The Consequences of Rejecting Sound Advice
Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. . . . And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.
Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: "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."
Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime.
. . . They replied, "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."
But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. He asked them, "What is your advice? . . . The young men who had grown up with him replied, "These people have said to you, 'Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.' Now tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.'"
. . . When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: "What share do we have in David . . . ? Look after your own house, David!"
So the Israelites went home. . . . When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and . . . made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David. I Kings 11:42-43 and 12:1-20.
Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: "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."
Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime.
. . . They replied, "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."
But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. He asked them, "What is your advice? . . . The young men who had grown up with him replied, "These people have said to you, 'Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.' Now tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.'"
. . . When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: "What share do we have in David . . . ? Look after your own house, David!"
So the Israelites went home. . . . When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and . . . made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David. I Kings 11:42-43 and 12:1-20.
King Solomon was a builder. He built a massive temple for God which took seven years to complete. His own palace took thirteen years to build. He constructed terraces and finished the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem. All these massive projects were undertaken by thousands of people entailing very hard labor.
When Rehoboam succeeded Solomon on the throne, they appealed to him to lighten the load on their shoulders but Rehoboam refused. He rejected the sound advice of the elders who had served his father and were still serving him. Instead, he took the insolent response of the young men who were serving him and replied, "My father laid a heavy yoke on you; I will make it even heavier." This insulting response led to the Israelites rejecting Rehoboam as king and appointing Jeroboam to rule over them as their new king.
From that point on, the nation became divided and Rehoboam was left with only the tribe of Judah to rule over. That insolent response destroyed his kingship and the unity of the nation.
The Bible declares that the tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21)
Embracing sound advice from our elders is equivalent to receiving life into our situation. Rejecting sound advice is tantamount to embracing death. Choose life by embracing sound advice, and reject death by turning a deaf ear to insolent and ungodly advice.
When Rehoboam succeeded Solomon on the throne, they appealed to him to lighten the load on their shoulders but Rehoboam refused. He rejected the sound advice of the elders who had served his father and were still serving him. Instead, he took the insolent response of the young men who were serving him and replied, "My father laid a heavy yoke on you; I will make it even heavier." This insulting response led to the Israelites rejecting Rehoboam as king and appointing Jeroboam to rule over them as their new king.
From that point on, the nation became divided and Rehoboam was left with only the tribe of Judah to rule over. That insolent response destroyed his kingship and the unity of the nation.
The Bible declares that the tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21)
Embracing sound advice from our elders is equivalent to receiving life into our situation. Rejecting sound advice is tantamount to embracing death. Choose life by embracing sound advice, and reject death by turning a deaf ear to insolent and ungodly advice.
Prayer: Father, I confess that there are many voices competing for my attention on a daily basis. Please give me discernment to distinguish between sound advice and destructive ones because it makes all the difference between life and death. Amen.