“Like father, like son,” can be a tremendous compliment. Sadly, it can also describe a broken character. In Rehoboam’s case, it described his descent into idolatry.
Solomon’s many wives spelled disaster for his rule, but the full effects took place under his son. Rheoboam was influenced by his Ammonite mother, who led both his father and him into idolatry.
Now Rehoboam son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.
Judah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; they provoked him to jealousy with their sins that they committed, more than all that their ancestors had done.
For they also built for themselves high places, pillars, and sacred poles on every high hill and under every green tree; there were also illicit priests in the land.
They committed all the abominations of the nations that the Lord had driven out before the people of Israel (1 Kings 14:21-24).
Why are the actions of Rehoboam and the people called “abominations”?
We become like the God or gods that we serve.
If you serve Jesus with all your heart, your personality will display “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
On the other hand, people who devote their energy to the idols of the world’s system, reveal a character that resembles a connection to evil and the evil one.
“You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
When we blend the worship of the one and only God with the world’s false gods, we run the risk of looking like the enemy of God and his purposes for the world.
As we worship and serve the Lord, He will mold our personality to be a winsome reminder to those around us that God is embodied in these character traits.
Compromised and Conquered
There are times when I ask a small group, “How far do you want to get away from God and still be able to depend on Him?”
Rehoboam corrupted the worship of Yahweh with the gods of the land. This affected his relationship with the Lord, but also caused the people he served to follow suit.
King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and looted the temple and the king’s house. The treasures of the Lord’s house were carried back to Egypt. Among those, were the shields of gold that Solomon had made.
Instead of humbling himself before God and the people, Rehoboam pretended that everything in the kingdom was OK.
King Rehoboam made shields of bronze instead and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard who kept the door of the king’s house.
As often as the king went into the house of the Lord, the guard carried them and brought them back to the guardroom (1 Kings 14:27-28).
I can’t go back in time with a MRI machine and get in the head of Rehoboam. What I think happened is that the king wanted to carry on with the semblance of royalty. He substituted bronze for gold.
I can analyze my own behavior. When I turn from God, the gold standard of the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23) turns to a false imitation. I may be able to fake it for a while, but a moment of stress will reveal my true character.
The best gift we can give ourselves is to learn from the errors of the kings and pursue with all our hearts the King of all kings.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I produce daily studies of the passages we study. This is one of the videos, but unfortunately I have them out of order. I apologize for the problem.
Real Voices 