Day 19

Reheboam (Solomon's son) went to Shechem for the Israelites to appoint him king. Jeroboam heard about King Solomon's death and left Egypt. The people of Israel claimed King Solomon overworked them and asked Rehoboam to give them a break. Rehoboam's counsel of elders told him to be a servant of the people, considerate of their needs and and showing compassion. Rehoboam rejected this suggestion and talked to his peers. His peers said, "These people who complain 'Your father was to hard on us; lighten up'-well, tell them this: 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. If you think life under my father was hard, you haven't seen the half of it. My father thrashed you with ships; I'll beat you bloody with chains!" After promising the people a response in 3 days, he went with his peers counsel. Apparently God was behind this because of the promise Jeroboam received that he would be king.

A good majority of the people left but Rehoboam ruled over those who stayed in Judah. Adoniram was the head of the workforce and the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam fled to Jerusalem. The people of Israel appointed Jeroboam as their king. The only tribe left out was Judah left to the Davidic dynsty. Once hundred and eighty thousand soldiers were summoned by Rehoboam to go to war with the Israelites. God used Shemaiah to give Rehoboam this message: "Don't march out; don't fight against yourbrothers the Israelites, go back home, every last one of you; I'm in charge here." Thankfully they listened to God's word. Jeroboam was convinced that his followers would be reunited with Rehoboam's people as soon as they worshiped at the Temple of God; they'd kill him. He had the bright idea to make 2 golden calves and put one in Bethel and one in Dan. He claimed they were there for the people of Israel to worship so they didn't have to make the long trip to Jerusalem. He also made forbidden shrines and to make matter worse, created a holy New Year festival. The festival was held on the 14th day of the 8th month to replace the one in Judah. An altar was set up at Bethel. Jeroboam himself lead worship. When he was at the altar, a holy man from Judah preached these words from God: "Altar, Altar! God's message! A son will be born into David's family named Josiah. The priests from the shrines who are making offerings on you, he will sacrifice-on you! Human bones burned on you! This is the proof God gives-the altar will split into pieces and the holy offering spill into the dirt." Jeroboam reached out to grab the holy man to have him arrested but his arm was pralyzed. The altar did what God projected. The king asked the holy man to pray for healing for his arm and it was restored. The king offered a meal and gift for the holy man but he refused emphatically!

An old prophet traveled after the holy man. The holy man affirmed his identity and the prophet suggested coming home with him for a meal. The holy man said he was under strict orders from God not to go to anyone's house and not to eat a crumb don't drink a drop and don't come back the way he came. The old prophet lied, saying an angel told him this message from God: "Bring him home with you, and give him a good meal!" The holy man went with him and had a meal. At the table, the word of God came to the prophet and confronted the holy man saying, "You disobeyed God's command; you didn't keep strict orders your God gave you; you came back and sat down to a good meal in the very place od told you, 'Don't eat a crumb; don't drink a drop.' For that you're going to die far from home and not be buried in your ancestral tomb." The prophet saddled the holy man's donkey for him and a lion met the holy man on his way and killed him. The corpse lay in the road with the donkey on one side and lion on the other side. A passerby saw the corpse and loaded it on the holy man's donkey and returned to the village. The prophet gave the holy man a decent burial and put the body in his tomb. The prophet told his sons that when he died, to put his bones alongside the holy man. The prophet preached against the altar at Bethel and the sex and religion shrines.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Jeroboam kept doing evil deeds and sinning against God. Anyone could waltz in and be a priest of the local shrines. Jeroboam's son, Abijah, became ill and he told his wife to disguise herself and go see a Ahijah. He was the prophet in Shiloh who told Jeroboam he'd be king one day. She took 10 loaves of bread, sweet rolls, and a jug of honey. God had already warned the the now old and blind Ahijah that she would be paying him a visit regarding her sick son.