Rehoboam, Solomon's son, becomes king. The Israelites ask him to lighten their burden. See, in the later years of his reign, Solomon put the people under hard labor. Now that Solomon has died, the people are hopeful that things will change and they will go back to living in freedom. Rehoboam seeks the council of the elders, who tell him to lighten the people's load. Rehoboam doesn't like that advice. So, he asks his friends, who advise him to not only ignore the people's plea, but to punish them for asking.
Rehoboam has grown up in the lap of luxury. He is spoiled and materialistic. So are his peers. To lighten the people's load would cut into his leisure and luxury. Rather than be a king of the people, Rehoboam is following in his father's footsteps and being a king of himself. This is another side effect of Solomon's turning away from God. He had no respect for God, and his children have learned their lack of respect from him.
Notice verse 15 in 2 Chronicles 10:15, "it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word." Does this mean that Rehoboam had no choice in his answer? Is he just a pawn in God's game? Absolutely not. God has given each of us free will. We make our own decisions. However, God knows what we are going to do before we even do it. He knows the choice we will make. He knows our hearts and our minds. He also knows the natural consequences of actions because, guess what, He set up the system. As my study Bible says, "Amid all the human decisions, God's decision is being carried through."
So, Israel starts a civil war and elects Jeroboam king. But Jeroboam makes a terrible mistake. He creates gods for the people to worship so that they will not return to Jerusalem for the feasts. Notice he didn't just make altars, but gods. Oh, will people never learn? Then again, I can't say much as I make the same silly mistakes myself. I think that's why God preserved this history in such detail. So we can learn from the mistakes of others, but also to learn about the heart of God and our relationship with Him. I will never build a golden calf to worship, but I must ask myself if I have made anything a god in my own life? Am I letting myself become selfish and materialistic? Sometimes. Do I put my wants before the needs of others? Sometimes. Has God given up on me? NEVER. The Bible reminds me to reassess my life, my choices, my attitude and ask forgiveness for the times I've gone wrong. It also reminds me that God is always there. He is interested in my life. He wants a relationship with me. When I make that relationship a priority, I don't struggle as much with the other stuff. Isn't that good news?
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