He Had It All (Proverbs 22:20-21)

He had it all. The wealthiest kingdom in the world. A nation at peace with its neighbors. A magnificent temple and palace. And if that was not enough, his father was considered one of the wisest men who ever lived.

This was Rehoboam, son of King Solomon.

In the book of Proverbs which is usually attributed to Solomon, he wrote to his son...

Have I not written for you thirty sayings of counsel and knowledge, to make you know what is right and true, that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

Proverbs 22:20-21 (ESV)

Yes indeed. All this sage advice from the man whom the Holy Spirit directed to write this very important book of the Bible! And he needed it because in the first days of his reign, after his father passed away, Rehoboam was faced with a decision that needed his immediate attention. But Rehoboam had nothing to fear! Solomon had prepared him, right?

Rehoboam spurned the advice of his father. He ignored the advice of his father’s advisors. And he followed the “sage” advice of the young men that grew up with him. The result? Civil war and the Kingdom of Israel was torn in two, never to be reunited.

It is easy for me to look back over thousands of years of history and shake my head at the incredible ignorance of Rehoboam. But am I any different? The entire Bible is before me, not just the thirty one proverbs that Solomon wrote. Do I read it, absorb it, and meditate upon the Words, or is it simply a daily exercise, as routine as putting on my shoes?

My salvation is secure in Jesus Christ because He is my Lord and Savior. Do I acknowledge my blessings by seeking to read God’s Word in thanksgiving? Do I read the Bible seeking the true answers to life that are the opposite of the world’s?

With Jesus Christ, I have it all! Do you?

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.