1 Kings 14:28 Study Bible: It was so, that as often as the king went into the house of the LORD, the guard bore them, and brought them back into the guard room.

◄ 1 Kings 14:28 ►

And whenever the king entered the house of the LORD, the guards would bear the shields, and later they would return them to the guardroom.

Study Bible

And whenever the king entered the house of the LORD
This phrase indicates a regular practice or ritual involving the king. The "house of the LORD" refers to the temple in Jerusalem, a central place of worship for the Israelites. The king's entry into the temple signifies his role as a leader who is expected to honor and uphold the worship of Yahweh. This practice reflects the importance of the temple as a spiritual and political center. The king's presence in the temple underscores the connection between the monarchy and religious observance, a theme prevalent throughout the Old Testament.

the guards would bear the shields
The guards carrying shields symbolize protection and honor. These shields were likely made of bronze, as gold shields had been taken by Shishak, king of Egypt, earlier in the chapter. The act of bearing shields during the king's temple visit highlights the ceremonial aspect of the king's duties and the reverence associated with the temple. Shields in ancient times were not only for defense but also served as symbols of strength and authority. This practice may also reflect the need for security and the display of royal power even in sacred spaces.

and later they would return them to the guardroom
Returning the shields to the guardroom suggests a routine and organized approach to temple visits. The guardroom was a place for storing weapons and armor, indicating the importance of maintaining order and readiness. This detail emphasizes the structured nature of temple worship and the integration of military elements into religious practices. It also reflects the transient nature of earthly power and glory, as the shields, once used for display, are put away, symbolizing the temporary nature of human achievements compared to the eternal presence of God.

Persons / Places / Events

1. King Rehoboam
The son of Solomon and king of Judah, whose reign is marked by the division of the united kingdom and spiritual decline.

2. House of the LORD
Refers to the temple in Jerusalem, the central place of worship for the Israelites, symbolizing God's presence among His people.

3. Guards
The royal guards responsible for the protection of the king and the temple, tasked with carrying and returning the shields.

4. Shields
Originally gold shields made by Solomon, later replaced with bronze by Rehoboam after the Egyptian invasion, symbolizing a decline in glory and wealth.

5. Guardroom
The place where the shields were stored, indicating a shift from public display to a more hidden, less glorious state.

Teaching Points

Spiritual Decline and Consequences
Rehoboam's reign illustrates how turning away from God leads to loss and decline, both spiritually and materially.

Symbolism of the Shields
The transition from gold to bronze shields symbolizes a loss of divine favor and glory, reminding us to maintain our spiritual integrity.

Guarding What is Sacred
The role of the guards in protecting the temple and its treasures underscores the importance of safeguarding our faith and values.

Temporary vs. Eternal Wealth
The replacement of gold with bronze challenges us to consider where we place our trust and value—on earthly possessions or eternal treasures.

Restoration and Repentance
Despite the decline, there is always an opportunity for repentance and restoration, as seen in the broader account of Israel's history.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the change from gold to bronze shields reflect the spiritual state of Judah under Rehoboam's leadership?

2. In what ways can we guard our spiritual lives as the guards protected the temple and its treasures?

3. How does the account of Rehoboam challenge us to evaluate where we place our trust and value in today's world?

4. What lessons can we learn from the consequences of Rehoboam's actions about the importance of obedience to God?

5. How can we apply Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:19-21 to ensure our focus remains on eternal rather than temporary treasures?

Connections to Other Scriptures

2 Chronicles 12:9-11
This passage parallels the events in 1 Kings 14:28, providing additional context about the Egyptian invasion and the replacement of the gold shields with bronze ones.

1 Kings 10:16-17
Describes the original gold shields made by Solomon, highlighting the wealth and splendor of his reign compared to Rehoboam's.

Exodus 25:8
God's command to build a sanctuary so He may dwell among His people, emphasizing the significance of the temple as God's dwelling place.

Matthew 6:19-21
Jesus' teaching on storing treasures in heaven rather than on earth, relevant to the shift from gold to bronze shields.

Sermons

Unfaithfulness and its Rebuke	J. Urquhart	1 Kings 14:21-31
The Entailments of Sin	J.A. Macdonald	1 Kings 14:25-31

People

Abijah, Abijam, Ahijah, David, Israelites, Jeroboam, Naamah, Nadab, Rehoboam, Shishak, Sodomites, Solomon, Tirzah

Places

Bethel, Egypt, Euphrates River, Jerusalem, Shiloh, Tirzah

Topics

Afterward, Armed, Bare, Bear, Body-covers, Bore, Bring, Carry, Chamber, Couriers, Entered, Guard, Guard-chamber, Guardroom, Guards, Lord's, Oft, Often, Pass, Returned, Room, Runners, Shields, Taking, Temple, Whenever

Dictionary of Bible Themes

1 Kings 14:21-31

5366 king

1 Kings 14:25-28

4303 metals

Library

Synopsis. --The Gradual Narrowing of the Miraculous Element in the Bible by Recent Discovery and Discussion. --The Alarm Thereby Excited in the Church. --The Fallacy Which
It is barely forty years since that beloved and fearless Christian scholar, Dean Stanley, spoke thus of the miracles recorded of the prophet Elisha: "His works stand alone in the Bible in their likeness to the acts of mediaeval saints. There alone in the Sacred History the gulf between Biblical and Ecclesiastical miracles almost disappears."[5] It required some courage to say as much as this then, while the storm of persecution was raging against Bishop Colenso for his critical work on the Pentateuch. …
James Morris Whiton—Miracles and Supernatural Religion

Jeroboam
BY REV. ALFRED ROWLAND, D.D., LL.B. "Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin."--1 KINGS xiv. 16. Jeroboam's character is worthy of serious study, not only because it influenced the destiny of God's ancient people, but because it suggests lessons of the utmost value to His people still. He may be fairly regarded as a type of those who are successful men of the world. He was not an example of piety, for he had none--nor of lofty principle, for he was an opportunist who made expediency …
George Milligan—Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known

Whether Contention is a Mortal Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that contention is not a mortal sin. For there is no mortal sin in spiritual men: and yet contention is to be found in them, according to Lk. 22:24: "And there was also a strife amongst" the disciples of Jesus, "which of them should . . . be the greatest." Therefore contention is not a mortal sin. Objection 2: Further, no well disposed man should be pleased that his neighbor commit a mortal sin. But the Apostle says (Phil. 1:17): "Some out of contention preach Christ," …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Whether Divination by Drawing Lots is Unlawful?
Objection 1: It would seem that divination by drawing lots is not unlawful, because a gloss of Augustine on Ps. 30:16, "My lots are in Thy hands," says: "It is not wrong to cast lots, for it is a means of ascertaining the divine will when a man is in doubt." Objection 2: There is, seemingly, nothing unlawful in the observances which the Scriptures relate as being practiced by holy men. Now both in the Old and in the New Testament we find holy men practicing the casting of lots. For it is related …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

The Whole Heart
LET me give the principal passages in which the words "the whole heart," "all the heart," are used. A careful study of them will show how wholehearted love and service is what God has always asked, because He can, in the very nature of things, ask nothing less. The prayerful and believing acceptance of the words will waken the assurance that such wholehearted love and service is exactly the blessing the New Covenant was meant to make possible. That assurance will prepare us for turning to the Omnipotence …
Andrew Murray—The Two Covenants

Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Rom. 14:12). In our last chapter we considered at some length the much debated and difficult question of the human will. We have shown that the will of the natural man is neither Sovereign nor free but, instead, a servant and slave. We have argued that a right conception of the sinner's will-its servitude-is essential to a just estimate of his depravity and ruin. The utter corruption and degradation of human nature is something which …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God

The Prophet Joel.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. The position which has been assigned to Joel in the collection of the Minor Prophets, furnishes an external argument for the determination of the time at which Joel wrote. There cannot be any doubt that the Collectors were guided by a consideration of the chronology. The circumstance, that they placed the prophecies of Joel just between the two prophets who, according to the inscriptions and contents of their prophecies, belonged to the time of Jeroboam and Uzziah, is …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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