Rehoboam's Defense

Rehoboam caused a division in Israel because he refused the wise counsel of the old men and followed the hard-line approach recommended by his peers. Scripture speaks of them as young men, but they were hardly novices. Rehoboam began to reign at forty-one years of age (2 Chron. 10:8; 12:13),
Admittedly, Solomon's idolatry was the root cause of the tribes of Israel being divided (1 Kings 11:30-36), yet Rehoboams unwarranted threats were the immediate cause for the breakup of the kingdom. Following the breach, it appears Rehoboam still had not comprehended that unity is not produced by human force, but by the power of the Spirit of God (1 Kings 12:21; Zech. 4:6; Eph. 4:3).
Shemaiah's prophetic word from Jehovah that "this thing is from Me" caused every man to return to his house. It was at this point Rehoboam built fifteen cities of defense in Judah, of which Hebron was one. These strongholds were each supplied with food, oil, wine, shields, spears and captains. These items each have a spiritual counterpart and we do well to attend to their application in our personal lives and in the assembly. In so doing we will "strengthen the things which remain" and manifest we have "understanding of the times.”