Rehoboam Rejects the Elders' Counsel
[ READ ] 1 Kings 12:1–15
Rehoboam's Folly
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” 5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away.
6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” 10 And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father's thighs. 11 And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” 13 And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, 14 he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the Lord that he might fulfill his word, which the Lord spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” 5 He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away.
6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” 10 And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father's thighs. 11 And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, “Come to me again the third day.” 13 And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, 14 he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the Lord that he might fulfill his word, which the Lord spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
As Rehoboam assumes the throne (1 Kings 11:43), his father Solomon has left many enemies who threaten the kingdom. Chief among them is Jeroboam, whom Solomon had appointed leader of forced labor of the tribe of Joseph. Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam because Ahijah prophesied that he would become leader of ten tribes of Israel (1 Kings 11:40). Jeroboam fled to Egypt for safety.
When Rehoboam goes to Shechem to be made king by all Israel, I believe the significance of “all” is that he has been accepted as king by Judah and Benjamin, but not yet by the other tribes. Meanwhile, Jeroboam returned to Shechem when he heard of Solomon’s death, as Shechem is a central city of the tribe of Joseph. The people called Jeroboam their spokesman as they came before Rehoboam. Their essential request is to lighten their forced labor, and they say we will follow you.
Rehoboam seeks counsel and follows that of the young men with whom he had grown up. He makes the hard power play, promising to increase whips to scorpions (iron barbed whips). It is significant that Rehoboam did not listen to the older men or to the people who wanted to follow if he would take a conciliatory approach. But, most importantly, Rehoboam did not even seek God, much less listen to him, even though there was a known prophet in Israel. This set Israel on a path to division and bondage.
"When men trust in men, they often go to the worst kind of advice, and follow the most foolish guidance, because they have forsaken the fountain of living waters." C.H. Spurgeon
- Gary Gunther
When Rehoboam goes to Shechem to be made king by all Israel, I believe the significance of “all” is that he has been accepted as king by Judah and Benjamin, but not yet by the other tribes. Meanwhile, Jeroboam returned to Shechem when he heard of Solomon’s death, as Shechem is a central city of the tribe of Joseph. The people called Jeroboam their spokesman as they came before Rehoboam. Their essential request is to lighten their forced labor, and they say we will follow you.
Rehoboam seeks counsel and follows that of the young men with whom he had grown up. He makes the hard power play, promising to increase whips to scorpions (iron barbed whips). It is significant that Rehoboam did not listen to the older men or to the people who wanted to follow if he would take a conciliatory approach. But, most importantly, Rehoboam did not even seek God, much less listen to him, even though there was a known prophet in Israel. This set Israel on a path to division and bondage.
"When men trust in men, they often go to the worst kind of advice, and follow the most foolish guidance, because they have forsaken the fountain of living waters." C.H. Spurgeon
- Gary Gunther
[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ What is the potential connection of Rehoboam’s mother being an Ammonitess and his not seeking advice from God? (1 Kings 14:21)
+ Rehoboam rejected the council of the elders before he sought the council of the young men (1 Kings 12:8-9). What does this reveal about his desire for advice?
+ Regarding succession to the throne, how are Solomon’s actions in his last days similar to Saul’s, Israel’s first king?
+ What is the potential connection of Rehoboam’s mother being an Ammonitess and his not seeking advice from God? (1 Kings 14:21)
+ Rehoboam rejected the council of the elders before he sought the council of the young men (1 Kings 12:8-9). What does this reveal about his desire for advice?
+ Regarding succession to the throne, how are Solomon’s actions in his last days similar to Saul’s, Israel’s first king?
[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ What are some ways to seek God in your decisions?
+ Just because advice comes from a fellow human being does not automatically mean that it is bad. How are we to exercise discernment about advice we receive?
+ Who do you go to for counsel and advice? What makes them reliable?
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ What are some ways to seek God in your decisions?
+ Just because advice comes from a fellow human being does not automatically mean that it is bad. How are we to exercise discernment about advice we receive?
+ Who do you go to for counsel and advice? What makes them reliable?
[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Father, today I will face many decisions. Give me discernment to know your ways and to walk in them. I need your wisdom. I thank you that you give wisdom to those who ask, and that I may come freely before your throne of grace to receive mercy to help in my times of need.
+ Pray with me:
Father, today I will face many decisions. Give me discernment to know your ways and to walk in them. I need your wisdom. I thank you that you give wisdom to those who ask, and that I may come freely before your throne of grace to receive mercy to help in my times of need.
[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
+ What story of receiving direction from God can you share with others?
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
yourself:
+ Talk today’s message over with someone who is discipling you, and someone you are discipling.
+ What story of receiving direction from God can you share with others?
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