Metaphysical meaning of Rehoboam (mbd)
Rehoboam, re-ho-bo'-am (Heb.)--the people are enlarged; comprehending the people; freer of the people; he enlarges the people.
Son of Solomon by Naamah the Ammonitess. He became king when Solomon died, and during his reign the Israelites were divided into two kingdoms (I Kings 11:43; 14:21).
Meta. That in man's consciousness which exalts the senses, that which is receptive to and comprehensive of the selfish demands of the sense thoughts and desires only (comprehending the people, the people are enlarged, he enlarges the people):
The reason why Solomon (wisdom) brought forth a son who was considered evil and a fool was that Solomon (wisdom), one who was mighty in his understanding and use of God-given riches, appropriated the wealth of Israel (body consciousness) for his own selfish and sensuous pleasures. Rehoboam is the fruit of many sensuous and insane thought habits. Solomon had a thousand wives, but only one son--and that one was a fool.
The result in Israel (body consciousness) during the reign of Rehoboam (sense side of mind) is that, when sense thoughts and personal will dominate, the kingdom is divided. This results in various forms of insanity, weakness, and inharmony throughout the mind and the body. (See JEROBOAM, about the dividing of the kingdom.)
Rehoboam is the selfish ignoramus that a thousand sensuous thoughts have brought forth in a man. Give yourself up to the sense side of your mind wholly and you will eventually find your kingdom divided. No man can divorce himself from God and be sane. He will sooner or later develop some phase of mental aberration.
When man has centralized his kingdom in God he becomes true, pure, honest, righteous in all ways, and just in thought and deed. Solomon in his early reign was all this, but he did not stand up under prosperity. The sensuous nature became dominant and he had to levy heavy taxes on his people to keep up the expenditure of substance. When man revels in the sensuous nature, as did Solomon, the vitality of the whole organism is drawn upon. Thus all the people of the kingdom are taxed. This is carried to a point where the God-loving man loses his original character and becomes a conceited profligate: Solomon died and his son Rehoboam reigned in his stead.
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Preceding Entry: Rehob
Following Entry: Rehoboth
