Like Solomon, King Asa of the southern kingdom of Yehudah (Judah) had a godly beginning to his life, but it’s about your character at the end of your life that matters. That’s where Asa went astray.
Tag: Rehoboam
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.
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.