1 KINGS 14
Disguise. Why did the king not consult one of the false gods he worshiped? And why not go to the Lord’s prophet personally and openly? Because Jeroboam was a coward and did not want to weaken his “religious establishment.” He did not dare identify himself publicly with the true worship of Jehovah, even though he knew that his own religious leaders could not help him.
Death. Abijah had good news about the son but bad news about everybody else in the royal family. God saw true devotion in the son and would not permit him to grow up in such an evil home. The boy was the only male to have a decent burial and be mourned. See verse 18 and
Decay. Under King Rehoboam, Solomon’s great kingdom lost both quantity (the tribes) and quality (the treasures). The costly golden shields (1 Kings 10:16–17) were replaced by bronze shields, but the guards and the king went through the same ceremony. What a picture of some lives and ministries today: everything looks the same, but the value has vanished. All we do is keep up appearances (