GETHSEMANE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST, INC

JUST BELIEVE GOD

In I Kings 11, we see God taking the kingdom away from Solomon because he is no longer serving God with his whole heart as David his father.  He has allowed his pagan wives to change his heart toward God.   God raises up someone in his own midst by the name of Jeroboam.   Jeroboam was an industrious young man who Solomon saw much potential in and appointed him over the house of Joseph.   One day Jeroboam was entering Jerusalem  and met the prophet Ahijah.   Ahijah removed his new garment and tore it into 12 pieces and told Jeroboam to take 10 of them.  He told him that God was angry with Solomon because he had forsaken Him and worshipped idol gods and He was going to rend the kingdom out of his hands.  The prophet also told Jeroboam that if he would hearken unto all that God commanded him and walk in his ways and do what was right in His sight, to keep His statues and commandments as David had done that He would be with him.  Solomon heard about this and sought Jeroboam’s life and he had to flee to Egypt. 

Jeroboam stayed in Egypt until Solomon died and Rehoboam was reigning in his stead.  The people of Israel called Jeroboam back to speak to Rehoboam in their behalf.  He requested that the king lighten the burden of the people and they would serve him.  Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders and took the advice of his friends which caused the split that God had predicted.  The people of Israel chose Jeroboam to be their king and 10 tribes followed him.

During his reign, he built 2 cities and then began to speak to his heart.   He knew that it was the custom for the men to go to Jerusalem to celebrate certain feasts.  He became fearful that if they went that they would reunite with Rehoboam.  He devised a plan but it was not of God.   He made 2 golden calves and placed one in Bethel and one in Dan.  He told the people they did not need to go to Jerusalem to worship and sacrifice but they could go to Bethel or Dan.  He also began to appoint priests who were of the lowest sort and not of the tribe of Levi.  He also established a feast to imitate the feast held in Jerusalem.  God rebuked him for these pagan practices and took the kingdom from him.

 What happened?  He started off with such a promising future.  God had promised many things to him but there were some conditions that needed to be met for the promises to be fulfilled.  Jeroboam lost sight of the promises God had made him and allowed fear to take its place.  He failed to believe God and tried to fix things himself.  In the end, he didn’t receive the promises God had made and lost the kingdom too.

Aren’t we at times like Jeroboam?  God makes promises to us and we get excited but somewhere along the way we become distracted and stop believing God.  We allow situations and circumstances to cause us to fear and think we need to do something.  We become impatient devise plans in our hearts to help God but we fail to realize He does not need our help.  He just needs us to believe in Him.  We need to remember there is no failure in Him.  If He said it, it will come to pass.  We must continue to trust that God knows exactly what He is doing.  JUST BELIEVE GOD.