MEETINGS

Monday, December 4

He rejected the advice that the older men gave him.—1 Ki. 12:8.

When Rehoboam became king of Israel, his subjects came to him with a request. They asked him to lighten the load that his father, Solomon, had laid upon them. Commendably, Rehoboam consulted with the older men of Israel to see how he should reply to the people. The older men advised the king that if he did what the people asked, they would always support him. (1 Ki. 12:3-7) Apparently, Rehoboam was not satisfied with that advice, so he consulted the men who had grown up with him. They counseled him to add to the burdens of the people. (1 Ki. 12:9-11) Rehoboam could have asked Jehovah which advice he should follow. Instead, he listened to the younger men. The consequences were disastrous for Rehoboam and for the people of Israel. In our case, the advice we receive may not always be what we want to hear. Still, if it is based on God’s Word, we should accept it. w22.02 9 ¶6

(1 Kings 12:8) However, he rejected the advice that the older men gave him, and he consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and who were now his attendants.
(1 Kings 12:3-7) they sent for him. After that Jer·o·boʹam and all the congregation of Israel came to Re·ho·boʹam and said: 4 “Your father made our yoke harsh. But if you make the harsh service of your father easier and you lighten the heavy yoke he put on us, we will serve you.” 5 At this he said to them: “Go away for three days; then return to me.” So the people went away. 6 King Re·ho·boʹam then consulted with the older men who had served his father Solʹo·mon while he was alive, saying: “What advice would you give on how to reply to this people?” 7 They answered him: “If today you would become a servant to this people and submit to their request and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”
(1 Kings 12:9-11) He asked them: “What advice do you offer on how we should reply to this people who have said to me, ‘Make the yoke your father put on us lighter’?” 10 The young men who had grown up with him said to him: “This is what you should say to this people who have said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter for us’; this is what you should tell them, ‘My little finger will be thicker than my father’s hips. 11 My father imposed a heavy yoke on you, but I will add to your yoke. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scourges.’”

6. What do we learn from the way King Rehoboam reacted to counsel he received?

6 Consider the example of Rehoboam. When he became king of Israel, his subjects came to him with a request. They asked him to lighten the load that his father, Solomon, had laid upon them. Commendably, Rehoboam consulted with the older men of Israel to see how he should reply to the people. The older men advised the king that if he did what the people asked, they would always support him. (1 Ki. 12:3-7) Apparently, Rehoboam was not satisfied with that advice, so he consulted the men who had grown up with him. Those men were likely in their 40’s, so they must have had some experience in life. (2 Chron. 12:13) But on this occasion, they gave Rehoboam bad advice. They counseled him to add to the burdens of the people. (1 Ki. 12:8-11) Faced with two different viewpoints, Rehoboam could have approached Jehovah in prayer and asked Him which advice he should follow. Instead, he decided to accept the advice that appealed to him and listened to the younger men. The consequences were disastrous for Rehoboam and for the people of Israel. In our case, the advice we receive may not always be what we want to hear. Still, if it is based on God’s Word, we should accept it.

The content is owned by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania jw.org extracted directly from their website

MEETINGS

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