Eat This Book
Read Proverbs Chapter 31
2 Chronicles 10
1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king.
2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.
3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying,
4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.
5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed.
6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.
9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?
10 And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.
13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the Lord might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.
17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
The POFW Daily Bible Reading 
v8″ But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him,”
We may not admit this a lot but some people are playing church . They will not take counsel from the Bible. They don’t understand when GOD SAYS,” Let your yea be yea and your nay be nay.” If they did it would conduct them in a different way. As the old men tried giving good counsel to king Rehoboam.
With that kind of counsel anybody would have the courage to go through any storm or crises.
People who give you good advise care for you.
Yes, their will always be the flatters that will pat you on the back when you are not doing well.
They are not helping you, but it’s your friend who will tell you the truth.
Yet some will hate you for letting them the truth. As we read in 1 Kings 22:8
” But I hate him.”
Last of all I’m thankful for our great church
It’s JESUS CHURCH and it’s great because of counsel and wisdom of our leadership
Pastor &Sis. M. Watts and the great men of wisdom and ability of our Elders.
We must keep our minds and hearts open and listen and take their advise to heart.
Good advise is beautiful and valuable .
“Blessed be thy advise.” 1Samuel 25:33
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iWork
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Sorry … For telling them truth.
Have a Blessed Day!
IN JESUS NAME!!!!
I love to eat breakfast with Jesus
13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men
Roughly-07186
קָשֶׁה qasheh
Adjective kaw-sheh’
from (07185)
from ; severe (in various applications):–churlish, cruel, grievous, hard((-hearted), thing), heavy, + impudent, obstinate, prevailed, rough(-ly), sore, sorrowful, stiff((necked)), stubborn, + in trouble.
hard, cruel, severe, obstinate
hard, difficult
severe
fierce, intense, vehement
stubborn, stiff of neck, stiff-necked
rigorous (of battle)
AS LEADERS IN GODS CHURCH, WE MUST ALWAYS ANSWER PEOPLE WITH A SOFT ANSWER. YES, IT’S SOMETIMES HUMBLING, BUT IT’S ALWAYS REQUIRED.
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. (Proverbs 15:1 KJV)
There are people that will ask for advice but deep inside they have already made up their minds as to what they are going to do; but they want to avoid the responsibility of their actions; so what do they do? They keep seeking advice until they find the fool that will agree with them & tickle their ears with flattering. That way when things go wrong instead of seeing that they took the wrong decision they can say “but you told me to”… My lesson was learned, so now be aware if you come to me for advice my question is going to be “What did Pastor had to say about this?. Have you prayed?, then why do you need my opinion?” The three questions that any young person should ask themselves if you are serious about anything, before you ask your peers. Although it is my humble opinion you should never ask your peers, look for the wisdom, and wisdom comes by experiences, time, & the going through trials. You will only find it in your elders.
2 Chronicles 10:11-14
For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day. 13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, 14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
Although this happened to fulfuill the word of God spoken to Jeroboam through Alijah the Shilonite, there is a great principle to be gained.
David reigned, and though he made many mistakes, he was still called a man after God’s own heart. He repented, worshipped, and lived a life of honesty, and transparency before the Lord.
While he sat on the throne there were things established, and set up. All Solomon, and the generations to come had to do was carry the torch, forsake not the Lord, and the house of David would have sat on the throne forever.
Today we do not need celebrities, rambos, or super stars. We need men andd women that will be after the man of God’s heart, as he is after God’s own heart. Submission is more than compliance. Submission is becoming like, learning from, and taking on the attributes of the one you are following.
This passage challenges to not start a new race, battles have already been fought and won, take the torch, grab hold of the baton, and continue too grow and pursue their vision.
Vs 19 Isreal rebelled against the house of David…..
I pray that I will always adhear and respect what the House of God says (church). I know that they wouldnt give me the wrong Words to do. To have a more fruitful life.
Thank you Jesus for speaking to me on a regular basis and giving me confurmation when I go to church.
The Message (MSG)
7 They said,”If you will be a servant to this people,be considerate of their needs and respond with compassion,work things out with them,they’ll end up doing anything for you.”
The elders advise holds key components for inspiring leaders.
11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
King Solomon was much richer and wiser, than all the kings of the earth- he surpassed them all.
What a difference in attitude and as being a servant.
Pride, Rebellion, Arrogance, Rudeness, has stepped in!
The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. (Proverbs 29:15 KJV)
13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the Lord might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
I have learned through lifes experences to listen to the councel of the older generation in my life. It shows us how the generations of the earth have not changed. In our society today there is a lack of respect for the older generation. I pray that somehow we will teach our children what it means to be respectful. I also found it curious how this was God’s plan all the time. This was suppose to happen. We serve a very Jealous God.
A BIG EGO ALWAYS HAS SOMETHING TO PROVE
6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.
The principal has been established and proven time and time again. “If you desire to know who a person really is give them some authority.”
Rehoboam started out in the correct direction, seeking the wisdom of his father through the elders that served with him. However in his own egotistical way sought to make a name for himself by doing his own will.
Turbulent and unthankful spirits will find fault with the government, and complain of grievances, when they have very little reason to do so.
***Rehoboam, what was wrong with the counsel of the elders?***
This is a very common problem with young leaders today, in an effort to make a name for themselves or an attempt to prove a point, they seek the counsel (approval) of peers, rather than submitting to the counsel of elders.
Age is experience, experience is wisdom, wisdom is riches. Rehoboam would have done well to follow the counsel of his father.
Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
***Young Ministers and Leaders, take notes from this lesson and heed the counsel of elders not each other. Do not rob yourself of the promises of GOD for the satisfaction of self-will and exercising authority.***
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
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This chapter illustrates advice. The king sought advice, which he did receive from his elders and also from his peers. Albeit he unwisely chose that of his peers, vice that of those that had been loyal to his father in the past. One will always be able to find someone willing to give advice. However one that is wise will hearken unto the Lord and the man of God, and those that have been faithful to God and loyal to the man of God. May the good Lord Bless you all in Jesus name, Amen
8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.
He made a bad mistake of not heeding the advice of the elders in his life and paid for it. We must always keep an open ear to the words of our elders, they have already been through what we have been through and can help lead us in the right direction.
Vs. 15, ” So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the Lord might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.”
MSG version, ” Rehoboam turned a deaf ear to the people. God was behind all this, confirming the message that he had given to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Abijah of Shiloh.”
Some things happen because they are in God’s will. If we go back and read 1 Kings chapters 11 & 12 we will find the real reason why this is happening. It’s all because the kingdom is getting ready to be divided into 2 tribes and 10 tribes all because of the act of Idolitry. (1 Kings 11:29-33)
God gets tired of being 2 place in people lives when he wants to be 1st. So, when something is going on in our lives, and we are asking the question Why? Maybe, we should take a look at ourselves and see what we are putting before God in our life. Because anything we put before God in our life is Idolitry.
6 King Rehoboam talked it over with the elders who had advised his father when he was alive: “What’s your counsel? How do you suggest that I answer the people?” 7 They said, “If you will be a servant to this people, be considerate of their needs and respond with compassion, work things out with them, they’ll end up doing anything for you.” 8 But he rejected the counsel of the elders and asked the young men he’d grown up with who were now currying his favor, 9 “What do you think? What should I say to these people who are saying, ‘Give us a break from your father’s harsh ways – lighten up on us’?” MSG
We go for advice we need to go with an open heart and mind. And then when we get that advice from our elders/pastor we need to obey that advice. As in verse 9 talks about lighten up on us, I don’t want Pastor to lighten up on me I want to hear what he has to tell me. Without our Pastor/elders where we go and seek advice?
8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.
There is a reason for there being more expierenced counsel in the church for us to go too, so that we can get our answers, FOR SAFETY. Proverbs tells us there is wisdom in the multitude of counsel. God wants us to seek Godly counsel.
Many times we as good people we seek counsel, but as not so smart people we seek counsel until someone tells us what we want to hear, or we just ignore the wise Godly counsel that our elders are advising us to. Either way there are conquences to not following through with the advise of the wise counsel…..
In this scripture, you can see the heaviness of the yokes that was implaced by previous Fathers or Kings. Thanks be to God, for the new covenant with better promises, we now have a new Daddy & King. He promised us as born again believers that his yoke is easy and his burden light….Amen. By the way he also gave us authority to trample scorpions now. Amen, Amen….thank you Jesus.
“Be Church”…iwork…igive…ipray…ireap……
8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.
No doubt that Solomon’s son Jeroboam was one spoiled rich kid-maybe even used to getting his own way. The guys he grew up with probably learned early in childhood that they could benefit from bullring Jeroboam & letting him have his way. These are not true friends-leaches come to mind though or friends of convenience. Now when Jeroboam wants & needs good advice, he looks to these so called
friends and accepts their counsel. These guys stood to gain from a heavier tax and lacked wisdom to see down the road or to understand the needs of others & also lacked compassion. The elders had this wisdom through age & experience. Jeroboam should have taken the 2 sets of counsel & inquired of the man of God. Gods will would have prevailed but at least the inexperienced King would have followed the leading of God not man.
Oops switched the names- I am referring to Rehoboam here, Soloman’s son.
Be wary of the company u keep, they will either build u up or tear u down. If what they are saying does not line up with the word of God then it is time to reevaluate the friendship. We see here in this chapter that foolish council taken will bring us lower instead of building us up.
Be careful what u allow in your life, if u surround yourself with godly people that speak positive, uplifting, and truth then u will mirror that. Much the same if u surround yourself with negative, wicked, or deceitful people then u will begin to show that.
A Breakdown Of Lineage
13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,
14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
Yes Solomon forsook the counsel of the elders but there’s more revealed here. Somewhere there was a breakdown of the counsel and knowledge of the elders being passed down to the younger, revealed by the young men whose counsel so drastically differed from the elders. Whether that critical information was simply not being taught or it wasn’t being received or some combination thereof, it seemed the hearts of the young men were not after the wisdom that lay within the hearts of the elders.
Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. (Proverbs 20:5 KJV)
God positions us with leaders in our lives who can help us develop into who we are destined to be, however we must be willing to receive.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. (Proverbs 1:7-9 KJV)
The key to receiving is a heart after God. We may not have everything together but if we have a heart God can lead, then we can be developed from glory to glory to be more of who we are supposed to be.
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for
The years that the old men serve with Solomon gave them insight into the hearts of the people. They provide counsel the would have made him successful. Some where along they way he chose not to inquire of the Lord.
Ruling with an iron fist can never create an environment that will bring about peace, unity and commitment. Pride and Division was the result.
18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
I don’t know about you but if I were him I would want the ground to be more like Alvarado that Godley geologically speaking. Alvarado has more sand and clay. Godley has more rock. –ha
It seems that geologically speaking there is much lime stone found in the area of Jeruselem.
Limestone rocks are sedimentary rocks that are made from the mineral calcite which came from the beds of evaporated seas and lakes and from sea animal shells. This rock is used in concrete and is an excellent building stone for humid regions.
One site was talking about how the limestone was soft when it was underground, but hard when in the air.–Those are done hard rocks
But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him
Careful of the council of men that have weak testimony….
If a man has never been through anything , how then can he advise a man going through a fire he has never seen? Most men that have never been in battle are hasty and end up hurt. It’s not until they have survived a few. Styles that they can settle the wrath and learn the best way out of a situation.
In a fight usually the one that is the maddest looses. The reason why is that anger clouds your mind and you can’t think straight.
He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. (Proverbs 14:29 KJV)
A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. (Proverbs 15:18 KJV)
14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
I meant to leave this verse with my blog.
This is where it went bad.
Instead of the soft answer of the old men he took the wrathfull advise of the young
King Rehaboam sought counsel, put then rejected it and did what was in his heart and it caused Israel to rebell against the house of David even to this day.
We must be mindful to receive the counsel of our elders with gladness, and put away our own desires and follow those that God has placed over us. As we see in this chapter, Rehaboam’s reaction caused a long lasting rebellion. If we take things into our own hands, and don’t listen, it plants a seed of rebellion in our heart, and from then on everything we do is based on that seed.
Rejection of counsel leads to rebellion, and if we’re not careful, we will change the entire destiny of our lives based on that rejection.
With age comes wisdom. Too often we do not listen to our elders and get ourselves in trouble.
Trying to move the old landmarks (tax and labor systems) that Solomon initiated were a bit harsh. Rehoboam’s elder advisors councel him to lighten the load of these overworked people and win back their cooperation. Solomon had appointed stern taxes durring the construction of the temple, but now that it is complete.. there is an opportunity for rest and peace (yes, even financially).
In contrast: God had appointed the law to be followed by his people, a temporary solution for His people to keep them in order until the coming of Jesus to save us from the seperational wedge of sin (Mat 5:17-20). Once a completion happens in status quo, then concessions can be made. Such as when Jesus died on the cross, and rose from the dead he fulfilled the law, and changed the way we come to Him. In Mat 16: 6 6 Jesus talks about the spirit of the bad advisors/false prophets. “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
When Rehoboam denies Jeroboam’s request, the people revolt and make Jeroboam their king. This initiated the split between the north and south. Rehoboam listens to poor advice and makes a bad decision with long-term consequences -unlike his grandfather, King David, who was cautiously understanding in his dealing with other people (1 Ch 12:16-18). Often our tendancy is to seek advice from people who will feed our egos or tell us what we want to here. True humillity- and for that matter, wisdom- obliges us to be teachable and willing to heed advice from those whom we don’t necessarily agree (Pro 15:22).
Rehoboam turned a deaf ear to the people after he spurned the counsel of the elders and went with the advice of the younger set. We must remember to keep an open mind whenever seeking or needing counsel. Sometimes we think that elders are so out of touch with todays times; but, in reality they know more and bring light to situations that we have not even considered. Rehoboam should have listened to the authority figures in his life instead of the bad advice from his friends, which brought forth rebellion.