seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Kings 12:20 When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.
21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered all Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand able young men—to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon.
22 But this word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: 23 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, to all Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, 24 ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’” So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home again, as the Lord had ordered.
21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered all Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand able young men—to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon.
22 But this word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: 23 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, to all Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, 24 ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’” So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home again, as the Lord had ordered.
This is from the easy English site.
Then the northern Israelites made Jeroboam their king. Probably they chose him because they considered him a good leader. But, of course, God had already chosen Jeroboam to be Israel’s king. And so God carried out what he had promised in chapter 11.
Rehoboam made plans to fight in order to get the kingdom back. God told him not to fight against the other Israelites. This time he listened to God’s prophet and he obeyed. He and his armies went home. He realised that God would allow him to rule Judah only. If Rehoboam fought the Israelites, he would be opposing God’s plan.
By means of these events, the kingdom had separated permanently. The Book of 1 Kings continues with reports of events in both parts of the country. The northern kingdom is often called Israel. The southern kingdom is called Judah.
Rehoboam made plans to fight in order to get the kingdom back. God told him not to fight against the other Israelites. This time he listened to God’s prophet and he obeyed. He and his armies went home. He realised that God would allow him to rule Judah only. If Rehoboam fought the Israelites, he would be opposing God’s plan.
By means of these events, the kingdom had separated permanently. The Book of 1 Kings continues with reports of events in both parts of the country. The northern kingdom is often called Israel. The southern kingdom is called Judah.
The commentary at enduringword.com has this to add about Shemaiah that man from God who called off the war.
“Here is one Shemaiah, – some of you never heard of him before, perhaps you will never hear of him again; he appears once in this history, and then he vanishes; he comes, and he goes, – only fancy this one man constraining to peace a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, warriors ready to fight against the house of Israel, by giving to them in very plain, unpolished words, the simple command of God… Why have we not such power? Peradventure, brethren, we do not always speak in the name of the Lord, or speak God’s Word as God’s Word. If we are simply tellers out of our own thoughts, why should men mind us?” (Spurgeon)
When God speaks... people have to listen. When men speak on behalf of God... people have to listen.... if they will. God didn't want them to fight... so they didn't.
