Read 2 Chronicles 10
Israel Rebels Against Rehoboam
10 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. 3 So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all 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, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people went away.
6 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 you will be kind to these people and please 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’?”
10 The young men who had grown up with him replied, “The 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.’”
12 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 them harshly. Rejecting the advice of 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.” 15 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.
16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king:
“What share do we have in David,
what part in Jesse’s son?
To your tents, Israel!
Look after your own house, David!”
So all the Israelites went home. 17 But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them.
18 King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
Go Deeper
Today’s reading is a cautionary tale of how, when we follow our own plans and avoid listening to God’s plans, we always end up finding destruction and hardship.
Rehoboam is the only son of Solomon that we truly know by name. As we know, Solomon had over a thousand wives and concubines. The only son we know of from the wives and concubines is Rehoboam, and he lives foolishly. This chapter shows us that sin always has consequences. Solomon was the wisest and richest man to ever live, but he started trusting in his own wisdom and not God’s. This led him down a path of lustful pursuits that led to terrible leadership in Rehoboam and ultimately to the writing of the book of Ecclesiastes, which puts on full display how all of Solomon’s worldly pursuits are utterly meaningless.
The Israelites were warned by God in 1 Samuel 8 that they would have a king that takes from them constantly. Solomon was a good king, but he still took a large amount of taxes and hard service from his people. Even after this, the people wanted another king. This king, Rehoboam, decided to double down on the “taking” part of Solomon’s reign and ignore the good parts. Again, Israel chose to forsake God’s plans and pursue their own desires for a king. Clearly this did not go well.
Next, we see that Rehoboam made a smart choice by speaking with his older, wiser advisors first. They share with Rehoboam that if he is a giving king instead of a taking king, that his people will adore him forever. God was clearly speaking through these advisors to Rehoboam. As we know, Jesus is the greatest servant leader in all of history. However, instead of abiding by God’s plans, Rehoboam seeks input from younger individuals that he had grown up with, even though they were unwise. They tell him to double down on being a taking king. This fed Rehoboam’s ego and was exactly what he wanted to hear. So, he went with this option.
In verses 16 and 17, we see what happens when we forsake God’s plans and pursue our own: chaos and destruction. The twelve tribes divide, Israel rebels against the entire house of David, and a tax collector is murdered. Division, rebellion, and murder. All of this could have been avoided.
It is easy to read this historical account and think “Rehoboam, what are you doing? Just listen!” However, if someone was writing a story of our life, would the future readers say the same thing about you? Are you listening to wise counsel? Are you pursuing God’s Truth instead of what the world says to be true? Are you actively rejecting what you want to hear in order to hear Truth from the Creator of all things?
Questions
- If someone wrote a story about your life up until this moment, would you look like a faithful servant of God or more like Rehoboam, pursuing your own wants and desires?
- How are you actively pursuing wise counsel?
- How are you actively rejecting poor counsel?
Keep Digging
There are several instances throughout the Old Testament of kings and prophets at conflict with one another, including Rehoboam. To learn more about some of these stand-offs, check out this blog post from The Bible Project.
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2 thoughts on “2 Chronicles 10”
Do we obey God in our own strength? Seems like same question just different version. What does it look like to truly obey God when you cannot see the end? God gives you an idea but not all the details or how to go about accomplishing it. You think, yes this is great I will do it. You start acting on said idea without consulting God about any more details. Now said idea starts crumbling or not going as you had planned, now what? This is where I believe God wants relationship with us to be so open that when it is His time for said idea to happen, He will make the way. He will open doors and all things will fall where they need to be. We have to be patient to be still, listen, talk before acting, listen to hear and lean into God. Sounds so good, now to do this. LOL!! God is my refuge and I shall not want. Psalm 46:1
God thank You that I can truly listen to hear You guide me in all my ways. Thank You for myself not getting in the way of what it is You need me to do. That all I do and say can glorify You in some way, form or fashion in Jesus name amen
WOOHOO!!!!!
Of all the truly important important things I want to pass down to my children, foremost, I want to pass the torch of faith in and obedience to Christ. Nothing else will matter, not wealth, possessions or fame. Solomon clearly missed the mark on this one. The wisest man failed to father and lead his son, Rehoboam, in the ways of God. Notice that early in his reign as king, Rehoboam failed to ask or seek God’s wisdom which led to a divided kingdom and people. His selfish motives split what was intended to be peaceful and united. Here’s the reality, somehow Solomon through sins of commission or omission failed with what mattered most, his own son. I’m reminded of the intentionality that Deuteronomy
6:6-7 speaks of in training our kids, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.“