Chapter 5: Rehoboam | Assembly Testimony Magazine

Rehoboam was the third king of Judah in the line of David: David, Solomon, Rehoboam. If David is known for establishing and uniting the kingdom and Solomon is renowned for expanding the kingdom, then Rehoboam is known for eroding and dividing the kingdom. He was king at the commencement of the division of Israel when the ten tribes in the northern area of Israel split from the two tribes in the southern area of Israel (Benjamin is included with Judah, 1Kgs.12.21,23). This division happened at the very beginning of Rehoboam’s reign, 1Kgs.11.5,12, so he never was king over all of Israel. That position was only enjoyed by Saul, David and Solomon. Rehoboam, therefore, is known for the great injury and division in the kingdom which, as we shall observe, will never be healed until the Lord Jesus comes again.

This division of the kingdom had been a matter of prophecy by Ahijah the prophet at the end of Solomon’s reign: Ahijah said to Jeroboam, “Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (but he shall have one tribe for My servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel)’” 1Kgs.11.31,32.

What is interesting about Ahijah’s prophecy of division is that it still promised the continuance of the kingdom in Judah and reiterated the fact that Jerusalem was “chosen out of all the tribes”. David is singled out as the reason for all of this: “for My servant David’s sake”. God’s promise to David concerning his house would never be revoked even in a day of division. God is faithful to His promises even in dark days.

THE CONTEXT

Rehoboam reigned for seventeen years, 1Kgs.14.21. A positive feature of his reign was his military strategy, as he built up many cities in Judah. These are listed in 2Chronicles chapter 11. So perhaps one positive feature was his industry.

He also established the true worship of Jehovah in Jerusalem for three years, ensuring the true priestly order prevailed, 2Chr.11.13-17, and he was noted for his repentance, 2Chr.12.12. This was all good, but it was interspersed with long periods of failure. He was, therefore, marked by inconsistency.

Rehoboam was fully 41 years of age when he came to the throne, as his father, Solomon, reigned for a long forty years. Rehoboam was an older man and yet he never showed much evidence of experience when he took over the throne. Indeed, there is a childishness at times as he relies on the counsel of “the young men that were grown up with him” 1Kgs.12.10. The distressing testimony by the Holy Spirit of his life is: “And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord” 2Chr.12.14. It is always sad when people grow older but do not seem to learn, as they have never prepared their heart to seek the Lord. Rehoboam was marked by immaturity.

Rehoboam’s father was Solomon and as such he would have been exposed to large amounts of idolatry, 1Kgs.14.21-24. His mother was an Ammonite who worshipped Milcom, 1Kgs.11.33. Her influence seems to have given occasion for Rehoboam to permit idol worship in high places and groves, along with the wicked sexual sins that these images to the gods of fertility encouraged, 1Kgs.14.22-24.

Rehoboam inherited from Solomon an extremely wealthy and powerful nation that owed its existence and prosperity to God alone, and yet, paradoxically, was marked by a spirit of materialism. One of the features of Rehoboam’s reign was the demise of the kingdom not only geographically, politically, and spiritually but also materially. The reign of Solomon, where he “made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones” 1Kgs.10.21,27, was over. After a raid by Shishak the king of Egypt on Jerusalem, Rehoboam had the indignity of replacing the shields of gold that Solomon had for ceremonial purposes with shields of brass. He did not have the resources to do anything else, 1Kgs.14.25-28. In some ways this transition from gold to brass is emblematic of Rehoboam’s reign: “How is the gold become dim!” Lam.4.1. Rehoboam stands as the king overseeing the last point of the ‘united kingdom’ of Israel and presiding over the great division and dilution of its strength and power. His reign was marked by impairment.

THE CRISIS AND THE CURE

Thousands of years have passed since Rehoboam and still this division in the nation has not been healed. Hundreds of years after Rehoboam the Assyrians came and wiped the ten northern tribes off the map. They have not been restored to this day. But, as we shall see, the promise of the restoration of the nation will be kept. We also await the Lord Jesus to return to heal the rift between the northern tribes and southern tribes, and Israel will be one again in the great Millennial Kingdom of the Lord Jesus. After the division, the northern tribes were often called “Ephraim”, as the tribe of Ephraim became the most dominant. The dominant southern tribe was Judah and so the southern tribes were called “Judah”. Isaiah prophesied of the day when the Messiah returns: “And He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim” Isa.11.12,13.

This clearly shows that the enmity between Judah and Ephraim will be completely resolved when the Lord comes. Ezekiel also makes it explicitly clear that the northern and southern parts of the kingdom will be united together when the Lord comes. He uses the illustration of two sticks; he writes the word “Judah” on one stick, and “Ephraim” on the other. The two sticks of Ezekiel representing Israel and Judah then become one in his hand. This symbolises God’s promise to David, and we quote Ezekiel extensively to prove this: “Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, ‘For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions:’ then take another stick, and write upon it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:’ and join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand … Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in Mine hand … and I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all” Ezek.37.16,17,19,22.

Most Biblical scholars also accept that the strange behaviour of Ezekiel lying on his left side for 390 days and then changing side and lying down again for forty days in Ezekiel chapter 4 represents, in dramatic fashion, the kingdom of Israel in its united and divided existence. The northern kingdom is sometimes called Samaria as the centre of their idol worship and political power was in Shechem, Samaria. The prophecy of Ezekiel chapter 22 is written specifically to the two centres, Samaria and Jerusalem. What is very clear is that the promise to the house of David concerning the continuation of the kingdom will be kept and the division will be healed. The covenant made by Jehovah with David will never be revoked: “I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for My name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever” 2Sam.7.12,13. The throne of David will be united and established in a Millennial earth, and the prophecy fulfilled: “Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment” Isa.32.1. Hallelujah!

As we study Rehoboam, there are many lessons for us today regarding the roots of division, in addition to lessons in relation to Divine purpose for Israel and the house of David. Let us start on day one of Rehoboam’s reign.

THE CORONATION

Rehoboam’s greatest test was on day one. “And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king” 1Kgs.12.1.

It would appear as if the decision to anoint Rehoboam at Shechem is significant. David was anointed king of Judah at Hebron but immediately after he was anointed king of Israel he established Jerusalem as the capital. Solomon was anointed king of Israel at Jerusalem. The choosing of Jerusalem was strategic and seen as the land bridge between the north and the south. It was, as we shall see, also a spiritual choice, the city which the Lord chose as the place where He placed His name. The crowning of Rehoboam in Shechem, therefore, is political and perhaps it was to appease a swelling of opinion that the northern tribes’ power was greater than that of the south (in Judah) and that a capital at the heart of their power base would be preferred, 2Chr.10.1.

This old division of the northern tribes feeling superior to the southern tribes, in Judah, had been around since Joseph and Judah were born and had its roots in Jacob’s marriage to two wives, Rachel and Leah, and the sibling rivalry that emerged amongst the children, Genesis chapters 29,30. As the children married and had children and the tribes grew, some cracks in the kingdom began to appear as the tribe of Ephraim gained power and strength. In Gideon’s day this ‘fault line’ was clear as the tribe of Ephraim flexed its muscles and took on Gideon and his men: “And the men of Ephraim said unto him, ‘Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites?’ And they did chide with him sharply” Judg.8.1. Gideon ameliorated this situation with a soft answer, Prov.15.1: “And he said unto them, ‘What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer?’” Judg.8.2. And so the power struggle was dissipated at that time.

The ‘crack’ in Israel reared its head again in Jephthah’s day as Ephraim again engaged in ‘power play’, even threatening to burn Jephthah’s house down: “And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, ‘Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? We will burn thine house upon thee with fire’” Judg.12.1. This resulted in a civil war with huge losses to the power of Ephraim: “… and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand” Judg.12.6.

The crisis settled for a while and then came to a head in the days of David, when Judah sided with David, and Israel with Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, 2Samuel chapter 2. For seven and a half years David was not king of Israel, but only king of Judah, and another king had the authority over the ten northern tribes. And even after David had united the kingdom and was king of all Israel there was a war of words between Ephraim and Judah after the usurpation of Absalom: “And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, ‘We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?’ And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel” 2Sam.19.43.

It was David’s skill as a leader and his wisdom that prevented this becoming a major division. In fact, Israel was only truly united for seventy-three years under David and Solomon. Under David the political and religious capital of Israel moved from Shechem to Jerusalem. At the same time the old capital of Judah in Hebron moved to Jerusalem. The choosing of the capital in Jerusalem on the land bridge between the northern and southern areas of the country was wise and prudent, as well as something that God instigated. Solomon’s beautiful buildings, constructed in Jerusalem, consolidated the position of Jerusalem as capital. The Temple was erected there and without doubt David and Solomon believed that “the Lord ha[d] chosen Zion” Ps.132.13.

Therefore, the fact that all Israel came to anoint the king in the northern territory, in Shechem, which became the capital of the northern tribes, is most significant. There was clearly a power struggle going on between north and south. Rehoboam should have been alert to this. The kingdom was under attack in a day of transition. On day one he would have to stand firm for what he knew to be true.

We can be tested on the first day we are saved; the first day at our new job; the first time a tract is distributed; the first day in assembly fellowship. We must be aware of our vulnerability and learn to trust the Lord. Sadly, there is no record here of Rehoboam bringing the matter before the Lord. In fact, the reverse is true: “he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord” 2Chr.12.14. Natural counsel, intellect and business acumen cannot stand up to the spiritual battles that come upon us; we need the Lord.

THE CONSPIRING

Days of transition are never easy, but they are made worse when carnal men see opportunity for division. It is just when Israel is at its weakest that some send for Jeroboam the son of Nebat: “And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;) that they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam” 1Kgs.12.2,3. Twenty-one times, Scripture records these words (with variations): “Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin”. This, incidentally, is the same number of times we read of the “place” which “the Lord … shall choose” in Deuteronomy. Ultimately Jeroboam would despise the place of the name in Jerusalem and place golden calves in Beth-el and Dan. Carnal men love opportunity for place and position, and the ‘Jeroboams’ of this world are never far from controversy and always ready to lend a hand for division. Avoid these men! Paul would concur with this as he writes to the assemblies in Rome: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” Rom.16.17,18.

Jeroboam had been awaiting his time. When good men go, the devil strikes. Jeroboam is posturing for position as he turns up at this time of transition. He was an enemy of Rehoboam’s father, Solomon. Rehoboam would have known of Ahijah’s prophecy concerning Jeroboam (since his father certainly knew about it, 1Kgs.11.40), but he showed no evidence of repentance. The fact that Israel invited Jeroboam back indicated that division was already happening in Jerusalem. God’s people can sometimes turn to unlikely sources when discontentment arises. Individuals who have left the assembly or have a dubious past can re-appear to divide companies. We have known in our day influential men who have moved off to do their ‘own thing’, pastored their ‘own church’ and taken a number of good saints with them from the assembly. We must watch how it happens. Jeroboam picks on an issue that he knows will galvanise the crowd and gain sympathy. The issue has nothing to do with the apostasy or doctrine but is related to the people’s conditions of service. Solomon had not put the people into slavery or bondage, 2Chr.2.18; 8.7-10, but he did have a heavy tax burden to support his expansive court. The court’s daily food requirements were substantial: “And Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl” 1Kgs.4.22,23.

These issues led to discontent and ultimately a full attempt to take over the kingdom. We need to beware of the subtleties of the Evil One. Discontent about the fabric of the hall, or the timings of the meetings, or the quality of the ministry, or the catering for the conference, or the Sunday School, or who opens up the hall, or on small issues of doctrine, etc. can be used by the Evil One to launch an attack on the leadership.

If Rehoboam had been spiritual, he would have gone into the presence of God and sought guidance, as did Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel. If Jeroboam had been of God, he would have listened to the prophecy and come to God in repentance, crying to Him for wisdom. Sometimes God’s people have no Godly role models: what should we do? We must stick to that which is right even if there are those around us who lack wisdom and spirituality.

THE COMPLAINT

The complaint was clear: “Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee” 1Kgs.12.4. Essentially the complaint was that the previous regime was too hard! Have we heard that before? Perhaps it was true or partially true, but to land all of this on Rehoboam on day one was not fair. People do not think of the consequences of their actions. The people said (paraphrasing), ‘Make the yoke lighter; give us a bit more freedom and we will serve you.’ Rehoboam needed to be patient and compassionate but also wise. We must make sure that we listen and take on people’s real concern but equally we must not, on the one hand, ‘lighten’ true spiritual and Scriptural precepts or, on the other hand, ‘burden’ people by ‘adding’ or endorsing legalistic rules.

Rehoboam’s legacy from his father was mixed: the end of Solomon’s reign had not been good at all and had given opportunity for this rebellion to emerge. Perhaps the main lesson for us today is to identify sins of a previous generation and not repeat them or hand them on to our children. It is also important as we deal with the ‘issue’ before us, to see past the ‘issue’ and realise that there is a greater battle: the welfare of the kingdom itself.

In Rehoboam’s case the sins of a previous generation were:

Disobedience to God’s Word;
A worldly, materialistic lifestyle;
Idolatry in mixing with the nations around;
Breakdown of marriage, unequal yoke.

Some things never change. We too might inherit problems from a previous generation where there was disobedience to Scripture, such as outward conformity but inward cold-heartedness toward the Lord, materialism, factions, failure to prioritise assembly gatherings, doctrinal error, and so forth. What should we do? Firstly, we need to unite around obedience to Holy Scripture. Secondly, we need to intercede before our God for wisdom and strength. It is fitting that we should consider these examples of disastrous starts and not make the same mistakes.

THE CONSIDERED RESPONSE

This was one of Rehoboam’s wisest moments: “And he said unto them, ‘Depart yet for three days, then come again to me.’ And the people departed” 1Kgs.12.5. We do not need to be ‘knee jerked’ into decisions when we are unsure. To take a small space of time to leave these things before the Lord is very wise. It is interesting that he asked for three days. This is the period of time in Scripture associated with preparation, fasting, intercession, decision, as well as resurrection, Gen.22.4; 40.20; 42.18; Ex.19.11; Judg.20.30; 2Kgs.20.5; Esther 4.16; 5.1. It is good when we adopt a position of fasting and preparation before the Lord when we have to make a difficult decision. Sadly, we never read of Rehoboam praying. He was too busy seeking counsel in dubious places.

THE CONSULTATION – 1Kgs.12.6-11

Older Men

Rehoboam initially consults the older men, 1Kgs.12.6. We do not know if these were the old men who advised Solomon in his apostasy. We assume, by their counsel, that they were good old men. However, old men are not always correct and Scripture has several examples of people failing in their older years. Nevertheless, wherever possible, we should always give the older Godly men their place. The general principle is: “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord” Lev.19.32. Scripture does add a caveat to this statement: “The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness” Prov.16.31.

It seems as if the general advice from the older men was to be kind, speak good words to the people and, generally, take a conciliatory approach: “If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever” 1Kgs.12.7. This is good advice but there was no mention of the Lord, or of the Law, or of the real underlying issue, which was far greater than the request the people made; the rebellion of Jeroboam and the apostasy of Solomon were not addressed by the older men.

Older men’s counsel must be refused if it is clearly wrong. Elihu thought that ancient men should speak first, and he gave way to Job’s three older friends, but their words were not good; they were unhelpful and unkind as they addressed Job in the day of his calamity, Job 32.6-10. It seems as if the advice the older men gave to Rehoboam was good in terms of the attitude that he should adopt but not the complete answer in terms of the arrangements and agreement that should be adopted.

Younger Men

Sadly, Rehoboam forsakes the older men’s counsel and turns to the younger men with whom he had been brought up: “But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him” 1Kgs.12.8. We are warned in 1Timothy chapter 3 that elders are not to be novices. Experience does matter, and never more so than at a time of transition. Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men before he had even consulted with the young men. The advice of the older men was not what he wanted to hear. Instead, he turned to the young men. He would have known their character, as he was brought up with them, and probably knew they would tell him what he wanted to hear. This is how partisan spirits arise amongst us: “after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears”. When do they do this? “When they will not endure sound doctrine” 2Tim.4.3. A true friend will tell us when we are going wrong: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” Prov.27.6. There is a grave danger when men with authority in assembly life, instead of seeking spiritual counsel, surround themselves with people who always say ‘Yes’ to them.

Furthermore, the issue is not just that Rehoboam went to the young men, but that he went to them once he had forsaken the counsel of the old men. Already there was division. Could he not have spoken to a group of Godly men, irrespective of age? Do we need to separate young and old? Division does not happen overnight. We should be sensitive to divisive influences in the company and seek to stop discordant talk and practices. One of the reasons there might have been a difference in the counsel could have been that the old men did not speak to the young men. Channels of communication are critical. The principle of older working with younger is a good one, for example, Moses and Joshua, Paul and Timothy, Elijah and Elisha. Sadly, sometimes the older are not wise with the young, for example, in 2Sam.2.14. On the other hand, ‘youth ministry meetings’ risk creating opportunities for young people to discuss unprofitable things in the absence of their elder brethren, for example, Judg.14.10-18. This is not to say that it is wrong for friends to want to open God’s Word when they are in each other’s company. However, in the gatherings of the local assembly we need both old and young to work together. The sheep are always fed with the lambs.

The advice of the young men was hard, dogmatic, and authoritarian: “… thus shalt thou say unto them, ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins. And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions’” 1Kgs.12.10,11. Sometimes younger people can be excessive, which is why Paul urges Titus, “Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded” Titus 2.6. In essence they were saying, in modern-day language, ‘If you lie down, they will walk all over you’; ‘show them who is boss’; ‘get them all into line’; ‘you will have to be brutal to get them to behave’. Over and above the ‘hard man’ tactics there was no analysis, or even mention, of the underlying issue: Jeroboam and the apostasy of Solomon. Bold assertion of power never produces unity; all it does is create fear and a lack of trust, and subsequently drives a further wedge between God’s people. There already was division, between the north and the south of the nation, but the response by Rehoboam created a new fracture, this time between the old and young. This was absolutely unnecessary.

In a coming day, when the house of David will be united, and the Kingdom of Christ established on earth, old men and young men will jointly engage in spiritual vision and activity, Joel 2.28. Peter quotes Joel’s prophecy at Pentecost: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams” Acts 2.17; compare Jer.31.13. The assembly can be in that blessed place now, with old and young working together. Both have enormous contributions to make. We need the vigour and energy of the younger and the beauty of experience in the older people: “The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the grey head” Prov.20.29. This is why John writes to the younger people and the older people at the same time, 1Jn.2.13,14.

Let us never divide old from young, or despise the older men’s counsel, or listen to any advice uncritically. Let us be wise and judge everything in the light of Holy Scripture.

THE CARELESSNESS

Rehoboam now delivers the verdict to the people and, in doing so, demolishes the kingdom. Solomon was able to add silver and gold to David’s largesse and plentiful provision for God’s house. Rehoboam, on the other hand, promises to add slavery and bondage to Solomon’s legacy, 2Chr.10.14. Rehoboam’s speech is full of vitriol, saying that his father’s whip that bit into their backs would be replaced with scorpions that would sting and wound them: “And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him; and spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, ‘My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions’” 1Kgs.12.13,14.

He promised them heavier burdens than Solomon gave them, and the spirit of his response was similar to the young men’s statement, v.10. Our blessed Saviour never spoke like this. He said, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” Matt.5.5. Down through the centuries division has been stirred and the flames fanned by the little member called the tongue. James writes strongly of the danger of the tongue: “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell” Jms.3.5,6. Let us be extremely careful about how we speak to God’s people.

THE CAUSE

We are given a remarkable statement after the verbal assault by Rehoboam: “Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord, that He might perform His saying, which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat” 1Kgs.12.15. When it says, “the cause was from the Lord”, it is not that Rehoboam was pre-programmed to make this great mistake; he had a free will. Rehoboam, by following evil counsel and rejecting the people, allowed the people of Israel to form a revolutionary movement, with all acting as free agents, obeying their own wills and passions. But God, who permitted the revolt of the ten tribes, intended it as a punishment to the house of David for Solomon’s apostasy. Divine predictions fulfilled by human passions and the natural course of events are not uncommon in Scripture. We see this in the life of Judas Iscariot. He was responsible for the betrayal of the Lord Jesus. But in doing so he fulfilled the Scriptures that prophesied of the betrayal hundreds of years before. God is never the author of evil, but God’s predictions will always come to pass and, as the Psalmist said, “Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee” Ps.76.10.

THE CRISIS OF DIVISION

The people felt abandoned and that their view was not considered: “… all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them” 1Kgs.12.16. When people feel they have no future but only receive a message of condemnation and control they often ‘vote with their feet’, as they do here: “to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David” v.16. In their anger and sorrow, they ask, “What portion have we in David?” v.16. The answer to that question was ‘everything’. Rehoboam should have been using the name of David to unite them. David was the one who had united the kingdom and the covenant that had been given to him was for all Israel and not just part of it. One would come from the seed of David Who would be used to bless the world. The house of David will one day rule from Jerusalem, which will be the capital of the whole world.

So, today, who will unite God’s people? The answer is of course our Lord Jesus Christ. What we need is a fresh appreciation of Christ. It is His lordship and His headship and His stewardship that will unite us, not compromise or following personalities. It is when we bow to His authority that unity is enjoyed.

Sadly, so often when God’s people divide it leads to colossal casualties, as we shall see here. All the portion they had was in David. Rehoboam’s kingdom shrinks and now only Judah seems loyal to David, v.17. Division is speedy. Israel rejected David but they accepted Jeroboam: “And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel” v.20. Jeroboam was a wicked man. The people refused the kingdom because of the lack of wisdom of the king. They did not cast themselves upon God, Whose prerogative it was to give and to take away kings, Hos.13.11. It does not matter how strongly we feel about an issue, or how wrong Rehoboam was in his speech and actions; it is always wrong to depart from known truth. Watch what happens next. Departure leads to the desecration of the gatherings of God’s people.

Jeroboam went about ensuring that the Lord’s place in Jerusalem would be mimicked by centres in Samaria and Dan. The explanation given was that it was too far to travel to Jerusalem: “‘If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.’ Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, ‘It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.’ And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan” 1Kgs.12.27-29. Jeroboam gave Israel a religion of convenience. We need to watch that this does not happen today. We gather on the grounds of truth, not simply adopting practices to keep everyone happy.

David’s priestly house with the Levites and sons of Aaron would be replaced with priests from all the tribes. It was to be a counterfeit priesthood, and much more inclusive, as anyone could now be a priest: “And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi” 1Kgs.12.31. He also changed the dates of the feasts. They may have looked much the same as the feasts celebrated in Jerusalem, but they were at different times: “And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made” 1Kgs.12.32. The feast in Jerusalem in the seventh month at the end of the fruit harvest took place in the eighth month in Beth-el. Some have wondered if the northern area’s fruit harvest might have been a little later than the southern parts and so this was seen to be more accommodating to the farmers in the north. We cannot, however, change the mode of worship and the priesthood and think that God will be honoured. God does not accept counterfeit worship or counterfeit priests, even if the world compliments ‘the church’ for being inclusive and accommodating.

The golden throne room of the Holiest of all in the Temple in Jerusalem was replaced with golden calves in Samaria and Dan. Jeroboam’s religion was one of corruption. All attempts to take the people of God away from the Person of Christ result in corruption. Every time we seek to change from the pattern of Scripture it will only go in one direction and that is away from God. We learn then that if we remove ourselves from truth, for whatever reason, it will lead to corruption and colossal casualties, among ourselves and many others.

THE COERCION FAILED

Unbelievably, Rehoboam sends Adoram to take the tax money off the people: “Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute” 1Kgs.12.18. This folly was not only an act of incredible insensitivity, but also a complete misunderstanding of what unity is. Enforced unity is not unity at all and it resulted in the stoning of the public servant Adoram, and Rehoboam almost forfeiting his own life and having to flee back to Jerusalem on his chariot, v.18. This is a sad statement: “there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only” v.20; the unity of them all was found in that phrase, “the house of David”. That was where all the tribes of Israel belonged, as enshrined in the Davidic Covenant, 2Sam.7.10,11.

Unity can only be established by God. Scriptural unity is not amalgamation based on a few common beliefs. Neither is it uniformity where saints are straitjacketed into a constitution. Writing to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul does not recommend that the various factions in the assembly should recognise each other and respect each other’s views and learn to give equal place to each faction of the ‘united church’: that is fragmentation. Corinth was a divided assembly, but the apostle does not state that the elders should draft a common constitution: that is uniformity. Instead, the apostle Paul starts with what united them in the first place: Christ and His cross work, 1Cor.1.17,21,23,30; 2.2. It is God Who created the unity in the first place, and we have to keep it. It is the Lord Jesus and His Word that unite us. This demands great effort and desire. Paul says, “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” Eph.4.3.

The lesson is that we cannot enforce the service of the saints. Shepherds are warned not to be as “lords over God’s heritage”, but to be “ensamples to the flock” 1Pet.5.3. We cannot enforce the giving of the saints by making a legalistic rule. Those who reject leadership cannot be forced into accepting it; they cannot be part of the company until they do accept it. Rebellion cannot be sorted by a binding legalism, or by benign acceptance of those who reject leadership.

THE CIVIL WAR NEGATED

Rehoboam, in anger, musters his army to fight against Israel: “And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon” 1Kgs12.21. However, the prophet Shemaiah speaks directly to him and warns him: “Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from Me” v.24. Rehoboam is now beginning to realise that force cannot produce unity. He did the right thing: he obeyed the voice of the prophet and turned back, v.24. For three years they walked in the ways of David, 2Chr.11.17. Because they maintained the worship of Jehovah in Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites throughout Israel were drawn to that which was right, 2Chr.11.13-16. Preaching and practising the truth will draw the faithful together.

The calves in Beth-el and Dan might have been more convenient and the rules more relaxed, but the worship in Jerusalem was Scriptural and the priesthood formed from the family of Aaron was as God had intended. The presence of God was also a reality. This description seems apt today for contrasting those seeking to honour the Lord in the local assembly and to maintain the truth of God’s Word and the practices of Christendom all around us, which are popular and more relaxed: “having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof” 2Tim.3.5. The solemn expression, “this thing is from Me” 1Kgs.12.24, reminds us that sometimes God allows these tests in our lives to prove our obedience and the authenticity of our faith.

Abijah, Rehoboam’s son, appreciated the importance of authenticity, obedience to God’s Word and the spirituality of the house of God in Jerusalem, 2Chr.13.10; so did Hezekiah, 2Chr.30.1-13. We must work on simply obeying God’s Word, but not on putting ourselves in conflict with other believers. We cannot compete with Christendom, nor must we war with them. Hezekiah sent runners up to Israel to encourage them to come to Jerusalem, but he did not ask these messengers to stay there, nor did he send soldiers to terrify those whom they were inviting to come. We must reach out to our brothers and sisters but not join them or, on the other hand, ‘fight’ them. Leave God to deal with the wickedness of Christendom, but if there is anything good about its practices, then we rejoice. Paul reaches this high ground when he is in a prison cell in Rome, and thanks God for any who preach the gospel, even if their motive and method are wrong: “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice” Phil.1.15-18.

So, we rejoice wherever Christ is preached, and we do not quarrel with our brothers and sisters who have departed from the pattern of gathering in the Word of God, but we also do not join with them in unscriptural practices.

THE CONFIDENCE TEST – 2Chr.12.1-5

Sadly, Rehoboam “forsook the law of the Lord” after three years, but it is interesting to see when this happened. It was when he had established the kingdom in his eyes: “And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him” 2Chr.12.1. It was God Who had established the kingdom, and this was now self-confidence and pride in Rehoboam’s heart. His action affected all the people. For the most part, things were going well but then he lost his confidence in God. This was the point at which the Scriptures became increasingly less important to Rehoboam. This is where we are all very vulnerable. All sorts of sins became tolerated in the nation; see the dreadful list in 1Kgs.14.22-24.

God sends an unexpected foe, Egypt, and the kingdom of Judah is denuded of its glory: “And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord, with twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians, and he took the fenced cities …” 2Chr.12.2-4. The treasures of the house of the Lord were taken to Egypt, v.9, because, as Shemaiah the prophet said, “Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken Me” v.5.

The world, symbolised in Egypt, has ruined many assemblies due to their pride: this feeling that they are impregnable. Rehoboam replaces the gold shields that Shishak, the king of Egypt, has taken away, with brass ones, 2Chr.12.9,10. The gold has become dim. The glory has departed due to disobedience and complacency. Israel was brought out from Egypt and now they are spoiled by Egypt. This is the first time since the Exodus that Egypt has spoiled the people of God. The kingdom is in tatters. They have returned to the very thing that once was destroyed. This has resonance with the Galatian Epistle: “But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?” Gal.4.9. “Friendship of the world is enmity with God” Jms.4.4.

THE CONTRITION

Thankfully, Rehoboam repented of his sin and the kingdom was preserved, as the Lord had promised David: “Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, ‘The Lord is righteous.’ And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, ‘They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and My wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak’” 2Chr.12.6,7.

God is faithful.

THE CONTINUATION OF THE KINGDOM

This repentance, although not consistent, was not a ‘one-off’. Rehoboam’s life ends with a specific promise that God has chosen Zion as His dwelling place. The house of David’s centre in Jerusalem would know special protection by God. It was the place of the name. And the promise to the house of David would not be revoked, right until the Lord Jesus returns.

“And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that He would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well. So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there” 2Chr.12.12,13.

“And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead” 2Chr.12.16.

The lesson from Rehoboam is that the promise of the continuation of the house of David and the choosing of Jerusalem would stand and will stand the test of all opposition. Some centuries later the prophet Zechariah would reiterate God’s choice of Jerusalem even when Judah had been exiled in Babylon for seventy years: “And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be My people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee. And the Lord shall inherit Judah His portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again” Zech.2.11,12.

God keeps His promises.

CONCLUSION

In the life of Rehoboam, we are taught that deterioration can take place very quickly, and that the losses of division can last for generations. Rehoboam was a man who did not read the times or intercede in prayer to God for wisdom, resulting in the breakup of the kingdom. He was a man who thought enforcement would result in unity and it resulted in further bloodshed. We learn the following practical lessons:

Be aware of the sins of a previous generation.

Deal with fundamental problems first and not merely the symptoms.

Value Godly advice: do not assume that human strategy can overcome spiritual wickedness.
Do not allow division at any level.
Do not try to enforce unity.
We cannot unite with Christendom, nor can we war against it.
Obedience to God’s Word is the only source of unity.
Dependence upon God delights His heart.
Friendship with the world is enmity against God.
Disobedience leads to ruin and the robbing of power and glory.
Construction can sometimes be slow, but deterioration is rapid.

The most important story, though, is one of the faithfulness of God, seen in the promise to “the house of David” as to the continuation of the seed. The longevity of the kingdom and the establishment of God’s house at Jerusalem are preserved, despite the folly of Rehoboam, the separation of Israel from Judah and the slaughter of the marauding forces of Shishak King of Egypt. This is the story of all Scripture: God is faithful.