That Was Quick

"Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them...behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt" (1 Kings 12:28)

To take away 10 tribes from Rehoboam, son of Solomon, the Lord didn't have to do anything. When the people complained, Rehoboam sought the counsel of young men and placed even heavier burdens upon the people. (Also, apparently had daddy issues, see 1 Kings 12:10)He was responsible himself for his kingdom being divided. Which begs the question, did the Lord punish Solomon, or was God just prophesying the natural consequences of being separated from His Spirit? Face it, we just can't succeed without Him. Nothing is forever without the Eternal God. If we are to build any lasting foundation, it truly has to be upon Christ.

Quick comment about oxen again. Israel asks Rehoboam to take away the "heavy yoke" (1 Kings 12:4). And the 'old men' counsel, "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" (1 Kings 12:7). Didn't Christ say something like that? (See Luke 22:25-27) Here is some good Christian wisdom, from Solomon's time. The old men counseled not just to make the yoke lighter, but suggested that Rehoboam also take up that yoke, to serve them, that they might be his servants forever. That is what Christ does, and we are His servants forever.

But, the big thing I see in this chapter is, boy oh boy, that was quick. The Lord wasn't joking when he says, "how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one" (Alma 46:8). Here's the interesting thing though, things don't go the way we'd think: Rehoboam puts together an army, but when the prophet Shemaiah tells Rehoboam that he shouldn't go to war, "they harkened unto the word of the LORD, and returned to depart" (1 Kings 12:24). Wow, God was silent when the 10 tribes left the King. But, when God did speak, apparently he listened, and obeyed. And this is the guy we don't like. He is foolish and arrogant, yet he listened. Oh then, how quick are WE to judge!

But look at Jeroboam. God gave him a kingdom, where he had had no previous right to one. And he turned Israel to idolatry. Jeroboam feared that while a military attack wouldn't sway Israel back to King Rehoboam, the temple in Jerusalem would. So he built alters for golden calfs, and made false priests "which were not of the sons of Levi" (1 Kings 12:31). He was afraid that by worshiping in the temple, their hearts would be turned (1 Kings 12:27). Jeroboam did not believe in the Lord's promise. He accepted the gifts of the Lord, but turned away from responsibility and counsel.

It says that both Rehoboam and Jeroboam took counsel for their problems, and were counseled to make burdens heavier, and to make golden calves. But neither of them counseled the Lord. Not one thought to ask the Lord what he thought, or to even ask the prophets. This is something I need to be better at, including the Lord in all my decisions, that I may dedicate all my actions unto Him, and not be so quick to be led astray.