1 Kings 11:28

Jeroboam is an example of something quite common in the East. A man is raised from a relatively low position in private or public life to the highest, or one of the highest, positions in the land. We have examples of this in Scripture, such as Joseph and Moses, and secular history mentions plenty more.

The Holy Spirit holds back the account of the trouble Hadad and Rezon caused the king until this point. The Spirit Himself presents it as a direct chastening of Solomon's idolatry. And these were not the only ones. They were external. Solomon might say, "Well, we cannot expect anything better. They have private grudges, or national grudges, against our family." But Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite, was no foreigner. This was not a matter of avenging supposed wrongs done to his family or his race.

The third enemy of Solomon was the most dangerous, for he was a servant of Solomon, a capable man whom Solomon had entrusted with a responsible position (v. 28). Jeroboam rebelled against the king because of a message God sent to him through the prophet Ahijah. So it is plainly God who raised up this adversary. Jeroboam was from Ephraim, and Solomon set him over all the labour force of the house of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh). He would be fully familiar with the running of the affairs of Solomon's kingdom.

When Solomon was busy fortifying Jerusalem he noticed Jeroboam's industrious ways and promoted him to be in charge of the work crews from Ephraim and Manasseh. But we see that the king was not alone in taking note of this young man. God also took note of his industry and ambition. God's eye is on the ways of man and, more than that, He knows the thoughts and desires of every man's heart.

Jeroboam's industriousness was commendable, but God looks for more than merely commendable human character traits. He looks at the heart and wants hearts wholly committed to Him. So He told Jeroboam, "If you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes… as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house… and I will give Israel to you" (v. 38).

This naturally gave him a place of importance in the eyes of his fellow countrymen, and prepared the way for what was soon to follow. They clearly resented this forced labour. "Your father made our yoke heavy," they later said to Rehoboam… There is no certain evidence that this was true. Their labour served the glory and security of the kingdom, and everyone was meant to share in its prosperity… It is possible, however, that they were set to work on what served only self-gratification; for when men leave the right way, as Solomon did, they soon become oppressive.

He had secretly longed for power over his brothers. The phrase "all that your soul desires" shows it clearly. He probably chased the fulfilment of Ahijah's prophecy with the feverish haste of pride… Ahijah had said plainly that Solomon should be ruler all the days of his life, and that only out of his son's hand would the kingdom pass to Jeroboam. But like a wilful, impatient child, he could not wait, and had to take the matter out of God's hand and act for himself.