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(Re)writing Your Destiny

2Chronicles 11-12

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Up until this point in Chronicles it has been all good leaders and blessings from the Lord. But starting in chapter 10 Judah enters a period of a rollercoaster in terms of leadership. This leads to an up and down experience with Yahweh, success and failure, blessing and discipline.

In the stories of chapters 11 and 12, Ezra reminds the people of the consequences of abandoning a relationship with God and of patterning after the world (both issues for the returning exiles from Babylon).

Rehoboam was the product of apostasy (Solomon) and worldly influence (Maacah). The kingdom he inherited and later broke apart was the result of his father's abandoning of the Lord. The prophecy against Rehoboam (and Solomon) and for Jeroboam is found in 1 Kings 11:31-32. This came about because of Solomon's disobedience and fall into idolatry. (1 Kings 11:29). But though the stage was set long before Rehoboam took the throne, Solomon's son becomes a willing actor in the drama.

The word to us is that no matter what script the world or the enemy writes for you, God provides ample opportunities to re-write your destiny, if we would listen to His Word, those around us who are mature in their faith, and to the discipline God brings us.

1 - 4

Rehoboam (who reigned from 931 to 913 B.C.) had made a critical mistake. It seems it was one he wanted to make (see 10:8 - going on until you get the advice you wanted). He is about to make an even more critical one. Fortunately he listens to godly counsel this time. It would be one of the last times.

5 - 12

All the towns listed here are in the southern and western regions of Judah, seemingly towards Egypt.

13 - 17

In 1 Kings 12:31, Jeroboam had rejected all the Levites as part of his policy of separating himself from Judah in all ways, including religious practice. The process of migrating of the faithful down in Judah came over time. It's why we can say that there will be representatives of the 12 tribes in the future, because members of all the tribes who loved God came down to Judah and resettled there.

18 - 23

Mahalath was Rehoboam's second cousin and half cousin, while Maacah was his half-cousin once removed.

Chapter 12:1

It took only three years for Rehoboam to abandon a relationship with God. I think that perhaps all the godly people coming down from Israel in the north might have had some influence on him, but his heart was not really in it (as evidenced by his earlier actions). Notice that when he got strong, he abandoned God. How common is that for us as well.

1 Cor 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

2 - 4

Shishak is known as Sheshonk I in Egypt, founder of the 22^nd Dynasty. Carvings on a wall of his temple of Amon at Karnak to this day chronicles the conquering of these Palestinian cities. One inscription says he conquered 156 cities.

5 - 8

Rehoboam's repentance seems to have been foxhole faith (see verse 14). But God wanted to show them that when they reached out to him with a humble heart, salvation was near at hand. Yet he also wanted them to see the difference between serving Him and serving the world!

9 - 12

Sometimes we serve God only so that things will go okay. God becomes like a good luck charm. Sometimes things can go okay for us but in reality it is nothing more than the conditions we experience-nothing to do with God's providence at all. Simply put, we should not place our reliance on God so that circumstances will go our way, nor should we say that because things are okay then it must be God.

Our peace rests in knowing God, no matter what is happening around us, good or bad.

13 - 14

The world is like a big magnet. If we do nothing, its pull will act upon us and sooner or later we'll feel the tug back towards its values. We need to "set our heart" to seeking God.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. NKJV

15 - 16

Shemaiah seems to be a source for some material about Rehoboam that we don't get in 1 Kings.

Conclusions

What happened to Rehoboam?

His father's excess became his son's downfall

Solomon disobeyed the law of the Lord and gathered horses and gold (Deut 17:16 and following). His building projects put a burden on the people, which Rehoboam was not willing to reduce.

His mother's influence likely led to sin (1 Kings 14:22-24)

The Ammonite (modern day Jordan) god was Milcom. Solomon introduced Milcon into Israel, probably at Maacah's suggestion. No doubt this led Rehoboam to set up altars to other gods as well.

His friends were more important than his counselors

Rehoboam for some reason didn't want to lighten the load, perhaps to be seen as weak. He didn't find the answer he wanted in the king's counselors so he went to his friends instead. Friends tell you what you want to hear, not what you need to hear.

His greatest and only achievement was a complete waste

He built up and fortified cities that were taken. Had he built up his relationship with God instead what a legacy he would have left.

He got strong in himself, and weak in the Lord

Chapter 12 verse 1 tells us that Rehoboam "abandoned the Law of the Lord." Whenever we think we have it all together we start to ignore our relationship with God-always a mistake.

He listened to the Word of God and repented, but only temporarily

12:6 shows us his humility, but verse 14 shows his true character. Temporary repentance is like taking only half of your prescription for antibiotics. The disease isn't really addressed, only the symptoms. After a while it comes back full force.

What About Us?

Who influences you?

"Yes man" friends, circumstances, threats, wants and desires? Or trusted mentors and the Word of God?

What do you do when you feel sure of yourself?

Do you stop praying and trusting in God and start thinking you did it all yourself?

A seemingly small decision made in hast or with poor advice can have long term major ramifications.

Be careful, prayerful, and slow to make decisions-but quick to fall on your knees in repentance when you blow it. Had Rehoboam done that early on in his reign, how different things might have been!

>> Show/Hide Scripture Passage<<

2Chronicles 11:1-12:16 (ESV)

Rehoboam Secures His Kingdom

11:1 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God: 3 “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, 4 ‘Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives. Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me.’” So they listened to the word of the Lord and returned and did not go against Jeroboam.

5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah. 6 He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that are in Judah and in Benjamin. 11 He made the fortresses strong, and put commanders in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. 12 And he put shields and spears in all the cities and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

Priests and Levites Come to Jerusalem

13 And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him from all places where they lived. 14 For the Levites left their common lands and their holdings and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons cast them out from serving as priests of the Lord, 15 and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made. 16 And those who had set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their fathers. 17 They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam the son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

Rehoboam's Family

18 Rehoboam took as 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, Shemariah, and Zaham. 20 After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters). 22 And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king. 23 And he dealt wisely and distributed some of his sons through all the districts of Judah and Benjamin, in all the fortified cities, and he gave them abundant provisions and procured wives for them. [1]

Egypt Plunders Jerusalem

12:1 When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. 2 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, because they had been unfaithful to the Lord, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem 3 with 1,200 chariots and 60,000 horsemen. And the people were without number who came with him from Egypt—Libyans, Sukkiim, and Ethiopians. 4 And he took the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. 5 Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and to the princes of Judah, who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says the Lord, ‘You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak.’” 6 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is righteous.” 7 When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: “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 servants to him, 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. He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house. He took away everything. He also took away the shields of gold that Solomon had made, 10 and King Rehoboam made in their place shields of bronze and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house. 11 And as often as the king went into the house of the Lord, the guard came and carried them and brought them back to the guardroom. 12 And when he humbled himself the wrath of the Lord turned from him, so as not to make a complete destruction. Moreover, conditions were good [2] in Judah.

13 So King Rehoboam grew strong in Jerusalem and reigned. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite. 14 And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.

15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are they not written in the chronicles of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer? [3] There were continual wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. 16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David, and Abijah [4] his son reigned in his place. (ESV)

Footnotes

[1] 11:23 Hebrew and sought a multitude of wives
[2] 12:12 Hebrew good things were found
[3] 12:15 After seer, Hebrew adds according to genealogy
[4] 12:16 Spelled Abijam in 1 Kings 14:31

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