In this Chapter, 1 Kings 14, I love the question the prophet Ahijah asks the wife of Jeroboam…why this pretense? She was sent to the prophet by her husband, the king, because their son is ill and Jeroboam wants to know what will happen. He tells her to go in disguise and take food to give to the prophet. The Lord has already told Ahijah she is coming and who she is.

Do we ever consider that God is not fooled? That He doesn’t want to be fooled by our pretense but to know us? Can we not see that He knows us better than we know ourselves?

The message is not good. Their son dies as Ahijah told them and he will be buried. The rest of Jeroboam’s descendants will be cut off and Israel will be scattered because of their idolatry they learned from Jeroboam. His son Nadab succeeds him as king.

Rehoboam, king of Judah, who wanted to rule even more severely than his father, Solomon, is humbled in the fifth year of his reign. The king of Egypt attacks Jerusalem and carries off all the treasures of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace. His son Abijam succeeds him as king.

Who is our King? 930 years before Jesus is born, Jeroboam and Rehoboam became kings of Israel and Judah. God never gives us pretense. From the very beginning He gives us choice and honors our right to choose. He knows what we are made of because He created us. He knows the struggles we face. He understands the blessings of life with Him as well as the futility of our hearts turned away from Him. With Him life has meaning.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned…For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:2, 6-7.

As we strap in to read about the successive kings of Israel and Judah of old, as we see the rulers of this worlds countries, as we look at our own lives and choices we make, can we begin to appreciate our Creator God with Whom is no pretense? “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:11-14.

Lately, I keep seeing in my heart Jesus standing before me. Everything else has fallen away like all the dusty buried dead civilizations that have come before. Only Jesus remains and I know peace. There is no pretense. There is Love. Perfect Love driving out fear. I am found. Thank You, Lord! Don’t pretend with God. He is real and His love is real.