Title: King Rehoboam
Memorize: Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14 (Nkjv)
Bible Reading: 1 Kings 12:1-15 (Nkjv)
1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king.
2 So it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was still in Egypt, for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon and had been dwelling in Egypt),
3 that they sent and called him. Then Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
4 “Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”
5 So he said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” And the people departed.
6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, and he said, “How do you advise me to answer these people?”
7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”
8 But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.
9 And he said to them, “What advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?”
10 Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you should speak to this people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist!
11 And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’ ”
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had directed, saying, “Come back to me the third day.”
13 Then the king answered the people roughly, and rejected the advice which the elders had given him;
14 and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!”
15 So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from the Lord, that He might fulfill His word, which the Lord had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
Message:
Rehoboam was the son of King Solomon who became king after his father’s death.
The story of King Rehoboam is a reminder to listen to wise counsel and avoid pride.
In today’s Bible reading, King Rehoboam was asked to lighten the heavy burden that his father had put on the people of Israel.
He sought the advice of the elders who were also his father’s advisers when he reigned as king, and they told him to be compassionate with the people.
Thereafter, he sought the advice of the young, inexperienced advisers, and they encouraged him to increase the burden on the people.
Sadly, Rehoboam chose to listen to the young advisers and rejected the wise counsel of the elders.
The stubbornness and pride of Rehoboam resulted in division and chaos, which split the kingdom in two.
Beloved, just like King Rehoboam, you have the choice to listen to wise counsel or give in to bad counsel.
Beware of the pieces of advice that you listen to. Be discerning of them so that you won’t make wrong decisions in life.
The best way to do this is to listen to the Holy Spirit and yield to Him completely.
He is the only One who can help you screen wrong advice.
Key Point:
Take heed to godly counsel.
HYMN 21: NEARER, MY GOD TO THEE
1. Nearer, my God to Thee,
Nearer to Thee;
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,(2ce)
Nearer to Thee!
2. Though, like the wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone,
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,(2ce)
Nearer to Thee
3. There let the way appear
Steps unto heaven;
All that Thou send’st to me
In mercy given;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee,(2ce)
Nearer to Thee
4. Then with my waking thoughts
Bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony grief
Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God to thee,(2ce)
Nearer to Thee!
5. Or if on joyful wing
Cleaving thy sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot,
Upwards I fly
Still all my songs shall be,
Nearer my God to thee,(2ce)
Nearer to Thee!
Bible In One Year: 1 Kings 2:1-3; 2 Acts 5:1-42
AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE