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2 Chronicles 8-12
Pleasing God
or Ourselves
Psalm 61:1-8 Praying When Overwhelmed
1.“Hear my cry, God. Listen to my prayer.2.From the end of the earth, I will call to you, when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.3.For you have been a refuge for me, a strong tower from the enemy.4.I will dwell in your tent forever. I will take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah.5.For you, God, have heard my vows. You have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.6.You will prolong the king’s life; his years shall be for generations.7.He shall be enthroned in God’s presence forever. Appoint your hesed/loyal love and faithfulness, that they may preserve him.8.So I will sing praise to your name forever, that I may fulfil my vows daily.”Observations
61:1-4.When overwhelmed by difficulties, David prays, remembering God's track record with him, and seeking protection, deliverance and security/stability (the Rock that is higher than David's resources/abilities).
61:5-7.
Because David fulfills his covenant responsibilities (fears and loyally trusts God), he knows that his prayers will be answered by the God who is faithful to His covenant responsibilities. Biblical Survey of Prayer
61:8.
So David will continually sing God's praises, which he vows to do. Groaning in the Garden gives a pattern for prayer when overwhelmed from Mark 14:
Pour Out your feelings honestly to God 1Pt 5:7 Phil 4:6-7
Recognize that God is able to change anything Phil 4:13 Jn 15:7 2 Cor 9:8
Align your Will (thinking and feeling) with the Father's 1Jn 5:14
Yield yourself to do God's will to the point of death. Rm 14:4 2Cor 9:8
Application
Learn and use the pattern of Jesus' prayer in the Garden when overwhelmed. Learn it now, because when you need it, it will be too late to learn it.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thanks that I can call out to You at any time, in any circumstances and know that You will protect and prosper those who fear Your name. Amen.
Proverbs 16:8-9 Planning for Righteousness
8.“Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice.9.A man’s heart plans his course, but/then Yahweh establishes his steps.”Observations
16:8.Another “better.” We need to value righteousness over injustice, even if we lose out on temporal stuff. God's blessing usually more than compensates for any “loss” we suffer, but even if it doesn't, the final tally doesn't happen until heaven.
16:9.
It's our job to plan our path/direction according to God's revelation about what's best; it is God's job to establish our steps.
Application
Determine what action is in accord with God's will, then pursue it by faith that God will establish your steps and cause you to prosper.
Prayer
God, I plan on pleasing You, today and forever; please establish my steps and smooth my way, so I get to where we both want me to be. Amen.
2Chronicles 8-12 Pleasing God or Ourselves
In these chapters, Solomon starts living for his pleasure, and displeases God (even though he is careful to worship ritually). As a result, the kingdom splits and God offers Jeroboam his own "Davidic Covenant," which he turns down. The king of Egypt comes up and takes all the treasure of Jerusalem and makes them his servants. All in all not the happiest of times.
2 Chronicles 8 Pleasing Self or God
1.It happened at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of Yahweh, and his own house,2.that the cities which Huram had given to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there.3.Solomon went to Hamath Zobah, and prevailed against it.4.He built..6.all the storage cities, and all the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build for his pleasure in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion11.Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David to the house that he had built for her; for he said, "My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places where the ark of Yahweh has come are holy."12.Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on the altar of Yahweh, which he had built before the porch,13.even as the duty of every day required...14.He appointed, according to the ordinance of David his father, the divisions of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their offices, to praise, and to minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required15.They didn’t depart from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures...Observations
8:1-11.After completing the temple, Solomon turned his attention to other building projects. The chronicler doesn't mention Solomon building temples for the gods of his wives (1Kg 11), nor that they turned his heart to worship other gods. However, we have a hint that something isn't right in Jerusalem, with the focus on Solomon's pleasure rather than God's. Solomon knew that it wasn't right for Pharaoh's daughter to be dwelling in a holy place, so he built her another house out of the city. Hmmmmm.
8:12-15.
Solomon was an able administrator, performing all the ritual and external commands flawlessly.
2 Chronicles 9 Queen of Sheba Blesses Yahweh
1.When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great train, and camels that bore spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she had come to Solomon, she talked with him of all that was in her heart.2.Solomon answered all her questions; and there was not anything hidden from Solomon which he didn’t tell her.3.When the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built,4.and...there was no more spirit in her.5.She said to the king, "It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your acts, and of your wisdom.6.However I didn’t believe their words, until I came, and my eyes had seen it; and behold, the half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me: you exceed the fame that I heard.7.Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you, and hear your wisdom.8.Blessed be Yahweh your God, who delighted in you, to set you on his throne, to be king for Yahweh your God: because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore made he you king over them, to do justice and righteousness."9.She gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, and spices in great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon12.King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides that which she had brought to the king. So she turned, and went to her own land, she and her servants.13.Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was...22.So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.23.All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.24.They brought every man his tribute...25.Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, that he stationed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.26.He ruled over all the kings from the River even to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.27.The king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones...28.They brought horses for Solomon out of Egypt, and out of all lands.29.Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, aren’t they written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?30.Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.31.Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.Observations
9:1-12.The Queen of Sheba is thoroughly impressed with how God has blessed Solomon, and she blesses Yahweh. That's how it should be. God blesses us so others can know him. Solomon is outwardly fulfilling the purpose for which God made him king, but the chronicler does record some disturbing data.
9:13-31.
Solomon is multiplying gold and horses, even Egyptian ones, which God had expressly forbidden for kings in Dt 17. Though doing all the outward rituals correctly, inwardly, Solomon was decaying, not wholeheartedly knowing and serving God according to His pleasure.
Application
Outward conformity to God's rituals is no substitute for a heart wholly devoted to Him.
Prayer
God, may I never confuse ritual with a real relationship with You; may my highest pleasure be Your pleasure and not my one. Amen.
2 Chronicles 10 Bad Counsel
1.Rehoboam went to Shechem; for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.2.It happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon), that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.3.They sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying,4."Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you."5.He said to them, "Come again to me after three days." The people departed.6.King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father7.They spoke to him, saying, "If you are kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever."8.But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him10.The young men spoke: "...thus you shall say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.11.Now whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.’"12.So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam13.The king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men,14.and spoke to them after the counsel of the young men15.So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was brought about of God, that Yahweh might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.16.When all Israel saw that the king didn’t listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, "What portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse! Every man to your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David." So all Israel departed to their tents.17.But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.19.So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.Observations
10:1-11.Apparently life was not that easy under Solomon, because of all his building projects. The people ask for relief. Solomon's counselors, tell Rehoboam to listen to the people, serve them, and they will serve him. He listens to the counsel of the young men, who immaturely viewed a leadership position as a basis for worth and value, rather than service of the people as the correct basis.
10:12-19.
Israel rebels because Rehoboam followed the unwise counsel. But God was using his unsanctified desires to split the kingdom because of Solomon's sin. 1Kg 11:26-39 records the incredibly gracious offer God made to Jereboam, to bless him as He had David:
1Kg 11:37 "So I will take you, and you shall reign over all your heart desires, and you shall be king over Israel. 38 Then it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you”
Application
Listening to wise counsel is really helpful if you don't want to regret your decisions.
Prayer
Father, I want to do what is right in Your sight, pleasing You rather than myself. Guide me in the way with Your word, and wise counsel. Amen.
2 Chronicles 11 Migration to Judah
1.When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.2.But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,3."Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,4.‘Thus says Yahweh, "You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Return every man to his house; for this thing is of me."’" So they listened to the words of Yahweh, and returned from going against Jeroboam.5.Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.11.He fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, and oil and wine.12.He put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceeding strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.13.The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border14.For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office to Yahweh;15.and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made.16.After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.17.So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.18.Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;19.and she bore him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.20.After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.21.Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.)22.Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers; for he intended to make him king.23.He dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city: and he gave them food in abundance. He sought for them many wives.Observations
11:1-12.After God sends a prophet to prevent brothers from spilling each other's blood, Rehoboam builds and fortifies cities, in the now Southern Kingdom of Judah.
11:13-17.
Meanwhile Jereboam is building a pagan alternative worship center in the now Northern Kingdom of Israel, complete with male goats, and golden calves, to compete with the worship of the true God, Yahweh, in Jerusalem. He did not believe and trust the promise God made him, and violated God's word to get his heart's desire. Silly king
1Kg 12:26 "And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: 27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah."
All the Levites get kicked out of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and come to Jerusalem, along with everyone of the ten northern tribes whose hearts were set on seeking God according to His word. His word said, Jerusalem is the place to worship, and you shall only worship Yahweh, not the image of a goat or calf.
11:18-22.
Rehoboam prospers, adding wives, concubines, and kids, an indication of the blessing of fertility.
Application
It's foolish to trust in our thinking at the expense of the word of God, for He always fulfills His promises to bless those who follow Him, and curse those who don't.
Prayer
God, help me clearly see the folly of failing to follow You, and the benefits of walking in Your ways. Amen.
2 Chronicles 12 Forsake, Forgiven, Forfeit
1.It happened, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of Yahweh, and all Israel with him.2.It happened in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Yahweh,3.with twelve hundred chariots, and sixty thousand horsemen.4.He took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.5.Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, ‘You have forsaken me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.’"6.Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, "Yahweh is righteous."7.When Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah, saying, "They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them; but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on 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 Yahweh, and the treasures of the king’s house. He took it all away. He also took away the shields of gold which Solomon had made.10.King Rehoboam made in their place shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house.11.It was so, that as often as the king entered into the house of Yahweh, the guard came and bore them, and brought them back into the guard room.12.When he humbled himself, the wrath of Yahweh turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether: and moreover in Judah there were good things found.13.So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.14.He did that which was evil, because he didn’t set his heart to seek Yahweh.15.Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, aren’t they written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, after the way of genealogies? There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.16.Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his place.Observations
12:1-12.So Rehoboam was doing well, even with a diminished kingdom (because of Solomon's sin). Incredibly, he follows in Solomon's footsteps in forsaking God, and God sends a prophet who tells him that He's sending Shishak, king of Egypt to destroy Jerusalem. The reason his kingdom was two tribes rather than ten, was because Solomon forsook God. Rehoboam and company humble themselves, and repent, acknowledging that Yahweh is righteous in sending judgment for their sin. They repent, God relents, but their sin costs them. They lose all the treasures, and have to serve Shishak as his vassals. It would have been far better to have served God. But sometimes folks are pretty dense.
12:13-16.
The summary statement of Rehoboam's reign indicates that peace was no longer in the land.
Application
Even though God relents of wrath when we repent, there are still consequences to our sin. It would be far better if we didn't sin in the first place.
Prayer
God, impress upon me how stupid it is to depart from following You, so I won't ever even desire it. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God offers great blessings to those who will simply do what He says. He will punish those who don't, pouring out His wrath on them. God relents from great wrath when we repent, but still lets us reap the negative consequences of our disobedience, so we (and others) will fear Him.Us in a nutshell: If we're busy seeking and serving God (as He told us to) we have lots of opportunities to be blessed and little time to get into trouble and be cursed. If we fail to obey God, or try to fulfill our desires by disobeying, or listen to unwise counsel, we will regret it. Daily dependence upon God, applying His word to our lives, not only keeps us out of trouble, but sets us up to live happily ever after. If we live to please God, we will ultimately please ourselves. If we live to please ourselves, we will wind up displeasing God.