We All Do Stupid Stuff Sometimes - Lessons from Rehoboam
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Shechem instead of Jerusalem
Shechem instead of Jerusalem
Abimelech - Judges 9:1-3 “Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s relatives and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family, “Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.” And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.””
Convention of States - Joshua 24 “Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God.
The People’s Complaints
The People’s Complaints
Your father made our yoke heavy
They didn’t complain about Solomon’s idolatry and revolt from God
They demanded relief
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.”
First instance of servant leadership
Why was the counsel of the older men right and the the counsel of the younger men wrong?
It is prudent to take/seek advice
Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
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
Wise words of the older men 1 Kings 12:6-7
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?”
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.”
Wicked words of the younger men - 1 Kings 12:8-11
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.
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’?”
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.
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.’ ”
Rejection of leadership
Rejection of leadership
And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.” So Israel went to their tents.
But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah.
Application
Application
Do we seek counsel for things?
From whom do we seek counsel from?
How do we know that the counsel that we receive is right or wrong?
Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.
for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.
Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.