Jeroboam’s Unbelief (1 Kings 12:26-33) 

Introduction
Theme: A practical disbelief of God’s all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all our treacherous departures from Him. 

Time: About 931 BC to 910 BC 

Abstract: Jeroboam received a great promise from God, but he was not able to apprehend it due to unbelief. Jeroboam’s unbelief was marked by reliance on his own works, by perversion of doctrine, and by rejection of God’s pattern for spiritual leadership. The role unbelief played in Jeroboam’s failure furnishes valuable warnings to God’s people. 

Historical Overview: Jeroboam was of the tribe of Ephraim, the second leading tribe in Israel. 1 Kings 11:26-40 states that he was a young warrior whose industrious nature caused Solomon to make him governor over Ephraim and Manasseh, where his chief responsibility was to manage work details repairing Jerusalem’s city wall. 

As Solomon’s long reign passed from prosperity into decadence, Solomon and the nation began to practice disgusting and debasing heathen cults. The prophet Ahijah met Jeroboam in a rural setting and made two important announcements: First, God would take the ten northern tribes from David’s House due to Solomon’s idolatry, leaving only Judah to be governed by David’s descendants. Second, God would make Jeroboam king of the ten tribes and confirm this kingdom under his descendants forever if he served God as David had done. 

The number of tribes mentioned in Ahijah’s prophecy are to be understood figuratively. Ahijah symbolized the rending of the kingdom by tearing his garment into twelve pieces and giving Jeroboam ten and retaining two, but his speech mentions only one tribe retained by the House of David. According to God’s plan, Benjamin remained with Judah (2 Chronicles 11:1) and the priests and Levites migrated to Judah, as did all other godly people in Israel (2 Chronicles 11:13-16). The disposition of Simeon in these times was vague. The point of the prophetic language was that Solomon’s descendants would only rule over a fraction of God’s people because he broke the covenant God established with him in 2 Chronicles 7:17-22. 

1 Kings 11 states that Jeroboam was involved in a plot of rebellion against Solomon, but Scripture does not specifically state how Solomon came to know of Jeroboam’s anointing. Jeroboam fled to Egypt to escape arrest by Solomon. God had made an important promise to Jeroboam that was conditional upon him being right in God’s sight, as David was. Though Solomon’s behavior resembled that of Saul’s, Jeroboam’s actions did not resemble David’s, who was justified by faith in God. 

Scripture furnishes clues that revolt began to unfold after Solomon’s death. Jeroboam was called from Egypt to lead the confrontation of Rehoboam. Although Jeroboam made rebellion unlike David, God’s plan was that the ten tribes were to be torn away from the House of David. God preserved Jeroboam’s unsteady throne from Rehoboam’s threatened invasion, but God’s judgment darkened Jeroboam’s heart and would soon be revealed. 

1.0 Jeroboam’s unbelief caused reliance on his own works 

1 Kings 12:26-30 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. 

Jeroboam obtained a great promise from God, but was a sad failure. Were did he go wrong, and what can be learned from his example? Matthew Henry sums up Jeroboam’s failure well, saying “A practical disbelief of God’s all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all our treacherous departures from him [God].” 

God took 10 tribes from the House of David and gave them to Jeroboam, one of Solomon’s officials. God promised to make Jeroboam’s House secure over the 10 tribes forever (1 Kings 11:38) if he would walk before God in faith, like David, but Jeroboam’s rebellion against Rehoboam was not an act of faith. 

David, anointed as king by God, refused to harm Saul, who ruled Israel at that time. David understood that God intended to deal with Saul in His own time and that judgment and vengeance were not his to administer. David, by God’s grace, believed that God was willing and able to carry out His word to make him king. Jeroboam fled to escape arrest by Solomon, but there, his similarity with David ends. Jeroboam returned from Egypt to lead the ten tribes in rebellion. 

1 Kings 12:26-30 records the manifestation of God’s judgment upon Jeroboam’s rebellion and the hardening of his heart, providing another example of sinful declension described in Romans 1:18-32. Given great promises by God, Jeroboam chose not to place faith in God’s promises or to glorify Him, but instead relied upon his own works. Becoming darkened by his own sin, Jeroboam reacted to God’s protection from Rehoboam’s invasion by changing God’s uncorruptable glory into images of fourfooted beasts (Romans 1:23) and set up golden calves, called in 2 Chronicles 13:9 “no gods” (lo elohim). These golden calves were not ordinary Caananite idols. Jeroboam and his conspirators claimed that these calves were the image of God Himself. 

Jeroboam encouraged Israel to turn away from God for his own perceived political gain. Instead of waiting on God to fulfill His promises, Jeroboam rejected the orthodox worship of God (the Temple) and those ordained by God to minister to God’s people (the Levites). This act illustrates the principle of 1 John 2:19: They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. Recall that Paul said: “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Romans 9:6) 

Jeroboam’s unbelief ignored God’s willingness and ability to keep His promises. This sin was also exhibited by Adam and Eve. It was the mindset of man after the flood, when the Tower of Babel was built (Genesis 11:4). David talks about unbelief and its futility in Psalm 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Jeroboam was a practical atheist like Esau, when he counted God’s promises as worthless, selling his birthright for a meal (Genesis 25:32-34). This aspect of depravity is common to all men as David notes in Psalm 14:1 They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. 

1.1 Application 

Every person’s natural state is unbelief. God counteracts unbelief in His elect by the gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8, Philippians 1:29). John tells us that the gift of faith ensures our salvation, causes us to be victorious, and is a light burden (1 John 5:1-5). Because perseverance is the sign of God’s people, Peter urges us to make our election sure (2 Peter 1:10) by living and growing by light of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul repeats this thought with encouragement to “stand fast” in faith (1 Corinthians 16:13; Galatians 5:1; Philippians 1:27, 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:15). 

Scripture tells believers to guard against unbelief in Hebrews 3:12: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God”. The progressive nature of unbelief demonstrated by Jeroboam is here contrasted by the believer’s walk of faith. When we as believers find ourselves depending on our own resources, schemes, and privileges like Jeroboam, we must view this situation immediately as a warning sign of unbelief. 

2.0 Jeroboam’s unbelief caused doctrinal corruption 

Any reliance on works to fulfill a promise of God will result in doctrinal corruption (Romans 14:23). Calvin remarks: 

“Now, since a pious mind can never acquiesce with certainty in anything but the word of God, all fictitious modes of worship do in this case vanish away, and whatever works there may be which originate in the brains of men; for while everything which is not from faith is condemned, rejected is whatever is not supported and approved by God’s word. It is at the same time by no means sufficient that what we do is approved by the word of God, except the mind, relying on this persuasion, prepares itself cheerfully to do its work. Hence the first thing in a right conduct, in order that our minds may at no time fluctuate, is this, that we, depending on God’s word, confidently proceed wherever it may call us.” 

The serious evil of calf worship must be understood, since God’s view of it was unremittingly condemning. Jeroboam and the Israelites (recall that Jeroboam “took counsel” before implementing the cult) did not set up a religion like that of the heathen. Like many corruptors of doctrine, they argued that the calves pictured God when they said the calves led the people out of Egypt. Perhaps, like today, they claimed that calves made God more “accessible”, were more contemporary, were better suited to modern needs, and “helped” those who were less able to “understand”. It may even be that Jeroboam presented calves as an innovation that would curb Solomon’s heathen worship, just as some today encourage joining together with ungodliness to combat modern moral rot. There is nothing new under the sun after all of these years (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Calf worship looked back to Aaron’s sin at Mt. Sinai for its model, displaying the insidiousness of even 500 year old sin. 

2.1 Politics of the calf cult 

Rivalry between Ephraim and Judah was long standing. Jacob divided the first-born’s inheritance between three of his children. The firstborn normally received a double portion of family wealth, and Jacob effectively made Joseph the firstborn by giving his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, equal portions with their uncles. But, the firstborn also served as the leader of family which Jacob gave to Judah. The head of the family was also a leader in worship, which Jacob gave to Levi. This inheritance was reunited and these blessings fulfilled in Christ, Who, as Firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18), has received from God kingship (Ephesians 1:20-22, Revelation 11:15) and priesthood (Hebrews 5:6, 7:21). 

Ephraim considered itself the leading tribe of the nation; for example, Joshua was an Ephraimite. This belief of primacy arose during the times of Gideon (Judges 8:1-3), Jephthah (Judges 12:1), and David (2 Samuel 2:9-10, 19:40-43). Jeroboam’s calf cult flattered the public’s vision of Ephraim’s rightful place. Jeroboam’s bid for primacy, however, claimed more for Ephraim than God had allowed: The kingship belonged to Judah and the priesthood belonged to Levi. 

The calves were set up in shrewdly chosen locations to evade God’s command regarding one place of worship (Deuteronomy 12:11-14). Bethel was auspicious as the place where Jacob received God’s covenant promise (Genesis 28:11-19) and where Samuel had judged Israel (Judges 7:16). (Although Samuel was a Levite, he was geographically from Ephraim and perhaps a handy example of Ephraim’s leadership.) Bethel was an Ephraimite city (Joshua 16:2). Dan, a center of idol worship since Judges 18, was where the Levite descendants of Moses’ son Gershom served as idolatrous priests. This link with Moses may also have played a part in placing a calf in Dan and in justifying Jeroboam’s religion. Dan was the second most populous tribe, after Judah, another political advantage not overlooked by Jeroboam. 

2.2 Carnality of the calf cult 

The Israelites perhaps justified the calf cult on the grounds of not violating the First Commandment (Exodus 20:2,3) and used Aaron’s example out of context to justify breaking the Second Commandment (Exodus 20:4-6). The language of 1 Kings 12 is similar to Aaron’s sin, but Israel, under the delusion of tribal pride and convenience, ignored the warning of the first gold calf. 

Israel’s tendencies toward sensual and carnal sin are well documented by Scripture. Jeroboam’s scheming was successful: both the worship of God and the worship of Canaanite deities declined in Israel until the days of Jezebel. 

Jeroboam reasoned that he would lose his kingdom unless he turned the people away from worshipping God, so he instituted a new religion to address that political problem. Jeroboam invented a false religion out of unbelief, which was caused by him doubting God and attempting to save himself, as many do today. Jeroboam sought to justify his unbelief and disobedience by perverting orthodoxy, another human practice that is still common. Unbelief opened the door to delusion by pride, political faction, and carnality in Jeroboam and Israel. 

Jeroboam presented an unseen God and His ordinances as unreasonable. Believers who are conversant with Scripture understand that trials and persecutions are part of the Christian walk (Hebrews 11). Christ describes our fellowship with Him as taking up a cross (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34, 10:21; Luke 9:21). We know that the cross was a crude, ugly, and despised symbol to the ancients, but Christ freely described the nature of the life His followers should expect. 

The Lord Jesus Christ also described His yoke as easy and light (Matthew 11:29, 30). How are these two differing concepts reconciled? The author of Hebrews states that Christ viewed the reality of His own sufferings through the eyes of faith: Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) Christ’s example is cited as something believers are to emulate. Paul applies Christ’s example to our lives in Philippians 2:5-11 and Romans 8:18 and emphasizes the importance of the spiritual over the temporal in 2 Corinthians 4:17. Our present trials, while difficult, are of limited severity and duration, but our reward is unlimited blessing for eternity. 

2.3 Application 

There are many for whom the Gospel is not sufficient. Self centered materialist notions say that truth is to be found in money, science, sensuality, power, or fame. However a proposition is put, whatever is not centered on God will attempt to pervert or ignore Scripture. Jeroboam did not believe that God’s provision was satisfactory in degree or duration, just as the natural man cannot believe God’s inspired account of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christians must guard against this sort of unbelief which is evidenced by self trust and by disregard of God’s eternal blessing for His elect through Christ’s work. 

We find a parallel with Jeroboam’s expedience in Caiaphas’ words: And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. (John 11:49-50) Caiaphas sought to turn men’s hearts away from God’s son, our Lord Jesus Christ to protect his position and the position of his class. 

God caused Caiaphas’ words to be an unwitting prophecy, for John 11:51-52 continues: And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Both Jeroboam and Caiaphas were unable to thwart God’s will, but were used by God to His glory. Unfortunately for Jeroboam and Caiaphas, they were able to participate in God’s plan for His people, but did not partake in His eternal blessings. 

Believers today must beware that fleshly desires do not cause compromise of doctrine. Many resist God’s Word because it interferes with their own lusts. God has graciously given warning through this account that the heart must be diligently guarded against false doctrine through Scripture and prayer. 

3.0 Jeroboam’s unbelief corrupted spiritual leadership 

1 Kings 12:31-33 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense. 

2 Chronicles 13:9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods. 

Jeroboam’s example underscores the importance God places on church leadership. Jeroboam appropriated the right to make priests of those who did not meet God’s requirements. Just as Jeroboam found it convenient to minister his invented religion by unscriptural hands, so today those who do not meet God’s requirements have appropriated to themselves positions of spiritual leadership. 

God set forth clear requirements for those who were separated for ministry. The entire people of God were to be priests (Exodus 19:5-6). This is still the position that God has for His people today. (Revelation 1:6, 5:10, 20:6). The Old Testament dispensation specified that those who ministered to God’s people were to be men of the tribe of Levi, and priests who sacrificed before the altar were to be men of the House of Aaron (Numbers 3, Deuteronomy 33:8-10, Exodus 28). 

Jeroboam claimed his religion was the true worship of God by saying, behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. His doctrinal error needed to be ministered by those who were in agreement with error, so Jeroboam made priests of his false religion who did not meet God’s requirements. The counterfeit religion did not attempt to exactly duplicate the true faith in leadership, just as it did not do so in doctrine. Instead, Jeroboam offered a “new, improved” version; one that was free of the “old, constraining narrowness” of the old. Abijah, in 2 Chronicles 13, however, not only pointed out the falseness of Jeroboam’s doctrine by calling the calves “no gods”, he also noted error by referring to Jeroboam’s unbelief in God’s provision of Levites as ministers. 

This sort of unbelief is connected with a full concept of God’s sovereignty and His choosing. Scripture has many examples of God’s choosing a person or a people in seeming disregard for their outward, humanly visible qualifications. A brief list of some of these “unqualified” individuals highlights God’s sovereign choice: Abraham over everyone else, Jacob over Esau, the people Israel over the nations, and Gideon and his 300 soldiers over the rest of Israel’s army. He chose Jephthah, Rahab, Ruth, and David to carry out His plans. Each of these people possessed attributes that disqualified them for God’s work in human eyes, but God chose them in His infinite wisdom. 

Men do foolishly when they attempt to override God’s requirements for ministry with their own “new, improved” versions. This fact is demonstrated over and over in Scripture by the cited examples and many others. Men want to choose someone who meets fleshly qualifications because they want men’s works to profit spiritually. Men naturally refuse to believe that works cannot obtain blessing, and that only God Himself can author anything good in us. As Paul says in Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 

God ordained those who were to enter the ministry. Human qualifications, such as intelligence, the ability to speak eloquently, a charismatic personality, or social influence were not factors in God’s choice. Those who ministered to the people were to be from the tribe of Levi, the smallest tribe, and those who ministered in the Temple were to be from the line of Aaron. 

1 Timothy 2, 3 and Titus 1, give God’s requirements for ministers under the New Covenant: Briefly, they are to be male, exhibit godly behavior over a long period of time, and have the ability to teach. This discussion will not examine the subject of New Testament leadership, but makes the point that there are many who display Jeroboam’s unbelief by appointing leaders who meet human qualifications, rejecting God’s clear instructions on the subject of leadership as insufficient to modern needs and irrelevant to modern man. 

These human innovations are rooted in unbelief, especially unbelief in the doctrine that man’s problem is sin. As Jeroboam’s example shows, this problem is not relative to any category of person or period of history. God’s people must take care that church leadership is biblically based. Not only is Scripture the singular authority for establishing church leaders, but failure to trust God’s provision for leadership is rooted in that most destructive force: unbelief. 

4.0 Application 

Jeroboam’s example highlights reliance on works and disregard for God’s eternal blessings as indicators of unbelief. Also, false doctrine is shown to rest upon Jeroboam’s unbelief in God’s promises. Finally, unscriptural attributes of leaders are illustrative of a state of unbelief. There are many ways that the sufficiency of God’s grace can be denied. God’s people must be careful to consider how reasonable it seems to the human mind to be self sufficient, since it is on that point that unbelief in God’s promises is clearly demonstrated. 

5.0 Resources 

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1 Kings 12, Matthew Henry

Commentary on the Old Testament, Keil and Delitzsch, 1 Kings 11-12, C. F. Keil

Old Testament Bible History, Alfred Edersheim, Book 5, ch 11

Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus, Book 8, ch 8 & 10

Commentaries on the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans, John Calvin

Articles: “Bethel”, “Ephraim”, “Jeroboam”, “Priests and Levites”, The Zondervon Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, ed. by Merrill C. Tenney

Chronological Charts of the Old Testament, John H. Walton