1 Kings 12:16-24 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Kings 12:16-24. As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first. See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
1 Kings 12:16-20 (NIV)
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, O Israel! Look after your own house, O David!” So 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 all Israel 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.
20 When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.
On verses 16-20: Now that King Rehoboam has rejected the people’s plea for a lighter workload, the Israelites, other than the tribe of Judah, reject Rehoboam as their king. Rehoboam tries sending Adoniram his messenger to appease the people, but the people kill Adoniram and nearly kill Rehoboam. The people appoint Jeroboam as their new king instead, in rebellion against the house of David.
What can we learn from this?
First, these verses provide us with a lesson on leadership. Because King Rehoboam rejected the people’s first ever plea to him and did so in such a harsh and arrogant way, without first building a rapport or earning their trust, the people in turn rejected King Rehoboam’s leadership. As leaders we need to see the authority that God has given us as a calling to wisely serve the people God has placed in our care. If we fail to serve wisely, we will eventually lose our credibility as leaders.
Second, these verses paint a picture of our predicament with God. God is our rightful king, yet all of us in our own way rejected God as our king. Just as the Israelites killed Rehoboam’s messenger Adoniram, we killed God’s messenger — His only Son — Jesus, and appointed ourselves as our own king. In so doing, we rebelled against God. Until the day we make amends with God through Jesus Christ and the cross, we will always be in rebellion against God.
1 Kings 12:21-24 (NIV)
21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin–a hundred and eighty thousand fighting men–to make war against the house of Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon.
22 But this word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God:
23 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, to the whole house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,
24 ‘This is what the LORD says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.'” So they obeyed the word of the LORD and went home again, as the LORD had ordered.
On verses 21-24: Rehoboam mobilizes 180,000 men from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to fight against Jeroboam in hopes of recapturing the kingdom he lost. However, a prophet called Shemaiah receives a word from God warning Rehoboam not to fight the Israelites but to go home, for God is behind this turn of events. Wisely, Rehoboam heeds God’s Word and tells his troops to go home, thereby saving everyone from a bloody and unnecessary civil war.
What can we learn from this?
1. Be quick to learn from your mistakes. Earlier Rehoboam made the mistake of taking too lightly the advice of his elders. He would not make the same mistake twice in a row. When advised by a man of God not to go up and fight Jeroboam, Rehoboam listens to this advice and acts accordingly. May we too be quick to learn from our mistakes and prayerfully consider what God has to say before making a big decision that affects us and those in our care.
2. God’s plans are firm and there’s no fighting them. If you try to fight against God’s plans for your life, you will only find yourself frustrated and defeated. Instead of fighting God’s plans, work with God and walk alongside Him. God’s plans may be different from your own plans, but His plans are always infinitely better.
Father, rather than continuously rebelling against You, may I be quick to learn the lessons You teach me, quick to respond to Your cautions and warnings, and quick to move in accordance with Your plans. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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