In 2 Chronicles 10 we read of one of the saddest days in Israel’s history. After the death of the great King Solomon, his son, Rehoboam, the king-elect, comes to Shechem to be crowned king by the people. On hand for this coronation is Jeroboam, who fled to Egypt from King Solomon. He is back and is leader of the people. Speaking on behalf of those assembled, Jeroboam lays out the conditions under which the people will serve Rehoboam. Rehoboam takes three days and consults with two key groups. The first group are the older men who served in King Solomon’s administration. Their counsel was to be a servant-leader and speak kindly to the people and they will serve Rehoboam. The second group with whom Rehoboam consults are his boyhood friends, his peers who were his age. Their counsel was just the opposite of the older men’s words. Their counsel was to speak harshly to the people and make life harder for them. Guess who Rehoboam listened to? You’re right. His boyhood friends. Upon hearing the harsh response from Rehoboam, Jeroboam led the rebellion of the ten tribes of northern Israel and Israel was forever divided.
Second Chronicles 10:15, however, adds a flashback saying, “. . . it was a turn of events from God that the Lord might establish His word, which He spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.” God had prophetically told Jeroboam, through the prophet Ahijah, that because of Solomon’s sin of idolatry the kingdom would be torn into 12 pieces (tribes) with 10 going to Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:26-40). Though Solomon’s sin did not result in the Lord’s punishment during his lifetime, God did not forget. Solomon’s sin came to bear during his son, Rehoboam’s reign.
What can you and I learn from this tragic tale of events from Israel’s history? Here are three takeaways:
1. Punishment for the sin of idolatry by a father is visited on his children and grandchildren(Exodus 20:5). Idolaters are said to “hate” God. Yet, God blesses those who love Him and obey His commands. Rehoboam paid the price for his father, Solomon’s, idolatry.
a. What are our idols today? They can be anything which becomes more important in our lives than God Almighty—work, play, family, food, drugs, exercise, possessions, money, investments, media, politics, even ministry.
b. How would you know if it had become more important than God? Look at your check register or credit card charges. Where are you spending your money? Look at your cell phone calendar. Where are you spending your time? Look at your heart. How would you feel if you lost your idol?
2. The aged have wisdom.Job 12:12 says, “Wisdom is with aged men, with long life is understanding.” Yes, I know there are exceptions but by and large older saints have gained wisdom through the “school of hard knocks.” What they lack in energy and zeal they make up in wisdom and understanding. Rehoboam rejected the wise counsel of the older men to his own regret.
Where do you go for wise counsel? It is a wise thing to invite 2-3 wise older men and women to advise you. These will be better counselors than those your own age. Why? Older saints have been through your stage of life and have gained wisdom. Peers are in the same stage of life as you and have not gained wisdom from it yet. They typically don’t look back in hindsight and see their mistakes and what they could have done differently. The aged can.
3. God’s sovereign will be done. We say it in the Lord’s prayer, don’t we? “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” God’s sovereign will prevails. Nothing catches Him off guard. He knows the future and He knew that Rehoboam would reject the elder’s counsel and pay heed to the counsel of his peers. God sovereignly orchestrated it to divide Israel in fulfilment of His prophetic word to Ahijah and to punish Solomon’s idolatry. God’s word never returns empty without accomplishing His purpose (Isaiah 55:11).
Do you believe that God is sovereignly in control of your life and the lives of your children? He is and He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). God is trustable. He has your future in His hands and He knows where it’s going.
We serve a Great God who has our lives in His hands,
Irv