Jeroboam I Jeroboam I, son of Nebat from the tribe of Ephraim, was the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel (931–910 BC). He led the northern ten tribes into the sins that brought about the destruction of the northern kingdom. Jeroboam began his political career by supervising Solomon’s labor forces in the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh (1 Kgs 11:26-28). Because Solomon had drifted away from the Lord, God determined to remove the ten northern tribes from the rule of David’s descendants. The prophet Ahijah told Jeroboam that the Lord had chosen him to lead those tribes and to give him a lasting dynasty if he was faithful (11:29-39). Solomon apparently caught wind of what had happened and tried to kill Jeroboam, who sought refuge in Egypt (11:40; cp. Saul and David, 1 Sam 18:5–20:42). When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam was immediately proclaimed king in Judah, but the northern tribes had to affirm his kingship separately. Seizing the opportunity, Jeroboam took the northern leaders to Rehoboam to seek relief from the harsh labor Solomon had forced on them (1 Kgs 12:1-4). Rehoboam foolishly spurned their request (12:5-14), so the north rebelled and appointed Jerobo...

True Success God requires complete devotion from his people (Deut 6:4-6; cp. Matt 22:37). True success comes from seeking God and acknowledging him as sovereign (Matt 6:33), to the exclusion of all idols (1 Jn 5:21). For the people of Israel, success was directly tied to their obedience to God’s covenant (see Lev 26:1-46; Deut 28:1-68). The spiritual condition of Israel and its leaders had a dramatic impact on whether or not they would continue to receive God’s favor and maintain possession of the Promised Land. The author of 1–2 Kings introduces each ruler’s reign with a spiritual evaluation, often comparing each king’s devotion to God with the precedent set by David (see 1 Kgs 11:38; 14:8; 15:3-5, 11). The narrative of these books demonstrates that the fate of both Israel and Judah hangs on the spiritual leadership of their kings. The continued success of God’s people in the land of Canaan was predicated on the faithful worship of God (see Deut 12:4-7). Allowing worship at local pagan shrines is repeatedly singled out for disapproval (see, e.g., 3:2-4; 11:7). Beginning with Jeroboam I, the kings of Israel (the northern kingdom) uniformly practiced apostate religion and w...