 letters. 13 is the number of rebellion in the King James Bible.
King Jeroboam gets his hand dried up in 1 Kings 13. You read more about him in 2 Chronicles 13. In the 13th verse of 2 Chronicles 13, Jeroboam is ambushing someone.
2Ch 13:13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.
Just like the devil as a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour.
PUSHED AWAY A FAITHFUL REMNANT
The ways of Jeroboam were so abominable that it pushed away the people whose hearts sought the LORD.
God always has a faithful remnant who sees through the deceivableness of unrighteousness.
2Ch 11:13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.
2Ch 11:14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the LORD:
2Ch 11:15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.
2Ch 11:16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.
2Ch 11:17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.
Just like Jeroboam pushed away the men of God, the antichrist pushes away a remnant.
Mar 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
When the Jews see the antichrist stand in the temple claiming to be God they are going to know he is a fraud and they are going to FLEE!
The story of Jeroboam is tragic. God would have given him victory. He could have led Israel to be right with God. He chose the broad way to hell. He lost his son and King Abijah defeats him to the point that he never recovers strength.
2Ch 13:20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.
