Articles
The Folly of Rehoboam and the Sovereignty of God
Solomon was dead. His son Rehoboam had been chosen as the next king of Israel. Rehoboam came to the city of Shechem to be crowned king by the people (1 Kgs 12:1). Shechem was historically significant in the history of Israel as a place of covenant renewal (Jos 24). It was also significant in a negative way, as the home of Israel’s first ill-fated attempt at a king in the days of Abimelech (Jdg 9). And though Rehoboam’s name meant “He has enlarged the people,” Rehoboam’s first great act as king would be to do the exact opposite, substantially decreasing the number of people under his rule.
The people were led by Jeroboam, who asked Rehoboam to lighten their service before they agreed to his new rule over them (1 Kgs 12:3-4). Even though Solomon had not made “slaves” of the Israelites (1 Kgs 9:22), he had apparently made their yoke hard, and Rehoboam himself acknowledges this fact as the story moves forward. Rehoboam chose to deliberate for three days over the people’s request while he consulted his advisors.
First, Rehoboam consulted the wise elders who counseled his father Solomon. They told him, “If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever” (1 Kgs 12:7). This reciprocal advice is both brilliant and counter-intuitive. The idea of kings acting as servants to their subjects was preposterous to many in the ancient world, and yet the elders rightly saw it as the key to endearing the people to the new king Rehoboam. One cannot help but notice the similarity with Jesus, the King of Kings, who came to be a servant to his own subjects (cf. Matt 20:25-28; Mark 10:42-45). Servanthood will win the day.
But Rehoboam’s decision is told to us before he even finishes consulting everyone. Rehoboam is said to have “forsaken” the counsel of the elders (1 Kgs 12:8) in exchange for that of his peers. Before we get too caught up in the vision of Rehoboam consulting a bunch of his college frat brothers, we should probably remember that Rehoboam himself was 41 years old at his coronation (1 Kgs 14:21), and these men who grew up with him were probably comparable in age. We would see them as “middle-aged” men. But their policy is dictated by the total opposite of servanthood. Rehoboam shouldn’t let the people push him around! He needs to be tough on his labor policies! Just for asking, he should increase their workload, in a manner reminiscent of Pharaoh increasing Israel’s workload (cf. Ex 5:6-19). Solomon’s yoke may have been heavy, but Rehoboam will add to it. Solomon may have used whips, but Rehoboam (comically enough) will use scorpions (1 Kgs 12:10-11).
On the day of decision, Rehoboam makes a foolish choice. He forsakes the advice of the elders and answers the people harshly (1 Kgs 12:13). He repeats almost verbatim the words of his comrade advisors (1 Kgs 12:14). Rehoboam is the new king! He can’t have people questioning his authority on day one! He has to start off with a “tough-as-nails” reputation. Hopefully, this will quell any notions of rebellion that the people might be nursing in their minds. David and Solomon both had to start their reigns by killing some people and knocking some heads together. Maybe Rehoboam thought he ought to do the same!
The result of the story is that Israel largely revolted from Rehoboam. When they saw that the king did not listen to them, they abandoned the house of David and departed to their tents (1 Kgs 12:16). Rehoboam kept the rule of Judah (in order to fulfill the words of the prophet Abijah; 1 Kgs 11:34-36). But the people from the other tribes broke away from Rehoboam and set Jeroboam up as their king instead. The rebellion persisted, and the twelve tribes of Israel were never reunited.
Why did the kingdom divide? Some see this story as a cautionary tale about why we should listen to our elders and not take advice from the young. (This is done in spite of the fact that chapter 13 can be read as an equally cautionary tale against listening to the bad advice of one’s elders!) But the real story of why Rehoboam made the wrong choice can be found in the text itself: So the king did not listen to the people; for it was a turn of events from the LORD, that He might establish His word, which the LORD spoke through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat (1 Kgs 12:15). In the end, the real reason Rehoboam took bad advice was because of Solomon’s unfaithfulness (1 Kgs 11:11, 33), because of Ahijah’s prophecy (1 Kgs 11:30-39), and because it was the will of God himself to divide the kingdom. It is sovereignty, rather than stupidity, that runs the show here.
There is an ounce of comfort in the realization that the world is really run by God’s sovereignty, rather than by human folly. Even when governments of this world make terrible decisions to run their countries into the ground, we can still take confidence in the fact that God knows what he is doing, and has a purpose he is trying to accomplish. May God help us to put our trust in him, even when human counselors have all failed.
