1 Kings 12:12-16: a reflection

12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king asked, saying, “Come to me again the third day.” 13The king answered the people roughly, and abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, 14and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.” 15So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about from the LORD, that he might establish his word, which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion have we in David? We don’t have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David.” So Israel departed to their tents.

When Rehoboam foolishly rejects the wise counsel to serve the people and instead threatens them harshly, the kingdom of Israel splits in rebellion; ten tribes break away, and the united kingdom is torn apart. It is a story of a king's folly bringing disaster. But the passage adds a striking note: So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events brought about by the LORD, that he might fulfill his word which he had spoken by the prophet Ahijah. Behind Rehoboam's foolish choice, God was at work, fulfilling a word he had spoken.

Notice the two levels at work. On one level, Rehoboam made a foolish, sinful choice, rejecting wise counsel and threatening the people, and he bears responsibility for it. And on another level, God was sovereignly at work through that very choice, accomplishing his own purpose, the fulfillment of a word he had spoken. God's sovereign purpose worked even through Rehoboam's folly, without excusing the folly.

That is a mysterious but comforting truth about God's sovereignty. God is able to accomplish his purposes even through human folly and sin, weaving even our foolish and wrong choices into his overarching plan, while the humans remain fully responsible for their choices. This does not excuse sin, but it means that human folly cannot finally thwart God's purpose; he works even through it. When you see folly or wrong prevailing, even your own, do not conclude that God's purposes are defeated. God is able to work even through human folly to accomplish his good ends. Trust the sovereign God who fulfilled his word even through Rehoboam's foolish choice; his purposes are not thwarted, even by human folly.

Lord, when Rehoboam foolishly rejected wise counsel and the kingdom split, the passage notes that it was a turn of events brought about by you, to fulfill your word; behind his folly, you were at work. Help me trust that mysterious truth. You are able to accomplish your purposes even through human folly and sin, weaving even foolish and wrong choices into your plan, while the humans remain responsible. This does not excuse sin, but it means that human folly cannot finally thwart your purpose. When I see folly or wrong prevailing, even my own, keep me from concluding that your purposes are defeated. You work even through human folly to accomplish your good ends. Help me trust the sovereign God who fulfilled his word even through Rehoboam's choice; your purposes are not thwarted, even by folly.