1 Kings 12:27 Meaning and Explanation
“If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jeroboam fears that if his people worship at the temple in Jerusalem, their loyalty and his life will be lost.
What Does 1 Kings 12:27 Mean?
Jeroboam's reasoning runs to its anxious conclusion. If his people travel south to sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem, he fears their hearts will return to Rehoboam, and that they will turn on him and kill him. The pull of true worship at the appointed place threatens, in his mind, his hold on power.
Here a fateful choice forms: Jeroboam weighs his own security against the worship God had ordained. Faith would have trusted God to keep what God had given; fear instead plots to control the people by controlling their worship. Scripture warns of the ruin that follows when devotion to God is bent to serve human ambition. To put the throne above the altar is to lose them both, and Jeroboam stands at the edge of that very mistake.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Kings 12:27
What does 1 Kings 12:27 mean?
Jeroboam fears that if his people worship at the temple in Jerusalem, their loyalty and his life will be lost.