2Chronicles 10-12

Sunday Evening Bible Study

December 1, 2002

Introduction

We’ve now gone through the reigns of King David and his son Solomon.  Now it’s time for the next generation to step up.

2Chronicles 10

:1-11 Rehoboam listens to bad advice

:1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem

RehoboamR@chab‘am – “a people has enlarged”

Odd fact: Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. We are told of two of his daughters (1Ki. 4:11, 15). Yet we are only told the name of one son, Rehoboam.

ShechemSh@kem – “back” or “shoulder”. A city about 30 miles north of Jerusalem.

It was one of the “Cities of Refuge” (Josh. 20:7). It had been the city from which Gideon’s son, Abimelech, tried to become king (Judg. 9).

It would be the place where the Samaritans would worship God in their twisted form of Judaism, with their own temple in Shechem, on Mount Gerizim.

It was also called “Sychar” in the New Testament (John 4:5), where Jesus met the woman at the well.

This is the modern city of Nablus, a place you hear about a lot on the news in Israel. This was one of the Palestinian towns that Israel moved into for a while.

Though Jerusalem was the capital of the kingdom, Shechem would have been seen as more central to the rest of the kingdom. It was considered a part of the tribe of Manasseh (Josh. 17:2), but it was also considered a part of Ephraim (Josh. 20:7), the same tribe that Jeroboam is from. It’s as if Rehoboam is coming out to Jeroboam’s “turf”.

:2 Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

Jeroboam was the industrious young man that Solomon had raised up as a leader.

Jeroboam was from the tribe of Ephraim, the dominant tribe of the northern ten tribes.

When Solomon turned away from the Lord and began to worship other gods, the prophet Ahijah came to Jeroboam and hold him that God was going to divide the kingdom of Israel and put him in charge of ten of the twelve tribes. When Solomon got news of this, he tried to kill Jeroboam, and Jeroboam fled to Egypt until the death of Solomon (1Ki. 11).

:3 So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam

Jeroboam seems to be popular among the people, and it seems that they ask him to be their spokesman.

:4 Thy father made our yoke grievous

Solomon had been hard on the people.

:5 Come again unto me after three days

Lesson

Take time to decide

It’s not a bad thing to take time to make important decisions.

:6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men

Lesson

Listen to the gray heads

These were the guys who cut their teeth on decision making while working for Solomon.
These are the guys that the Queen of Sheba spoke of when she said,
(2 Chr 9:7 KJV) Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.
Older folks aren’t perfect, but they are a HUGE resource we ought to learn to take advantage of.

:7 If thou be kind to this people…

Good advice.

Perhaps this doesn’t quite stroke the ego of Rehoboam. He wants to establish his authority. He wants people to see that he can stand on his own two feet as a ruler.

Yet part of me wonders if the people would have still rebelled, no matter what Rehoboam did.

:8 forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men

young men – Rehoboam was about forty years old at this time, that’s probably how old these “counselors” are as well.

Perhaps I’m making too much of this, but it seems that Rehoboam “forsook” the counsel of the old men before he even heard what the young men had to say. In both the Kings and the Chronicles accounts, it says that he “forsook” the older men’s advice before he even found out what the alternative was.

Lesson

Listen to all sides before deciding

I know that sometimes people come to me for advice, but I can tell that they’ve already made up their mind.
They’re going to keep asking people for advice until they find someone who will tell them what they want to hear.

:10 My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

In other words, “You think my father was tough … you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”

:11 I will chastise you with scorpions.

scorpions – some have suggested that these were whips with barbed points or bits of metal attached.

Lesson

Ask God’s advice

What’s wrong with this picture?
Rehoboam has asked counsel from the old men. He’s asked counsel of the young men.
Who has he forgotten?
He hasn’t asked counsel from the Lord.

That’s what his grandfather David was famous for, asking God for advice.

Seven times in 1&2 Samuel we read, “David inquired of the Lord”…

James writes,
(James 1:5 NLT) If you need wisdom--if you want to know what God wants you to do--ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking.

:12-19 The kingdom splits

:13 And the king answered them roughly

roughlyqasheh – hard, cruel, severe, obstinate; difficult; fierce, intense, vehement; stubborn, stiff of neck, stiff-necked

Lesson

Say it nicely

Rehoboam’s dad wrote a book for him, the book of Proverbs. In this book, Solomon writes to his son,
(Prov 1:8 NLT) Listen, my child, to what your father teaches you. Don't neglect your mother's teaching.
And in this book (Proverbs), Solomon wrote,
(Prov 15:1 NLT) A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.
It doesn’t hurt to try and say things gently. It often keeps the argument at a level where things can be resolved.
Illustration
Tokyo, Japan, May 20
Sony has announced its own computer operating system now available on its hot new portable PC called the Vaio. Instead of producing the cryptic error messages characteristic of Microsoft’s Windows and DOS systems, Sony’s chairman Asai Tawara said, “We intend to capture the high ground by putting a human, Japanese face on what has been—until now—an operating system that reflects Western cultural hegemony. For example, we have replaced the impersonal and unhelpful Microsoft error messages with our own Japanese haiku poetry.” The computer haiku messages are just as informative as Microsoft’s and they make you pause just long enough that you’re able to fight the impulse to put a fist through the screen. The chairman went on to give examples of Sony’s new error messages:

A file that big?

It might be very useful.

But now it is gone.

 

You seek a Web site.

It cannot be located.

Countless more exist.

 

Chaos reigns within.

Stop, reflect, and reboot.

Order shall return.

 

Yesterday it worked

Today it is not working

Windows is like that.

 

First snow, then silence.

This thousand dollar screen dies

So beautifully.

 

A crash reduces

Your expensive computer

To a simple stone.

 

You step in the stream

But the water has moved on.

Page not found.

 

Serious error.

All shortcuts have disappeared.

Screen. Mind. Both are blank.

:15 for the cause was of God …

This doesn’t mean that Rehoboam can’t be blamed for doing something stupid. But his stupid decision did make it easier for the Lord to bring about the split of the kingdom, which was something God was going to do.

The reason for the split in the kingdom went beyond Rehoboam’s stupid decision. God was using Rehoboam’s mistake to bring about His promised judgment of Solomon’s sin.

(1 Ki 11:9-13 KJV) And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, {10} And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. {11} Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. {12} Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. {13} Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

God had warned Solomon about the things he had been dabbling in and had become consumed in. God warned him that He would be taking the kingdom away from the house of David, but because of God’s love for David (Solomon’s father), God would wait and take the kingdom away from Solomon’s son, not Solomon.
Later, God would speak to Jeroboam that he would be the one to rule over ten of the twelve tribes (1Ki. 11:29-37). This would be a result of Solomon’s sin.

Lesson

We don’t always see the reasons at first.

In a way, we could say that the civil war was a result of Rehoboam’s bad judgment.
Yet in reality, the division came as a result of Solomon’s sin.

:17 …the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

Rehoboam’s kingdom now consists of two of the twelve tribes – Judah and Benjamin

:18 Rehoboam sent Hadoram

Hadoram – or, “Adoniram

This was the guy in charge of the forced labor.

(1 Ki 4:6 KJV) And Ahishar was over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute (forced labor)

This was the worst possible guy to send to the northern tribes. This was the very guy who had made them tow a hard line during Solomon’s and David’s reigns.

Rehoboam realizes he’s in trouble and he flees home.

:19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

The kingdom was divided. It would never be completely united again.

2Chronicles 11

:1-12 Don’t fight, build

:1 that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

Rehoboam gathers a huge army to try and reunite the nation.

:4 Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren

God was behind the dividing of the nation. It had come about as a result of Solomon’s turning away from the Lord and worshipping other gods (1Ki. 11:11-13)

God didn’t want them fighting each other.

Lesson

A time to stop fighting

There are times when it is appropriate to fight against division.
It was appropriate for David to fight against Absalom and later against the man named Sheba.
But God says that in this instance, Rehoboam is to let it go.

:5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

Rehoboam fortifies his positions to protect from both the possible attack from Jeroboam in the north as well as possible attacks from Egypt in the south. Mostly, he builds in the south.

:6 He built even Bethlehem

See map

:7 And Bethzur

See map

:8 And Gath

Gath was one of the main Philistine cities, the home of Goliath.

See map

:9 And Adoraim

See map

:10 And ZorahHebron … in Benjamin

See map

Hebron was known as the capital of Judah.

The cities of Benjamin would protect from an invasion from the north.

:12 made them exceeding strong,

Lesson

Unless the Lord builds the house

What Rehoboam is doing is a good thing.
It’s a good thing to be protected and build your defenses against attacks.
But as we’ll see in a little bit, unless God is a part of your defenses, your work is useless.
(Psa 127:1 KJV) A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

:13-17 Priests head south

:14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem

The priests and Levites weren’t concerned about Rehoboam’s insulting rhetoric.

He might not have been the sharpest tack on the board, but he did support the true worship of Yahweh.

These people were willing to give up their family farms and businesses to move south to Judah.

This isn’t because they made big bucks doing their ministry. If they were in it for the bucks only, they could have stayed up north with Jeroboam. Except that with Jeroboam they would have had to compromise with what the Scriptures taught.

The Scriptures taught that Israel should not make any graven images. Jeroboam made golden calves.
The Scriptures taught that when God finally decided on a place to call His own, the people should worship there (Jerusalem). Jeroboam taught that the people should stay up north to worship.

They moved south because they could not compromise.

Lesson

No compromise

It seems to me that it’s rare when people will make such radical changes because it’s the right thing.
Usually we make these kinds of decisions because our feelings are hurt or it affects our pocketbook.

The northern kingdom split because Rehoboam insulted them. They didn’t want to pay his taxes.

Yet these people left their homes and farms to move south because they wanted to worship God correctly.

:15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

In Kings we are told that Jeroboam made priests of “the lowest of the people”:

(1 Ki 12:31 KJV) And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

Josephus (Antiquities; 8:8:4) records Jeroboam making a speech to the people to convince them to not go to Jerusalem to worship but to worship at Dan and Bethel where he set up two golden calves.

Jeroboam said,
but let him that is desirous among you of being a priest, bring to God a bullock and a ram, which they say Aaron the first priest brought also.[1]
In other words, there doesn’t have to be a sense of God’s calling involved at all. As long as you have a bull and a ram, you can be a priest.

devilssa‘iyr – hairy; he-goat, buck; as sacrificial animal; satyr, may refer to a demon possessed goat like the swine of Gadara (Mt 8:30-32). Goat-like demons were a popular idol of the day. They were worshipped by pouring blood on them. God commanded Israel to not eat meat with the blood, but to pour it out to the Lord instead (Lev. 17:1-7).

the calves – these were the golden calves that Jeroboam set up in Dan and Bethel as a substitute for Jerusalem. Jeroboam was concerned that the people would go back to Jerusalem to worship on the feast days and end up revolting against him and serving the king in Jerusalem. So he set up these alternate worship places.

Lesson

Called to ministry

The qualifications for a person being in ministry are a little different now. God’s qualifications are no longer based on whether or not you are a descendant of Aaron.
But God still wants to be the one who picks who is in ministry.
I think one of the most dangerous things that can happen in the church is when the wrong person gets into ministry. The work of God is harmed, not helped.
The work of God should only be done by people through whom God is working. When you see exciting things happening at church, don’t get confused and think it’s the people doing it, it’s the Lord. Being “effective” in ministry is not about learning to tell funny jokes or being super smart. It’s about learning to get out of the way and let God work.
How can a person know if God has called them to the ministry?
One of the evidences of God’s call is fruit.

After the rebellion of Korah, God asked each of the tribes to put a rod of wood next to the Ark of the Covenant. The tribe of Levi submitted Aaron’s rod. The next morning, all the rods were collected and something was different about Aaron’s rod.

(Num 17:8 KJV) And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

It had been a simple staff of wood, but after being in the presence of the Ark overnight, it was alive.

I think an evidence of God’s call on your life is fruit (or, nuts if you like!).

:16 after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD

Lesson

Following a good example

The priests and the Levites weren’t the only ones that traveled south.
They set the pace for the others to follow.
Paul wrote,
(1 Cor 4:16 KJV) Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
(1 Cor 11:1 KJV) Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
(Phil 3:17 KJV) Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
(1 Th 1:6-7 KJV) And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: {7} So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
(2 Th 3:7-9 KJV) For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; {8} Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: {9} Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
Find good examples and follow them.
Realize that you are setting an example for others to follow.

:17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong

Lesson

True worship makes you strong

People who choose not to live a life of compromise.
People who choose to live a good example and follow good examples.
These are the kinds of things that make us strong.

:18-23 Rehoboam’s family

:18 Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife

Jerimoth – we don’t know who this is and whether or not this is a son of King David or another David.

:18 Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse

Eliab was David’s oldest brother.

:20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom

Maachah the daughter of Absalom – Maachah was probably the granddaughter of Absalom. Absalom was David’s son, the one who rebelled against David. Absalom’s daughter, Tamar, married Uriel, and their daughter was Maachah (2Sam. 14:27; 2Chr. 13:2)

It seemed that Rehoboam liked to marry within the family.

:21 for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines

Like his father Solomon, Rehoboam broke God’s law for kings:

(Deu 17:17 KJV) Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

:22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief

AbijahAbiyah – “Yahweh is (my) father”

Abijah will replace Rehoboam. He is the son of the favorite wife.

:23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children

He made his sons rulers over the various cities.

:23 And he desired many wives.

The idea here is probably of looking for wives for his sons.

2Chronicles 12

:1-12 Egypt invades

:1 And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself,

Lesson

Beware of strength

It seems that the safest place to be is the weakest. It’s when we’re weak that we seek the Lord.
Josephus writes,
Now I cannot but think that the greatness of a kingdom and its change into prosperity, often become the occasion of mischief and of transgression to men; for when Rehoboam saw that his kingdom was so much increased, he went out of the right way, unto unrighteous and irreligious practices, and he despised the worship of God, till the people themselves imitated his wicked actions;[2]
(1 Cor 10:12 KJV) Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

:1 he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.

The writer of Kings tells us how he “forsook the law”

(1 Ki 14:22-24 KJV) And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. {23} For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. {24} And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

sodomitesqadesh – male temple prostitute
Last summer Jerusalem had its first “Gay Pride Parade”. Be concerned.

:2 Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem

Shishak – When Jeroboam first fled Israel from Solomon, he went to Egypt for safety. Shishak was the one who took Jeroboam in. I imagine that Jeroboam might have told Shishak all about the treasures in Jerusalem.

(1 Ki 11:40 KJV) Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

Shishak’s attack on Jerusalem took place in 925 BC. An account of Shishak’s conquest is found on the walls of the temple of Amon in Al Karnak, Egypt. He carved the names of the Israelite cities that he conquered.

This happens in Rehoboam’s fifth year.

:3 with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.

Shishak has developed a “coalition” with several other nations. He has a huge army.

:4 And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.

All of Rehoboam’s reinforced cities don’t stand up to Shishak’s invasion.

:5 Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.

God warns the nation that this has happened because of their sin.

:7 They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them

Lesson

God looks for true repentance.

We see one of the first examples of God honoring His promise to Solomon:
(2 Chr 7:14 KJV) If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

:8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.

(2 Chr 12:8 NLT) But they will become his subjects, so that they can learn how much better it is to serve me than to serve earthly rulers."

Lesson

Getting what you ask for – Choosing whom to serve

Rehoboam had turned from following the Lord and had turned toward wicked things.
(1 Ki 14:22-24 KJV) And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. {23} For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. {24} And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
Now God is both going to be merciful in allowing them not to be destroyed, but also allow Rehoboam a chance to see where his sin has led the nation – into slavery.
It’s better to serve the Lord than to serve sin.

:9 So Shishak king of Egypt came …he took all

Josephus records,

So when Shishak had taken the city without fighting, because Rehoboam was afraid, and received him into it, yet did not Shishak stand to the covenants he had made, but he spoiled the temple, and emptied the treasures of God and those of the king, and carried off innumerable ten thousands of gold and silver, and left nothing at all behind him. (259) He also took away the bucklers of gold, and the shields, which Solomon the king had made; nay, he did not leave the golden quivers which David had taken from the king of Zobah, and had dedicated to God; and when he had thus done, he returned to his own kingdom. [3]

Rehoboam gave in without a fight.
Shishak helped himself to all the treasures of David and Solomon. They were all taken.

:10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass

These shields were kept in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. They become a type of gauge to show what’s going on in the kingdom. The golden glory days are gone. There isn’t even any silver left. Things have gone to bronze.

Bronze shields can be made to look like gold shields. But they take a lot of work, a lot of elbow grease, a lot of polishing.

Things might look the same to most of the people, but they aren’t. Life is cheaper than it used to be.

:13-16 Rehoboam dies

:13 And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

Lesson

Family influence

Some of Rehoboam’s problems can be traced to the fact that he was repeating some of the problems his father and mother had caused.
His father, a godly man, married his mother, who became part of Solomon’s problem:
(1 Ki 11:1-7 KJV) But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; {2} Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. {3} And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. {4} For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. {5} For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. {6} And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. {7} Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
Set a good example for your children.

12:14 Taking Aim

There are good kings and there are bad kings. As we work our way through the history in Chronicles, at some point each king gets a report card.

Rehoboam lacked the right direction in life. That’s the kind of thing that gets us into trouble. It will get Rehoboam into trouble.

Illustration

In his autobiography, Number 1, Billy Martin told about hunting in Texas with Mickey Mantle. Mickey had a friend who would let them hunt on his ranch. When they reached the ranch, Mickey told Billy to wait in the car while he checked in with his friend. Mantle’s friend quickly gave them permission to hunt, but he asked Mickey a favor. He had a pet mule in the barn who was going blind, and he didn’t have the heart to put him out of his misery. He asked Mickey to shoot the mule for him.

When Mickey came back to the car, he pretended to be angry. He scowled and slammed the door. Billy asked him what was wrong, and Mickey said his friend wouldn’t let them hunt. “I’m so mad at that guy,” Mantle said, “I’m going out to his barn and shoot one of his mules!” Mantle drove like a maniac to the barn. Martin protested, “We can’t do that!” But Mickey was adamant. “Just watch me,” he shouted.

When they got to the barn, Mantle jumped out of the car with his rifle, ran inside, and shot the mule. As he was leaving, though, he heard two shots, and he ran back to the car. He saw that Martin had taken out his rifle, too. “What are you doing, Martin?” he yelled. Martin yelled back, face red with anger, “We’ll show that son of a gun! I just killed two of his cows!”

Billy really didn’t know what he was supposed to be aiming at. He just got caught up in the moment and fired off a couple of rounds at something he thought was to be a target. He caused lots of trouble.

:14 And he did evil

evilra– bad, evil; disagreeable, malignant; unpleasant, unhappiness, misery

When did Rehoboam do evil? There are two times Rehoboam got into trouble.

Lesson

Making bad decisions

Rehoboam brought the nation into “disagreeable” or “unpleasant” times because of the decisions he made based on the advice he received.
When he first became king, the people asked him to give them a little break (2Chr. 10:4).
Rehoboam wasn’t sure what to do, so he began asking for advice.

He asked the old men first, and they told him to ease up on the people and they’d love him forever (2Chr. 10:7).

He asked the young men, and they told him to get tough and show the people who’s boss (2Chr. 10:10-11).

Rehoboam liked the advice that the young men gave, and when he chose to follow their advice, the nation became divided and 10 of the twelve tribes rebelled from following him.
I usually see this as a classic example of how important it is to get good advice from wiser, older people.
But perhaps the real problem is that Rehoboam didn’t ask enough people for advice.
There’s one person he forgot. He forgot to ask God.
His grandfather, David, was famous for always asking God for advice.
Long before he ever became king, David was always asking God for advice.

(1 Sam 23:1-5 KJV) Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. {2} Therefore David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. {3} And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? {4} Then David inquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah: for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. {5} So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

This was the habit of David’s life – asking God for directions.

David wrote,

(Psa 34:4 KJV) I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

How do we “seek the Lord”? We pray.

Yet it seems that this never crossed Rehoboam’s mind.

Lesson

Getting caught in sin

Even after the kingdom became divided, Rehoboam went through a time when the nation began to recover and prosper.
Many of the godly people from the north moved to the south because they wanted to worship the Lord in Jerusalem, like they were supposed to.
Yet when things were starting to go pretty good, Rehoboam fell away from the Lord. Ezra records it this way:
(2 Chr 12:1 KJV) 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.
The writer of Kings tells us more of the specifics:
(1 Ki 14:22-24 KJV) And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. {23} For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. {24} And there were also sodomites (male temple prostitutes) in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

How could this man, the son of Solomon, the grandson of David, get involved in such wickedness? How could he get so far from the Lord?

Perhaps because he was never really aiming at following the Lord in the first place. He had his mind on other things.
Illustration
A sheep doesn’t go astray because it decides, “Today I will get lost”. Instead, it starts by seeing a patch of grass that looks tasty. And a little bit further off is another patch of grass. And pretty soon the sheep has eaten itself to the other side of a hill and can’t find its way back.

We need to get our eyes off the tasty treats and put them on Jesus. Aim at following Jesus.

:14 because he prepared not his heart

he prepared notkuwn – (Hiphil) to establish, set up, accomplish, do, make firm; make ready, prepare, provide for

My Bible has a footnote that translates this word, “It was not his basic purpose”. But it’s a little stronger than that.

TWOT: “The root meaning is to bring something into being with the consequence that its existence is a certainty”.[4]  In other words, you “prepare” something because you intend for it to happen. It will happen.

To prepare your heart to seek the Lord means that you will indeed be seeking the Lord.
It doesn’t mean that you just go through the motions.

heartleb – inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding

Lesson

Take aim

If you’re going to hit a target, you’ve got to aim at it first.
Sometimes, we really don’t know what we’re aiming at in life.
Illustration
It was Saturday morning as Jake—an avid hunter—woke up ready to go bag the first deer of the season. He walks down to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, and to his surprise he finds his wife, Alice, sitting there, fully dressed in camouflage. Jake asks her: “What are you up to?” Alice smiles: “I’m going hunting with you!” Jake, though he had many reservations about this, reluctantly decides to take her along. Later they arrive at the hunting site. Jake sets his wife safely up in the tree stand and tells her: “If you see a deer, take careful aim on it and I’ll come running back as soon as I hear the shot”. Jake walks away with a smile on his face knowing that Alice couldn’t bag an elephant—much less a deer. Not 10 minutes pass when he is startled as he hears an array of gunshots. Quickly, Jake starts running back. As Jake gets closer to her stand, he hears Alice screaming: “Get away from my deer!” Confused, Jake races faster towards his screaming wife. And again he hears her yell: “Get away from my deer!” followed by another volley of gunfire. Now within sight of where he had left his wife, Jake is surprised to see a cowboy, with his hands high in the air. The cowboy, obviously distraught, says: “Okay, lady, okay!!!! You can have your deer!!! Just let me get my saddle off it!”
What is your passion in life? What are you aiming at?
If a private detective was hired to follow you and figure out what your passion was in life, would he be able to tell by just watching you? Would he even know if you have a passion for anything?
It’s dangerous to not have a direction in life.
Illustration
This was in today’s Register (12-01-02) (“Suspect’s life full of discord” by Keith Sharon)
It was a strange afternoon for Alex Avila to go “nowhere.” Monday, July 15, he had a load of chores to accomplish. His sister, Elvira, asked him to fill a couple of 5-gallon water bottles - he was the only one who could carry them back up the stairs. He told his mother he would make her a barbecue chicken dinner. Also, to get their apartment ready for an inspection on Tuesday, he had to unscrew his speakers from the wall and move the large entertainment unit that held his stereo, television and family pictures - the one of his parents arm-in-arm, his brothers and sisters, and the panoramic shot of him and Elvira on a rocky ledge off Ortega Highway overlooking Lake Elsinore. Elvira, 22, stopped him on his way out the door. “Where are you going?” she said. “Nowhere,” he said. She handed him money for the water, and sometime around 4 p.m., police say, Alex Avila walked out of the apartment and became every parent’s nightmare. They say Avila sexually assaulted, killed and gruesomely discarded Samantha Runnion, a 5-year-old Stanton girl with wavy hair and a smile that pierced the collective heart of a national television audience.
It made me think of that old Beatles song –
Illustration
Nowhere Man (by John Lennon & Paul McCartney)
He's a real nowhere Man
Sitting in his Nowhere Land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.
Doesn't have a point of view
Knows not where he's going to
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
Ezra
The people had returned from Babylon and had finally rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem. It was Ezra who would come from Babylon and put everything back into working order. But first Ezra needed to make the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. He was going to be carrying all kinds of treasures and it would be a dangerous journey.
(Ezra 7:9-10 KJV) For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. {10} For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

Ezra knew where he was going and what he was doing because he had already taken the time to get his heart in order and making God the aim of his life.

Ezra was blessed in his life because his life was aimed in the right direction from the start.

:14 to seek the LORD.

to seekdarash – to resort to, seek with care, enquire

It’s not just important that we have plans and direction in our lives, but that our plans and directions are aimed at the Lord.

The king of Tyre got into trouble because he decided that he’d be “god”.

(Ezek 28:6 NKJV) 'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have set your heart as the heart of a god,

Lesson

Aim at the Lord

What does it look like to “seek the Lord”?
(Luke 7:36-50 KJV) And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
We might initially look at this story and think that Simon will be the one who is “right” with God. We might think that he was the one who was “seeking the Lord” since he had invited Jesus to dinner. Not so.
{37} And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
She’s been looking for Jesus. When she finds Him, she brings a very costly perfume with her.
{38} And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Meeting Jesus was turning her life upside down. Instead of using the perfume to make herself smell better, she’s pouring it on Jesus. Priorities are different when you are seeking Jesus.
{39} Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
Actually, Jesus does know she’s a sinner. And He’s glad she came.
{40} And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. {41} There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
One guy owed the bank five hundred bucks, the other owed fifty.
{42} And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? {43} Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. {44} And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
It was expected for a good host to have his guests’ feet washed when they arrived.
{45} Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
The kiss was a form of greeting.
{46} My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Anointing a head with perfume was an act of friendship and love – it also made everyone at dinner smell better too!
{47} Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. {48} And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
Jesus knew that this woman’s sins had been forgiven because of the way she treated Him.
{49} And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? {50} And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
Simon had gotten off track. He wasn’t concerned about the things that Jesus was concerned about, like reaching out to sinners.
The woman was willing to walk right into Simon’s house, right into the house of a hypocrite. All that mattered is that she found Jesus. She found forgiveness.

Which are you more like today? The Pharisee or the sinner?

Are you really aiming at Jesus, or just going through the motions?

Are you more like Rehoboam or his grandfather David?

Are you just someone who just goes through the motions of being religious, or are you someone who knows the Lord?

(Isa 55:6 KJV) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

:15 the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies

This is Ezra’s bibliography in writing this portion of Chronicles.

Shemaiah is the prophet that has spoken several times to Rehoboam (2Chr. 11:2; 12:5,7).

Iddo was also cited in the history of Solomon (2Chr. 9:29) and the history of Abijah (2Chr. 13:22).

Map



[1]Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1996, c1987). The works of Josephus : Complete and unabridged. Includes index. (Ant VIII, viii 4). Peabody: Hendrickson.

[2]Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1996, c1987). The works of Josephus : Complete and unabridged. Includes index. (Ant VIII, x 2). Peabody: Hendrickson.

[3]Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1996, c1987). The works of Josephus : Complete and unabridged. Includes index. (Ant VIII, x 3). Peabody: Hendrickson.

[4]Harris, R. L., Harris, R. L., Archer, G. L., & Waltke, B. K. (1999, c1980). Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed.) (Page 433). Chicago: Moody Press.