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CHAPTER 12 (ESV)
6 Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” 7 And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8 But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” 10 And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. 11 And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”
REFLECTION
- On Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam took the throne. In Solomon’s years, heavy taxes and increased hard labour for Solomon’s building projects had caused resentment. The north made tax reduction a condition of recognizing Rehoboam’s royal authority.
- Rehoboam’s pride was displayed in rejecting the counsel advised by the elders, in favour of an arrogant demand for submission.
- Rehoboam’s choice was between compassion and cruelty, kindness and harshness, mercy and judgment. “A man reaps what he sows” (Gal 6:7-8). If Rehoboam had sown kindness instead of harshness, his life might have turned out differently.
- One day I will stand at the judgment seat of Christ, where I will reap what I have sown. Therefore, if I want to receive mercy, I must take the right advice now, such as: “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”(James 2:12-13).
PRAYER
“Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”(1 Pet 3:10-12)
God, I commit my tongue and my heart to You. Help me to seek peace, turn away from evil and do good.
