“…..Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams”– 1 Samuel 15:22b KJV
God made Jeroboam king of Isreal. He pronounced the prophecy through Ahijah the prophet in 1 Kings 11:35 and the prophecy went further that he and his generation would keep reigning if he would obey the commandment of God.
God further told him that the split of Israel was as a result of disobedience of Solomon, the king of Isreal at that time.
God thereafter took ten tribes of Israel and gave them to Jeroboam to govern and left only the tribe of Judah for Rehoboam the son of Solomon to rule over.
But immediately Jeroboam became the king, he started creating idols so that he could prevent his subject from going to the land of Judah to worship.
Can you imagine, he started biting the fingers that fed him immediately he was full; forgetting that the food would soon digest and he would need more food!
This is the situation with most of us, When we need something such as job, contract, child, spouse, car etc, we are quick to go to God to ask and even make promises but as soon as we get what we need, we begin to waiver and neglect God, the giver of the gift! Well after a while, our patient God will begin to remind us of where we were coming from. If we repent, he is ready to forgive us but some of us even fail to yield until The Lord is ready to judge us.
This is what happened to Jeroboam. He forgot the source of his power and all effort to bring him back to God failed but when his child was sick ( 1 Kings 14:1) he remembered the prophet that God used to tell him about his kingship and decided to send his wife to know the fate.( 1 Kings 14:2) The answer is clear. The child would die! (1 Kings 14:12) and even more!
This is a clarion call to us that whatever has led us away from God, we need to retrace our steps and ask for mercy and he that is plenteous in mercy will hear us and forgive our sins.
Prayer: Father, please have mercy on me in all areas I have neglected your counsel and fallen into sin. Help me to live a life pleasing unto you from today in Jesus name.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero