Brenda Speaks

   

1Kings 12                                                  (Commentary by Brenda)

And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

Shechem is near the mountain of Ebal and Mount Gerizim

Shechem means shoulder. The mountains were on each side.  The blessing  and the cursing.  Rehoboam was the son of Solomon.  Solomon is dead.  Rehoboam is made king.👀

1Ki 12:2 KJV

And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)

Jeroboam gets the news that Solomon is dead.  Perhaps there was a great funeral.  

The word got around.👀

1Ki 12:3 KJV

That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,

Jeroboam came with others to speak with Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, who is now king.👀

1Ki 12:4 KJV

Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

Jeroboam tried to reason with Rehoboam.  He asked him to take it easy on the people.  Don’t be as your father was. (Solomon)👀

1Ki 12:5 KJV

And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.

Rehoboam asked for 3 days to give an answer.👀

1Ki 12:6 KJV

And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?

Rehoboam made a smart decision.  He asked the older people what would be in the best interest of the people?  Older people are supposed to be able to guide correctly having had the experience.👀

1Ki 12:7 KJV

And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

They said you  be a SERVANT.  And serve.  And speak good unto them, and the people will always follow you.  Good words is God’s word.  You be an example and speak the word of God to others.👀

1Ki 12:8 KJV

But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:

He forsook the counsel.  He did not give it consideration.

Jeroboam said now.  Jeroboam sought the council of the people his age and they told him what they thought would work.

I am king and you want me to serve?  That is the answer I want to hear.  I want to be recognized as having power.👀

1Ki 12:9 KJV

And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?

1Ki 12:10 KJV

And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

The counsel of the young was opposite or different from the elder's council.  They advised that he be crueler.  Solomon being cruel was not mentioned when he was king.  But what he left us since his death was spoken clearly.  We sometimes find out the totality of the person after his death. When he was king, the focus was all on him.  This is an indicator that the people were of no use to him or neglected.  It is as a parent having children, but they are not mentioned.  We can see now if the leader is always the one in view, perhaps the people are not well.  WE TEND TO HIDE THE LAME OR THE SICK AMONGST US.  Solomon asked the right question, but he did not follow through very long.  But God kept his promise to Solomon because he gave him His word.  He supplied wisdom and wealth.  It was up to Solomon to carry out his end of the bargain.

What God is not saying is what God is not seeing.  God showed us the truth about Solomon.  If he did more, while being king, God would have mentioned it.

Since God can see me, am I doing anything worth his time to make mention of me?

What is done in secret will be made manifest.  Our computer will testify against us, or checking account will testify for or against us. Our death will tell us what we did in our lifetime.  Death is a receipt of the sum of our lives.

To live is to Be.  Jesus had tangible evidence of his whereabouts. We did not have to wait until he was buried to see how he lived his life.  He was killed because of how he lived.  He was killed for a living. Now that is CRAZY!

The Word of God is God’s accountability of his actions and his locations.👀

1Ki 12:11 KJV

And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 

 Rahoboam took the advice of the younger.  Some people feel if you force people to work they will respect you more.  Treat them as slaves.👀

1Ki 12:12 KJV

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.

1Ki 12:13 KJV

And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;

1Ki 12:14 KJV

And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.  

Finally, Jeroboam returned after 3 days and Rehoboam told him nothing will change and everything will get

 worse.👀

1Ki 12:15 KJV

Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

Was God’s plan was to divide the kingdoms?  God was showing mercy.  He could have turned his back on the people like Israel turned on him.  Instead, he looked for the smallest reason to be good to Israel and even give Israel a chance to prove themselves to be followers of what he commanded.  And this day, that they spoke, proved God’s plan is prevailing. 👀

1Ki 12:16 KJV

So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

The people spoke up!  They told the king, what they will do.  Here is no king speaking or present.  Israel spoke.  God judges right.  A king is a display of the people’s heart.  You give men power it will be demonstrated in cruelty.  God explained to the people you do not want a king.  He repeated, you do not want a king.  People will speak up when they have to.  But still they wanted to be led men.👀

1Ki 12:17 KJV

But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

1Ki 12:18 KJV

Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

Rehoboam now has evidence, Israel is not playing.  We want nothing to do with you.  Back off! And that he did by fleeing to Jerusalem.  Jerusalem represents where God is.  Adoram at one time was the tax collector.  Israel knew this and killed him.  This was the beginning of Israel heart.  I will kill you if I cannot have my way.  You don’t want us to have say, then it is on!👀

1Ki 12:19 KJV

So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

The king fled.  The tax collector is dead. This is rebellion in the making.👀

1Ki 12:20 KJV

And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

The people rule.  The king is a figure.  That is why God allowed the people to get the consequences of death.  The people use a person to get their agenda across. When it was told Jeroboam was back, Israel made him a token or king.  A man cannot rule people without force or compromise.  It is clearly a waste of time to be led by a man without God.👀

1Ki 12:21 KJV

And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

Rehoboam said I have time to waste.  God spoke but, whatever, I am going to be king over all.👀

1Ki 12:22 KJV

But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

God is listening and watching, Shemaiah, I need to see you in my office.

God uses people that are not known to carry out his orders.  Shemaiah is a person that is not known before now.  You do not have to be known for God to use you.  We can learn from this.  Be careful how you treat people because you do not know if they were sent to be a blessing to you. A stranger just might be an angel.👀

1Ki 12:23 KJV

Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

Speak to my boy Rehoboam and all the people.👀

1Ki 12:24 KJV

Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.

When we speak exactly what God says, people will hear God.  Then people will be obedient to God and God only.  If they choose not to obey, then God has ignored not the person who spoke God’s word.

They had what God said and went home. 👀

1Ki 12:25 KJV

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

1Ki 12:26 KJV

And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:  God personally me with Jeroboam.  Where did he get something different from.  I’ve done this also.  When God is not moving as we thought or perceived, we tend to take matters into our own hands.  How does God put up with us or me?👀

1Ki 12:27 KJV

If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

Jeroboam said, oh noooo.  If they go back and forth to what they are accustomed to, then I am going to lose my crown.  This ain’t happening under my watch.

If God has spoken, let it be.  Jeroboam leans to his own counsel.  His own understanding.  It was and is settle when God speaks.  This is when we do the unnecessary. Be still and let what I said become, is God’s command.  The sooner we learn this, the sooner we become happy.   I love a God that represents no stress.  Sometimes nothing is all God wants you to do.👀

1Ki 12:28 KJV

Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Oh how I care for you.  Look at what I have done for you.  I took the time to make you your own personal God.  “Behold” your god.  This is the god that brought  you out of Egypt.  This is god is allowing us to see how idles get started.  Now I know. SMH!👀

1Ki 12:29 KJV

And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

Spread them out!  One here and one there!  Wheww. That some hard work!👀

1Ki 12:30 KJV

And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.  The people and their king.  How do we lose ourselves when God is watching us get off track day by day?  SMH again.👀

1Ki 12:31 KJV

And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

He established more than one place of idol worship.  He made a house of high places. He left God’s plan and or command. He ordained anybody who wanted to be priest.  We do the same thing today.  2021 SMH👀

1Ki 12:32 KJV

And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

God’s instructions to Moses is the 7th month to hold a feast.  Jeroboam said I will move it one month later.  This adds further to his own motive in misleading people.   This is a bold move. 👀

Modern day behavior. SMH👀👀

1Ki 12:33 KJV

So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

Today’s method of religion.  SMH👀👀👀

(Characters in this chapter are highlighted in red)