Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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1 Kings
Book: 1 Kings
Chapter: 12
Overview:
Rehoboam's accession, The people's petition, His rough answer.
(1-15) Ten tribes revolt.
(16-24) Jeroboam's
Idolatry.
(25-33)
1-15 The tribes complained not to
Rehoboam of his
Father's
Idolatry, and revolt from
God. That which was the greatest
grievance, was none to them;
So careless were they in matters of
religion, if they might live at ease, and pay
No Taxes. Factious
spirits will never want something to complain of. And when we
see the
Scripture account of
Solomon's reign; the peace, wealth,
and prosperity
Israel then enjoyed; we cannot doubt but that
their charges were false, or far
Beyond the
Truth.
Rehoboam
answered the people according to the counsel of the young men.
Never was
Man more blinded
By pride, and desire of arbitrary
power, than which nothing is more fatal.
God's counsels were
hereby fulfilled. He left
Rehoboam to his own folly, and hid
from his eyes the things which belonged to his peace, that the
kingdom might be
Rent from him.
God serves his own
Wise and
righteous purposes
By the imprudences and sins of men. Those
that lose the kingdom of
Heaven, throw it away, as
Rehoboam,
By
wilfulness and folly.
16-24 The people speak unbecomingly of
David. How soon are good
men, and their good services to the public, forgotten ! These
considerations should reconcile us to our losses and troubles,
that
God is the Author of them, and our brethren the
instruments: let us not meditate revenge.
Rehoboam and his
people hearkened to the
Word of the
Lord. When we know
God's
mind, we must submit, how much soever it crosses our own mind.
If we secure the favour of
God, not all the universe can hurt
us.
25-33 Jeroboam distrusted the
Providence of
God; he would
contrive ways and means, and sinful ones too, for his own
safety. A practical disbelief of
God's all-sufficiency is at the
bottom of all our departures from him. Though it is probable he
meant his
Worship for
Jehovah the
God of
Israel, it was contrary
to the Divine
Law, and dishonourable to the Divine majesty to be
thus represented. The people might be less shocked at
worshipping the
God of
Israel under an image, than if they had
at once been asked to
Worship Baal; but it made way for that
Idolatry. Blessed
Lord, give us
Grace to reverence thy
Temple,
thine ordinances, thine
House of
Prayer, thy sabbaths, and never
more, like
Jeroboam, to set up in our hearts any
Idol of
Abomination. Be thou to us every thing precious; do thou reign
and rule in our hearts, the
Hope of
Glory.