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Category: Personal Study
Thread: Game of Thrones
Post Topic: Great Wisdom can Lead to Great Hubris
Post in Thread: #32
Previous: Great Wisdom can lead to Great Hubris
Scripture: I Kings 12:1-24
Bringing the Bible to Life
Solomon was the richest, most powerful king in the history of Israel. But our last study showed how he turned away from his devotion to God late in life, leading to prophecies of doom. So what happens when a king like that dies? What happens when his heir makes one disastrous decision?
The answer is a story of ambition, arrogance, political intrigue, and a kingdom ripped in two. But there’s something more here than ancient history. As we study how Solomon’s son made his choices, the sobering reality hits about the influence of those we surround ourselves with.
Key Verses (but read entire passage):
I Kings 12:8-11
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, “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.’”
Imagine
Jeroboam’s Return
The prophet had told me I’d be king some day. Ten of the twelve tribes would fall under my rule. It had sounded great at the time. But then King Solomon caught wind of it. I went from one of his trusted officials, known for getting things done, to an exiled fugitive in Egypt for years. Now Solomon was dead, and I was back.
How much did his son know?
I tensed as the door behind the throne swung open. The son and heir of Solomon’s kingdom, riches, glory, and all his power—young Rehoboam—strode in. Rehoboam proudly wore flowing purple robes and a golden crown. He knew exactly what he’d inherited. His trouble-making childhood friend Pelatiah followed, arrogant and smirking. More young advisors followed Pelatiah. Why Solomon had tolerated their friendship, I’d never understood.
Missing were Solomon’s wisest advisors. I couldn’t let on, but that was exactly what I’d hoped to see. If Pelatiah had the king’s ear, there’s no way my request would be granted. In which case, the new king would fall perfectly into my trap.
I bowed, demonstrating more than the necessary amount of deference, as distasteful as that felt. “Thank you for the audience, my king.”
The king yawned as he settled onto his throne. He adjusted his robe, letting the silence settle heavy in the room before addressing me. “Jeroboam. Abba told me about you. I didn’t think you’d have the nerve to show your face back in Judah. Especially in the palace.”
“My king, that prophecy was not my idea. It was the ravings of a madman, wanting attention for himself. He did not speak the words of the Most High.”
“What’s stopping me from putting you to the sword now?” Rehoboam said. “Why should I take the chance?”
“I’m here on behalf of the other ten tribes,” I said. “Do you want to spark a revolt? Just listen to our plea.”
He waved a hand. “Speak it.”
“It is a simple request. Grant it, and the people will have no cause to look elsewhere for a king.” I paused, wanting to gauge his reaction. “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke, and we will serve you.”
King Rehoboam exchanged a long look with his advisors before turning back to me. “Come back in three days, and I will give you my answer. Such a request deserves time for proper consideration.”
I bowed again as I backed out of the room, struggling to maintain the facade of devotion. “Thank you, my king.”
Three more days. When he rejects the proposal, the ten tribes will have no choice but to rebel. I’ll start rallying the forces now. They’ll appoint me king, just as the prophet had said. Three days.
Observations
The Observation step describes what we notice when reading our passage. The next step, Interpretation, gets into what it means.
As you read the passage, what observations strike you? Don’t make this hard – just make a list. Then, open our observations below and compare. You’re likely to find things we’ve missed.
Our Observations (click to open)
Taxation Without Representation
In I Kings 12:1-15, Jeroboam returns from Egypt and leads a coalition of tribes of Israel to talk to the new king about taxes. Interestingly, Jeroboam promises to submit to Rehoboam’s rule, if Rehoboam will just ease the tax burden on the people. The young king asks for three days to decide. Here’s what we observe about this deliberation:
- Rehoboam first asks his father’s older advisors what to do. Why do you suppose he went to them first?
- They say to be a servant-leader, and the people will love you for it, and always be willing servants of yours.
- They advise a favorable answer.
- Rehoboam rejects their answer even before talking to another group of advisors – his friends who’d grown up with him.
- His friends tell him what he probably wants to hear:
- The people ask you to lighten the yoke of your father Solomon.
- Instead, make that yoke even heavier.
- Say: “My father scourged you with whips. I will scourge you with scorpions.”
- Rehoboam listened to his brash young friends, and gave their response to the people.
Of note – verse 15 states that this turn of events was brought on by the Lord. He knew this would happen, and that it would lead to the rebellion that had been prophesied to Solomon.
The Reaction
Rehoboam’s proclamation didn’t land well (understatement). The Israelites revolted, declaring that they had no reason to remain loyal to the house of David, who arose out of Judah.
When Rehoboam foolishly tried to send his man to collect tribute, they stoned the man to death. Apparently Rehoboam was nearby and fled for his life.
Jeroboam Appointed King
The northern tribes completed their split by appointing Jeroboam king of the northern tribes, just as God had predicted.
Civil War Averted
Rehoboam gathered the armies of Judah, planning to march north and put down the rebellion. But a prophet named Shemaiah warned Rehoboam that the Lord had said not to go forward. For some reason, Rehoboam finally listened, and stood down. The kingdom of David was forever split.
Context
King Solomon has died, replaced by his son, Rehoboam. As we studied in the previous episode, Solomon’s sins had prompted God to strip the majority of the kingdom away from Solomon’s decedents.
In chapter 12, one of Solomon’s top officials, Jeroboam, is told he’ll become the king of the other tribes by a prophet of God. Learning that Solomon wanted to kill him, Jeroboam flees to Egypt until Solomon’s death.
Interpretation
Genre
Historical narrative. I and II Kings record the monarchical succession of the leaders of Israel and Judah, seeking to provide a detailed factual description of events. The writer is a historian, a theologian, and a storyteller.
Takeaways
Seek Wise Counsel, not the Counsel of Friends
Rehoboam had all of the wisest of his father’s advisors to listen to. But he rejected their advice in favor of the dudes he’d grown up with. They were probably laughing and mocking both the Israelites and the older advisors as they told Rehoboam to “scourge them with scorpions.” Can you hear their derisive laughter? Even if Rehoboam thought they might be wrong, he didn’t want go against his buddies.
This is the classic peer pressure scenario, for a man too young and inexperienced to be a leader.
No Surprise to God
God ordained all of this. He directed it, even. This was the fulfillment of God’s punishment of Solomon that we read about in the previous chapter.
Biblical Knowledge (New Interpretation Section)
Sometimes our studies serve to increase our knowledge of the Bible just as much as providing takeaways. This is just as important as finding takeaways from the passage. It often involves digging into other resources like commentaries or study Bibles. It is a process of going deeper than just Observations about what we read directly.
Who was the poor guy who got stoned to death?
Sometimes it’s fun to go down a rabbit hole when we’re in the Interpretation mode of a Bible study. For example, it’s interesting to read that King Rehoboam sent this poor guy Adoniram to collect taxes. It says in verse 18 that he was in charge of forced labor, which immediately puts a bad taste in our mouth. Maybe he wasn’t such a patsy after all.
A deeper dive reveals that he held this same position his entire career, dating all the way back to King David. So Adoniram outlasted David and Solomon, all the while holding this same title. He must have been quite old by the time he met this inglorious death.
It is interesting to consider the role Adoniram played in the building of Solomon’s temple. In I Kings 5:13-17, he is mentioned as overseeing the men who King Solomon conscripted to cut cedars in Lebanon, chisel stone, and carry it back to Jerusalem. The conscripted men would work one month and then have two months off. Adoniram was in charge of it all. There was no hint in this chapter of unrest over this forced labor. The nation was in one accord to built God’s dwelling place. But memories change over time and over generations. And the fact that Adoniram still held this title shows that the practice of conscripting workers might never have stopped.
Given that backdrop, think with me – was it stupid or wise of King Rehoboam to send this symbol of forced labor to collect taxes from Israel?
The Rise of Jeroboam
In the previous chapter, I Kings 11, Jeroboam was told by a prophet that he would become king of the northern tribes. But Solomon still reigned, so Jeroboam fled to Egypt. Now he is back, and in the end of our passage, he was appointed king after the stoning of Adoniram.
This represents a sad moment in the history of God’s people. Going back to when Samuel anointed David to replace Solomon, the house of David was always at odds with the northern tribes. But for one glorious generation, the kingdom had been united in peace under Solomon. That came to an end much too quickly.
Correlation
Proverbs 12:15 – The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 27:17 – As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.
Are we sharpening other believers in Christ? And vice-versa? Or do we listen to our immature friends for the important things?
Application
Generic Applications
Sometimes those closest to us will tell us what we want to hear and not what we need to hear.
Personalize it
Consider who you go to when you need advice. Have you surrounded yourself with people who will tell you what you want to hear? Let’s take time to identify someone who will fill us with truth. Who will provide sound, biblical advice when we need it, even if it hurts. And then let’s resolve to go to that person in times of doubt or at a critical decision point in our lives.
Bible study methodology adapted from Searching the Scriptures with permission from Tyndale House:
Swindoll, Charles, Searching the Scriptures. Tyndale House Publishers, 2016.
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