Sat.’s Devo - Following God, Not Man

Read: 1 Kings 12:20-13:34, Acts 9:26-43, Ps. 132:1-18, Pr. 17:6 Jeroboam is made king over ten of the tribes of Israel and Rehoboam is king over Benjamin and Judah. As soon as Jeroboam is crowned king, Rehoboam rally’s his army to fight him. God intervenes and sends a prophet to tell the king not to fight because this is God’s doing. Rehoboam actually listens and obeys. In the meantime, Jeroboam sets up places of worship in his land so the people won’t go to Jerusalem to worship and become loyal to Rehoboam. Of all things, Jeroboam makes two golden calves for them to worship and places one in Bethel (house of God) and the other in Dan (judge). Then he made priests of anyone who wanted to be a priest. He ordains a feast in a non-feast month and offers sacrifices on the altar in Bethel. God sends a prophet to prophecy about a child named Josiah that would come and make things right. As a sign he was from God the altar split in two and all the ashes poured out on the ground. When Jeroboam went to stop the prophet, his hand turned leprous. Jeroboam sobered up and begged the prophet to heal his hand. He did, but refused to stay and be rewarded or to stay and eat food from the feast. He was to leave a different way than he came so he did. Another prophet heard of the signs the prophet did and what he said and ran after him. He told him he was a prophet also and begged him to come to his house and eat with him. He lied and told the prophet that God had told him to bring the man home and eat with him. I don’t know if prophet number two just wanted some fellowship or wanted to glean some of his power or what but it cost the first prophet his life. He was eaten by a lion and laid to rest in the second prophet’s grave instead of with his own family. The saddest part is that Jeroboam didn’t repent in his heart and became more and more sinful. In Acts, the apostles are going all over Judea, Galilee, and Samaria where Jesus had taught, doing the same miraculous things He did. Even the threat of death couldn’t stop them. Lord, help us to learn to follow what You say above the most powerful of men.