Rehoboam: Partial Obedience Is Disobedience 1 Kings 12
The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. 1 Timothy 5:24 (NIV)
Rehoboam And The Divided Monarchy
Recap Of Kings Saul David Solomon Rehoboam
When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me, 15 you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the LORD has said to you, You shall never return that way again. 17 And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold. Deuteronomy 17:14-17 (ESV)
SAUL The Kings And Their Wives The king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite... DAVID 2 Samuel 21:8 (ESV) And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. 2 Samuel 5:13 (ESV)
SOLOMON The Kings And Their Wives Now King Solomon loved many foreign women... 3 He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. REHOBOAM 1 KINGS 11:1a, 3 (ESV) Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters). 2 Samuel 5:13 (ESV)
And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David. So Israel went to their tents. 17 But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. 20 And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah only. 1 Kings 12:16-20 (ESV)
JUDAH ISRAEL 2 Tribes: Judah Benjamin South 19 Kings / 1 Queen: Some Good Babylon 10 Tribes North 19 Kings: All Bad Assyria
Humanity fails to fill the position of king that only God can fill.
Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. 3 So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: 4 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. 5 Rehoboam answered, Go away for three days and then come back to me. So the people went away.. 1 Kings 12:1-5 (NIV)
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. 7 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. 8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. 9 He asked them, What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, Lighten the yoke your father put on us? 1 Kings 12:6-9 (NIV)
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. 11 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. 1 Kings 12:10-11 (NIV)
Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, Come back to me in three days. 13 The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, 14 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. 1 Kings 12:12-14 (NIV)
Rises to Power Overlooks the People Rejects Wise Counsel Acts Harshly Turns from the Lord REHOBOAM IN JUDAH (SOUTH) 12:1 All Israel had gone there to make him king. 12:3...but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you. 12:8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. 12:14 My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions. 2 Chronicles 13:14 He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the Lord. Given authority Gives no aid Heeds the advice of his young friends Abuses his subjects Does evil
Jeroboam In Israel (North) Jeroboam thought to himself, The kingdom will now likely revert to the house of David. 27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam. 28 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt. 1 Kings 12:26-28 (NIV)
Humanity fails to fill the position of king that only God can fill.
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. Mark 1:14-15 (ESV)
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV)
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11 (ESV)
REHOBOAM Given authority and uses it for his own advantage. Listens to the people cry, but gives no aid. Rejects wise council. Acts harshly. Turns from the Lord. JESUS Puts aside all rightful authority and influences out of love. Hears His people cry, and humbles Himself to serve them. Continually in prayer and perfect unity with the Father. Is treated harshly yet responds righteously. Is obedient to the Father. Pride motivates self-glory. Humility leads to God s glory.
Jesus fills the position of King that only He can fill.