◄ 1 Kings 14:5 ►
But the LORD had said to Ahijah, "Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill. You are to say such and such to her, because when she arrives, she will be disguised."
Study Bible
But the LORD had said to Ahijah
This phrase indicates divine communication, a common theme in the Old Testament where God speaks directly to His prophets. Ahijah was a prophet from Shiloh, known for previously delivering God's message to Jeroboam about becoming king over Israel (1 Kings 11:29-31). This highlights the role of prophets as God's mouthpieces, emphasizing the importance of obedience to God's word. The phrase also underscores God's omniscience and His involvement in the affairs of Israel.

Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming
Jeroboam was the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel after the division of the united monarchy. His wife remains unnamed, which is not uncommon in biblical narratives, focusing instead on her role and actions. Her coming to Ahijah signifies a desperate attempt to seek divine intervention for her son, reflecting the cultural practice of seeking prophets for guidance and healing. This also illustrates the personal impact of Jeroboam's political and religious decisions on his family.

to ask you about her son, for he is ill
The illness of Jeroboam's son, Abijah, serves as a catalyst for the narrative. In ancient Israel, illness was often seen as a sign of divine displeasure or a test of faith. This context suggests that Jeroboam's household is experiencing the consequences of his idolatry and disobedience to God (1 Kings 12:28-33). The request for Ahijah's insight indicates a belief in the power of prophetic intercession and the hope for healing or understanding of God's will.

You are to say such and such to her
This phrase implies that God has given Ahijah specific instructions on what to communicate. It highlights the prophet's role in delivering God's predetermined message, which often included both judgment and hope. The phrase suggests that the message is not open to alteration, emphasizing the authority and finality of God's word. This reflects the biblical theme of prophecy as a revelation of God's sovereign plan.

because when she arrives, she will be disguised
The disguise of Jeroboam's wife indicates an attempt to conceal her identity, possibly due to fear of political repercussions or shame. This act of deception contrasts with the transparency expected in seeking God's truth. It also underscores God's omniscience, as He reveals her intentions to Ahijah beforehand. The use of disguise can be seen as a metaphor for the spiritual state of Israel under Jeroboam's rule, where true worship was masked by idolatry. This theme of hidden motives and divine revelation is echoed in other biblical narratives, such as the story of Saul and the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28:8).

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD
The sovereign God who communicates His will and knowledge to His prophets.

2. Ahijah
A prophet of God who previously foretold Jeroboam's rise to power and now receives a message from God regarding Jeroboam's wife.

3. Jeroboam's Wife
The unnamed wife of King Jeroboam, who seeks Ahijah's counsel about her sick son while in disguise.

4. Jeroboam
The first king of the northern kingdom of Israel, known for leading Israel into idolatry.

5. The Son
The sick child of Jeroboam and his wife, whose illness prompts the visit to Ahijah.
Teaching Points
God's Omniscience
God knows all things, including the intentions and disguises of our hearts. We cannot hide from Him, and He sees beyond our outward appearances.

The Role of Prophets
Prophets serve as God's messengers, delivering His truth regardless of the circumstances. They are called to speak God's word faithfully, even when it is difficult.

The Consequences of Deception
Attempting to deceive God or His servants is futile and can lead to dire consequences. We are called to live transparently before God and others.

Seeking God in Times of Trouble
In times of distress, we should seek God with sincerity and humility, rather than through deceit or manipulation.

God's Sovereign Plans
God's plans and purposes will prevail, and He uses even the actions of those who oppose Him to fulfill His will.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the account of Jeroboam's wife approaching Ahijah in disguise illustrate the futility of trying to hide from God?

2. In what ways does Ahijah's role as a prophet in this passage reflect the responsibilities of spiritual leaders today?

3. How can we apply the lesson of God's omniscience in our daily lives, especially in our personal integrity and honesty?

4. What are some modern-day examples of people seeking God in times of trouble, and how can we ensure our approach is genuine?

5. How does understanding God's sovereignty in this passage help us trust Him more fully in our own life's circumstances?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Kings 11:29-31
This passage describes Ahijah's initial prophecy to Jeroboam, foretelling his rise to power, which establishes Ahijah's role as a true prophet of God.

1 Samuel 16:7
This verse highlights God's ability to see beyond outward appearances, similar to how He reveals the true identity of Jeroboam's wife to Ahijah.

Hebrews 4:13
This verse speaks to God's omniscience, reinforcing the idea that nothing is hidden from His sight, as demonstrated in this account.
Sermons
A Good Boy and a Bad FamilyA. McAuslane, D. D.1 Kings 14:1-18
Affliction and JudgmentJ. Urquhart 1 Kings 14:1-20
Spiritual VisionJ.A. Macdonald 1 Kings 14:4-6
People
Abijah, Abijam, Ahijah, David, Israelites, Jeroboam, Naamah, Nadab, Rehoboam, Shishak, Sodomites, Solomon, Tirzah
Places
Bethel, Egypt, Euphrates River, Jerusalem, Shiloh, Tirzah
Topics
Ahijah, Ahi'jah, Arrives, Behold, Feign, Herself, Ill, Inquire, Jeroboam, Jerobo'am, Jeroboam's, Making, News, Pass, Pretend, Pretended, Seek, Seem, Sick, Someone, Speak, Strange, Thus, Wife
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Kings 14:1-6

     5837   disguise

Library
Synopsis. --The Gradual Narrowing of the Miraculous Element in the Bible by Recent Discovery and Discussion. --The Alarm Thereby Excited in the Church. --The Fallacy Which
It is barely forty years since that beloved and fearless Christian scholar, Dean Stanley, spoke thus of the miracles recorded of the prophet Elisha: "His works stand alone in the Bible in their likeness to the acts of mediaeval saints. There alone in the Sacred History the gulf between Biblical and Ecclesiastical miracles almost disappears."[5] It required some courage to say as much as this then, while the storm of persecution was raging against Bishop Colenso for his critical work on the Pentateuch. …
James Morris Whiton—Miracles and Supernatural Religion

Jeroboam
BY REV. ALFRED ROWLAND, D.D., LL.B. "Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin."--1 KINGS xiv. 16. Jeroboam's character is worthy of serious study, not only because it influenced the destiny of God's ancient people, but because it suggests lessons of the utmost value to His people still. He may be fairly regarded as a type of those who are successful men of the world. He was not an example of piety, for he had none--nor of lofty principle, for he was an opportunist who made expediency …
George Milligan—Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known

Whether Contention is a Mortal Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that contention is not a mortal sin. For there is no mortal sin in spiritual men: and yet contention is to be found in them, according to Lk. 22:24: "And there was also a strife amongst" the disciples of Jesus, "which of them should . . . be the greatest." Therefore contention is not a mortal sin. Objection 2: Further, no well disposed man should be pleased that his neighbor commit a mortal sin. But the Apostle says (Phil. 1:17): "Some out of contention preach Christ," …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Divination by Drawing Lots is Unlawful?
Objection 1: It would seem that divination by drawing lots is not unlawful, because a gloss of Augustine on Ps. 30:16, "My lots are in Thy hands," says: "It is not wrong to cast lots, for it is a means of ascertaining the divine will when a man is in doubt." Objection 2: There is, seemingly, nothing unlawful in the observances which the Scriptures relate as being practiced by holy men. Now both in the Old and in the New Testament we find holy men practicing the casting of lots. For it is related …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

The Whole Heart
LET me give the principal passages in which the words "the whole heart," "all the heart," are used. A careful study of them will show how wholehearted love and service is what God has always asked, because He can, in the very nature of things, ask nothing less. The prayerful and believing acceptance of the words will waken the assurance that such wholehearted love and service is exactly the blessing the New Covenant was meant to make possible. That assurance will prepare us for turning to the Omnipotence …
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants

Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Rom. 14:12). In our last chapter we considered at some length the much debated and difficult question of the human will. We have shown that the will of the natural man is neither Sovereign nor free but, instead, a servant and slave. We have argued that a right conception of the sinner's will-its servitude-is essential to a just estimate of his depravity and ruin. The utter corruption and degradation of human nature is something which …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God

The Prophet Joel.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. The position which has been assigned to Joel in the collection of the Minor Prophets, furnishes an external argument for the determination of the time at which Joel wrote. There cannot be any doubt that the Collectors were guided by a consideration of the chronology. The circumstance, that they placed the prophecies of Joel just between the two prophets who, according to the inscriptions and contents of their prophecies, belonged to the time of Jeroboam and Uzziah, is …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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