A Prophecy of Doom

But the ruse did not succeed. While the queen was on her way to the prophet, “the Lord said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman. And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.” Verses 5, 6.AGP 86.4

Then it became the painful duty of the disappointed old prophet to deliver to the queen a terrible message to take to her husband, King Jeroboam.AGP 86.5

“Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over My people Israel, and rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as My servant David, who kept My commandments, and who followed Me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in Mine eyes; but hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke Me to anger, and hast cast Me behind thy back: therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, … and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone…. Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.” “And Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died.” 1 Kings 14:7-12, 17.AGP 86.6

This, apparently, was the last communication between Ahijah and Jeroboam. Swift judgment and disaster fell upon the house of Jeroboam in fulfillment of the word of the Lord through the prophet Ahijah. Shortly after receiving the message, Jeroboam led the forces of his kingdom against the army of Judah, and suffered a crushing defeat. His army was destroyed “with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time…. Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah; and the Lord struck him, and he died.” 2 Chronicles 13:17-20.AGP 87.1

Jeroboam was succeeded by his son Nadab, who “did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.” 1 Kings 15:25, 26. In the second year of Nadab’s reign, Baasha, a conspirator, slew him, and “smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him.” Verses 28, 29.AGP 87.2

In less than two years after the death of Jeroboam his dynasty was exterminated; and this was only twenty-four years from the day he had been crowned king by the Lord’s choosing, and by the marvelous working of many divine providences.AGP 87.3