This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of
Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just
mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
2CHRONICLES
1 And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.
2 And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD,
Rehoboam's relativity to God's instructions lasted only a short time. I am constantly amazed at how many people come to Christ for forgiveness and eternal life, and their longevity in His commands are shortened by the desires of the world.
3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.
4 And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.
Shishak conquered all of the defense cities, and then came to Jerusalem. It looked as though he would also overrun the capitol city and the whole kingdom would fall.
5 Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.
6 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is righteous.
But God is faithful even when His children are UNfaithful! He sent a prophet to tell them the problem.
7 And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.
8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
God responded to the people's humility and confession. He sent another message that said they would not be destroyed, but would become servants to Shishak. They would have to pay taxes which would go to him. PLUS - Shishak took whatever he wanted from Jerusalem, the capitol.
10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house.
11 And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.
12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well.
Rehoboam replaced the GOLD shields with BRASS shields. But the main thing is, he continued to attend CHURCH! When he would go to church, the guards would fetch the brass shields and use them to guard him (with pomp and ceremony) as he attended. This led the people to attend also.
13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.
15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.
16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.
Rehoboam, the Bible says, "..did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord." Please continue in Bible Study with us.
CHAPTER 12
Verse 1 plainly says that Rehoboam "forsook the law of the Lord."
God does not take it lightly when His children intentionally disobey and discontinue following His directions in the Bible. God will chastise His children. In fact, the Bible tells us that if a person is NOT chastised, then he is NOT a son of God!
"But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." (Hebrews 12:8)
God sent a specific chastisement to Rehoboam and the people of the nation because they were not following the Word. He sent Shishak, king of Egypt.
When the king and the people were faced with their sin, they humbled themselves and said that God was RIGHT to chastise them.
Friend, when a true Christian is faced with his sin, he will be HUMBLE! And He will seek God and agree with God's right to correct him.
He took the golden shields that Solomon had made. These were certainly valuable treasures monetarily. But they were even mor valuable because of what they represented. Those shields represented the riches and power that God gave to Solomon.
Remember, God had given Solomon those riches and power because he had begun his kingdom TOTALLY DEVOTED to GOD!
The riches, power and freedom we enjoy today in the USA is because our forefathers gave God the authority to build this nation (Ps. 127:1).
Therefore, God had REMOVED those shields because these people had NOT been totally devoted to Him. And God will remove America's SHIELDS too, if His people do not "get right" with Him.
And the Bible says, because of that, "...things went well" (verse 12).
Perhaps I can state this clearly. When people follow God's express will, the general outcome is that things go well, even though some tragic things DO happen.
That is the best definition of EVIL I've ever seen!
Rehoboam's reign was fraught with wars and turmoil, and only lasted 17 years. Three kings before him had reigned 40 years each.
At least Rehoboam's choice for Abijah to be his successor was met with approval by the Lord.