The Kingdom Divided: Israel Splits Between Rehoboam & Jeroboam

During the civil war in the United States 620,000 people died, because a kingdom had been divided. The nation divided politically, over the issue of slavery, and the northern states fought a long bloody war to end slavery forever in the USA. In the end they were victorious, but the cost was more than half a million lives.

Americans can be pretty stubborn right? Even today we see our nation just as divided, if not more divided ideologically than even during the civil war. Jesus said a house divided against itself cannot stand. And we’ll see today, that the splitting of the kingdom of Israel, between Judah and the northern kingdom would be a crippling blow to the nation.

Last week we explored the life of King Solomon, the wisest king who ever lived. But despite all his wisdom, in the end he turned away from the Lord and his many wives led him to worship false gods. In any case, one of Solomon’s sons was named Rehoboam. And he would be the next king after Solomon died.

But we also see this other person, his name is Jeroboam (no relation to Solomon) and he also seeks the throne. In fact God has told Jeroboam that he will be enthroned over 10 tribes of Israel. He tries during Solomon’s life to claim it from him, but instead has to flee to Egypt. Then after Solomon’s death, we see Jeroboam once again attempting to claim the throne.

Ok, so remember, Rehoboam, with an R, is Solomon’s son and King. Jeroboam, with a J, is this new king who God says will sit on the throne. Alright? Awesome. You can turn in your Bibles to 1st King chapter 12. And it says this:

“Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this (he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), he returned from Egypt. 3 So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: 4 “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

5 Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then come back to me.” So the people went away.

6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked.

7 They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”

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.’”

So we see Jeroboam return from Egypt, and basically stirring up trouble against Rehoboam. He gathers a bunch of people with him and goes to Rehoboam and tells him to be kind to them and treat them well.

Rehoboam asks them to wait three days. He consults two groups of people for advice, the elders, and his buddies from growing up. And he decides to go with the advice of his young friends.

So Rehoboam goes before the people and tells them he will not be lightening any loads for them. In fact he’s going to be even more severe than his father Solomon.

And we’re all doing a face plant right here. All Rehoboam had to do was say alright, I won’t be quite as hard on you as Solomon was. I won’t work you quite as hard. And everything would’ve been OK. But instead Rehoboam allows pride to get in the way, takes some bad advice, and ends up making people even more upset.

This is a good life lesson for us today: There will be critical moments where we can either make things worse, or diffuse the situation. We’ll want to respond with anger and pride, but instead if we take the humble road, and respond kindly, we’ll diffuse a dangerous situation.

Has anyone here been in an argument with someone, and one of you said something, or gave some ground, that allowed the argument to diffuse, and fade away? That’s always a nice moment in a fight, when we come to some sort of resolution. We allow the anger to pass and then healing can start.