Verses 1-5 - Rehoboam was in Shechem when Jeroboam returned from Egypt where he had fled when Solomon wanted to kill for his revolt. He came before Rehoboam with his supporters to ask him to “lighten the hardship” his father had placed on them. They will serve him if he agrees. Rehoboam asked them to give him three days to think about it.

Verses 6-11 - Rehoboam asked two groups of people for advice. The first was the older men who served King Solomon, his father. The second was his peers, the younger men. The older men said, “If you will be good to these people and please them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” The younger men said, “Thus shall you speak to the people who said to you, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. 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.”

Rehoboam took his peers’ advice when he met Jeroboam and the people three days after in verses 12-15. The people hearing Rehoboam’s words decided not to submit to him. So, when he sent his taskmaster to force them to work, they killed him. Thus, Israel rebelled against the house of David from then on (verses 16-19).

In chapter 11:1-4 - Rehoboam gathered the house of Judah and Benjamin in Jerusalem. There were 180,000 warriors to fight Israel and take back his kingdom. God intervened and spoke through Shemaiah, a man of God who told Rehoboam that God said, “You shall not go up or fight against your relatives. Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me.” So, they obeyed God’s word and did not go against Jeroboam.

The story teaches us that we need to be careful in weighing the advice or suggestions of others before we make a choice or decision. A wrong decision can lead to a great consequence for myself and others. In this case, taking the wrong advice of his peers, Rehoboam divided the kingdom. Israel into the southern and northern kingdoms. He even almost started a war against his fellowmen. But God in His sovereign grace intervened through his servant, Shemaiah, and prevented a massacre among themselves.

But we still have not learned from history today. God’s people are constantly dividing themselves in the church all over the world because of the wrong decisions they made as they listened to the wrong advice or suggestions. We choose to listen to our peers instead of those who are more experienced and have more wisdom than us.

May we learn to be humble to hear and listen to those who have seen or experienced what we have not seen or experienced before in our lives so we can learn from them as well.

Prayer: Dear God, give me the wisdom to hear and listen to what others are telling me and the discernment to know to make the right choices and decisions in my life. I pray that I will not make any wrong choices or decisions to hurt others or cause divisions among us as well. May You protect my heart and mind as well as my brothers and sisters so that we can live harmoniously together as the body of Christ.