1 Kings 12:1-24 “Division from God?”
“Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.” (1) We note all Israel came to make Rehoboam king, not create trouble. Israel asked Rehoboam to lighten the load his father had put on them. He asked for three days to make a decision first consulting the elders who served his father Solomon. They told him to listen to the people and grant their request and they would be his servants forever. “But he forsook the counsel of the elders…….and consulted with the young men…” (5a, c). Being young, he was inclined to the advice of his contemporaries. So he spoke harshly according to the young men who grew up with him. This separated the kingdom in the North and they appointed Jeroboam as their king. Though Rehoboam sought to rectify this division, he failed because it was from the Lord. In fact, God sent a prophet warning Rehoboam not to fight against his brothers because this came from Him. We must be careful not to allow anger to rise against our brothers because it can position us not only as their enemies, but enemies of God’s will. Sometimes God uses even division to accomplish His will.
