Jeroboam: When Fear Governs the Heart

Jeroboam is more than a historical figure. He is a mirror. In our daily lives, we also face decisions that reveal whether we trust God or act out of fear.

When we read the Bible, we must remember that what was evident to early readers requires scrutiny. They knew each story’s cultural context, political tensions, and spiritual implications. Today, we approach the figure of Jeroboam, a character often reduced to a single phrase: “Jeroboam, the one who made Israel sin.” But was it always like this? What happened in his heart that caused him to go from being chosen by God to becoming an eternal warning? This is the story of a man whose history has been forgotten and has become only a bad memory; it is the story of a man who, despite earning merit, disobeyed by allowing fear to rule his heart and dictate his decisions.

Before Jeroboam: A Corrupted Throne

The story of Jeroboam begins with the decline during Solomon’s reign. Although he had received divine wisdom, Solomon openly disobeyed the principles established by God for kings in Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

• He accumulated excessive wealth not through blessings, but through taxes (1 Kings 10:14-29).
• He imposed forced labor on his people (1 Kings 5:13).
• He introduced idolatry into Israel through foreign influence (1 Kings 11:1-8).
• He despised the law of Jehovah, the foundation of the covenant (1 Kings 11:6).

It is in this context of oppression and disobedience that Jeroboam emerged. A man who represented everything Solomon had rejected. Let’s see why.

Jeroboam: A Leader Approved By God

The Scriptures tell us little, but enough to understand Jeroboam’s beginnings:

• He was a forced laborer under Solomon’s orders, and so competent that Solomon made him overseer of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, who were also working under forced labor (1 Kings 11:28).
• He later rebelled against oppression and fled to Egypt.
• Upon Solomon’s death, the people proclaimed him king of the north (1 Kings 12:20).

It’s surprising. Why would a person who suffered under forced labor elect a king who oversaw that same oppression? And here’s the key: Jeroboam, even in a position of authority, showed empathy, served with humility, and identified with the people’s pain. His very name—”the one who fights for the people” suggests a call to service, not domination. He was the one who literally put into practice the advice of the elders of Israel, “If you serve them, they will serve you.” (1 Kings 12:7) and the words Jesus later spoke, “Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.” (Matthew 20:27(CSB).

These merits led him to an unexpected turn: before the people chose him, God Himself had chosen him. In 1 Kings 11:37-38, the Lord promises him a lasting dynasty like David’s if he remains faithful. No other king, except David, received such a promise. Jeroboam, even though he knew God had already chosen him and the people loved him as King, never claimed the throne. He did not proclaim himself king; he relied on the promise of being King: it was God who called him, and the people who acclaimed him. Until that moment, everything indicated that Jeroboam was a man after God’s own heart at a time when Israel was crying out for deliverance from oppression, idolatry, and Solomon’s folly.

When Fear Replaces Faith

But everything changed. Jeroboam started well but ended badly. Why? He was afraid. Instead of trusting in God’s promise, he feared the people would return to Jerusalem and turn against him (1 Kings 12:27). That fear led him to make decisions that unleashed a chain of errors:

• He set up golden calves and presented them as the gods who had led the people out of Egypt (1 Kings 12:28).
• He established an alternative cult, fabricated for political convenience (1 Kings 12:31-33).
• Instead of repenting, as David did, he persisted in his error, trying to correct it with further disobedience.

Thus, the man who once pleased God became a symbol of rebellion. Jeroboam did not lose the kingdom out of weakness, but out of fear and disobedience.

Application: When We Are Jeroboam

Jeroboam is more than a historical figure. He is a mirror. In our daily lives, we also face decisions that reveal whether we trust God or act out of fear:

• Job changes, family crises, social pressures, and financial decisions.
• Fear of rejection, failure, isolation, or the fear of losing what we have achieved can push us to disobey God.

But let us remember: true strength lies not in avoiding risks, but in obeying God when everything seems uncertain. One step of faith in integrity is worth more than a thousand confident steps in disobedience.

Let us honestly ask ourselves:

• What principles are we sacrificing to fit into this world?
• What decisions are we making out of fear rather than spiritual conviction?
• What right actions are we neglecting to avoid upsetting those who do wrong?
• What mistakes are we justifying so we don’t face repentance?

Let History Not Repeat Itself In Us

The story of Jeroboam warns us: fear can destroy what God wants to build in us. God fights for His people if the people remain in Him. Instead of being guided by fear, let us be moved by faithfulness. We are Jeroboam, but it depends on which stage of his life we want to identify with. Let our story not end with a label like “the one who made others sin,” “the one who started building and couldn’t finish,” or “he was a good person.” Let us live as witnesses where it is possible to live with courage, integrity, and faith in a world full of uncertainty.

Did you know that the other possible meaning of Jeroboam is “God fights for His people”? Let Jeroboam’s name not be just a tragic memory, but an urgent call: let us not allow fear and shame to rule our hearts and lead us to disobey. Let us trust in the God who fights for each of us and tells us, “Do not fear, I am with you.” Let faith guide us to live by God’s will, not fear or shame.

René Castillo,
San Salvador Ecclesia, El Salvador