Rising Darkness (21 page)

The assembly at Shechem was hopeful. A new king might mean a new manner of ruling. Elders representing the various tribes, administrators appointed by Solomon, Jeroboam and his faction—political opponents normally—found themselves bound together in an uneasy alliance as they met at Shechem. The binding issue? Reform. They hoped that the new king, Rehoboam, would lead Israel into a new, reformed kingdom.

Kara was not at all impressed with the human way of doing things. He sneered at the silly pride of the king and his young aides as they came out to greet the others in the governor’s palace at Shechem.

He walked over near Rehoboam and studied him. Rehoboam was everything that had been described to him—arrogant, confident, and tactless—a sure recipe for rebellion! Kara noticed that the men who advised him were not much better. Rehoboam had surrounded himself with younger men who had not been in the service of his father. It was fresh voices he was interested in hearing—not the same old droning of his father’s court.

Rehoboam seated himself in the room and his aides stood behind him. Kara positioned himself to the right of the king to watch the proceedings. After the preliminary introductions of the assembly, Rehoboam invited the various representatives to speak. He had come to receive their homage and oaths of loyalty. They had come to extract a promise of reform. Kara could hardly wait to see how this would play out.

“It is fitting, my lord, that we meet together in Shechem on the occasion of your new reign,” began one of the elders of Israel. “As you know, it was in Shechem that Joshua renewed our covenant with the Lord our God. It is our hope that with your reign a renewal of sorts might occur, concerning your manner of governance over us, who are your loyal subjects…”

As the elder spoke, Keriah, Rehoboam’s chief counselor, whispered something in his ear. Rehoboam’s eyes shot a glance to the back of the room, scanning the faces until he saw a particular man. He looked at Keriah, who nodded in affirmation.

“I would hear from Jeroboam straight away,” said Rehoboam, interrupting the elder, “—our former brother in exile now returned to our kingdom.”

The crowd made a low murmur as Jeroboam slowly made his way to the front of the assembly hall. Some of the ministers who had served Solomon and had been a part of Jeroboam’s exile were clearly ill at ease at seeing him once more in a royal court of Israel. Jeroboam ignored the tension in the room and bowed his head low before the king, standing silently before him.

Rehoboam studied the man for a few moments. He drank in the moment of seeing his father’s former enemy now humbly standing before him. If only Solomon could see this! The room awaited the words that might mean the difference between peace and civil war.

“You are most welcome to our court,” said Rehoboam, “after such an extended leave from our service.”

“It is indeed wonderful to be back in the nation I love, majesty,” said Jeroboam. “Although I fear that not everyone in this room shares the sentiment!” He smiled.

Rehoboam laughed aloud, as did a few of the courtiers. The king looked at his new, young group of ministers with which he had surrounded himself.

“I have no idea what he is talking about, do you?” he said humorously. After a few seconds the king turned his attention back to Jeroboam.

“We sent for you because we have heard that you are wanting to present some…shall I say…grievances to the court,” the king began. He motioned for his cup, which a steward immediately brought to him. He sipped the wine and continued. “I also understand that, much as some of these among you would rather not have you here at all, they need your voice in court. This is your moment, Jeroboam, to speak frankly.”

The room became quiet as Jeroboam began to speak.

“It is no secret, majesty, that in the time of your father, the great Solomon, he and I had a falling out…”

“Falling out?” said the king in a mocking tone. “I thought it more a running out.” The room exploded in nervous laughter.

“Yes, majesty,” continued Jeroboam. “Truly I was run out of Israel because of certain disagreements in policy that I had with your father. But even while I remained in Egypt, I hoped for the day that my king would call me back into his service.”

“And what would you say to the king of Israel now?” asked Rehoboam.

“Majesty, if I may be bold…”

“Of course,” said Rehoboam. “Be bold.”

“Solomon the king led us into greatness,” he began. “There is no question of that. Israel is the better for his glorious reign.”

“But…?” asked the king, leaning in.

“But, in doing so he laid upon the people unbearable taxes and levies that have broken the backs, and consequently the spirit, of the people. I wish to serve you with all of my heart, as do we all.”

Everyone present affirmed in hearty agreement.

“Majesty, we respectfully request that you undo the harsh taxes and burdens that your father pronounced upon the nation. We ask that you slow down the work and give our laborers rest. We ask that you reform the nation. Do these things, mighty king, and we shall serve you with all of our heart!”

Rehoboam nodded that he quite understood Jeroboam’s position. He looked at his aides who surrounded him and then thought about it for a few minutes. He then pronounced his decision:

“Leave me for three days to pray and consider these motions,” he said. “Let me think about what you have said and seek out wise counsel in the matter.”

After the room emptied, Rehoboam adjourned to a private chamber with his counselors. They followed the king into the room and watched as he stood looking over Shechem from a window. He turned to the men who were his closest advisors.

“Most of you never really knew my father,” he began. “Apart from occasionally attending a royal function with me as a guest, you never understood his depth and vision. The old man had his faults, to be sure—women primarily were his ruin. But he was a magnificent king. And he left me some wonderful advice.

“ ‘My son,’ he said, ‘incline your ear to wisdom. Do not rush into agreement with men whose feet rush into sin and whose hearts are not pure.’ I have never forgotten those words. These men ask us to change the course of the kingdom to buy their loyalty. Is it fitting that we change royal policy to placate those whose feet would rush to sin and rebellion if we do not comply with their demands? What sort of loyalty is that? I suspect that our answer given to them will be quite different than the one for which they hope!”

The king ordered wine into the room and the young men drank to the future of the kingdom and Rehoboam’s future glorious reign. During the festivities a messenger entered the room and whispered to Keriah, who nodded and walked over to the king.

“Majesty, a number of your father’s ex-ministers wish a word with you,” he said. “They are waiting outside.”

“Very well,” said Rehoboam, strengthened by the wine. “Show them in. We’ll settle this now.”

The old men came into the room, ignoring the sneers of the young ministers who had replaced them. The eldest among them, Zabud, who had been with Solomon from the beginning, approached Rehoboam.

“Majesty, bid that we speak with you over the matter concerning Jeroboam?” he asked.

“Of course,” said Rehoboam. “But I think the matter does not concern him as much as it concerns me.”

The young advisors snickered.

“Be that as it may, majesty, it behooves us to move rather delicately upon this matter. These men represent a strong and growing contingent of people who wish to preserve the peace of this kingdom and to serve you. But, it requires a decision on your part to serve them as well. A king who serves is a great king indeed. If you will serve the people today, by making the reforms which they have requested, then they shall serve you all the days of their lives and you shall be a great king.”

“
A great king
,” came Kara’s voice. “
Is whether or not you are a great king dependent upon a rabble of troublemakers? Is the peace of this kingdom riding on the backs of men who were exiled by your father?
”

“Are you saying that the greatness of my kingdom depends upon the decisions of people my father had condemned?” asked Rehoboam.

“No, majesty,” said Zabud. “Greatness is bestowed upon men by God. But in ruling wisely, one invites such greatness.”

“
Will you throw away the authority of the king that your father worked so hard to secure, because you have a group of lazy ministers and complaining people? Who is king in Israel—you or Jeroboam?!
”

Rehoboam was becoming angry now, though he managed to control his speech. He thanked the delegation of elders and dismissed them, promising an answer in due course. Turning to the young men who had grown up with him in Solomon’s court, he asked for their opinion.

Keriah, pouring the king some more wine, began to speak.

“You know how I feel about it, majesty,” he began. “If I were king and this group of old tricksters came to me, I would look beyond them and see Jeroboam. This delegation may be led by Zabud, but it is driven by an ambitious ex-fugitive.”

The others in the room grunted their approval of what Keriah had said.

“They think your father was overbearing?” said another. “I would tell them, ‘My little finger is larger than my father’s waist!’ ”

“ ‘My father’s yoke was heavy?’ ” chimed in a young officer. “ ‘Wait until you see the yoke that I lay upon you!’ ”

“ ‘My father scourged you with whips,’ ” threw in still another. “ ‘But I will scourge your worthless bodies with scorpions!’ ”

The room broke out in raucous laughter and more wine was ordered in. Rehoboam loved the fellowship of these men—the only truly loyal men in the kingdom. He could hardly wait for three days hence to deliver his answer to the elders in Shechem.

Three days later, when the king entered the room, he was greeted with the customary oblations from the hopeful crowd. Jeroboam tried to read the king’s face to discern a glimmer of hope. Zabud also tried to glean intuitively what he could. So much depended upon a peaceful resolution in this matter. They awaited his decision.

Rehoboam waited until all of his chief advisors and military commanders were around him. He then stood to address the assembly.

“You have asked me something and I have considered with great deliberation and prayer the answer for which you are all waiting. I must tell you directly that what you ask is impossible…”

A low murmur of shock coursed through the room. Jeroboam glanced at Zabud, who shook his head in shame.

“You are asking the king to abdicate the power given to him by the Lord Almighty. I am anointed king over Israel. I am not to be dictated to by groups who have unreasonable grievances born out of their own petty frustrations. Therefore I shall not grant your request.”

He stood up and held out his hand. Keriah handed him a scroll bearing his seal.

“In fact, I have signed this decree ordering new levies and taxes in conjunction with a great project that I wish to begin.” He pointed the scroll at the assembly. “You would have me live forever in the shadow of my father. But I shall cast a greater shadow than Solomon.”

Rehoboam sat down before the stunned assembly. A detachment of palace guards came into the room as Keriah stood and dismissed the assembly, thanking them for coming to Shechem for the coronation. As he left, Jeroboam now understood that what the Lord had spoken to him was being fulfilled—that the kingdom was splitting and that he also should reign in Israel.