Friday, August 1, 2014

The Advice of the Counselors (1 Kings 12:6-11)


2/1/2011 5:25:25 AM

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY

 

My Worship Time                                                      Focus:  The advice of the counselors

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                           Reference:  1Ki. 12:6-11; 2Chron. 10:6-11

 

            Message of the verses:  “6  King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, "How do you counsel me to answer this people?" 7  Then they spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever." 8  But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him. 9  So he said to them, "What counsel do you give that we may answer this people who have spoken to me, saying, ’Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?" 10  The young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, "Thus you shall say to this people who spoke to you, saying, ’Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us!’ But you shall speak to them, ’My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! 11  ’Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”

            6  Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, "How do you counsel me to answer this people?" 7  They spoke to him, saying, "If you will be kind to this people and please them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever." 8  But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him. 9  So he said to them, "What counsel do you give that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, ’Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?" 10  The young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, "Thus you shall say to the people who spoke to you, saying, ’Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us.’ Thus you shall say to them, ’My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins! 11  ’Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’’”

 

            This has been great commentary from Dr. Wiersbe on this subject as what he wrote really hits home for me in this time that I am living in and the circumstances that surround me at this time. 

            Rehoboam went through the right motions, but he had already make up his mind on what he was going to do and so he rejects the counsel of the older people and then goes with the younger generation’s advice.  There is not one word of showing that Rehoboam sought the Lord through prayer or prophet or seers which was a big mistake.  It is clear that this was of the Lord for in the next chapter of 2Chronicles it is said that this is of the Lord, but it was still sinful on the part of Rehoboam on what he did.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  In making a decision I want to seek first the Lord and then seek good counselors, and then look at circumstances last to help determine what I should do.  I tried to do this when making the decision of moving to Kauai, and thus far there has been good times and some difficult times, but I also know that I have and enemy who seeks to do me harm and to mess up my decision making process. 

            I want to say one thing more that kind of goes along with yesterday’s SD, and that is that the counsel of the older people Rehoboam consulted told him to serve the people and then they would be willing to serve him, and this is good sound advice.  The Lord Jesus Christ came to be a servant on His first advent, and that makes me willing to want to serve Him.  The next time He comes He will be judge and pass out swift judgment on those who have not invited Him into their hearts to be Lord and Savior.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

 

1.      Be willing to be a servant.

2.      Give myself to the Lord for worship and service this day.

3.      Remember that I have a great enemy and so I am in need of the spiritual armor each day.

4.      Continue to learn contentment.

 

2/1/2011 5:53:03 AM

           

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