Fatal Rejection, Pt. 1
Counsel Rejected
Part of The First Book of Kings
February 5, 2025

1 KINGS 12

Counsel Rejected (vs. 1-15)

And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. 2 So it happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was still in Egypt, for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon and had been dwelling in Egypt), 3 that they sent and called him. Then Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”
5 So he said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” And the people departed.
6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who stood before his father Solomon while he still lived, and he said, “How do you advise me to answer these people?”
7 And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”
8 But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. 9 And he said to them, “What advice do you give? How should we answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?”
10 Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you should speak to this people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist! 11 And now, whereas my father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!’ ”
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had directed, saying, “Come back to me the third day.” 13 Then the king answered the people roughly, and rejected the advice which the elders had given him; 14 and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!” 15 So the king did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from the Lord, that He might fulfill His word, which the Lord had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
1 Kings 12:1-15

  1. Some of the greatest mistakes I have made could have been avoided by listening to the wise counsel of the

    people the Lord has put into my life.

  2. Too often, we

    into decisions instead of taking time to think, pray and seek wise counsel.

  3. Seek counsel from the kind of person you want to

    .

  4. Bad counselors will tell you what you

    to hear. Good counselors will tell you what you to hear.

  5. The free-will

    of people are bound under the sovereign hand of God and His deeper purposes.

  6. THREE ACTION ITEMS:


Additional references:
Proverbs 11:14, Proverbs 12:15, Proverbs 19:20, 1 Kings 11:40, 1 Kings 4:7 & 22-28, 1 Kings 5:13-17, Proverbs 29:20, Mark 10:42-45, 1 Kings 11:29-33, Ecclesiastes 2:18-19