Two accounts of the rise of Abiyam (Abijam) aka Abiyah (Abijah), the grandson on King Shlomo (Solomon), the throne of Yehudah (Judah) are recorded in 2nd Chron. 13:1-22 and 1st Kings 15:1-8. Chronicles portrays Abiyam as a God-fearing king, while 1st Kings portrays him as a king who didn’t love God. These seem to be internal and external perspectives of the man.
In God’s instructions for remembering Sukkot (Festival of Booths or Tabernacles), God said to gather foliage from four types of trees. Part 1 of this study reveals how these four species symbolize four types of people. Part 2 explores how the sukkah made from the trees teaches about the Yeshua’s 12 apostles, the “fruits” of the Spirit and the dwelling place of God.
In God’s instructions for remembering Sukkot (Festival of Booths or Tabernacles), God said to gather foliage from four types of trees. Part 1 of this study reveals how these four species symbolize four types of people. Part 2 explores how the sukkah made from the trees teaches about the Yeshua’s 12 apostles, the “fruits” of the Spirit and the dwelling place of God.
The chiastic structure in 1st Kings 13 points to the words spoken by the prophet to the pagan altar of northern Israel. That prophecy finds fulfillment in chapter 14 and 300 years later under king Yoshiyah (Josiah).
This chapter has some odd elements: a “man of God” who spoke condemnation to the false-worship altar of the now-separate northern kingdom of Israel, he got tripped up in his mission by another prophet, then his body is watched over by a donkey and a lion. Rather than oddities, these are messages from God about the coming exiles of Israel, the return from exile and the role of the Messiah.
Idols are actually as prevalent in modern times as they were back in the days of Rehoboam and Yeroboam (Jeroboam). Bowing down to a statue as a representation of a divine is not as common in our world, but what is common is spiritual idolatry — the core of physical idolatry.
As it says in Ecclesiastes, “There is nothing new under the sun.” The rebellion Yeroboam (Jeroboam) started that split ancient Israel in northern and southern parts is still with us today, because the “hearts” of people haven’t changed.