You Can’t Fool God – 1 Kings 14:1-20

Brother of actress Mindy Kaling, of the “Mindy Project”, Vijay Chokal-Ingam, wanted to get into medical school but realized that he had a 30-40% higher chance of being accepted if he were African-American, instead of Indian-American as he was. So he shaved his head and eyebrows and applied as an African-American and go in. What he didn’t count on was how negatively he began to be treated because people thought he was black.

The king of Israel pulled the same stunt to try to get a favorable response from Yahweh about his sick son, and in a sense, it backfired. Besides, how do you fool God?

At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise, and disguise yourself, that it not be known that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who said of me that I should be king over this people. Take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what shall happen to the child.”

Jeroboam’s wife did so. She arose and went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age. And the LORD said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus shall you say to her.”

When she came, she pretended to be another woman. But when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another? For I am charged with unbearable news for you. Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over my people Israel and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes, but you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back, therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone. Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat, for the LORD has spoken it.”’ Arise therefore, go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something pleasing to the LORD, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. Moreover, the LORD will raise up for himself a king over Israel who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam today. And henceforth, the LORD will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water, and root up Israel out of this good land that he gave to their fathers and scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the LORD to anger. And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and made Israel to sin.”

Then Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed and came to Tirzah. And as she came to the threshold of the house, the child died. And all Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet.

Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. And the time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years. And he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place. (1 Kings 14:1-20, ESV)

It may seem cruel that Yahweh takes the life of Jeroboam’s son because of Jeroboam’s sin, but it is Yahweh Himself who tells the boy’s mother that He found something pleasing in the boy. He allows for the boy to die and be properly mourned, whereas Jeroboam’s other sons and household males will not be buried. The fact that Jeroboam’s wife comes and pretends to be someone else lets us know that Jeroboam knows he has deliberately disobeyed Yahweh, and yet when crunch time comes he still resorts to Yahweh for help.

God actually gives Jeroboam help, in the form of a warning as to what will happen to his household and to Israel. If at this point Jeroboam had dismantled the idolatrous altars and high places and the non-Levitical priesthood he created the story would have been writ entirely differently.

We may find ourselves in disobedience and yet needing God to help us. Help us He will by pointing out to us that we must come into obedience to His will. That is the greatest help we can receive. Living the way God designed us to live, with integrity, love and truth, is the key to happiness.