Leadership, God's Cause, and Traditions

1 Kings 12-14

Rehoboam is now king. Jeroboam and the congregation of Israel request that he make the yoke lighter than what Solomon made it on the people.
Just thinking...I wonder what Solomon did to make things so grievous for them. Maybe it was the building of the temple that wearied them? Back to the story...
Rehoboam, wisely, first consults the old men, and they tell Rehoboam...

12:7 "If thou wilt be a servant unto this poeple this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they wil be thy servants for ever."

So true, in leadership...the way to be a great leader is to be a great servant. Obviously, Rehoboam didn't like that answer. He wanted to feel powerful and to be mighty king, not a lowly servant, so the counsel of his friends catered more along of what he was thinking...

12:10-11 "And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thous 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. And no whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."

Whoa! That's pretty severe! That declaration is filled with so much hatred and oppression. Rehoboam forgot where he came from. He forgot that his job was to serve His people as king. Abba, help me to realize my greatest influence is gained as a leader when I love people and serve them---not oppress them.
Lord, though, this was prophesied. Oppression was sure to come to Israel because Solomon followed those strange women and their gods. His sin brought punishment onto more than just himself.

12:15 "Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord..."

The kingdoms now become divided. Only the tribe of Judah remains with Rehoboam. The rest follow Jereboam as a king. Rehoboam plots to fight against Jeroboam, but the man of God with counsel from God stops them.
The time of sacrifice is coming near when the Israelittes travel to Jerusalem, Jeroboam fears that his followers will go back to the house of David, Jerusalem, and not follow him any more, but go back to Rehoboam and kill Jeroboam. His fear makes him decide to make two golden calves for them to worship in Shechem instead of returning to worship God in Jerusalem. Another example of pride and desire for power of a king.
This also is a good example of the verse

Mark 7:13 "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered; and many such like things do ye."

The people were wrapped up in the tradition of sacrifice, but forgot the purpose, the meaning of the sacrifice-a picture of the Saviour to come.

So much good stuff just from Chapter 12. I think I will stop there for today.
1. Lead with an attitude of servitude.
2. You often ordain oppression from leaders because of the sins of the previous generation.
3. Know why I do what I do--to make the word of God effective. Don't fall into the trap of doing things just for the sake of tradition, otherwise, it will eventually lose it's purpose.