2 Chron. 10-12
When Rehoboam became king, he sought counsel with two groups – the elders who had stood before his father, Solomon, and his friends. What I know about the first group is that they were older, they had experience in running a kingdom, and they had gleaned from the wisdom of Solomon for some period of time. As for the second group, I know that they were 40-ish (since they grew up with Rehoboam and he was 41 when he took the throne), and they were hungry for power.
What I believe about Rehoboam is that he had his mind made up before he ever approached either group. I say that because I noticed a minor detail this morning when I read this passage. When Rehoboam approached the older men, he asked them what they thought he should say. When he approached the younger men, he asked them what they thought they should say. The words used are “me” and “we”. I checked the 1 Kings 12 version of this story, and it says the same thing.
Friends are a good thing, but perhaps not always the best place to seek wise counsel. Rehoboam’s friends were clearly interested in what they stood to gain from Rehoboam’s response and actions to the people. So they answered in a way that suited them the best, which happened to be what Rehoboam wanted to hear. It makes me wonder, when I am looking for advice, am I really seeking wise counsel or am I, like Rehoboam, seeking support for what I want to think or believe? God give me ears to hear your wisdom!
2 Cor. 3
Paul’s writing is really quite profound. And he would say that it was not because of his own wisdom and understanding but that it was the wisdom of God pouring out from the Spirit inside him. It is God who makes us adequate for the task to which He has called us. In this passage, Paul reveals some of the intricacies of the old covenant through the Law and the new covenant through Christ. But Paul is only revealing what God so intricately wove together. And the details are amazing.
It was no coincidence that God gave the Law on cold, hard, stone tablets. God says in Ezekiel 36:26 that He will remove our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh. The stone is dead, because the Law cannot give life. But Christ is the covenant that God etched on our living hearts of flesh. Also, it was no coincidence that the glory of God was hidden with a veil, both on Moses’ face and before the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and Temple. But, as Paul said, Christ removed that veil, which was torn apart at His death, so that now the full glory of God can be revealed to and in us. It is impossible for me to see these things and not know with confidence that there is a God – a true, bigger than ALL life God – who put this all together.