Sunday Morning Bible Study

June 16, 2002

Getting Good Counsel

Illustration

Lucy is saying to Charlie Brown, “Life is a mystery Charlie Brown—do you know the answer?” Charlie Brown answered, “Be kind. Don’t smoke. Be prompt. Smile a lot. Eat sensibly. Avoid cavities and mark your ballot carefully. Avoid too much sun. Send overseas packages early. Love all creatures above and below. Insure your belongings and try to keep the ball low....” Before he can get out another platitude, Lucy interrupts: “Hold real still,” she says, “because I am going to hit you a very sharp blow upon the nose!”

Do you ever feel like Lucy?  Are you sick of people giving you advice?

This morning I want to talk about getting good advice. 

This is the time of year when kids hear graduation speeches filled with advice.  At Father’s Day, we think of the kinds of advice our Dads have given us.

I want to look at three men in the Scripture who didn’t take good advice.  I’m hoping we can learn from their example.

1Kings 12:6-11 Rehoboam

Rehoboam was the son of Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived. I imagine that must have been a pretty tough act to follow.

After Rehoboam became king, he was faced with a difficult decision. The people had struggled under the rule of his father, Solomon, and had begun to resent the harsh rule that Solomon had developed over the nation. And so the people got together and sent a representative, Jeroboam, to ask Rehoboam if he would lighten up a little.

It seems that Rehoboam didn’t quite know what to do, so he asked the people to come back after three days while he asked advice from his counselors.

(1 Kings 12:6-11 KJV) {6} And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer 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.

:7 If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day,

It’s ironic that the elders are encouraging Rehoboam to be a servant.

This was Jesus’ method of leadership.

(Mark 10:42-45 KJV) {42} But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. {43} But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: {44} And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. {45} For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

The elders are encouraging Rehoboam to be a servant to the nation. That’s their advice.  It seems to be pretty good advice.

{8} But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: {9} And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter? {10} And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou 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. {11} And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

:8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men

Rehoboam is going to get himself into big trouble because he is going to ignore the best advice being given to him.

Lesson

Sometimes older is wiser.

I think at times we need to pay a bit more attention to the gray heads.

Illustration

Growing Opinions of Dad

4 years: My daddy can do anything.

7 years: My dad knows a lot, a whole lot.

8 years: My father doesn’t know quite everything.

12 years: Oh, well, naturally Father doesn’t know that, either.

14 years: Father? Hopelessly old-fashioned.

21 years: Oh, that man is out-of-date. What did you expect?

25 years: He knows a little bit about it, but not much.

30 years: Maybe we ought to find out what Dad thinks.

35 years: A little patience. Let’s get Dad’s assessment before we do anything.

50 years: I wonder what Dad would have thought about that. He was pretty smart.

60 years: My Dad knew absolutely everything!

65 years: I’d give anything if Dad were here so I could talk this over with him. I really miss that man.

It’s too bad that we have to go through those years where we don’t value the opinions of older people.

:11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke

Josephus records,

The king was pleased with this advice and thought it agreeable to the dignity of his government to give them such an answer. ^[1]

This answer appeals to Rehoboam’s flesh. He likes the idea of getting to play the “tough guy”. He doesn’t like the idea of appearing too “soft”.

As a result of Rehoboam’s decision, the kingdom of Israel will be split.

Lesson

Listen to wise counselors

I think we need to be careful that we don’t simply surround ourselves with people who always tell us what we want to hear.

Sometimes, it’s the people who love us the most that will be willing to risk telling us something we don’t want to hear.

Rehoboam didn’t have his dad around anymore, but these old guys could have been the next best thing. They were the guys that the Queen of Sheba talked about:

(1 Ki 10:8 KJV) Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

Solomon wrote,

(Prov 24:6 KJV)  For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

1Kings 12:26-33 Jeroboam

Because of Rehoboam’s decision, the kingdom of Israel ended up splitting, and the people made Jeroboam king over the northern kingdom.

But God was even in this split. God had spoken earlier to Jeroboam through a prophet, telling him that he would be king, and it was a result of Solomon’s sins.

(1 Kings 12:26-33 KJV) {26} And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: {27} If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. {28} Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

:28 two calves of gold … which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt

Does this ring a bell?

This is the same kind of thing that the Israelites did when Moses was gone too long on the mountain.

(Exodus 32:1 NLT) {1} When Moses failed to come back down the mountain right away, the people went to Aaron. “Look,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. This man Moses, who brought us here from Egypt, has disappeared. We don’t know what has happened to him.”

Aaron took their gold and made a golden calf.

(Exodus 32:4 KJV) {4} And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

People will always start looking to “stuff” when they do not have a sense of God’s presence in their lives.  We need to be careful about thinking we need some new “thing” or “gimmick” when what we need is God.  The invisible God.

It appears that Jeroboam’s counsellors have looked for a solution and found something that someone else had done a long time ago. The only problem is, they didn’t seem to look to see if it was the right thing. They didn’t see what happened when Aaron made the golden calf.

They apparently didn’t mention to Jeroboam that God was highly displeased with the golden calf. They didn’t mention that three thousand people died that day as a result of the idolatry.

{29} And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. {30} And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. {31} And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. {32} And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. {33} So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

:33 …in the month which he had devised of his own heart

God had said that the people were to gather three times a year:

(Exo 23:14 KJV) Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.

It would seem that Jeroboam is setting up an alternative to the Feast of Tabernacles, which was celebrated one month earlier (Lev. 23:34-35)

Don’t make a mistake about this.  What Jeroboam is doing is wrong.  Hugely wrong.

This is going to be the chief sin that will one day result in the entire northern kingdom being swept away by the Assyrian empire.

Lesson

Be careful about your own heart

Did you notice that the thing that Jeroboam paid most attention to was his “heart”? (vs. 26, 33)

There is a saying that goes, “Follow your heart”. The problem is that on our own, our hearts are pretty dangerous.

(Jeremiah 17:9 KJV) {9} The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Without the Lord being at the center of our lives, our hearts will lead us in the wrong direction nine out of ten times.

(Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV) {5} Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. {6} In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Jeroboam gets to thinking about what is going to happen at the next great Feast Day, then all the men of Israel were to go to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.

He’s afraid that if the people all go to Jerusalem to worship, they might get to thinking that they’re doing the wrong thing in following Jeroboam. He’s got some interesting ideas, but he’s wrong.

Illustration

Good Advice?

The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. On the other hand, the French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

Conclusion: Eat and drink what you like. It’s speaking English that kills you

Almost makes sense, doesn’t it?  But it’s nonsense.  Be careful about your own conclusions, about your heart.

Lesson

Trust in the Lord’s promises, not your heart

It’s sad to think that Jeroboam had been given his position by God.  A prophet had told him that God had big things planned for him.

(1 Kings 11:38 KJV) {38} And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.

And yet here, tragically, Jeroboam chooses to follow his misguided heart instead of trusting in God’s promises.

1Kings 13:11-19 The young prophet

Because Jeroboam was starting to lead a huge portion of the Israelites into idolatry, God sent a prophet to try and warn Jeroboam to turn around. This young prophet showed up at one of Jeroboam’s church services and told Jeroboam that one day a king named Josiah would come and tear down Jeroboam’s church. When Jeroboam got upset, and tried to have the prophet arrested, God withered Jeroboam’s hand. Jeroboam asked the prophet for help, and after the prophet prayed, Jeroboam was healed. When Jeroboam asked the prophet to go out for coffee afterwards, the prophet said he couldn’t because God had told him to go straight home after warning Jeroboam.

(1 Kings 13:11-19 KJV) Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father. {12} And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah. {13} And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, {14} And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am. {15} Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. {16} And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: {17} For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.

This young prophet tells the old prophet the same thing he had told Jeroboam. God had warned him not to stick around but to go straight home.

{18} He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. {19} So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.

The young prophet follows the older prophet and meets with tragic consequences because he failed to obey the things that God had spoken to him about.

:18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also ..an angel spake unto me …But he lied unto him.

Lesson

Pay attention to God’s Word

The problem this young prophet ran into was that he was willing to trust in something that an old man was telling him rather than what he had known that God had spoken to him.

We too need to be careful that we don’t ignore the things that God has clearly spoken to us about in favor of something that some person claims that God wants to say to us.

Some people say, “If it feels good, do it”. God says,

(Prov 14:12 KJV)  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Some people say, “All roads lead to God”. Jesus says,

(John 14:6 KJV)  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Some people say “I’m going to heaven because I’m a good person”. God says,

(Titus 3:5-6 NLT)  He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit. {6} He generously poured out the Spirit upon us because of what Jesus Christ our Savior did.

So, who are you going to believe?

David was a man who put great priority on what God said.

(Psa 119:24 KJV)  Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

David’s constant habit in life was to “enquire of the Lord”.

(1 Samuel 23:1-5 KJV) {1} Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. {2} Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. {3} And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? {4} Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. {5} So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

David was willing to choose God’s direction for his life over the direction that his men wanted him to take.

Understanding God’s direction in your life starts with opening your life to Jesus.  Some people will tell you “don’t”.  Jesus says, “Follow me”.  Who will you listen to?