Demanding His Way

Because of Solomon’s sin, God had declared that Jeroboam was to be the next king, but when Solomon died, his son Rehoboam assumed the throne, and the people intended to make it official, as I Kings 11:43-12:1 tells us.  “And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.   And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.”

Jeroboam had been forced to flee to Egypt, but when Solomon died, his friends informed him it was safe to return.  Over the years, Solomon had steadily increased the taxes to support his extravagant lifestyle and ever increasing military expenditures and government projects.  This got a lot worse when he began building temples and houses for all seven hundred wives and three hundred mistresses.  The people requested assurance from Rehoboam that he would cut back and reduce the taxes, in I Kings 12:2-4.  “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, saying, 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.”

Like most politicians, Rehoboam was isolated from the people and more concerned with maintaining his life style than with the peolle’s sufferings.  He promised to check out what he could do, just to pacify them, and contacted his father’s advisors, In I Kings 12:5-7.  “And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.  And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?  And they spake unto him, saying, 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.”

The older advisors told him that if he would cut the taxes, the people would gladly support him, and his descendants.   Unfortunately, like most politicians, Rehobaam was more concerned with his own agenda than with what the people wanted.  This was not the advice he wanted, so he consulted his personal friends who had the same experience and ideas he had, as I Kings 12:8-11 describes.  “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: And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?

And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; 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.”  The younger men advised him to reject their request and show he was in charge.  He should up their taxes as punishment for complaining because after all they could afford it, and they just don’t understand how important these other programs are.  It was exactly the same attitude many of our liberal politicians have today.   

When he met with the people, Rehoboam took the younger people’s advice, in I Kings 12:12-14.  “So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.  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.”

God had said Jeroboam was to be the next king, and he would use this selfish and ill advised threat by Rehoboam to make it happen, as I Kings 12:15-17 tells us.  “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.  So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.   But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.”

The only ones who stayed with Rehoboam were the ones in Judah, who had benefitted most from Solomon’s policies.  While silver was as common as gravel in Jerusalem, it was pretty scarce in other parts of the country.  The contrast was much like the differences today between our metropolitan areas such as New York or Los Angeles and the rest of the United States. 

Refusing to accept the people’s will, Rehoboam decided to prove they had to do what he said, and sent the tax collectors to take the money from the people.  That eliminated any possibility of working things out, as I Kings 12:18-19 tells us.  “Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.  So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.”  Efforts to force people to do things invariably cause resentment, and history is littered with stories of rulers who tried to force their will on the people and destroyed their country.    Unfortunately, many politicians do not understand history.  The American Revolution was the direct result of excessive taxation by a king who refused to listen to the people.  Leaders need to pay attention to their people.