JESUS today YOU will SAVE me.
Eat This Book
Read Proverbs Chapter 9
1 Kings 12
1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)
3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;
14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
21 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
23 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,
24 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord.
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.
26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.
28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.
33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
The POFW Daily Bible Reading 
Going the way of the Lord.
I read this message and I thank God for this passage. I know the Lord dos great things and he wants me and you to bring people out of Egypt ,the world, and bring them to the light. I thankyou Lord that I am out of Egypt the world. I have to be strong in God’s word so I can bring people out of destruction and despair. I have to be emotionally stable too.
I thankyou And Love you Lord for your word. It’s really getting easier to read .
14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
In reading this chapter, we see the importance of listening to good counsel. King Rehoboam went with the bad counsel of his friends versus the counsel of the elders. One must be careful who and what they are listening to. We must remember to follow Him……Jesus.
You cannot worship the Lord however you choose. You cannot use graven images, you cannot fall out of the statutes He has set in place. This is what concerns me with a lot of the “Christian” beliefs today. They worship God however they choose and expect Him to be ok with it. There is no wisdom in doing whatever you want. Rehoboam found that out.
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;
This is why we need to listen to whoever is in authority over us and not to people that we just “want” to listen for advice. If we look for advice only from our friends, especially from people that don’t live for God, they will lead us down the wrong path.
“You can’t judge a book by its cover”
Most of us have heard this well-known warning which suggests we look deeper into person or situation.
When we seek advice, sometimes those we seek advice from have their own agenda. Usually free advice is worth exactly what you pay for it because the advice may or may not apply to you, your life or your situation.
Rehoboam started off great. He sought advice from elders. He then sought advice from people his own age. While I am not against multiple advisors to broaden our perspective on any given situation we should carefully and prayerfully consider which group to follow when the advice differs so greatly.
Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.
SIMPLE OBEDIENCE
This is what this chapter is telling me this morning. Be careful who you are taking advice from and listening to. Just because they are friend and they tell you they have a word from the Lord for you, make sure you ask them if they have run that pass your Pastor. God gave us a Pastor to watch over our soul, so why wouldn’t you listen to the man of God when he tells us something. Sometimes it hurts when we are told No but he is only doing it for our own good.
28. So on the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves. He said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!” NLT
As if the calves that were created yesterday could have brought them out of Egypt so many years ago!
It’s sad how so many today are also willing to be listen to false doctrine and be deceived in the name of convenience. The standards and practices that kept people out of sin for so long are somehow thrown aside as unnecessary and burdensome. Lord, help us return to You and Your Truths!
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
The key word is IF..
ame to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
Praise was the only tribe that’ continued to follow after the house of David.
Praise Is our weapon and it is mighty . Seeking after what God would have praising our way through and being obedient to His word.
WISDOM AND IGNORANCE
6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
Elders are BLESSED by life experiences. Elders have endured and overcome challenges, faced and persevered through trial. Elders present a proven perspective to unique opportunities. If there is success, threre has already been failure. Elders have no doubt experienced similar challenges in life and are able to share not only their experiences, but also the experiences of others that they have sought counsel from.
Rehoboam reveals his wisdom and ignorance in the same opportunity.
It is wise to seek counsel from elders and ignorant to ignore the counsel and seek advice from others. Integrity and credibility are damaged when we refuse the counsel of elders or old men. Especially successful old men.
We will always be able to find someone to agree with us, to tell us what we want to hear. We are wise to value the words of Elders in our life who are willing to share their life experiences with us.
Seek and appreciate time with Elders. Listen to their stories, there is wisdom in them. Hear their counsel, there is victory in it. Honor their time there is experience in it.
iRepent
iPraise
iPray
iWork
iGive
iReap
Amen!!
1 Kings 12:15 (AMP) “So the king did not listen to the people; for the situation was from the LORD, so that He might fulfill His word which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.”
The word that was spoken through Ahijah to Jeroboam is found in 1 Kings 11:29-39.
God’s Word is Sure!
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
He was foolish because instead of following the counsel of God and the elders, he decided to listen to his peers. Our peers are good for some things but when it comes to heavy matters such as how to lead people we need our ears and hearts open to our elders not our peers.
26 Jeroboam thought to himself, “Unless I am careful, the kingdom will return to the dynasty of David.
27 When these people go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple of the Lord, they will again give their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and make him their king instead.”
28 So on the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves. He said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!” (NLT)
Jeroboam tried to be cautious and keep the kingdom’s allegiance but in turn all he did was make the same exact mistake Solomon did – he built more idols. He clearly forgot what the Lord spoke to him just in the previous chapter: “If you listen to what I tell you and follow my ways and do whatever I consider to be right, and if you obey my decrees and commands, as my servant David did, then I will always be with you. I will establish an enduring dynasty for you as I did for David, and I will give Israel to you.” (1 Kings 11:38, NLT). It seems redundant and makes you want to ask, “when will these people learn?!” But truth is, the same ignorant actions continue today. Open our eyes and open our ears Lord to follow Your commandments and stay wholly submitted to You!
8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. 9 He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”
10 The young men who had grown up with him replied, “These people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11 My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’”
Be careful who you listen to. Rehobam rejected the advice given him and took the advice of his friends. Our friends don’t always give the Godly advice, but advice that is pleasing to your ears.
ILove to Grow in the Word
1 Kings 12:7 KJV And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
Leadership 101. In order to be a great leader, you must treat people above and beyond if you expect them to serve in the Kingdom. King Rehoboam listened to his peers who were pushed by pride and ego rather than listening to the Elders who instructed him with wisdom.
6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;
19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
Not listening to the voice of the elders on our lives has always had serious consequences
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;
14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
We can grow more if we accept correction from our leaders. It’s not a pleasant feeling when being disciplined. But like Proverbs 9: 8-9 says,
“8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”
v.15 He left Rehoboam to his own folly, and hid from his eyes the things which belonged to his peace,that, the kingdom might be rent from him.
Note, God serves his own wise and righteous purposes by the imprudences and iniquities of men, and snares sinners in the work of their own hands those that loose the kingdom of heaven throw it away, as Rehoboam did his, by their own wilfulness and folly.
“12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;”
Don’t ever ignore or reject the advice from an elder . One would be foolish to think that just because they were brought up in church that they will know better …. Regardless of how long you have been in church or how devoted you are … The elders who have been through it all and are wise with scripture should never be taken for granted … For they have been through the toughest trials of life , and I pray to learn from my elders that are wise with God’s word to be as wise as they are.
24 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord.
24 ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’” So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home again, as theLord had ordered.
Never get tired and obey God’s commands and being submitted to Pastor. When we achieve these things, life will be so much easier because the Lord will trust us in abundance with His work for His kingdom. Even when we might not understand some things, it didn’t matter…obey and submit!!!! The Lord thoughts are better than our thoughts and plans….. not think that were smarter than God because were not… Jesus is the only one that knows it ALL!!
24 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord.
They listen to the voice of god
26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.
28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
Don’t forget what God has already spoken to you.
6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
Elders are wiser because of life experience, they have already went through the storms we are facing and they are there to guide us to not make the same mistakes, to give us the wisdom to not face our battles alone in the dark. We would be wise ourselves to listen to what they have to say. Although our peers can help us through some things they cannot offer us the wisdom of our elders!
I thankyou Lord for keeping in the right path for so many years. I will listen to godly advice.
Forsaken Council
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;
Forsaken council is reserved for “bad council” aka things that go against he Word of God. Young people and young adults it’s time to pray for the spirit of discernment and a teachable spirit. That you will hear the right voice, the “God Voice” allowing all other voices to fade into the background.
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
It’s like watching the old cartoons where they had a devil in one shoulder and the angel on the other speaking to the cartoon in what to do. Life is about the same way, but what matters is whom we decide to listen to. We should be very careful to whom we allow to speak into our lives and who we decide to follow. I can only think of my father’s words “you catch more flies with honey than vinegar”!!! Serve with a good heart and people will love to serve you back.
6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him,
Watch who you listen too!
6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
The word tells us on proverbs
Proverbs 15:22 (KJV) Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
One should also pay attention to who they are listening to. The bible alao tells us:
The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old.
Proverbs 20:29
We should not discredit the elders advise becuase it seems not to fit a modern idealism . experince gives wisdom to know what works.
6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
Godly voices of experience are invaluable when it comes to walking in God’s ways of wisdom. While this passage specifically contrasts those whose wisdom has come with age beside those lacking sufficient life experience, not all areas of wisdom or expertise are necessarily age-dependent. You can have two individuals, one younger yet more experienced in an area while the other is older yet less experienced in that same area. The older one may have general wisdom but is unable to speak with authority in that specific area like the younger one could.
“Voices of wisdom and experience” don’t always have to be an elder, but they will be from someone who has had to face situations like we are (or will be) facing AND have learned to overcome and have success there. God allows us to have individuals in our lives who are capable of helping us and contributing wisdom gained from their experiences. We must take the time to discern where these voices are for any particular situation and be careful not to simply choose the voice(s) that appeals to our flesh. God said He would give us wisdom if we asked, and that can come both in our own experiences and in being taught by others. He will show us who can help us and who would lead us astray if we followed them.
Just as Rehoboam went to the elders then rejected their words in favor of the advice of young men, it can be easy for us to allow prejudice or preference to steer us away from hearing voices of God-provided wisdom in our lives. As the old adage goes, it is not wise to simply judge a book by its cover. Wisdom begets wisdom, but foolishness begets more foolishness; we must be on purpose and deliberate to follow wisdom when we enter areas where we haven’t already developed it.
1 Kings 12:28-29 (KJV Strong’s)
28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
Living for God is a relationship. We must know his word because he will judge us by his word. It’s sad that no one stood up for the Lord against the King.
When we stand on his word God will stand up for us.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
Forsaking the council of the enders.
How many elders do you have in your life? How many of the can speak into your life. Are they God fearing or of this world. These are all questions we must ask ourselves. We must listen to the council of the Godly and the elder . We can learn from others mistakes. We can also learn from their victories.it would be wise for us to seek out two or three Godly elders to speak into our lives.
“So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.” The word of God (Jesus) is very clear. All leaders influence, which one that cause division is not of God. Just as a leader that is not with God is against God. Dear God, remove the liars and deceptive leaders, and those that do not obey you. God Bless America, Israel, Jerusalem, and you all in Jesus name, Amen!
In this scripture, you can see where this is going with construction of (not one) but two gold calves) Idols! God will not be pleased with this development. Division can cause a multitude of problems and sin.
“Be blessed”……………….
“Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord.” This is an example of the importance of listening, and too whom. There is no stopping or changing the word of the Lord, which we prove we are not listening when we think or do otherwise. God open our ears so that we may clearly hear, in Jesus name.
kingdoms, governments, churches, businesses and families all rise and fall with their leadership.
Jeroboam decided to take matters in his own hands to secure his position in the thrown by leading the people to idolatry. Whether he forgot God’s promise to keep him or just didn’t believe it is unknown to us. Either way, he ensured his doom with this folly.
This chapter reminds me of how often people can stray into their own thoughts, wants, and deceptions. It is wise to have the appropriate council in your life to remind you when you are making silly mistakes or maybe just that you’re doing great and to not lose sight of the promises laid out for you. We can’t be afraid of being in the wrong, it’s all a part of our human nature.
“But Rehoboam didn’t accept the advice the elders gave him. Instead, he asked for advice from the young men who had grown up with him and were now serving him.”
1 Kings 12:8 NIRV
Help me listen to wisdom.
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
There was much disobedience here and it reminds me of the warnings God had given to David’s son. He said keep my commands and obey as your father David did and I’ll be here with you always.
It was then when God knew he had to make drastic changes because Rehoboam was out of line in making his own carnal decisions. Instead of seeking God first .
6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
The younger should listen to the older and many times more wiser counselors.
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
No doubt Rehoboam was raised as a rich privileged child of the King, and perhaps the advice of the elders given in verse 7 about being a servant to the people rubbed this young man the wrong way. The road of being is servant is lowly, without immediate recognition… and in trying to make a name for himself and stand out from his father’s reputation, this may not have seemed the right way to go to him. But serving is what leadership requires. As a leader you serve your team, making things easier for them to accomplish set goals. You stay in touch with the ongoing problems and victories and encourage and praise each team member as they labor for the kingdom. Together in unity we grow! Rehoboam found out the hard way that he chose the wrong advice and the kingdom divides under his leadership. I wonder if he ever contemplated the words given him by the elders in this verse.
“Rehoboam assembled Jeroboam and all the people. They said to Rehoboam, “Your father made life hard for us—worked our fingers to the bone. Give us a break; lighten up on us and we’ll willingly serve you.”
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.””
1 Kings 12:3-4, 7 MSG
Sometimes people are not treated as they should be treated. If we are able to change things to improve the way others are treated then we should. The king was advised to help the other people. We should help others too.
Though Rehoboam is 41 years old when he becomes king, it seems that he is still associating with his childhood friends. He turns to them for wise counsel he seeks and follows in regards to the Israelite pleas. The elders who served his father Solomon, give him sound advice, yet Rehoboam turns instead to men who are far younger and less experienced to guide him. As a part of the royal inner circle these “young men” (1 Ki 12:8) know little and apparently care even less about the heavy burden carried by the people. Spoiled and rich they demonstrate no concept of what real life is like no mercy to those less fortunate than themselves. We cannot respond to those who are oppressed with little mercy and kindness, or we can show kindness and a godly heart of compassion (Dt 15:7; Pr 19:7).
13 But Rehoboam spoke harshly to the people, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors 14and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, “My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!”
Thank God, we have an older generation we can listen too, and take advice from. We should listen and obey those who have experienced life and have great knowledge to pass on. Listen to your grandparents and to elders. And give respect to your elders no matter who is at fault!