Advanced Level, Block 7—Idolatry and Division
Week 65
Jeroboam—Israel Divided into Two Kingdoms
Point to Emphasize: May we not be those who are divisive.
Reference Reading: 1 Kings 12:25-33, footnotes 271, 281; 13:33-34
Memory Verse: Now I beseech you … that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be attuned in the same mind and in the same opinion. (1 Corinthians 1:10)
Story Sample
Until the time of Rehoboam, the nation of Israel had been one kingdom with only one king. This was according to what God had planned. God did not want His people to be divided. But Rehoboam took the counsel of the wrong people and caused the people to react. The majority chose to have Jeroboam as their king while only two tribes remained with Rehoboam.
At first, the people kept God’s way of oneness, in that they continued to come together three times a year to worship God in Jerusalem, which was in the kingdom of Rehoboam. But Jeroboam was not happy with this. He was afraid that as the people continued to worship God in Jerusalem, they eventually would want to return to Rehoboam and have him as their king. Jeroboam wanted to be the king over the people. He really did not want the children of Israel to be one people with one God, worshipping in Jerusalem. So, he devised a plan.
Jeroboam set up two worship centers within his kingdom; one in Bethel and the other in Dan. God wanted His people to worship Him only in one place, Jerusalem. But Jeroboam made two calves of gold and set them up in the two cities. This was idolatry! And not only that, he assigned some to be priests at these centers. These ones that he made priests were not of the tribe of Levi, the tribe that God had chosen to be priests.
Then Jeroboam told the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”(1 Kings 12:28). In his speaking, Jeroboam presented the matter to appear as a thoughtful consideration of making it more convenient for the people not to have to travel all the way to Jerusalem. But what was really in his heart was to keep his people in the north so that he could rule over them. His selfish ambition caused him to rebel against God’s will.
Jeroboam committed two sins: the sin of division and the sin of idolatry. The outcome of this was so sad! Eventually, the children of Israel were all taken captive to Babylon.
We think we will never do what Jeroboam did, but in fact, sometimes we are just like him. When I was growing up, there were three of us in one bedroom. There were two beds in our room, so my older sister slept in one and my younger sister and I slept in the other. Sorry to say, we were all very messy! One day my mom gave us the project to clean up our room in the best way: cleaning under the beds, washing the walls, getting all our toys and clothes in order. It was a big job! None of us wanted to do it! So, I came up with a plan. I told my sisters that since there were two beds in the room we should divide the room down the middle, between the beds. Then I convinced my younger sister that since we had to share the bed, we should only have to work on our side of the room. I also told her that if she went along with me, I would let her sleep on the best side of the bed, closer to the window. So, she joined me in my plan. Of course, my other sister was not happy, but it was two against one, so she had to go along with it. I don’t need to tell you that we finished our side of the room twice as fast as my older sister. I was so proud of myself! But, when my mom came to check on us to see how we were doing, she was so disappointed. She thought we should all work together as one and should not be divided against one another. I felt so bad then, because I’m the one that came up with the plan that divided us. Instead of working together, it was two against one. [Storyteller, use your own personal story.]
Why is it that we can’t just stay together as a group and do what needs to be done? [Lead children into discussion.] We all have our reasons, but what is the truth? The truth is we all don’t really like to stay together. It is easy to be divisive. As soon as one of us has a good idea, that one would form his own group with his followers. We so easily separate ourselves to make new groups. We need to think about this when we are at school or at home. Are we the one coming up with the plan that causes there to be different groups? Or are we the one following the one who separates into another group? Both are guilty of not being able to stay together. From this story, we have to realize the seriousness of separating into various groups, with our brothers and sisters or among our classmates. We should feel bad when we have done things to be divisive. This is a good time to talk this over with your parents and learn how to be together with others.