The Godly Kind of Tough

It was about 950 B.C.
King Solomon had died, and his son Rehoboam had been crowned king. The people of Israel came to him and pleaded for relief from the heavy taxes they had had under his father. Rehoboam was more concerned with his status as king then his people's suffering. Apparently he thought that it was nervy for them to approach him with this request. After all, he was the king, and who were they to ask him to change their taxes? He therefore decided to put them in their place and teach them a lesson by raising their already heavy tax burden. The people of Israel returned to their tents, and Rehoboam set out after them to exact the new taxes from them. Rehoboam kept a safe distance, though, and sent Adoram, his Chief of Revenue into their camps to collect the taxes. The Israelites surrounded him en masse and stoned him to death.

Suddenly the tough King Rehoboam was frantically fleeing for his life, racing back to his chariot- back to Jerusalem where he could safely raise an army. What happened to the brave tough king that has spoken so rudely to his subjects?

But Rehoboam reigned over the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was in charge of the revenue; but all Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. Therefore King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste to flee to Jerusalem. (1Ki 12:17-18)

Our toughness and rough talk is often a mask for our arrogance and hard headedness. The Old Testament uses the term "stiff-necked".

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness [hard headedness] is as iniquity and idolatry." (1Sa 15:23)

Samuel is warning us that if we think we are serving God while being hard headed we are fooling ourselves. Stubbornness is sin and as if we are worshipping other gods.

Here's to humility and meekness. The godly kind of tough.
Yours in Him,
Pastor B.