Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. And they sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke that he placed on us, and we will serve you.’ He said to them, ‘Go away for three days, then come again to me.’ So the people went away.
Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the older men who had attended his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, ‘How do you advise me to answer this people?’ They answered 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 for ever.’ But he disregarded the advice that the older men gave him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and now attended him. 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”?’ The young men who had grown up with him said to him, ‘Thus you should say to this people who spoke to you, “Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must lighten it for us”; thus you should say to them, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. 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.” ’
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had said, ‘Come to me again on the third day.’ The king answered the people harshly. He disregarded the advice that the older men had given him and spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, ‘My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’ So the king did not listen to the people, because it was a turn of affairs brought about by the Lord that he might fulfil his word, which the Lord had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
When all Israel saw that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king,‘What share do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David.’ So Israel went away to their tents. But Rehoboam reigned over the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah. When King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labour, all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam then hurriedly mounted his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
Then all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was no one who followed the house of David, except the tribe of Judah alone. --1 Kings 12:1-20
Life isn't always a bed of roses or a yellow brick road. Trouble comes, and often the right way to handle it doesn't immediately jump up and down and say, "Pick me! Pick me!" It would be lovely if it did, but the next best thing is consulting someone about which way to proceed. Of course, picking the right person to ask is half the job. Dr. Phil might be good with relationship difficulties and Suze Orman would be a better choice for financial ones, but my personal doctor would be more in the know for my medical problems and a trusted friend for just about everything up to and including all or none of the above. Unfortunately for Rehoboam, he picked the wrong set of advisers.
Advisers can get you in trouble. How many presidents, congressmen, military leaders and the like have come to grief because they followed the advice of advisers who had a dog in the hunt apart from their job of giving professional and unbiased advice on a problem? At any rate, listening to the wrong ones, as Rehoboam did, can spell doom. It's one thing to have buddies and pals, but contemporaries sometimes lack the experience and acquired wisdom of those who have been around the block a few more times. And aged advisers can sometimes be a bit blind to the way the world has changed since their knowledge was acquired. Sometimes the middle is the best choice.
When advice is needed, sometimes it's hard to know who to ask. Are they impartial or very much planted with both feet firmly on one side of an issue or another? Are they advising on what they would choose or do or what options I might have? Are they offering something that seems very alluring but which might have a harpoon behind it? Have they been through something similar and can speak to what it is they are advising with some sense of authority?
Individuals, leaders, countries, communions, confederations, churches, parties, and just about any one or any thing that can be thought of needs advice at times. The other day I needed advice on whether to do some home repairs now, before the problem got worse, or wait until something else breaks and then do it. I asked three friends whom I trust and each advised doing it now. It isn't often that I get such consensus, but I was grateful for their assistance in making my decision easier. And, ultimately, it is my decision to make. I hope that the decisions made by Congress regarding the budget mess was based on listening to wise advisers and not unwise ones, although while waiting for that frog to jump, I have to wonder if it was/is going to land in water or in wet concrete. Only time will tell if they made the right decision.
Rehoboam listened to the wrong set of advisers and it cost him dearly. Perhaps had he been a little less partisan in his listening things might have turned out very differently for him -- and his family, country and history in general. There are times when a firm hand is needed, but, like Mama always said, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Too bad Mama wasn't there to advise Rehoboam -- but somehow I doubt he would have listened to her any more than to the advisers who recommended the same course but in different terms. He listened and he made the choice. Too bad he chose wrong.
But then, Rehoboam was a vinegar-y kind of guy, it seems.
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