This is our last study for this series that we have been looking at for the past few months. We are finally at the end of Solomon’s reign. And we are about to see the nation of Israel change gears into a different direction. Here is a very important Bible text that is based on the title of our study for today. It is found in Galatians.

Galatians 6:7
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

• God cannot be mocked. God cannot be deceived. And Paul wants us to be aware that nothing is hidden from God. Everything is made plain.
• Whatever we sow, we will also reap.

How is this applicable to Solomon’s reign as king?

• Well, much of his life had been given up to the sinful pleasures and the carnal lusts of his own heart.
• His wisdom was misused for selfish and sinful purposes.
• He had gone against the counsel of God for much of his life, even though he was found faithful at the beginning and came back to God in repentance at the end of his life.
• But much of Solomon’s life is more a “what could have been” rather than “what God did achieve.”
• We saw glimpses of the extent to which God wanted to bless him in his early years. And had Solomon remained faithful all throughout, the nation of Israel would have fulfilled its glorious purpose.
• But alas, we see a man full of wisdom of heaven, but yet corrupted and tainted with the ways of the world.

As a result of Solomon’s transgression, there would follow judgment soon after from God.

• 1 Kings 11:31-33
  31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: 32 (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) 33 Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.
• God would split the kingdom of Israel into two. Ten tribes would follow Jeroboam, and two tribes would follow Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and successor to the throne.
• What was the reason given? Because they had forsaken God and worshipped other gods.
• It was most likely all the gods of the wives whom Solomon had married. They had turned his heart away from worshipping God, and this, no doubt, had an evil influence over the whole nation.

Who was Jeroboam?

• 1 Kings 11:28
  And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
• He was a mighty man of valour – a brave, powerful and honourable man that worked under Solomon. He was industrious, meaning he was a hard worker.
• And so Solomon promoted him and gave him more responsibilities.

The rending of the kingdom was spoken to Jeroboam. But specific instruction was given to him.

• 1 Kings 11:34-36
  34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: 35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. 36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.
• It would not happen in the days that Solomon was alive, but it would take place during the reign of his son, Rehoboam.
• God was careful to keep His promise to David, that because of his faithfulness, he would always have a successor to the throne in Israel.

1 Kings 11:43
And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

• And so it would come to pass that Solomon would eventually pass away and Rehoboam, his son, would take the throne and reign in his stead.

And so we come to the coronation day.

• 1 Kings 12:1
  And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
• However, before he would actually be crowned king, the whole of Israel would come before Rehoboam with a request.
• 1 Kings 12:3-4
  3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, 4 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.
• What was the request of the people? They wanted to make the burdens that his father, Solomon, had placed on them to be lighter.
• Because of the extravagant lifestyle that Solomon had lived during his years that he had walked away from God and worshipped other gods, it had taken a hard toll on the people. Through the work demanded of them, and the taxes that were placed on the people, they had been suffering under a heavy burden. They had been treated unfairly, and the people wanted to see a change come in with the change of rulership.
• It’s like what we see today as well in politics. People vote based on the changes that all these people promise they will do once they get into power.
• But the difference was, the Israelites were making request to the person soon to be crowned king. To a monarch. He wasn’t chosen by the people but it was his right as the son of the king.
• So the people are coming to ask for a change. Asking for a better hope for tomorrow and a brighter future for their children.

But Rehoboam, wanting to take counsel, what does he say to the people?

• 1 Kings 12:5
  And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
• He asks the people for three days to give him time to make a proper decision.
• Seemed like a wise thing to do already. Not wanting to make a hasty decision, he needed to take counsel.

First, who does he take counsel with?

• 1 Kings 12:6-7
  6 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? 7 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.
• These were the counsellors that stood before Solomon whilst he was yet alive.
• They had seen how he had reigned. They saw the effects that it had on the people. And they heard the pleas and cries from those that served under him.
• Wise counsel. They were helping him to secure the future and to keep the nation happy and loyal.

However, dissatisfied with their counsel, what did he do next?

• 1 Kings 12:8-11
  8 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: 9 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? 10 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. 11 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.
• Rehoboam’s mistake was taking counsel with those that were his age, that had grown up with him.
  • They were obviously friends. And the reason why they were friends was because they all thought the same. And so the advice that they would give would must surely appeal to Rehoboam.
• They wanted Rehoboam to show the people who was boss. They were appealing to his ego, to his pride and his exercise of his position and power.
• Even though he was young, he was eager to show that he could rule. But unfortunately, it would be in the wrong way.

So three days later, the people would come back. What would Rehoboam say to them?

• 1 Kings 12:12-15
  12 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. 13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him; 14 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. 15 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.
• He followed the counsel of his friends. He refused to listen to the pleas of those that were older and wiser, and refused to listen to the cries of the people.
• Rehoboam was determined to be like his father, but in all the wrong ways.

When the people saw and heard the response of Rehoboam, how did they react?

• 1 Kings 12:16
  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 were utterly discouraged and saw no hope of any change for the future in this new king. They all left the coronation event and went back to their homes.
• And when Rehoboam saw that his influence over the nation was waning and their allegiance was being withdrawn, what did Rehoboam do?
• 1 Kings 12:18
  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 tried to send Adoram to gather the people and to act as mediator between the king and the people. But what did they do to him? They stoned him to death!
• And so quickly, Rehoboam, scared for his life, flees into Jerusalem for his own safety and protection.
• 1 Kings 12:19
  So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.
• So Israel would rebel against Rehoboam.

Here the prophecy of the rending of the kingdom was now to be fulfilled. What did the people do next?

• 1 Kings 12:20
  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.
• Jeroboam would be made king over the ten northern tribes and Rehoboam would reign over the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Thus the kingdom of Israel would be divided and split into two, never to be united as a whole again.
• What God had said had finally come to pass. His judgment was finally executed because of the wickedness that Solomon had followed for many years while he walked in his own path and did not follow the counsel of the Lord.
• Even though Solomon would come back in repentance, it was too late to undo the path that had been followed for so long.

Such is an important lesson for us as well. When we come back to God seeking for forgiveness and coming in the spirit of humility to fully return to God, God is always ready to accept us and to cleanse us from all our sins and filth.

• However, He does not always necessarily remove the consequences of our rebellion and transgression.
• Solomon fully repented of his early years of sin, but the rending of the kingdom would come to pass no matter how much he sought the Lord with crying and tears. He would eventually reap what he had sown. And it was not just the kingdom itself but even his son Rehoboam.

Rehoboam, after his inauguration as king, though he made a foolish answer to the people, after that he would try and make things right.

• 2 Chronicles 11:5, 11-12
  5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. 11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. 12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.
• God would prosper Rehoboam. The cities would be more heavily fortified. He was strengthened in his kingdom. But it was not because of any of his own personal effort, but it was because for a while he had learnt to put God first.
• 2 Chronicles 11:16-17
  16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers. 17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.
• The people were setting their hearts to seek God. The ruler was doing the same also. For three years he walked in the way of king David and his father Solomon. God prospered him.
• However, his loyalty to God did not last long.
• 2 Chronicles 12:1
  And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.
• He would eventually turn away from God, from His law, and go into idolatry. The seed sown for so long when he was young, whilst Solomon was ruling, would reap a baleful result.

Though the result was delayed, the seed that was sown during the years of Solomon’s apostasy would eventually be reaped in the life of Rehoboam – ultimately affecting the whole kingdom.

• We must be so careful to make wise choices. The results of what we see in our lives today may have been sown many years ago when we were in our youth.
• Though a person may repent of their wicked ways of smoking for many years, it does not mean that God will simply remove the possibility of lung cancer in the future. The same goes with drugs or drinking or any abuse on our bodies.
• Even in our studies. We neglect to take time to study and we fail and found ourselves on the street, God can and will forgive, but the course of our earthly life may have been set on a different path forever already.
• We can always have the assurance that God will forgive. But just like the thief on the cross who had the assurance of eternal life in the future, he still paid the price for his sin in the present. Jesus did not save him from being nailed to the cross that day.

It is in our youth that we feel that we don’t need to be careful, that we can experiment with life or not take things so seriously. Yet the counsel of Solomon comes back to us again today.

Ecclesiastes 12:1
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.

Let us learn to remember our Creator in the days of our youth. Let us ask God to be our ultimate guide, so that we can lay a foundation for our lives in Christ so that we never need to regret the future. Let us learn to sow the good seed, sow unto Christ, and we will reap a harvest one day full of joy in the Holy Spirit, contentment in our Lord and the bliss of innocence and quiet assurance knowing that we are living the life that God desires us to live.

What a sad ending we seem to have at the conclusion of our study series here. But may it be a reminder to us to ever be faithful to God. To walk closely with God. That we might be a man and woman after God’s own heart today.