'' 2 Chronicles 10 : 3 - 15
So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all 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.''
Rehobaom answered , '' Come back to me in three days.''
So the people went away.
Then king Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. ''How would you advise me to answer these people?'' he asked.
They replied, ''If you will be kind to these people and please them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.''
Then king Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. ''How would you advise me to answer these people?'' he asked.
They replied, ''If you will be kind to these people and please 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 advise? How should we answer these people who say to me, 'Lighten the yoke your father put on us' ? ''
The young men who had grown up with him replied, ''Tell the people who have said to you,
The young men who had grown up with him replied, ''Tell the people who have said to you,
'Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter' - tell them, ''My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. My father laid on you heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.' ''
Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said,
Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said,
''Come back to me in three days.'' The king answered them harshly.
Rejecting the advice of the elders he followed the advice of the young men and said, '' My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.'' So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite. ''
Let us read again what the elders said:
'' 2 Chronicles 10:7 They replied, '' If you will be kind to these people and please them and give them a favorable answer , they will always be your servants.'' ''
However, Rehoboam rejected this and in turn sought some young men, who grew up with him. He takes up the matter with them and takes their advice as what they want him to do in this issue.
Rehoboam, finds delight in what the young men advised him, instead of what the elders advised.
And if we meditate on further verses, we can see that the Israelites actually rebelled against Rehoboam for this decision.
If we meditate on the ''advice of the inexperience'' given by the young men who grew up with Rehoboam, and why Rehobaom had chosen that, we can understand that this way of handling things was actually helping him in keeping up his pride.
Dear people, in this Scripture, we read about Rehoboam, who rejects the right advice and opts for a wrong one.
Let us meditate on the behaviour of Rehoboam, and learn how we must accept right advices in order to keep ourselves blameless in the sight of God.
Rehoboam is the son of King Solomon.
When the Israelites approached him to help them by reducing the hard labour that was upon them, Rehoboam first seeks advice from the elders.
These elders who also served King Solomon, advised him to make a wise decision, by giving those people a favorable answer.
Here we see that God had sent help to Rehoboam through these elders, in order for him to make the right decision.
When the Israelites approached him to help them by reducing the hard labour that was upon them, Rehoboam first seeks advice from the elders.
These elders who also served King Solomon, advised him to make a wise decision, by giving those people a favorable answer.
Here we see that God had sent help to Rehoboam through these elders, in order for him to make the right decision.
Let us read again what the elders said:
'' 2 Chronicles 10:7 They replied, '' If you will be kind to these people and please them and give them a favorable answer , they will always be your servants.'' ''
However, Rehoboam rejected this and in turn sought some young men, who grew up with him. He takes up the matter with them and takes their advice as what they want him to do in this issue.
Rehoboam, finds delight in what the young men advised him, instead of what the elders advised.
And if we meditate on further verses, we can see that the Israelites actually rebelled against Rehoboam for this decision.
Dear people, God sends us His direction and His will for our lives, at every stage, when we seek Him.
He makes us known the right way to handle things, in the way pleasing to Him.
However, many of us fail to keep His word and get carried away by the attractive and simple methods of the world, in order to elevate ourselves before men.
If we are to operate in the kingdom of God, we need to heed to God's instruction and stick to the right path.
As said in Mark, Kingdom of God belongs to those who receive it like little children.
'' Mark 10:15 Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.''
The path that we must walk, is the path of Jesus.
Unless we heed to God's word and receive it like little children, keeping our ego and pride aside, and put the word into practise, we cannot enter the kingdom of God.
We need to constantly thrive to keep ourselves blameless before God.
However, many of us fail to keep His word and get carried away by the attractive and simple methods of the world, in order to elevate ourselves before men.
If we are to operate in the kingdom of God, we need to heed to God's instruction and stick to the right path.
As said in Mark, Kingdom of God belongs to those who receive it like little children.
'' Mark 10:15 Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.''
The path that we must walk, is the path of Jesus.
Unless we heed to God's word and receive it like little children, keeping our ego and pride aside, and put the word into practise, we cannot enter the kingdom of God.
We need to constantly thrive to keep ourselves blameless before God.
We must not only receive the instruction of God, but wholeheartedly, should adhere to it.
We must not look at various other options and multiple opinions of people around us, and then pick up what best attracts us.
Rehoboam did get the right piece of advise from the elders.
However, he rejects that and chose to pick up the advice of some young men who grew with him. And he felt their advise was more attractive than the one given by the wise people.
And he ends up making a wrong decision, when he put his ego above wisdom.
Dear precious people, we need to learn to grow into little children, if we are to enter the kingdom of God.
We need to become very receptive to the advise of God and be wise, in dealing every matter of our lives.
Sometimes there will be some situations that prompt us to make impulsive choices, which might make us feel elevated, as in the case of Rehoboam.
Such times we must be extremely cautious that we don't end up taking a wrong step, though superficially it might appear very bold and heroic.
Rehoboam did get the right piece of advise from the elders.
However, he rejects that and chose to pick up the advice of some young men who grew with him. And he felt their advise was more attractive than the one given by the wise people.
And he ends up making a wrong decision, when he put his ego above wisdom.
Dear precious people, we need to learn to grow into little children, if we are to enter the kingdom of God.
We need to become very receptive to the advise of God and be wise, in dealing every matter of our lives.
Sometimes there will be some situations that prompt us to make impulsive choices, which might make us feel elevated, as in the case of Rehoboam.
Such times we must be extremely cautious that we don't end up taking a wrong step, though superficially it might appear very bold and heroic.
Such decisions will finally become a trap for us.
We need to seek the counsel from God and accept the instruction of God like little children and do the right thing as instructed by the Spirit of God.
Rehoboam might have elevated himself before the Israelites by insulting them, exhibiting arrogance through his authority. This indeed was a very harsh way to answer people.
But if we meditate on further verses in this chapter, we learn that people only rebelled against Rehoboam for what he had spoken to them.
We need to seek the counsel from God and accept the instruction of God like little children and do the right thing as instructed by the Spirit of God.
Rehoboam might have elevated himself before the Israelites by insulting them, exhibiting arrogance through his authority. This indeed was a very harsh way to answer people.
But if we meditate on further verses in this chapter, we learn that people only rebelled against Rehoboam for what he had spoken to them.
The word of God says that our spirit, soul and body must be kept blameless.
The decisions we make, the words we speak and the way we communicate, matters a lot in pleasing our Father.
'' 1 Thessalonians 4:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.''
If you are someone who has taken any such impulsive decisions and had spoken harshly, and now find yourself entangled in a mess, now is the time you confess and plead God to sanctify you through and through.
And reconcile yourself to God.
We need to constantly train ourselves to accept and follow the way of wisdom, and not the way of pride.
We must practise this even in the smallest of our affairs.
'' 1 Thessalonians 4:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.''
If you are someone who has taken any such impulsive decisions and had spoken harshly, and now find yourself entangled in a mess, now is the time you confess and plead God to sanctify you through and through.
And reconcile yourself to God.
We need to constantly train ourselves to accept and follow the way of wisdom, and not the way of pride.
We must practise this even in the smallest of our affairs.
It's only then when big challenges come our way, we will be able to discern the best and the right way to handle.
As we see Rehoboam was not impulsive.
As we see Rehoboam was not impulsive.
However, he received two advices - one is the advice of experience and wisdom, other is the advice of inexperience, but he chose the latter.
If we meditate on the ''advice of the inexperience'' given by the young men who grew up with Rehoboam, and why Rehobaom had chosen that, we can understand that this way of handling things was actually helping him in keeping up his pride.
Dear people, keeping up our ego and pride is not what we must focus on.
Dealing the matters wisely, heeding to the instruction of God, and allowing God's Spirit to rule our matters, is what should be our goal, as Kingdom people.
'' Ephesians 5:15 - 17 Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise , making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord's will is. ''
Our delight must not lie in elevating ourselves, but must lie in keeping the word of God.
The more zealous we become for God and His word, the more greater God will strengthen and exalt us.
The more zealous we become for God and His word, the more greater God will strengthen and exalt us.
It is the Kingdom of God that has dominion over everything.
And His word alone rules.
And His word alone rules.
So, dear chosen child of God, take this opportunity to introspect yourself if the choices and decisions you are making are to satisfy your pride or to please your heavenly Father.
May the Spirit of God sanctify our spirit, soul and body, through and through and make us blameless at the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
And may the grace of God abound us in accepting the right advices.
God bless you.
