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Kings chapter 12 is a leadership training course. We clearly
see examples of the four key points for effective leadership;
1)listen to your people, 2) surround yourself with good counsel, 3)
treat people with respect, 4) honor God first. Unfortunately for
Israel, both of their kings do the opposite. Solomon was the most
famous man of his time and he named his son Rehoboam. Like the some
children of the rich and famous today, “rehab” was a good name
choice. (Actually the name means nothing like that, but it helps me
keep them straight). The chapter begins, “Rehoboam
went to Shechem, for all the Israelites had gone there to make him
king. When Jeroboam… heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he
had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt“.
Jeroboam was waiting for Solomon’s death to receive the promise of
God to rule the 10 tribes of Israel. So “Rehab” listened to the
people (step 1), “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 he sought good counsel (step 2) from the elders, “How
would you advise me to answer these people?
Rehoboam
rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men
who had grown up with him“.
“Rehab” foolishly followed the advice of his “brat pack”
buddies (step 3). “My
father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father
scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.”
How do people you are responsible for perceive your God?
There
is no indication that “Rehab” even considered God’s Word and we
see the results. “So
the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was
from the Lord, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam“.
The people turned to Jeroboam, “When
all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they… made him
king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the
house of David.”
Sadly Jeroboam did not trust God’s promise. “If
these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in
Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to…Rehoboam king
of Judah“.
Fearing for his own power first, Jeroboam skipped right to step 4,
“After
seeking advice, the king made two golden calves… Here are your
gods, O Israel“.
It does not say who advised him, but clearly they had no knowledge
of God’s Word.
Who
do you trust for counsel?
Jeroboam
set up shrines in his own portion of the nation so the people would
not be tempted to return to the one true God. This was simply a
religion of convenience. “Jeroboam
built shrines on high places and appointed priests from all sorts of
people, even though they were not Levites“.
Some today chose to worship a god of their own creation, or worship
for convenience, or for personal gain. I am smart enough to know
this about God, “For
as
the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than
your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts“.
(Isaiah 55:9) God is not mocked. I believe Philippians
2:9
is both a warning and a promise: “Therefore
God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is
above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in
heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father“.
Believe God. Right here, right now, call on His Name.