1Ki 14:16 And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.

Jeroboam had a son who was very sick. He told his wife to disguise herself so that no one would know she was his wife, and then go to Shiloh to see the prophet Ahijah, the prophet who prophesied he would be king of Israel, and enquired from him what would happen to their son. Question: Why did Jeroboam ask his wife to disguise herself? 1. SHAME. Ahijah had told him that if he will walk in the ways of Jehovah and keep His statutes, God will be with him and ensure the continuity of his kingdom. (1 Kings 11:38). Well, Jeroboam did not keep God’s commandments but introduced TWO golden calves into Israel. Jeroboam was ashamed to meet Ahijah. Ahijah probably knew his wife too and so, she had to disguise herself when she went to meet the prophet. Jeroboam assumed Ahijah would not speak to his wife and so disguised her. 2. CONTRADICTION. Jeroboam had introduced two golden calves into Israel. He told Israel these calves were the gods that had brought them out of Egypt (1 Kings 12:28). How could he then now consult a prophet of Jehovah? What would the people say when they see him not consulting the calves but a prophet of God? What does it tell us? It tells us that sin causes shame. Those who still have a bit of conscience left in them will feel shame for their sins. Jeroboam was too ashamed to face the prophet Ahijah. He knew he had not been walking in the statutes of God. His wife was a partner to his sins. She had to disguise herself to meet Ahijah. It was just too embarrassing if Ahijah were to ask her about the golden calves. Sin causes one to wear a mask. They have to disguise themselves and pretend who they really are. They do not want the church to know their dark side. They want their sins to remain a secret with them. But, God knows! “O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee” (Psalm 69:5). God knows everything about us: “For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes” (Jeremiah 16:17). And, He says those secret sins will be revealed: “For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known” (Luke 12:2).                                                            Jeroboam’s wife probably had a shock of her life when Ahijah said this upon seeing her: “Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam” (v.6). She thought she had disguised herself well. No secret is forever. Someday someone will unmask us and then our secret sins will be exposed. Then, we will be embarrassed, dishonoured, shamed, and judged. We read it in the news everyday – employees who had been stealing from their companies for years were exposed. If the masks will come down one day, why are so many still wearing them? Some reasons are: 1. PRIDE. They will lose friends if they know who they really are. 2. SHAME. The things they try to hide are shameful.                                                             3. FEAR. The things they are doing may be unlawful and they fear of punishment. Are we who we really are? One day we will have to give accounts for the secret sins in our lives. The right thing to do now is to repent and confess our sins to God: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).