- Solomon’s son didn’t have his father’s wisdom. This seems like another big fault of Solomon.
- Yes, his wisdom had been a gift, but he could have been passing it on. He passes it onto the queen of Sheba and to all the officials that visit him.
- He writes down Proverbs and records some of his wisdom, but he doesn’t teach it to his son who would lead.
- His advisors who had “stood before Solomon” had wisdom. They had listened and learned.
- Why was Solomon’s son not before Solomon as he was growing up?
- Solomon had palaces built for his wives. The children probably lived with their mothers. Rehoboam didn’t grow up before his father who in the meantime was with a thousand other women.
- He doesn’t learn the wisdom that was there for the taking.
- I pointed out that Solomon appointing a queen mother wasn’t from God but from the surrounding pagan nations.
- Having multiple wives also is not from God. It starts with the evil man Lamech in Genesis. God gave Adam one wife to complete him.
- When the people turn on Rehoboam, 2 Chronicles 10 records it as being a turn of events from the Lord.
- God is sovereign, but we also have free will. It’s not one or the other. All of Scripture is true, not just the verses that support your position.
- God knew Rehoboam’s lack of wisdom and how he would respond, trying to act big and tough, letting the power go to his head.
- God knows us better than we know ourselves, and He’s big enough, powerful enough, wise enough, good enough to use our choices to bring about His purposes.
- He let Israel break up. He allowed it, but it was also as a result of human sin, and not just that one moment of poor decision.
- The kingdom was already in trouble when the wise king unwisely started loving foreign women and their gods.