Rehoboam: The Effects of Toxic Leadership

Warren Brosi

June 30, 2024

Dominant Thought: God fulfills His Word even when it doesn’t make sense.

Objectives:

I want my listeners to know the difference between toxic leadership and Christian leadership (Rehoboam/Jesus).

I want my listeners to feel drawn to the invitation of Jesus.

I want my listeners to choose the gentle confident ways of Jesus.

In this world, we are filled with choices. Today, I want us to look at two choices of leadership: toxic leadership and Christian leadership. The sad thing is many times toxic leadership is conducted in the name of Jesus.

First, The Toxic Leadership: The Way of Rehoboam (1 Kings 12.1-24).

In 1 Kings 12.4, the people make a request of King Rehoboam, the son of King Solomon. They ask, “lighten the hard labor and heavy yoke he [Solomon] put on us, and we will serve you.” Remember the forced labor Solomon used to build the temple, his palace, and the store cities (1 Kings 9.15)? Rehoboam replied, “Come back in three days and I’ll have an answer.

Next, Rehoboam seeks counsel from the elders. They reply, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants” (1 Kings 12.7).

Rehoboam rejected the counsel of the elders. James Wilhoit in his book, Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered—Growing in Christ through community, writes on page 182, “At a friend’s suggestion I have begun to ask students in my classes to name their great-grandparents’ first and last names, and I have yet to have a student identify all their great-grandparents. The sobering thought is that we live just two generations away from extinction in the collective memory.” What would it look like if we valued our elders and their counsel?

Instead of listening to his elders, Rehoboam seeks out his young friend on how to answer the people who have request to have a lighter load. They respond with intimidation. Tell them, “My little finger is thicker than my dad’s thigh. My father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions” (from 1 Kings 12.10-11).

Rehoboam meets with the people after three days and gives them the answer from the young men. Then, we read this editorial comment in the story, “This turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word the LORD had spoken...” (1 Kings 12.15). God fulfills His Word even when it doesn’t make sense.

The message of the prophet was described in 1 Kings 11.29-39, where Ahijah gets a new cloak and tore it in 12 pieces and gave ten to Jeroboam, but one for David’s kingdom, Judah and the other may be Benjamin. Remember how Saul reached for Samuel’s robe and it tore and Samuel told Saul God would tear the kingdom for him (1 Samuel 15.27-28)?

The people leave with more questions than answers. “What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse’s son? To your tents, Israel! Look after your own house, David!” (1 Kings 12.16). They went home. The king sent out a foreman to look over the forced labor and they kill him with stones. Rehoboam manages to escape, but the kingdom divides.

God gives a message to the man of God, Shemaiah, saying, “Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing” (1 Kings 12.24). So, they obeyed the word of the LORD.

God fulfills His Word even when it doesn’t make sense.

Toxic leadership...

1-Rejects the counsel of elders.

2-Uses force and intimidation to achieve goals.

3-Lives out consequences of sinful choices. God will punish those in toxic leadership situations. Sometimes it may take time, but eventually the truth will be disclosed.

On the podast, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, the recount a preacher telling following story at a conference. Leadership is about getting people in the right seat on the bus. [It is the idea of getting people serving in areas of giftedness, passion, and competence.] The preacher went on to tell about firing some elders. He also said, that if they can’t get in the right seats, then they need to get off the bus. There’s a pile of bodies behind the bus, and it’s going to be more bodies piles up because the bus is not stopping. You can get on the bus or get run over by the bus, but the bus is not stopping.

As I heard that story, I thought to myself, that doesn’t sound like the ways of Jesus.

Notice again the request of the people, “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us and we will serve you” (1 Kings 12.4).

Second, Christian Leadership: The Way of Jesus (Matthew 11.28-30).

Jesus gives a clear invitation, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11.28). The people asked Rehoboam, take the heavy yoke and harsh labor from us. The religious leaders of Jesus day burdened the people with hundreds of minor commands intent on keeping the laws of God. Instead it became heavy burden and they were unwilling to lift a finger to help the people (see Matthew 23.4).

Jesus invites, “Take my yoke. It is easy and light” (Matthew 11.29-30). Many compare the teaching of Jesus as light compared to the teachings of the religious leaders of the day. The yoke of Jesus is love God and love people (Matthew 22.37-40). Rehoboam said he would make the yoke heavier and the beatings more severe. Jesus invites us to a easy and light yoke of his teaching that is life giving.

Jesus then describes his heart, “For I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11.30). It is the question between toxic leadership and tender leadership. I encourage you to check out Dane Ortlund’s book, Gentle and Lowly—The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers.

Jesus found Himself confronted and on trial before the toxic leaders of His day. Matthew 26.57-67 describes the false witnesses, the manipulation of justices, the humilations, slaps, and beatings of justice even before His conviction. The toxic leaders looked for false evidence (Matthew 26.59). Jesus confessed His right as King and Son of Man (Matthew 26.64). The spit on Jesus, struck him, and slapped him (Matthew 26.67). The said to Jesus, “Prophecy, Messiah...” Remember Messiah means, king or anointed one.

God fulfills His Word even when it doesn’t make sense.

Isaiah 53:10–11 NIV

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

“It was the LORD’s will to crush Him” (Isaiah 53.10), sound like a fulfillment of the crucifixion of Jesus. God fulfills His Word even when it doesn’t make sense.

What do you down when you find yourself in a toxic leadership situation?

Our leaders are reading through a book called, Canoeing the Mountains—Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory by Tod Bolsinger. In the book, he gives these encouragements to leaders: “Start with conviction, stay calm, stay connected, and stay the course” (Bolsinger, p.128, 262 credits Richard Blackburn of the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center for this powerful and pithy phrase).

Follow the way of Jesus, but don’t be surprised if it is painful. Jesus was nailed to a cross under toxic leadership, should we be surprised if we experience anything less as his followers?