1. Thank you for coming to Samsbiblestories.com and for taking a look at the lessons I have added. These lessons are the result of years of teaching Sunday school at an Elementary level. God has richly blessed me in being able to share His Word with thousands of young people. It is now my privilege to share them with you. Please feel free to use them with your class, wherever God has planted you. The only think I ask is that you drop me a line and let me know who you are and how the lessons are working for you. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. samueldselby@gmail God Bless you, Sam God Bless

2. Our Story I need Volunteers to play…. Rehoboam Assembly Spokesman Elders (3) Young Friends (3)

3. Choose your friends wisely! I need Volunteers to play…. Rehoboam Assembly and Spokesman (6) Elders (3) Young Friends (3)

4. Choose your friends wisely! Our story begins today in the Kingdom of Israel at a time when their great King Solomon, Son of David, grew very old and died, leaving his son Rehoboam as their new King.

5. Choose your friends wisely! Rehoboam had a lot of difficult decisions to make as their new King. Fortunately, King Solomon’s advisers were there to help the King. Do you think it would be wise of Rehoboam to listen to their advise?

6. Choose your friends wisely! And Rehoboam’s senior advisors gave him wise counsel. Here is what they told him. “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.” I Kings 12:7 You see, King Solomon had been very hard on his subjects and there were many who were angry and ready to rebel against the Kingdom. The Senior Advisors knew that if he was kind and loved his subjects, they would love him and serve him for the rest of their lives.

7. Choose your friends wisely! Sounds like good advice doesn’t it? Young King Rehoboam decided to hear another opinion and so he called for his friends that he had grown up with and who now wanted desperately to be part of the ruler-ship in the Kingdom. Was this Wise or Un-wise? Here is what they advised…

8. Choose your friends wisely! 10 The young men who had grown up with him replied, “These people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11 My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’” In other words: If you thought my father (Solomon) was a meanie, just wait until I get done with you. They will follow you because they are afraid of you. What do you think of this advice? Which do you think he should follow?

9. Choose your friends wisely! Rehoboam wanted to think about the advice he had been given, so he asked everyone to go away and leave him alone for 3 days and then he would give them his answer. Finally, the 3 days were up and the King is going to give his decision. Which do you think he will choose? Of course, he chose the advice of his friends and decided to be a much more harsh King. This is what he said…

10. Choose your friends wisely! “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” Why do you think Rehoboam decided to follow the advice of the younger men rather than the older men?

11. Choose your friends wisely! Peer pressure is the influence you and your friends have on one another. Peer pressure can be negative or positive. What do you think the result of Rehoboam’s decision was?

12. Choose your friends wisely! Because of this decision, the twelve tribes of Israel became divided into two kingdoms, the kingdom of Judah (Rehoboam) and the kingdom of Israel.