1 Kings 12:7

Rehoboam consults the old men who had stood before Solomon to drink at the source of wisdom. Their counsel is the counsel of Jesus to His disciples: "Let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves" (Luke 22:26).

From the earliest times it has been the curse of kings that they used their position for themselves, for their own ease or selfish ambition, rather than for serving the people. The principle, "whoever would be first among you must be slave of all," seems to have a twofold meaning. First, perhaps, it shows that any thought of self-importance only makes it necessary for a person to be brought low. But on the other hand, in a scene where the beloved sheep of Christ are attacked on every side, the best proof of a spirit of rule is to serve them. So He, the true King, could say in the fullest way, "I am among you as the one who serves."

Rehoboam is counselled by the old men, who are rich in experience, that all will be well if he will "be good to this people and please them and speak good words to them" (2 Chron. 10:7). Does this not carry our thoughts to Romans 15:1-4? In the first verse we have the kindness that bears with "the failings of the weak" instead of putting heavy yokes on them. In verses 2 and 3 we have pleasing one another for their good, to build them up, instead of pleasing ourselves. In verse 4 we have the "good words" of Scripture for our comfort and hope.

It was not the noblest ground, it is true. It was not the ground that would have left him in both liberty and responsibility... it ought to have been the ground, if he would be a servant of Jehovah — if he would serve Jehovah by watching over the best interests of Jehovah's people. But they said, according to their measure, "If you will be a servant to this people this day... they will be your servants forever." It was prudence, it was good policy. I could not say there was faith in it, but there was good policy in it, as far as that went.

He might have calmed the anger caused by the forced labour his father demanded. He had only to listen humbly to the aged men who had been his father's honoured counsellors. They knew the temper of the people well from long experience. And in asking for their burdens to be lightened, the people were only doing what any people not reduced to slavery might have asked. Had the new king granted their reasonable request... they would, as the old ministers said, have been his loyal subjects forever. But he abandoned their wise counsel.

The whip and the scourge may be righteous, but there is no winning the heart of man with these... How many brothers have been driven away for good! They might have been won back to God and to us. But we hammered at the conscience only, with the heart ungained — with the heart, I may say, almost unsought. We have not overcome evil, because we have not overcome it with good. We have readily taken the judge's chair, and have got back judgment; but the Master's lowly work we have done little of.