In Pursuit

Listening to the right people is a gift. There are a myriad of voices, some are right and some wrong. Some are right in some situations, and wrong in others.

Then there are the ones that will never be right in any situation. It is never right to do a wrong thing.

1 Kings 12:1 "And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

2) And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt, 3) and they sent and called him), that Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, 4) Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee. 5) And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed. 6) And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people? 7) And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. 8) But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him."

The key to that story is the last verse: 8) But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him.

Old doesn't always mean wise, but those wise men were the counselors of Solomon, and their advice was good. The young men were arrogant and prideful.

The advice of the young men split the kingdom in two. Yet, even Solomon himself speaks on this dilemma:

Ecclesiastes 4:13 "Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more."

(Young or old the latter phrase encompasses the problem: "who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more."

14) "For out of prison he came forth to be king; yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor." 15) I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his stead. 16) There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

These verses set forth the vanity of earthly prosperity even on a throne. Opinion as to their application is chiefly divided between considering them a parable or fiction...the vicissitudes or procession of the whole human race, one generation giving place to another, Which in its turn will be forgotten by its successor. Taken from Barnes notes

My notes here: a child born into a 'royal' house, ie. one of the king's son, has nothing at birth. Even though God had chosen Solomon to be King David's heir to the throne, Adonijah the son of Haggith in I Kings 1:5 and following, thought since he was the next elder son he should be king after his father, David. It took wise men to overcome Adonijah.

Having read several historical novels on kings, their heirs, and palace intrigue it brings home how true this is. In these instances listening to the right people is more than a gift. Often it determines the difference between living and dying.

There are two types of death. One is physical death—Separation of body and soul—the second is soul from God.

Hebrews 9:27 "And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment;

28) so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation.