SUB-JUNIOR
AGE: 8 - 9
YEARS
STANDARD/GRADE:
III & IV
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LESSON – 19
REHOBOAM’S UNWISE
DECISION
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In this
lesson we are going to learn about Rehoboam, the son of King Solomon. When King
Solomon died, his son Rehoboam was about to be crowned the next king of Israel. He soon realised that it was not going to be easy. There was trouble and discontent in
Israel. In the nation of Israel there were twelve groups of people called as tribes. Out of these twelve tribes, ten tribes of Israel (except two tribes called Judah and Benjamin) lived in the Northern part of Israel. They were not happy with King Solomon's son Rehoboam. There was a man named Jeroboam who
had tried to create trouble during the reign of King Solomon. But when King Solomon tried to capture
him, he ran away to Egypt. When Jeroboam heard that King Solomon had died, he
returned from Egypt.
When King Solomon ruled Israel, he had built many magnificent buildings including the Temple of God in Jerusalem and his own palace which took many
years and hard labour. To accomplish this massive work, he had involved large number of Israelites in the labour force. The Israelites were tired of doing hard work. So, when Rehoboam was about to be made the king, Jeroboam and the people of Israel went to meet him. They told him that they would
serve him only if he lightened the burden his father Solomon had placed on the
people of Israel. Rehoboam told them to give him three days and he would let
them know what his decision would be.
Rehoboam knew that it was very important to give the right answer
to the people of Israel to make them submit to him. But instead of asking God
for wisdom, Rehoboam decided to seek the help of other men. It was an unwise decision.
Rehoboam went to two different groups of people and asked them for their guidance.
First, he went to the older men, who were his father’s
advisers who gave his father, King Solomon advice when he was king. The
elders advised him that he should listen to the people’s request. They told him
to be kind to the people and please them. They also counselled him saying that
if he spoke appropriately to them with pleasing words, they would be his
servants forever. Rehoboam was not convinced, do he decided to go to his friends for advice.
Rehoboam went to a group of young men who had grown
up with him, who did not have any experience in leading a nation. They advised
Rehoboam to exercise authority over the people. They told Rehoboam to say, “my
little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins”. The meaning of that statement
was, “Rehoboam’s weakest actions will be more severe than his father’s
strongest actions.” They also told Rehoboam to say that his father had punished
them with whips, but he would punish them with scorpions”. There were special
whips called “scorpions” because they were very painful whips, the straps of
these whips had pieces of metal or bone embedded in them. Rehoboam was
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When the three days expired, Jeroboam and all the people
again assembled to hear Rehoboam’s response to the people’s request. Instead of
accepting the sensible advice of the senior advisors, Rehoboam brazenly chose
to listen to his inexperienced and immature friends. Rehoboam carelessly
answered that he would make the conditions even more harsh and would give heavy
punishments. Rehoboam answered the people “roughly” with harshness and in an
authoritarian tone.
When the people of Israel saw that the king did not listen
to their request, they answered the king saying:
“What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To
your tents O Israel! Look now to your house, David”. The people decided to reject the descendants of David and rebelled against Rehoboam. They told him
that they wouldn’t co-operate with him and would not remain under his
leadership anymore and they returned to their homes. They felt there was
nothing to be gained by remaining under Rehoboam’s leadership. So, the ten
northern tribes chose to break away and form their own kingdom.
The nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms – the
Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom was also called
as the Kingdom of Israel and it consisted of 10 tribes of Israel. The Southern
Kingdom was also called as the Kingdom of Judah and consisted of only two
tribes, the tribe of Judah and Benjamin. The ten tribes of Israel made Jeroboam
their king and Rehoboam, the son of King Solomon reigned in the Southern
kingdom that is Kingdom of Judah.
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Rehoboam made an unwise decision. When God told his
father Solomon to ask what he wanted from him, King Solomon asked for wisdom
because he knew that he could not lead the nation without God’s wisdom. But
Rehoboam did not ask God for wisdom instead he went to two different groups of
people and asked them for their advice. This unwise decision and his subsequent
actions of ignoring the elder’s advice led to the division of Israel.
Bible Reference: II
Chronicles 10
Memory Verse: The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, But violence covers the mouth of the wicked. (Proverbs 9:10)
ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
Answer
the following questions:
1. Why
did King Solomon involve large number of Israelites in the labour force?
......................................................................................
2. What
did Jeroboam and the people of Israel tell Rehoboam?
......................................................................................
3. Who
advised Rehoboam that he should listen to the people’s request?
.......................................................................................
4. Whom
did Rehoboam listen to?
......................................................................................
5. Which
tribes constituted the southern kingdom?
.......................................................................................
Answer Yes ( ) or No
( )
1.
Jeroboam was the son of King Solomon (
)
2.
Rehoboam ran away to Egypt ( )
3.
Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders ( )
4.
The Northern Kingdom was called the Kingdom of Israel ( )
5.
The Southern Kingdom had only two tribes (
)
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