The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Kings 12:3b-8, “Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

4 “Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he

put on us, and we will serve you.”

5 Then he said to them, “Depart for three days, then return to me.” So the people departed.

6 And 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, will serve them, 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.”

From time-to-time, we all need counsel from someone. If you stop and think for a moment, you will realize that not

long ago there was something you either didn’t understand or understood, but needed counsel from someone you

trusted as to what you should do or say in that situation. Yet, how do we know where to go for counsel?

Solomon had died, and Jeroboam, who had fled from Solomon, had now returned from Egypt. Rehoboam, Solomon’s

son, now occupied the throne, and Jeroboam, for reasons not give us in Scripture, gathered his motley crew and

feigned the need for Rehoboam’s counsel. Jeroboam lied about serving Rehoboam if he but lessened the workload

that Solomon had laid upon them.

Rehoboam was no Solomon. The only thing he did that had merit was telling Jeroboam and his group that he would give them an answer in three days. It all looked good at that point, and it continued to look like wisdom when he

counselled with the elders, who had served under Solomon. They noted that things had gone well under Solomon

and counselled Rehoboam to continue just as his father had done.

Whether Rehoboam wanted to placate Jeroboam and his crew, or whether pride mounted up within him as he

thought about being king, we can only guess. But when the three days came, Rehoboam announced that his “little

finger (was) thicker than his father’s loins” and that he intended to “add to (their) yoke” and discipline them with scorpions! He was indeed the son of the wisest man of his time, but he sure blundered with that decision!

Where do we go for good counsel? Sometimes, it comes from the words of an old hymn –those good old songs

we used to sing in church. Our biblical theology was encased in those hymns, and as children we learned God’s

truth as we sang praises to His name.

Where could I go, oh where could I go?
Seeking a refuge for my soul;
Needing a friend, to help me in the end,
Where could I go but to the Lord?

Ultimately, the best counsel is straight from the LORD’s Word! Stay in the Word! Stay before Him in daily prayer. There is no better council anywhere than from the LORD!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”