The Nature of God and Israel

"And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter? And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day. And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him; And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat. So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents" (I Kin. 12:6-16).

Rehoboam the son of Solomon made a big mistake in forsaking the counsel of the older counselors who stood before his father Solomon, and going with the counsel of the younger men that he had grown up with. In fact it cost him ten of the tribes of the nation of Israel, as he ended up with only the tribe of Judah. It also cost the nation of Israel itself in being divided from the monarchy that had been established with David and Solomon after the failed reign of Saul, the first king of Israel. So we should ask the question in a matter like this, which question would be, Why was the counsel of the young men inferior to the counsel of the older men in the kingdom? It's really a very easy and obvious answer to any that are honest of heart. The old counselors were proven, and the young men were not. In fact the young men COULD NOT be proven because they hadn't had time to be proven. Those who had been among the older men that were not proven had already been weeded out by time and by circumstances wherein they had been found faulty. The younger men had not had the time or experience to be proven for good or for bad. The older counselors simply had far more experience in far more circumstances, and therefore had acquired far more knowledge and wisdom which they were able to provide. There simply is no substitute for experience, especially experience that has proven to be successful. In all honesty, if you had to have a critical surgery, would you prefer a surgeon who has done the surgery a few times, or someone who has done it hundreds of times with proven success? The answer is evident. Or if you were facing a very serious court case, would you rather have a lawyer who has tried a few cases, or someone who has tried hundreds of cases with good success? Of course we would want the experienced lawyer, even as we would want the experienced surgeon. If you wanted to learn a trade, would you prefer to learn it from someone who has been in the trade for a few years, or someone who has many years of experience with a great track record and impeccable reputation in the trade?

The list could go on, but the point is sufficiently made. There is a very good reason that the scriptures say, "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder" (I Pet. 5:5). It has been the established order of God from the beginning of the world for the older generation to teach and to lead the younger generation, and to pass on their experience to them. The word 'elder' comes from the Greek word 'Presbuteros,' and the meaning is, "of age... advanced in life, an elder, a senior." The term 'elder' is used throughout the new testament writings to signify those who are in authority in congregations and in the ministry of the Gospel. I have long seen a troubling pattern in the body of Christ today where so many of the younger people have a 'youth culture' mindset, and have not learned the value of learning from the experience and wisdom of elders. It should be no surprise really, seeing we live in a society that has pushed the elderly into their 'quiet corners,' while exalting those who are young, famous, wealthy, and beautiful; as being our guides and models for our lives. God's people have been greatly influenced by the mind and spirit of the present society and world we live in, and like Rehoboam have ended up with great division and disarray as a result. In my experience I have seen repeatedly over the years so many younger people in Christ who only want to be around other younger people in Christ, and want them to be their guides, counselors, and teachers. But I have never seen that mindset and behavior produce good, lasting fruit and results. There have been more times than I can count where I could have been a lot of help to some younger person in Christ, but my hands were tied because they did not see me as an option as long as there were other younger people who were around. More younger people need to read the Bible more, and pray more, and maybe they would learn some things about the order of God for their good.

This is what the scriptures say about having proven experience in the faith of Christ: "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:3-5). The word 'experience' in this passage comes from the Greek word 'Dokime,' and it means, "proving, trial, approved, tried character, a proof, a specimen of tried worth." So it is more than evident by the quoted passage that the more tribulation that a person has patiently endured, the more proven they have become, and as a result the more hope they have to offer to those who are less experienced in the faith. Not only so, but as the passage states, there is more of the love of God that has been 'shed abroad' in the heart of someone who has successfully endured through more adverse times and circumstances. It really is that simple, and it's really easy math, so to speak. The fact that someone is older than someone else doesn't automatically make them an elder, or more advanced in the faith than the one who is younger. But if the older person has been living for Christ much longer, and is proven in their faith and their love for God and his people, then it most assuredly does mean that the older person is the elder, and the one who is more advanced in the faith. Someone can cast out demons, heal the sick, and prophesy as soon as they receive the holy Ghost if they are aware that they can do these things, and they just go ahead and do them. That does not make them an elder however, and that obviously does not signify that they have patiently endured in the faith over many years and through much tribulation. That in fact is what DOES make someone an elder in the faith, and if the body of Christ is going to finish the work of God in the earth, this is one of the most valuable lessons that it needs to learn. May God give us all an abundance of grace to move forward in. Amen.