But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were his advisers. “What is your advice?” he asked them. “How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?” 1Kings 12:8-9
Although the kingdom of Israel began showing signs of division near the end of King Solomon’s life, it was about to get a whole lot worse when his son, Rehoboam, became King. Unlike his father, Rehoboam was both power hungry and foolish; the two most important ingredients in the recipe for royal disaster. We read in 2 Chronicles 12:1, “After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all of Israel with him abandoned the law of the Lord.”
We can already sense that this isn’t going to end well. Not only was Rehoboam power hungry and foolish, he refused to obey God. Other than that, he had a lot going for him!
Although it’s not necessarily a bad thing to consider the perspectives of a younger generation from time to time, it’s seldom a good thing to completely ignore the advice of older, more experienced men who’ve been around the block a time or two. But that’s what Rehoboam did. Instead of being patient and receptive to the wise counsel of the elders at his disposal, he chose instead to listen to his childhood friends.
The result was twelve-hundred Egyptian chariots with sixty-thousand Egyptian soldiers who marched into Judah, looted the Lord’s temple and the royal palace, and took the city captive.
Shocking, I know…
Rehoboam’s impatience and foolish decision making offers us three important lessons.
- Short-term gratification often leads to long-term sacrifice.
- Wisdom is only as good as the ability to recognize it.
- Plans that are borne of one’s selfish pride always dishonors God.
Wisdom for Today:
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”.
– Jim Elliot
Former Blackout Artist 