And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.
The pronouncement was made by the aged prophet at Shiloh who years before had foretold Jeroboam's rise to the throne, and it was uttered even before Jeroboam died. It foretells that God would give Israel up, abandon the people, uproot them from the good land He had given their fathers, and scatter them beyond the River in ruin. The reason for this rejection was that Jeroboam sinned himself and made Israel sin, provoking God to anger with groves, and the apostasy he introduced would grow more and more marked under his rule until it brought utter ruin on the kingdom.
His sin included again making priests of the high places from the lowest of the people, consecrating anyone who wanted the office, and persisting in this course after the warnings of the torn altar, the withered arm, and the death of the prophet who disobeyed an express command of God. That course brought guilt on the house of Jeroboam to cut it off and destroy it from the face of the earth. Giving Israel up did not mean abandoning them at once, for before the rejection was complete God did all that could be done to lead them back to allegiance. Through long dark years when ruler after ruler stood in bold defiance and led Israel deeper into idolatry He sent message after message by His prophets and gave every opportunity to stay the tide of apostasy and return.
Elijah and Elisha lived and labored and the appeals of Hosea and Amos and Obadiah were heard, so Israel was never left without noble witnesses to His mighty power to save from sin. Even in the darkest hours some remained true to their divine Ruler and lived blameless, numbered among the goodly remnant through whom the eternal purpose would finally be fulfilled. Jeroboam's plans led Israel away from God into idolatry and terrible evils, and he would be held responsible for the results of his course, and those who follow his example are likewise accountable for the results of their wrong course. The verse warns that evil influence continues through those who encourage others toward wrongdoing, and people are answerable in the judgment for the influence they exert, including whether their example leads their children toward ruin or helps save them from it.
The pronouncement was made by the aged prophet at Shiloh who years before had foretold Jeroboam's rise to the throne, and it was uttered even before Jeroboam died. It foretells that God would give Israel up, abandon the people, uproot them from the good land He had given their fathers, and scatter them beyond the River in ruin. The reason for this rejection was that Jeroboam sinned himself and made Israel sin, provoking God to anger with groves, and the apostasy he introduced would grow more and more marked under his rule until it brought utter ruin on the kingdom.
His sin included again making priests of the high places from the lowest of the people, consecrating anyone who wanted the office, and persisting in this course after the warnings of the torn altar, the withered arm, and the death of the prophet who disobeyed an express command of God. That course brought guilt on the house of Jeroboam to cut it off and destroy it from the face of the earth. Giving Israel up did not mean abandoning them at once, for before the rejection was complete God did all that could be done to lead them back to allegiance. Through long dark years when ruler after ruler stood in bold defiance and led Israel deeper into idolatry He sent message after message by His prophets and gave every opportunity to stay the tide of apostasy and return.
Elijah and Elisha lived and labored and the appeals of Hosea and Amos and Obadiah were heard, so Israel was never left without noble witnesses to His mighty power to save from sin. Even in the darkest hours some remained true to their divine Ruler and lived blameless, numbered among the goodly remnant through whom the eternal purpose would finally be fulfilled. Jeroboam's plans led Israel away from God into idolatry and terrible evils, and he would be held responsible for the results of his course, and those who follow his example are likewise accountable for the results of their wrong course. The verse warns that evil influence continues through those who encourage others toward wrongdoing, and people are answerable in the judgment for the influence they exert, including whether their example leads their children toward ruin or helps save them from it.