2 Chronicles 10 {The Importance of Wise Counsel}

Hello there! Greetings! How is everyone's quarantine situation looking? I am starting to go a little crazy but staying sane as I understand the importance. I have not posted a blog on here for over 6 months...please excuse that. While I haven't been posting on here, I have been posting regularly on my Instagram @joy_pages and on my Facebook page. Today I have a message that really jumped out at me from my morning quiet time a few days ago. I am excited to share it.

The other day, on my Instagram, I put up a question box (where people can respond to a question I ask) and a poll (where people can vote on things I present) The two questions I asked were: “who do you go to for advice” and “do you have a mentor?” I asked these questions following my morning Bible reading. I am currently reading through 2 Chronicles and chapter 10 and this chapter really shows the importance of having wise counsel - surrounding your life with people who will give you good advice and how spiritual maturity and people who have been through things and are on the other side through faith can really speak into your life, positively. When pondering/ asking advice, we must consider a few things.

-Who’s interest is at the heart of the advice?

-Does the advice come with grace?

- Does the advice project to bash someone?

- How is this person qualified?

10 Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all Israel had gathered to make him king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this, he returned from Egypt, for he had fled to Egypt to escape from King Solomon. 3 The leaders of Israel summoned him, and Jeroboam and all Israel went to speak with Rehoboam. 4 “Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.”

5 Rehoboam replied, “Come back in three days for my answer.” So the people went away.

6 Then King Rehoboam discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. “What is your advice?” he asked. “How should I answer these people?”

7 The older counselors replied, “If you are good to these people and do your best to please them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects.”

8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers. 9 “What is your advice?” he asked them. “How should I answer these people who want me to lighten the burdens imposed by my father?”

10 The young men replied, “This is what you should tell those complainers who want a lighter burden: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! 11 Yes, my father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!’”

12 Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to hear Rehoboam’s decision, just as the king had ordered. 13 But Rehoboam spoke harshly to them, for he rejected the advice of the older counselors 14 and followed the counsel of his younger advisers. He told the people, “My father laid[a] heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!”

15 So the king paid no attention to the people. This turn of events was the will of God, for it fulfilled the Lord’s message to Jeroboam son of Nebat through the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh.

16 When all Israel realized[b] that the king had refused to listen to them, they responded,

“Down with the dynasty of David!

We have no interest in the son of Jesse.

Back to your homes, O Israel!

Look out for your own house, O David!”

So all the people of Israel returned home. 17 But Rehoboam continued to rule over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.

18 King Rehoboam sent Adoniram,[c] who was in charge of forced labor, to restore order, but the people of Israel stoned him to death. When this news reached King Rehoboam, he quickly jumped into his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. 19 And to this day the northern tribes of Israel have refused to be ruled by a descendant of David.

Rehoboam(Solomon’s son) rejected advice from those above him who had experiences to their advantage and had were weathered with more life and instead took the wealth valued advice from the men who had grown up with him. This scripture shows us the importance of where we source or advice from. I personally am a people-oriented person. I like to SEE things and hold things. This means I will often turn to people I can converse with to obtain knowledge. I go to people frequently for confirmation and physical -before-my-eyes- direction. However, I have learned that you can not take advice from everyone!! Sometimes you have to ask different people for different advice depending on the situation and level of sensitivity. It really is important to sift through the advice you receive to know if its worldly self-centered advice, or bound with truth. Sometimes the advice you need is not the advice you WANT to hear. We NEED to go to God first. He is the ultimate counselor “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) then second we can follow up to gain knowledge from the flock God has provided us with. No shaming for anybody here. Believe me! I have taken some not so good advice before! Just like my chess skills, I have made some bad moves. Sometimes there is no one to go to or sometimes we want what we want to hear. It is amazing we have 24/always contact to the wisest being. If you are the one being asked advice from remember 1 Peter 5:2 “Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.” How you offer advice can say a lot.

May you be blessed!