Bible Reading: 11 Chron. 10, 11, 12; John 11:30-57
“The counsel of the LORD standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” – Psalm 33:11 (KJV)
The heart of man is swift to conclude a matter which is not going his direction, sometimes causing the victim of the unfortunate happening to go berserk, with the possibility of resulting into violence. Any reigning king always delights in the obedience of the subjects to his commands and instructions which, if flouted, may enrage him and possibly attract sanction.
When Rehoboam became the king over the land of Israel, the entire people of Israel came to him under the leadership of the man called Jeroboam because the king was from the tribe of Judah. The request was simple, “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you” 2 Chron. 10:4 (NIV). The king however consulted with the elders who had served with his father and encouraged him to hearken to the plea of the people. He moved from there and consulted with his peers, who advised him to increase the pains of the people. When they returned on the third day as the king had asked them to he rejected the counsel of the elders who understood the time and how governance should be, but stuck to the position suggested by his peers.
The amazing thing to me is that, the Scripture recorded that that very action of rejection was the fulfilment of the word of God. The Scripture puts it this way: “So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the LORD might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat” 2 Chron. 10:15 (ESV). When was the word given to Jeroboam? It was when he was serving under Solomon as the overseer over the labour force. “About that time Jerobaom was going out of Jerusalem and Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh met him on the way wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone out in the country, and Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. Then he said to Jeroboam, take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: see I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes” 1 Kings 11:29-31 (NIV).
Upon the receipt of this word, he also did not know how this would happen? The word did not come to pass during the lifetime of Solomon but when his son, Rehoboam mounted the throne. So the move to Rehoboam was to fulfill that. The question raised with him was also a process in motion and finally the answer of Rehoboam. The king however wanted to fight their action but the word came to him to remind him that the action was to fulfill what had been said. Read (2 Chronicles 11:1-4)
It is not every negative action that it is outrightly bad, some actually might come to fulfill the spoken word of God. You are therefore called upon to look very well lest you become an individual trying to fight against the mind of God. Look very well with spiritual lens into any action from any quarter and learn to keep records. Remember, only the counsel of the Lord shall stand,
Prayer: Lord, help me not to be hasty in my spirit over seemingly negative action that may happen around me. Help me to always check with my spiritual lens in Jesus’ name.
Rev. Julius Oluwole