This chapter contains some parallel text regarding Rehoboam’s treatment of Israel, leading up to the nation’s division.
“And Jeroboam and all 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 on us, and we will serve you.’ Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father… And they said to him, ‘If you will be good to this people and please them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.’ ” (v3-7 abr)
The people and his father’s advisors give Rehoboam some good counsel – treat the people well, serve their needs, and they will serve him forever. Unfortunately for Rehoboam and Israel, he doesn’t listen to their counsel.
There is a leader who did exhibit this wise counsel though: Jesus. When Jesus came, He came as a servant leader, who washed the feet of His disciples and loved those nobody else loved. He cared for the sick, the broken-hearted, and the marginalized. He heard each and every person’s story, even though He already knew it (He is God after all) and made them feel valued/loved.
God could force us to obey Him, He has that power. Instead, He chose to humble Himself into the form of a defenseless, weak child, who grew up knowing our human limitations. He then began the greatest rebellion of all time, employing love as a weapon against the forces of evil in this world. Now that’s a leader worth following.
Jesus summarized the entire OT law in two commandments: ” ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ ” (Mt 12:29-31)
I encourage us to listen to the wise counsel Rehoboam received, and Jesus gave, to love God and those around us with all that we are and have. We don’t do this because we want to be served, we do this because we want to serve like Jesus did, and imitate His behavior.
Father God, our most High and Holy Lord, we honor, praise and adore You. Thank you for the gift of wisdom and guidance available to us through Your word, the Word (Jesus), and Your Spirit within. May we learn to obey You fully, loving You and those around us with our whole heart, body and mind, so that we may further Your compassionate cause. In the name of Jesus, our ultimate servant leader, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training