7 They replied, ‘If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and GIVE THEM A FAVOURABLE ANSWER, THEY WILL ALWAYS BE YOUR SERVANTS.’ 1 Kings 12
The time had come for a change in Israel’s King. Solomon had been led astray by his foreign wives and ‘his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord, AS THE HEART OF HIS FATHER DAVID HAD BEEN (David served God whole heartedly). 1 Kings 11:4
Rehoboam now faced people who were willing to serve him as their King, BUT they insisted that he lighten the burden imposed upon them. Then Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father and asked for them what he should do?
In 2 Kings 12:7 the word serve and servants is repeated three times, twice to King Rehoboam and once regarding his subjects. ‘Serve them and give them a Favourable answer and they’ll Always serve you.’ But Rehoboam didn’t accept their advice, the old advisers to King Solomon. He went to his own contemporaries, ‘the young men he’d grown up with’ and asked them. Their counsel was contrary to the elders, ‘Increase the burden on the people!’ This resulted in the division of the Kingdom, Old divisions resurfaced and ten of the tribes rejected Rehoboam.
16 When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king:
‘What share do we have in David,
what part in Jesse’s son?
To your tents, Israel!
Look after your own house, David!’
So the Israelites went home. 17 But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them. 1 Kings 12, (also 2 Samuel 20:1, Sheba rebelled against David, but was swiftly put down.)
Rehoboam didn’t choose the way of peace, instead he chose the way of conflict and lost ten parts of his kingdom.
The UK is also in a time of transition now, after the death of Queen Elisabeth 2 and there have been many voices raised for and against her and the Royal Family here. Kat Kerr said unequivocally on Wednesday evening that the late queen was now in heaven with the Lord! Amanda Grace also prophesied this week that a third of the Royals AND MORE would be broken off. We live in turbulent days and the rise and fall of many is now at hand. We do need the Lord to raise up Godly and God Fearing leaders among the nations, to remove corruption from the midst of people. Leaders are important, setting the tone, across society. Pray God for our nations today that we’ll turn back to God and walk in His ways.
God cares about us as individuals and will bring us through coming Storms as He did with the disciples in the boat on the Galilee. Suddenly they’d arrived at the far side and the storm had past. John 6:21
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THE LORD IS NO ONE’S DEBTOR, HALLELUJAH.
What’s given to Him will always be multiplied back to us.
God bless and keep you today.