I Kings 12  Solomon reigned 40 years as the king of Israel, then his son Rehoboam was given the throne.  Rehoboam was 41 years old at the time he became king.  He was just a baby when Solomon's reign began.  He would have been a child and young teen during the building of the temple and Solomon's palaces.  He would have been an eye witness, seeing his father marry 700 wives and take on their idols.  He would have experienced the lavish life style that came along with Solomon's wealth.  Unfortunately ,  he did not experience the relationship to the One true God that Solomon should have passed on to him.  We are told in 2 Chronicles 12:13 that his mother was Naamah the Ammonitess.  Molech " the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon" was one of the false gods that Solomon built a high place for near Jerusalem ( I Kings 11:7)

God had already told Solomon that the kingdom would be torn out of the hands of his son.  He had already told Jeroboam that He was going to give him the 10 tribes to rule.  Here in chapter 12 we see how it happens.... King Rehoboam was barely made king when Jeroboam and "all the assembly" came to him to ask for relief from the "heavy yoke" that Solomon had put on them.  Rehoboam asked for 3 days to make his decision.  He consulted the elders, who agreed with the people. Then he consulted his own friends who he had grown up with.  These men urged Rehoboam to be even more demanding than his father, to show that he was even greater... Pride and arrogance won out over reason and wisdom.  Rehoboam refused the people's request and lost 10 tribes from his kingdom.

Rehoboam had to deal with the rebellion of Israel for all of his reign.  His nation, now called Judah, would carry on the promises to David, but it would never be the same as it had been under David's or Solomon's reign.

Truth :  We all make a choice about whom we will serve.  We either serve God or we serve a false god.  That god may be a detestable image or may be our own ego.  In either case, we will actually be serving Satan.   The Lord calls us to be fully devoted to Him.  He commands us to obey His Word and to follow His ways.  We must stand firm in our devotion and commitment to Him.  For only in the Lord, the One True God, can we find life.

Father in heaven, You are infinite and mighty; You are holy and transcendent .  There is none like You.  I want to live for You with all of my heart and soul and mind and strength.  I want to love You and You alone.  You are my God.  There is no other.  I come before You with thanksgiving and praise.  You have given me life through Jesus, the Lamb of God, who has taken away the sins of the world.  Thank You for saving me.  I pray for those who are still walking in darkness and ask that You would send forth Your Light into their hearts.  Please help us to faithfully stand firm with Your Truth and Righteousness, and then boldly proclaim the Gospel wherever we go.  I ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen