Context No. 3767 of 4322 · 1 Kings

1 Kings 11:34-43: in context

34“‘However, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes, 35but I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand and will give it to you, even ten tribes. 36I will give one tribe to his son, that David my servant may have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for myself to put my name there. 37I will take you, and you shall reign according to all that your soul desires, and shall be king over Israel. 38It shall be, if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do that which is right in my eyes, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, that I will be with you, and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you. 39I will afflict the offspring of David for this, but not forever.’” 40Therefore Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. 41Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, aren’t they written in the book of the acts of Solomon? 42The time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in his father David’s city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

As judgment falls on Solomon for his idolatry, God tempers it with mercy for the sake of his covenant with David. He will tear most of the kingdom away, but he will leave one tribe to Solomon's son, so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem. God keeps his promise to David even while judging David's son.

And to Jeroboam, who will receive the ten tribes, God holds out the same offer he gave David: if you will walk in my ways and keep my statutes, I will be with you and build you a sure house. Two things stand out. God's faithfulness to his promises outlasts the failures of his people; for David's sake a lamp is kept burning in Jerusalem, pointing ahead to the Son of David in whom the promise finds its yes. And the door of blessing that stood open to Jeroboam, as it had to David, on the same condition of faithful obedience, an offer he would tragically fail to take. God's promises are sure, and his invitation to walk with him is real; the tragedy is only in refusing it.

Do I trust the God whose faithfulness to his promises outlasts human failure, and am I taking up, rather than refusing, his real invitation to walk faithfully with him?

Sources

1 Kings 11:36: "I will give one tribe to his son, that David my servant may have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem."
1 Kings 11:38: "If you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways... I will be with you, and will build you a sure house."
1 Kings 11:39: "I will afflict the offspring of David for this, but not forever."