This is the story of Abijah, the little boy prince in the land of Israel. Since this is one of God’s stories, we may be sure that it is true. But we know only as much as God is pleased to tell us in the Bible.
The palace in which young Abijah lived was probably rich and beautiful, but it was certainly very wicked. His father, King Jeroboam, seems to have been rather afraid of God and jealous of the power which such a God would have over his people. In his jealousy, King Jeroboam made two calves of gold and set them up for the people to worship, one at each end of his kingdom. This trap was successful because the people did not have so far to go, and they could worship these golden idols and still live in sin. The children of Israel preferred to forget what God had really said: “Thou shalt worship no other god. . . . Thou shalt make thee no molten gods [gods made of melted metal]” (Exodus 34:14,1714For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: (Exodus 34:14)
17Thou shalt make thee no molten gods. (Exodus 34:17)). Even today many people think religion is all right if they do not have to obey God.
Would you fit right into King Jeroboam’s family, those who did not want to obey God? Abijah didn’t. Young as he was, he had somehow heard of the God of Israel. God had already brought the children of Israel out from the slavery of Egypt and given them wonderful riches in the land of Israel and taught them to worship Him with joy. I don’t know how much young Abijah knew, but his heart said yes to God who had been so kind and good to His people. Even if all the rest said no to the true God, there was something in this boy’s heart that said yes, and God saw it and heard it and it was of great value to Him.
But big trouble came into the royal household. King Jeroboam was given the bad news that his young son was very sick. Now doctors can be very helpful for sick children, but there are times when things get so bad that we all feel that all we can do is pray. But King Jeroboam was not a praying man. Where could he turn in his trouble?
He remembered the prophet of God who had told him the truth long ago. Maybe the same old man could tell him if his sick son would get better. He decided to send the queen to this old man to find out. So he called in the queen and told her to take him a present of some loaves of bread and a jar of honey, but not to wear clothes like a queen and not to tell him who she was.
Now why did he say that? Did he think the prophet was just a fortune-teller and could be fooled into not knowing it was the queen? Listen! If you want to receive a message from the Word of God, the Bible, or if you want to speak to God, you must remember that He is the God who made you. He not only knows your future, but He controls your future. He is the One who decides.
So the queen wore everyday clothes and went to see the old prophet. He was blind anyway so what she wore made no difference, and he paid no attention to her gift. He greeted her when he heard her footsteps coming. “Come in, thou wife of Jero-boam.. . . I am sent to [you] with heavy tidings [bad news].” And she hadn’t even said a word to him yet.
Actually, she had been sent to him, but he said, “I am sent to you”! That is just what God does, if you would only listen to Him. He is sending a message to you right now, and He is sending it because He cares. It is a message of bad news, but you can’t escape bad news anyway. Life is like that. But God’s message to you isn’t only bad news about your sins; it includes important good news. His message is of love, forgiveness, joy and peace, because His Son Jesus died for sinners. If you try to cover up the truth of your sins and offer Him a present of the good things you’ve done, His message to you is heavy and hopeless because you are not being honest with Him.
The prophet’s message to the queen was long and full of the judgment of God. It included the honorable death of her young son and the awful and disgraceful death of the king and all his family. “When [your] feet enter into the city, the child shall die,” he told her.
We can’t help but wonder why she did not stay outside the city, giving up the royal palace to save her son’s young life. It all depended on her.
But I have a Savior who loved me enough to leave heaven. He came down and lived in poverty and died on a cross outside the city of Jerusalem for me. And my heart, like that little prince’s, says yes to Him. What does your heart say?
But giving up the royal life was too much for the queen to do. She returned to her city, and God in His mercy allowed her feet to reach the doorstep of the royal palace before the child died. She lost her son, and they will be separated for all eternity. The young prince had gone to heaven, that happy place where princes and beggars are welcomed home if their hearts have truly responded to the Savior as God has shown Him to us. Could you answer Him as that young prince did? Will you say yes to Him right now?