Lessons from the Life of Jeroboam

By Brian Mitchell       Unfortunately, it seems that there are few indeed, that give proper credit to the influence—for good or bad—that we have on the lives of those around us. Like it or not, the things that we do and say impact the lives of those we come in contact with. There are even times when that influence can spread to people that we may never even meet.     Regardless of the internal and external stimuli that might lead people to a life of criminality, people commit crime because they choose to. However, it does not take a doctorate degree in sociology, psychology or criminal justice to discover that the influences we are surrounded with—by choice or necessity—play a tremendous role in the choices that we eventually make. As I have said before, we are ALL influencing and being influenced in life.     What Kind of Influence are We Setting? (Positive or Negative). What Kind of Influences are We Allowing to Affect Us? (Positive or Negative). Not that long ago we spent time talking about the importance of setting and being a good example for others around us. In this on, taken from the Life of King Jeroboam, I want to show you why it is so important that we set the right godly example for those around us. Because in the end, you may never even live to see how far your influence—for good or bad—may go, Jeroboam didn’t.     I want to start by examining the life of the 1st King of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, for in doing so, you will see more clearly why this lesson is focusing on the kings of Judah. It is because first and foremost there is nothing good to say about the kings of Israel. By studying the Kings of Judah we can find some examples of both good kings and bad whose lives we can learn from. While there were a lot of wicked kings in Judah, that’s all there was in Israel.     It is unbelievable to me that in the 210-year history of the Northern Kingdom of Israel there was not one good king to be found among the 19 who ruled the nation. With Jehu being the only one who even remotely did what the Lord asked and Omri and his son Ahab being the worst. Do you know why there was not one good king to be found among all the kings of Israel?     While in the end it was because each king personally chose to do evil. There is 1 factor which contributed to their choices that is found first in 1 Kings 16:18-19. This phrase “walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he had committed to make Israel sin” is repeated of all 18 kings who succeeded Jeroboam on the Throne of Israel. Jeroboam was a man in the end whose example brought down an entire nation.     Jeroboam is a man who teaches us about, if we learn, the Power of One example. Jeroboam teaches us that we can never start to think that the negative choices we make in life don’t matter. For it certainly did for those who came after him, and while maybe not to the same degree, it will for those who come after us.

- Brian Mitchell served as a minister with the Jackson Church of Christ in Jackson, MO. Please visit the congregation's website at https://www.jacksonchurchofchrist.net