Key Theme: Handling Conflict
[Core Gospel Concepts: Sin]
Solomon, David’s son, succeeded him as king of Israel once David died. Though as a young man King Solomon listened to God and was blessed with God’s wisdom, as he grew older he disobeyed God by marrying many foreign wives, who finally turned his heart after other gods so that he was not fully devoted to the Lord as his father David had been, despite God’s warnings. And the Lord became angry with Solomon and told him he would tear the kingdom from him and give it to one of his servants, though for David’s sake, he would leave one tribe (Judah) in the hands of Solomon’s son. This came to pass in the days of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, who succeeded him as king. Here’s what happened.
After Solomon died, Rehoboam went to Shechem to meet all the Israelites and to be made king. The Israelites said to him, “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.” Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then come back to me.” So the people went away.
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. They replied, "If today you will be a servant to these people, be kind to them, and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants."
But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. They replied, "Tell these people, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. 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.'" Three days later the people came, and Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders and gave them the harsh answer of the young men.
And when all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, the Israelites went home and rejected Rehoboam as king. They even stoned one of Rehoboam’s commanders and Rehoboam escaped with his life to Jerusalem. Only those living in Judah and some of the tribe of Benjamin remained loyal to him. So, just as God had told Solomon, his kingdom was divided, and most of it given to another man to rule.
Optional Memory Verse: Proverbs 15:1: A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. ● Philippians 2:4: Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.