1 Kings 14:7-11

Hard Tidings.

Such is the character given by the prophet to the matter of the text ( 1 Kings 14:6 ). What we translate "heavy tidings" is, in the Hebrew, as in the margin, hard . The uses of the word ( קשה ) in several places suggest that it should be here taken as indicating retributive judgments merited by one who had hardened his heart in sin. Observe—

I. PRIVILEGES INVOLVE RESPONSIBILITIES . Thus—

1 . Special favour calls for special gratitude .

(3) The kingdom rent from the house of David was given to him. Jeroboam, then, was placed in succession to that David who had led the armies of Israel to victory! Also to that Solomon who had built the temple, and who, in the earlier part of his career, fined the world with the fame of surpassing wisdom!

2 . The favored are compared with their peers .

3 . They are contrasted with their peers .

II. RESPONSIBILITIES ABUSED PROVOKE JUDGMENTS . Amongst these may he mentioned—

1 . The bitter sense of wasted opportunity .

2 . The knowledge that the day of vengeance has set in .

3 . The severity of the sentence .