Scripture: 1 Kings 11:42 - 12:19 (NKJV)
11:42 And the period that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was
forty years. 43 Then Solomon rested with his fathers, and was buried in the
City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.
12:1 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. 16 Now when all Israel saw that the
king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying: “What share
have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O
Israel! Now, see to your own house, O David!” So Israel departed to their
tents. 17 But Rehoboam reigned over the children of Israel who dwelt in the
cities of Judah. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was in charge of the
revenue; but all Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Therefore King
Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has
been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
Devotion
It is not surprising that Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the boy raised in glory and
luxury, was determined to hold onto his glory and luxury at all costs. The boy
who watched his father turn away from the LORD to accumulate wealth, wives, and
idols, was unconcerned about the Lord or the burdens of the people God had
placed under his rule. He sought nothing but his own glory and power, and it
resulted in the permanent division of the kingdom of Israel.
What a different King we have in Jesus, the Son of David Who chose not to be
born in a glorious earthly palace, but in a stable. We have a King Who chose to
set His glory aside for love of mankind; Who chose, not only to lighten the
burden of sinners, but to take the burden of the Law off their backs and live
under it for them, to take the punishment for their sins onto Himself and pay
the penalty in their place. Rehoboam promised to make the yoke of Israel heavy,
but Jesus promises the opposite: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I
am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My
yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30).
Therefore, His is an eternal kingdom that will never be divided, nor will His
subjects ever be put to shame.
Posted by The Reverend Jeffrey A. Ahonen on behalf of the Evangelical Lutheran
Diocese of North America, publisher of the Lutheran Herald.
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