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The account in I Kings 14:1-20 presents two basic themes. The first pertains to how people try to hide their evil natures from those around them, and then, they think that they can even do the same with the Lord. The second theme pertains to the simple biblical principle of reaping and sowing.

In I Kings 14:1-6, King Jeroboam's son had become very ill, so he sent his wife to seek guidance from Ahijah, the prophet that lived in Shiloh. The problem was that Jeroboam had worked much wickedness in Israel after he had become the king, and he did not have peace about going to the prophet as himself or sending his wife as herself. Instead, he did physically what many people try to do physically and symbolically. He disguised her so that Ahijah, who was blind anyway, would not recognize her, but his plot did not work. In I Kings 14:5, the Lord revealed to His man that the king's wife was coming to see him, and in I Kings 14:6, the prophet confronted her about her identity before she even got inside his door. Jeroboam and his wife had thought that they could fool God and His prophet, but they were wrong. Today, many people believe that they can put on a nice set of clothes over their wicked heart and deeds, but that will not work, either. An all-knowing God knows the heart of every person, and He knows when someone is trying to hide a wayward lifestyle. Jeroboam would have probably fared much better if he had fallen on his face before the Lord and pleaded for mercy.

The second theme of the passage, in I Kings 14:7-20, reinforced the biblical teaching that sowing evil produces evil results. Galatians 6:8 says, "The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." True life begins when one receives Christ as Savior and then living accordingly.