Burunche’s Blog

2 Chronicles 19:1 – 11 Jehoshaphat Reproved by Jehu

“Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned safely to his home in Jerusalem. Then Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to confront him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Do you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you. However, some good is found in you, for you have removed the Asherah poles from the land and have set your heart on seeking God.”

Jehoshaphat’s Reforms

Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and once again he went out among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the LORD, the God of their fathers. He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah. Then he said to the judges, “Consider carefully what you do, for you are not judging for man, but for the LORD, who is with you when you render judgment. And now, may the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice, partiality, or bribery.” In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat also appointed some of the Levites, priests, and heads of the Israelite families to judge on behalf of the LORD and to settle disputes. And they lived in Jerusalem. He commanded them, saying, “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the LORD. For every dispute that comes before you from your brothers who dwell in their cities—whether of bloodshed or offenses against the law, the commandments, the statutes, or the judgments—you are to warn them, so that they will not incur guilt before the LORD and wrath will not come upon you and your brothers. Do this, and you will not incur guilt.

Note that Amariah, the chief priest, will be over you in all that pertains to the LORD, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all that pertains to the king. And the Levites will serve as officers before you. Act resolutely; may the LORD be with the upright!”

Jehoshaphat is back in Jerusalem after nearly being killed by the Syrians. After stupidly marrying King Ahab’s daughter and allying himself with a Baal – worshiping family to avoid attack by Israel, Jehoshaphat compounded his blunder by allying himself with Ahab in a senseless war to re – take the city of Ramoth – gilead from the Syrians.

Micaiah, a true prophet, warned both Ahab and Jehoshaphat that this attack would end in disaster and destruction for Ahab; however, Jehoshaphat didn’t listen to the Lord because his pride was on the line. Ahab persuaded Jehoshaphat to go into battle in his royal robes, making him a perfect target, while Ahab cleverly disguised himself as a common chariot driver. But when God showed the Syrians that Jehoshaphat was not the King of Israel, the Syrians let him alone. Ahab died from a chance arrow wound that pierced the joints in his armor and Jehoshaphat fled for his life.

Now Jehu, the son of Hanani the Seer, is confronting Jehoshaphat over his attempts to assist evil King Ahab. “Do you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you. However, some good is found in you, for you have removed the Asherah poles from the land and have set your heart on seeking God.”

Some other kings when rebuked would throw the seer into prison or even have him killed. But Jehoshaphat is made of different stuff. For once, an Israelite king receives an admonishment from the Lord meekly. This might be the first time since Nathan confronted David over the Bathsheba affair that a king of Judah has actually listened when God sends a message of correction. There is an adage that says, “If you’re at the bottom of a hole, stop digging!” Amazingly, Jehoshaphat does exactly that.

Rather than go off in a royal snit and pout in a corner, Jehoshaphat travels throughout Judah, establishing judges and ordering them to behave wisely and honestly. “Consider carefully what you do, for you are not judging for man, but for the LORD, who is with you when you render judgment. And now, may the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice, partiality, or bribery.” Even in Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat establishes a system of judges involving Levites, priests, and heads of the Israelite families. In short, Jehoshaphat straightens up and flies right.

APPLICATION: How well do any of us receive correction? The amazing thing about Jehoshaphat is that there is no record of his becoming angry at Jehu or punishing him. Contrast this attitude with that of Ahab, who threw Micaiah in prison when Micaiah warned that Ahab’s four hundred prophets were all lying to him and that the proposed battle would turn into a rout. Even King Asa, Jehoshaphat’s father, threw Hanani the Seer into jail when Hanani brought a rebuke from the Lord because Asa failed to trust God and relied on the Syrian army to defend him from King Baasha of Israel.

Perhaps Jehoshaphat has actually learned something from his father’s mistakes. At any rate, Jehoshaphat continues to behave righteously, establishing judges and ordering them to judge honestly.

The sad part of Jehoshaphat’s story is that despite all his good works, the wrath of the Lord is upon him for becoming involved with Ahab’s family and trying to help Ahab attack Ramoth – gilead, ignoring God’s warnings. Jehoshaphat was the one who insisted on hearing from a man of God. When Micaiah gave that warning, Jehoshaphat should have been resolute enough to tell Ahab, “Sorry. God has spoken and we need to obey.” Then Jehoshaphat should have returned to Jerusalem with all his men. But Jehoshaphat had already proudly proclaimed that his people were as Ahab’s people, a strong declaration of alliance. Faced with obeying the Lord or saving face, Jehoshaphat chose to save face.

It’s tempting to read these stories and assume that we would behave far more wisely were we in a similar position. But human nature hasn’t changed in thousands of years; if you doubt that statement, simply turn on the television or check news on – line and see how politicians all over the world are acting. King Solomon was right when he said that there is nothing new under the sun!

King Jehoshaphat continues to serve as an example to all of us. Jehoshaphat got involved with the wrong group of people; however, he finally recognized his mistakes and accepted reproof. May God give each of us meek and sensitive hearts, so that when He brings correction, we accept it gladly!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to have hearts of wisdom, hearts that will receive correction gladly. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Chronicles 18:1 – 34 Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab (1 Kings 22:1-12)

“Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage. And some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria, where Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him, and urged him to march up to Ramoth-gilead.

Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am like you, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.”

But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”

So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and God will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?” The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied. So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”

Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’” And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab (1 Kings 22:13-28)

Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.” But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever my God tells me.”

When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for they will be given into your hand.”

But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the LORD?”

So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”

Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”

Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left. And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that. Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD. And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’ So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”

Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak to you?” Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.”

And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’” But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!”

Ahab’s Defeat and Death (1 Kings 22:29-40)

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “This is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him.

And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!” The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. And at sunset he died.”

This passage is a little long; however, there is really no way to break it up without losing the point of the story. Probably desiring to eliminate Israel as a threat, Jehoshaphat marries one of Ahab’s daughters. Now, alliances are all well and good, but you need to be careful when forging them. Ahab is a wimpy idol worshiper dominated by his Baal – priestess wife, Jezebel. This daughter whom Jehoshaphat has married is likely also an idolater and therefore not a proper match for Jehoshaphat at all.

Perhaps Jehoshaphat marries Ahab’s daughter anticipating that he will then be able to manipulate Ahab. When Jehoshaphat visits Ahab, Ahab “sacrifices” many sheep and cattle for Jehoshaphat’s entourage and then urges him to partner with Ahab to attack Ramoth – gilead, a town east of the Jordan that is held by the Syrians. Jehoshaphat wants to please his father – in – law and makes a sweeping “my people are as your people” speech. But Jehoshaphat is also wise enough to ask that they first ask for God’s guidance.

Ahab assembles four hundred pagan prophets who all encourage him to attack Ramoth – gilead; however, Jehoshaphat realizes that these men are fakes and asks for a prophet of the Lord. Ahab admits that he does have one prophet of the Living God, Micaiah, but Micaiah never tells him what he wants to hear. True to form, Micaiah advises the kings that attacking Ramoth – gilead will end in disaster and that Ahab will die during the battle. Micaiah also adds that the lying spirit inspiring Ahab’s prophets is from the Lord, who has pronounced disaster against Ahab.

Ahab sulks and throws Micaiah in prison but then comes up with a “fool – proof” plan. Ahab convinces Jehoshaphat to wear his royal robes while Ahab dresses like a common soldier. Ahab figures the Syrians will target Jehoshaphat and leave him alone; unfortunately, Ahab is wrong. When the Syrians begin attacking Jehoshaphat, he cries to the Lord for help and the Lord protects him. Then one Syrian soldier draws his bow and shoots an arrow at random; that arrow pierces Ahab through a gap in his armor. Ahab makes it out of the battle, but he dies at sunset and all the army scatters, just as Micaiah has prophesied.

Jehoshaphat has really compromised himself. Not only has he married into an evil family, but he even has a father – in – law willing to use him as a pawn in battle. Jehoshaphat must be a special kind of stupid to enter such an alliance and not expect terrible repercussions. Why would Jehoshaphat possibly agree to wear his royal robes into a battle, thereby making himself a target? Perhaps Jehoshaphat is now trusting in his own faith, believing that God would never put him into danger. But it’s not God who asks Jehoshaphat to wear fancy dress into a battle.  Only the grace of God saves Jehoshaphat!

APPLICATION: Sometimes believers can be impossibly foolish. We blunder around, never asking God for guidance and then begging God to save us from the results of our own bad choices. Jehoshaphat has married into one of the most evil families around, never considering the fact that demons can transfer through sex. Next, Jehoshaphat agrees to go to war with Ahab, even persisting after a graphic warning from the Lord through the prophet Micaiah. And finally, Jehoshaphat agrees to wear his royal robes into battle, instantly attracting the attention of Syrian bowmen.

While we might criticize Jehoshaphat, we too can make foolish decisions that put us into unnecessary danger. Several years ago, I was visiting Jerusalem and returning to a hotel on the Mount of Olives at twilight. Despite several warnings from various people, I chose to walk across the Kidron Valley. Just as I was about to be mugged for my camera, an American couple came along. The husband was a tall strong Marine; would – be mugger #1 promptly disappeared. As we climbed the slope of the Mount of Olives, three Israeli police officers arrested another mugger who was hiding behind a tombstone. After that, I LISTENED when people were advising me! During that same trip, I was also jogging several miles each morning on the Mount of Olives. Who knows how many times God protected me from kidnappers?

What can we learn from Jehoshaphat’s story? Be careful about your choice of spouse. There is nothing to indicate that Jehoshaphat prayed before marrying Ahab’s daughter. Be careful about alliances. Surely, Jehoshaphat must have heard about Jezebel’s perfidy and Ahab’s weak character; everybody would know such things. When God gives you a clear word, listen and obey; don’t compromise!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. Help us to seek Your guidance and then to obey. Thank You for the countless times You have delivered us from the results of our own foolishness. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

2 Chronicles 17:1 – 19 Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah (1 Kings 15:23-24)

“Asa’s son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place, and he strengthened himself against Israel. He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.

Now the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the earlier waysa of his father David. He did not seek out the Baals, but he sought the God of his father and walked by His commandments rather than the practices of Israel. So the LORD established the kingdom in his hand, and all Judah brought him tribute, so that he had an abundance of riches and honor. And his heart took delight in the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.

In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah to teach in the cities of Judah, accompanied by certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah—along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram. They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD. They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people.

And the dread of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. Some Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats from their flocks.

Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah and kept a large amount of supplies in the cities of Judah. He also had warriors, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem. These are their numbers according to the houses of their fathers:

From Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 mighty men of valor;

next to him, Jehohanan the commander, and with him 280,000; and next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer for the LORD, and with him 200,000 mighty men of valor.

From Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty man of valor, and with him 200,000 armed with bows and shields; and next to him, Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 armed for battle. These were the men who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.”

Although King Asa made a good start to his reign, by the end of his 41 years as king, he rejected Hanani the Seer and oppressed some people. Now Asa’s son Jehoshaphat has succeeded him, and things are looking up in Judah. Unlike Asa, Jehoshaphat takes the spiritual needs of his kingdom very seriously. Jehoshaphat fortifies a number of cities, assigning garrisons to each of these cities. Jehoshaphat turns his back on the Baals, choosing to faithfully follow the God of Israel and to take delight in the ways of the Lord. Jehoshaphat even does away with the high places and the remaining Asherah poles that his father failed to remove.

In the third year of Jehoshaphat’s reign, he even sends several officials and teaching priests throughout Judah and Benjamin to teach the people the Law of the Lord. When Jehoshaphat honors God in this fashion, God allows the fear of Him to fall on the surrounding nations so that they leave Judah and Benjamin alone. The Lord responds by establishing Jehoshaphat’s kingdom and giving him favor with neighboring countries. Some of these rulers even begin sending Jehoshaphat rich gifts.

Jehoshaphat also assembles groups of warriors totaling 1,160,000 seasoned men in addition to those he stationed in the fortified cities of Judah. The nation of Judah is doing very well as Jehoshaphat continues to honor the Lord.

APPLICATION: After the disappointments of the last part of Asa’s reign, this description of Jehoshaphat is refreshing. God really blesses Jehoshaphat, and there are several reasons. Jehoshaphat truly honors the Lord and also insists that his citizens learn the Law of the Lord as well. Sending teachers of the Law throughout the kingdom is a step that no king has ever done before, including David.

Yet another point to note is the protection that God gives Jehoshaphat from surrounding marauding nations. Jehoshaphat is being protected by his continuing to regularly worship the Lord himself. Contrast Jehoshaphat’s attitude with the attitudes of previous Solomon and Rehoboam, both of whom viewed worship to be the duty of the priests. Jehoshaphat, on the other hand, delights in the Lord and obviously has a personal relationship with Him.

God is always searching for those who will honor Him and delight in Him. When we seek to know God, He will certainly respond, communicating with us in ways we can understand. As we study Jehoshaphat further, we will realize that eventually he and his country will face dangers; however, Jehoshaphat remains faithful and God delivers them.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there are many people who don’t believe that You care for them or that You even know that they exist. Please speak to these people’s hearts and make Yourself known to them. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.   

2 Chronicles 16:1 – 14

War between Asa and Baasha (1 Kings 15:16-22)

“In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah. So Asa withdrew the silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he sent it with this message to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus: “Let there be a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold. Now go and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. When Baasha learned of this, he stopped fortifying Ramah and abandoned his work. Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials he built up Geba and Mizpah.

Hanani’s Message to Asa

At that time, Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and told him, “Because you have relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. Were not the Cushites and Libyans a vast army with many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.”

Asa was angry with the seer and put him in prison because he was so enraged over this matter. And at the same time Asa oppressed some of the people.

The Death and Burial of Asa

Now the rest of the acts of Asa, from beginning to end, are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady became increasingly severe. Yet even in his illness he did not seek the LORD, but only the physicians.

So in the forty-first year of his reign, Asa died and rested with his fathers. And he was buried in the tomb that he had cut out for himself in the City of David. They laid him on a bier that was full of spices and various blended perfumes; then they made a great fire in his honor.”

After God delivered Asa and Judah from an enormous Cushite army, there was peace in Judah. Initially, Asa and the Judeans made a covenant with the Lord, and all was well; however, men have short memories. Asa is now in his 36^th year as king and is facing an attack from Baasha, king of the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Baasha seizes Ramah, a key city on the route in and out of Judah. But Baasha’s army is far smaller than the Cushite army God defeated so many years ago. Now the problem is Asa.

Rather trusting God to deliver Judah, Asa takes all the silver and gold from the temple and palace treasuries and sends it to Ben – hadad in Damascus, begging for his assistance. This move is foolish and shortsighted. Why doesn’t Asa remember what God has done in the past and beg God for deliverance? Remember Asa’s ringing words years earlier? “Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.” (2 Chronicles 14:11)

Asa’s failure to call on the Lord spells trouble for Judah. Evidently, Asa has become complacent or spiritually dull and has forgotten the magnificent oaths sworn at the end of the war with the Cushites. Asa panics and sends all this wealth to Damascus without any assurance of help from the King of Syria. There is nothing to prevent the King of Syria from fighting Baasha, defeating him, and then turning his attention to Judah and raiding Judah. Why should the King of Syria not see how much he can get out of this situation?

Asa’s failure to call on the God of Israel also dishonors God. Nothing happens in a vacuum, and all the nations surrounding Judah are fully aware of God’s previous defeat of the Cushite army. Now Asa, who has been a strong proponent of that God, is turning to earthly assistance. This decision suggests that Asa doesn’t believe God is strong enough to defeat Baasha, even though Baasha’s army is far smaller than that Cushite one. Surrounding nations might be thinking, “Huh! We thought that God was stronger than that!”

After Asa’s fateful mistake, God sends Hanani, the Seer, to rebuke him. “For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is fully devoted to Him. You have acted foolishly in this matter. From now on, therefore, you will be at war.”  Does Asa take this rebuke to heart and repent? Absolutely not! Instead, Asa goes into a rage, throws Hanani in prison, and also “oppresses some of the people.” Evidently, Asa vents his anger by exercising his royal prerogatives in some fashion. Does Asa beat people or raise taxes? Given the fact that Asa has just sent everything from the treasuries to Damascus, it’s possible that Asa now extorts money from some of the wealthy citizens of the kingdom to rebuild the treasuries.    

Sadly, Asa appears to remain estranged from the Lord for the rest of his life. Only 4 years after this disastrous episode, Asa “becomes diseased in his feet.” The nature of this malady is unclear. Perhaps Asa develops diabetes or a problem with the circulation in his legs. But instead of begging God for healing, Asa relies on human physicians, who can do very little. Asa dies only two years later.

APPLICATION: All of Judah honors King Asa at his death; however, Asa remains a tragic figure. Asa makes a very promising beginning, bringing revival to Judah, destroying shrines, Asherah poles, and pagan altars. But after this revival, Asa enjoys 25 years of peace. There is no indication that Asa grows spiritually during this 25 years. Based on Asa’s later actions, he settles in as king and allows the power to go to his head. Rather than continuing to worship the God of Israel himself, Asa leaves those activities for the priests. When a new crisis comes, Asa refuses to turn to the Lord but acts just like the ruler of any pagan country. And even when God gives Asa another opportunity to turn to Him for healing, Asa refuses, depending on human physicians instead.

Asa starts well but ends poorly. Any of us might make similar mistakes. There is a story about a little girl who came to visit her grandmother and who found that her grandmother was always reading her Bible. “Grandma,” asked the little girl, “why do you read the Bible so much?” “My dear,” replied the grandmother, “when I go to be with Jesus, I want to make sure that I know as much of His Word as possible and that I have obeyed it.” One day, each of us will stand before the Lord, at which time He will ask us “what did you do with My Word?”

One friend who has since gone to be with Jesus always prayed, “Lord, help me to love you more today than I did yesterday.” Each of us should be desiring to love God and to know Him more each day than we did the day before.

2 Chronicles 15:1 – 19

“The Prophecy of Azariah

Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a priest to instruct them, and without the law. But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought Him, and He was found by them. In those days there was no safety for travelers, because the residents of the lands had many conflicts. Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God afflicted them with all kinds of adversity. But as for you, be strong; do not be discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.”

Asa’s Reforms (1 Kings 15:9-15)

When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD’s temple. And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, along with those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for great numbers had come over to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

So they gathered together in Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign. At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from all the plunder they had brought back. Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul. And whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, would be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. They took an oath to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, trumpets, and rams’ horns. And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn it with all their heart. They had sought Him earnestly, and He was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

King Asa also removed his grandmother Maacah from her position as queen mother because she had made a detestable Asherah pole. Asa chopped down the pole, crushed it, and burned it in the Kidron Valley. The high places were not removed from Israel, but Asa’s heart was fully devoted all his days. And he brought into the house of God the silver and gold articles that he and his father had dedicated. And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.”

Asa continues to clean house spiritually. Despite the claims of Asa’s father, Jerusalem has actually been riddled with shrines, Asherah poles, and every other kind of worship center for demons. It began with Solomon, who had to satisfy 700 wives and 300 concubines by building shrines to all of their gods. Those women did precisely what God had foretold in Deuteronomy 17, swerving Solomon’s heart away from God. Now Asa cleans up the cities he has conquered in Ephraim and restores the altar of the Lord in front of the portico of the Lord’s temple. It is likely that the altar in the Most Holy Place remains intact; however, the altar the common people can see has fallen into disrepair.

Next, Asa calls a convocation of all believers from Judah and Benjamin, including members of other tribes who have settled among them to be close to the temple in Jerusalem. These people swear life – changing oaths. “Then they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul. And whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, would be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.”

Finally, Asa removes his grandmother Maacah, Absalom’s granddaughter, from her position as queen mother because she has made a detestable Asherah pole. (Obviously, Absalom didn’t waste time learning the ways of the Lord or training his family in them either.) After all of these reforms, Asa has peace in the kingdom for 25 years. There is one niggling detail: the high places are not removed.

To some extent, it would be impossible to remove high places because they are physical locations on tops of hills and mountains. But evidently, there are also shrines and altars left at these places. Why doesn’t Asa deal with these things? Perhaps Satan convinces Asa that he has done enough and besides, nobody will use these places any more. Perhaps Asa fails to recognize the significance of allowing these places to remain untouched. At any rate, those high places are still there, just waiting for the next bunch of idol worshipers.   

APPLICATION: Asa does very well for 35 years of his reign. When the people of Judah are cutting covenant to serve the Lord, they make extensive sacrifices, blowing horns and shouting and celebrating. But….. the high places? What about the high places?

Viewing events from the hind sight of history, it’s easy to realize why those high places should have been dealt with. But had we lived during the first 35 years of Asa’s rule, we might have done the same thing. There are many things that are not quite right in our lives, things we should deal with, things God wants us to deal with. But we procrastinate, promising ourselves that we will deal with those things later. Years go by, the temporary becomes permanent and entrenched, and when we attempt to eradicate a bad practice or habit, it takes immense amounts of work.

I grew up on a Midwestern farm at a time when we had far fewer herbicides. But we had kid power. Those who raised soybeans paid teens to go through their fields with hoes, uprooting velvet weeds and other weeds. Everyone knew that the sooner you pulled the weeds, the smaller they were and the easier it was to get rid of them. If you waited until the weeds were fully grown, the root system had developed and it might take two people to pull them up!  

Every one of us has pet sins, bad habits that we overlook because we don’t feel they are significant or harmful. Perhaps we waste time watching television or playing computer games. But if we are serving the Living God, our lives are not our own and we must be about His work. Recently, I have realized that my husband and I know entirely too much about the schedule of programs on our favorite satellite TV channels. The shows we enjoy are clean and informative; however, the question remains: what does God want us to do?

I have observed that one temptation connected to aging is the idea that one has worked long enough and earned the right to unlimited leisure. But this concept is scarcely a Godly one. Consider Reverend Billy Graham, who produced video messages and books that inspired millions right up until his death at age 99. The late comedian George Burns lived past the age of 100. When someone asked Mr. Burns his secret, he replied, “How can I die? I’m booked.”

Later today, I am to address a group of pensioners, or “senior citizens,” as the Americans would call them. This group includes many men and women who are educated, literate, and concerned for their communities. I am trying to encourage these people that they are valuable and that they still have things to share.

What can we learn from Asa? Don’t ignore the “high places!” Allow God to dictate the use of your time, rather than merely indulging your whims. Don’t allow high places to develop in the first place and ask God to help you root out those things that are occupying your time, your energy, and your resources but are not from Him.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, show us the high places in our lives and then help us to eradicate them, to repudiate those practices that are wasting Your time. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Chronicles 14:1 – 15 “Asa Reigns in Judah (1 Kings 15:9-15)

“Then Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And his son Asa reigned in his place, and in his days the land was at peace for ten years.

And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God. He removed the foreign altars and high places, shattered their sacred pillars, and chopped down the Asherah poles. He commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandments. He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and under him the kingdom was at peace.

Because the land was at peace, Asa built fortified cities in Judah. In those days no one made war with him, because the LORD had given him rest. So he said to the people of Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, with doors and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the LORD our God. We have sought Him and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.

Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin bearing small shields and drawing the bow. All these were mighty men of valor.

Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots, and they advanced as far as Mareshah. So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.

Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.”

So the LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah, and the Cushites fled. Then Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. The Cushites fell and could not recover, for they were crushed before the LORD and His army. So the people of Judah carried off a great amount of plunder and attacked all the cities around Gerar, because the terror of the LORD had fallen upon them. They plundered all the cities, since there was much plunder there. They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen and carried off many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.”

King Abijah has died, and his son Asa has succeeded him. Asa makes a very hopeful beginning, carrying out spiritual cleansing throughout Judah and Benjamin. How much cleansing is necessary? “He removed the foreign altars and high places, shattered their sacred pillars, and chopped down the Asherah poles. He commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandments. He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and under him the kingdom was at peace.”

Wait!  Isn’t this the same kingdom of Judah about which Abijah made such fantastic claims? Um, er, well, yes, it is. It seems that Abijah vastly exaggerated the faithfulness of the Judeans when he made that speech to Jeroboam and his huge army. Even as Abijah was pontificating on that mountaintop, Judeans were busy worshiping at foreign altars and high places that included sacred pillars and Asherah poles and incense altars throughout the cities of Judah. These facts make God’s deliverance of Abijah and his army even more remarkable; certainly, God knew who was truly worshiping Him and who was merely playing games.

Asa is an amazing figure, precisely because he grew up in the midst of this moral and spiritual mess and yet managed to become a true worshiper of the God of Israel. But now after ten years of peace during which time Asa and the Judeans have fortified their cities, an enormous army is besieging Judah. Asa fully realizes that if he relies on his army alone, Judah is doomed. “Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.”

Asa cries out to God in faith and desperation, and God hears and delivers. God destroys many of the Cushites and Asa and his men chase the remainder all the way down to Gerar in the Negev desert, gathering a great deal of plunder as they go.

APPLICATION: Those familiar with the history of the State of Israel are aware that God has delivered Israel many times, even up to today. During the Six Day War in 1967, Israel destroyed 3 Arab armies in 6 days, despite surprise attacks. Because of these earlier successes, Israel underestimated her enemies; meanwhile, the Arabs had been acquiring new equipment and beefing up their armies. In 1973 Soviet – backed Arab armies attacked Israel on the Saturday of the Yom Kippur weekend, the holiest celebration in Judaism. Initially, the Israelis were taken completely by surprise and suffered heavy casualties. At one point, things looked so black that Prime Minister Golda Meir and her secretary were both considering suicide. But eventually the tide turned.

“Despite the war’s nightmarish opening, the IDF succeeded, after the ground steadied under its feet, in staging one of the most dramatic turnarounds in military history, a feat too complex to be described here. The war ended with the Israeli army on the roads to Damascus and Cairo. It was a victory not only over Egypt and Syria but over the Arab world, from North Africa to Iraq, which sent fresh contingents to the battlefronts, even as Israeli troops were being steadily eroded. In Iraq’s case, two tank brigades blocked the Israelis who had reached artillery range of Damascus.”

(The trauma of Israel’s Yom Kippur War was fully justified – The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)  ABRAHAM RABINOVICH, October 5, 2022

When I traveled to Israel in 1979, memories of the Yom Kippur War were fresh in people’s minds. Many Israelis were certain that only divine intervention saved Israel from complete annihilation. Psalm 121:4 says, “Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Sometimes we assume that God stopped honoring these verses when Israel went off into exile; however, consider the fact that it was God who later moved Cyrus, a Persian leader, to encourage Jews to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple.

God continues to watch over Israel for His Name’s sake, because of His promises. Are there many Israelites who are atheists? Yes. But there are also many who continue to worship the God of Israel. Do I approve of everything the Israelis do? No. But God continues to preserve Israel anyway and continues to fulfill ancient prophecies concerning Israel because of His covenants. The Eternal God stands beyond human history.

God’s favor is nothing to be toyed with! Sometimes we assume that because God has helped us in the past, we can misconduct ourselves and then beg for God’s help at the last minute without exhibiting any evidence of repentance. But God is not be either mocked or manipulated. Since God knows our thoughts and our hearts better than we do ourselves, it is ludicrous to assume that we can dupe God. We cannot treat God as if He were some cosmic vending machine.

Do you want God’s favor for your life? Then seek God, pray to Him, worship Him, and confess your sins to Him. God already knows your sins, but when you confess to Him, he can forgive you and can work in your life. What if you have unsaved loved ones who are bent on going their own way? Proverbs 21:1 tells us that “The king’s heart is as a water course in the hand of the Lord, and He turns it where He wills.” Beg God to turn people’s hearts back to Him. God will never over – ride anyone’s free will; however, He can engineer circumstances so that people will see their need of Him and turn to Him themselves.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to turn to You at all times, not just when we are in trouble. We confess that we are sinners and that by ourselves, we cannot make up for our sins. Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins so that all who believe in that sacrifice will have eternal life. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Chronicles 13:1 – 22 Abijah Reigns in Judah (1 Kings 15:1-8)

“In the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign, Abijah became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel; she was from Gibeah.

And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. Abijah went into battle with an army of 400,000 choice men, while Jeroboam drew up in formation against him with 800,000 choice and mighty men of valor.

Civil War against Jeroboam

Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel! Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master. Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.

And now you think you can resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army, and you have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods. But did you not drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites? And did you not make priests for yourselves as do the peoples of other lands? Now whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of things that are not gods.

But as for us, the LORD is our God. We have not forsaken Him; the priests who minister to the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties. Every morning and every evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD. They set out the rows of showbread on the ceremonially clean table, and every evening they light the lamps of the gold lampstand. We are carrying out the requirements of the LORD our God, while you have forsaken Him.

Now behold, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with their trumpets sound the battle call against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”

Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to ambush from the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah, the ambush was behind them. When Judah turned and discovered that the battle was both before and behind them, they cried out to the LORD. Then the priests blew the trumpets, and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. And when they raised the cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands. Then Abijah and his people struck them with a mighty blow, and 500,000 choice men of Israel fell slain. Thus the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.

Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their villages.

Jeroboam did not again recover his power during the days of Abijah, and the LORD struck him down and he died.

But Abijah grew strong, married fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, along with his ways and his sayings, are written in the Treatise of the Prophet Iddo.”

It only took Rehoboam a few years to stop seeking the Lord and to revert into idolatry. Now Rehoboam is dead, his son Abijah has become king, and Abijah and Jeroboam are at war. Abijah has 400,000 warriors while Jeroboam has twice that number. Not only does Jeroboam have twice the number of warriors Abijah has but Jeroboam has also brought both of the golden calves he has created when establishing his own religion.

But what’s this? Abijah is standing on a mountain making a long speech. “Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, servant of Solomon, son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master. Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.”

Completely ignoring Rehoboam’s deplorable behavior that led to the fracturing of the kingdom, Abijah gives a highly edited version of previous events. Abijah claims that Jeroboam gathered worthless rascals to help him resist Rehoboam when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them. Abijah takes the moral high ground, denouncing Jeroboam’s people for being rebels. Abijah conveniently ignores the fact that when Rehoboam wanted to attack Jeroboam, the prophet Shemaiah brought God’s word, ordering Rehoboam to stop because the division of the kingdom was from the Lord.

Next, Abijah denounces Jeroboam and the Israelites as idol worshipers who have driven the Levitical priests away. This part is true; when Jeroboam set up his own religion, the Levites fled to Judah and Jerusalem. Since then, the Levitical priests have continued to carry out their duties faithfully. Abijah claims that his people have been faithful to the Lord, a claim difficult to believe given Rehoboam’s actions during the latter years of his reign. But the priests are with Abijah, and that’s a good thing.

While Abijah is making this long speech, Jeroboam is sending part of his warriors to surround Abijah’s forces to ambush them. When the Judeans discover the ambush, they cry out to the Lord, the priests blow the trumpets, and God delivers Abijah and his men. Abijah’s warriors kill 500,000 of Jeroboam’s 800,000 men, and Jeroboam retreats. This battle ends Jeroboam’s attempts to attack Judah, and he dies soon afterwards. Abijah has a successful reign, marrying 14 wives and fathering 22 sons and 16 daughters.

APPLICATION: Those of us who know the story of Abijah’s father Rehoboam might wonder how Abijah can possibly make those claims in that speech. Obviously re – writing and editing history is something that has gone on as long as the human race has existed. Abijah claim that his father was merely an innocent young man who was the victim of Jeroboam’s perfidy. Despite Rehoboam’s idolatry during the latter years of his reign, Abijah tries to claim that the Judeans are true worshipers of the God of Israel while Jeroboam’s people are merely idol worshipers.

All of this information is highly questionable, and yet when the Judeans cry out to the Lord for help, God delivers them from a force twice their size. Why would God do this? Doesn’t God know how double – minded these people are? The answer should encourage all of us.

God is amazing. Even though it’s likely that many of these Judeans have been combining worship of God with idolatry, God still delivers them when they call out to Him. Despite Abijah’s uncertain spiritual past, God honors Abijah for his strong statement. “O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”

Let’s face it, none of us is totally faithful, and none of us deserve God’s grace. But God is faithful, and He answers our cries for help. The same God who delivered Abijah and the men of Judah from an army twice their size can still deliver us as well. Let us continue to worship God and let us trust Him in our times of need!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You and to depend on You as our source of help. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Chronicles 12:1 – 16

Shishak Raids Jerusalem (1 Kings 14:25-28)

“After Rehoboam had established his sovereignty and royal power, he and all Israel with him forsook the Law of the LORD. In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, Shishak king of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen, and countless troops who came with him out of Egypt—Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites. He captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem.

Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and he said to them, “This is what the LORD says: ‘You have forsaken Me; therefore, I have forsaken you into the hand of Shishak.’” So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The LORD is righteous.”

When the LORD saw that they had humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them, but will soon grant them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. Nevertheless, they will become his servants, so that they may learn the difference between serving Me and serving the kings of other lands.”

Egypt Plunders Jerusalem

So King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and seized the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made. Then King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place and committed them to the care of the captains of the guard on duty at the entrance to the royal palace. And whenever the king would enter the house of the LORD, the guards would go with him, bearing the shields, and later they would return them to the guardroom.

Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the anger of the LORD turned away from him, and He did not destroy him completely. Moreover, conditions were good in Judah.

Rehoboam’s Reign and Death (1 Kings 14:21-24)

Thus King Rehoboam established himself in Jerusalem. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel in which to put His Name. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. And Rehoboam did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.

Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are they not written in the records of Shemaiah the Prophet and of Iddo the Seer concerning the genealogies? There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their days. And Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And his son Abijah reigned in his place.”

Rehoboam was a lousy king! After spending 41 years of his life waiting to become king, Rehoboam performed well for the first 3 – 5 years, just long enough for the Levitical priests to leave their lands and villages and to join him in Jerusalem. Having secured the support of the Levitical priests, Rehoboam should have continued as he began, but he didn’t. After a few years, things fell apart.

Actually, Rehoboam should never have been designated as Solomon’s successor in the first place because his mother was an Ammonite woman. Rehoboam wasn’t even a full – blooded Israelite. It’s quite likely that Rehoboam’s mother taught him to worship Milcom, the national god of the Ammonites. Rehoboam obviously had no spiritual training worth mentioning; he only pretended to worship the Lord for the first few years of his reign and then wandered off into idolatry taking all of Judah and Benjamin with him. Rehoboam’s father Solomon had filled Jerusalem with shrines to the pagan gods his wives and concubines worshiped, so these places were close at hand, ready and waiting for new worshipers.

When Rehoboam and all of his subjects turned away from the Lord, the Lord sent Pharoah Shishak from Egypt to attack Judah. Shishak came with a huge army and swiftly took all the fortified cities. With Shishak hammering at the gates of Jerusalem, God sent the prophet Shemaiah to confront Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah. Rehoboam and the leaders humbled themselves; however, God wanted them to learn the difference between serving Him or serving foreign rulers. God allowed Shishak to enter Jerusalem and to seize the treasures of the temple and the palace. Shishak even collected the golden shields Solomon had made for the temple guard. 

It is highly significant that Rehoboam replaced those golden temple shields with showy bronze ones. The bronze would still make a flashy display; however, bronze was far inferior to gold. The substitution of bronze shields for gold ones really signifies the difference between Solomon and Rehoboam. Solomon had a lot of failings; however, he was still God’s choice as king and he did a great deal of good. There is no record of the reason Rehoboam was chosen out of all Solomon’s sons; how did Rehoboam’s Ammonite mother succeed in convincing Solomon to name her son as his successor? It’s quite likely that a number of those wives and concubines would have pressured Solomon to name their sons as heir apparent to the throne. Was the occult involved? Perhaps Solomon had other sons who actually worshiped the Lord and who would have been far better choices.

APPLICATION: This account gives God’s estimation of Rehoboam: “Rehoboam did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.” All the Levitical priests had moved to Judah and Jerusalem. Rehoboam had no lack of good spiritual advisors, but he never asked God for advice or wisdom. In the movie The Lion King, there was one scene where the little lion cub sang, “Oh I just can’t wait to be king!” The lion cub’s concept of ruling was to force everybody to do his will, no matter what. Much of Rehoboam’s reign resembled the lion cub’s half – baked ideas about kingship. Despite God’s warning that Rehoboam was not to make war against Jeroboam, Rehoboam spent much of his seventeen years fighting Jeroboam.

Ezra the priest and scribe compiled the books we know as 1^st and 2^nd Chronicles. Ezra lived hundreds of years after the events he was describing, so he could give a clear – headed estimate of the worth of the rulers he recorded. Rulers who did particularly well merited in – depth descriptions of their accomplishments, but those who did poorly sometimes received terse assessments. Ezra’s description of Rehoboam ranks as being quite terse.

Rehoboam is the perfect example of a guy who began with everything and who managed to squander much of it. Solomon left Rehoboam the complete kingdom of Israel, and all Rehoboam had to do to keep the kingdom was to be kind to the people. But Rehoboam behaved like a total jerk, and the kingdom split. Then when Jeroboam set up his own religion, the Levitical priests swarmed to Jerusalem, giving Rehoboam a major source of support. But Rehoboam only faked things for a few years and then went back into idolatry. God punished Rehoboam and all of Judah by bringing them under the hand of the Egyptians, who gleefully plundered the treasures of the temple and the palace. When Rehoboam died, he handed down a kingdom far smaller and far poorer than the one he had inherited. Rehoboam also handed down a diplomatic nightmare with Judah under the thumb of the Pharaoh and Egypt owning all the fortified cities in Judah. All this happened because Rehoboam refused to seek the Lord!

What heritage are we leaving for our children and grandchildren? Are we leaving a heritage of faith? Do our children and grandchildren know that we honor the Lord in our lives and that we seek His guidance? Or have we established ourselves as our own amateur providences, leaving havoc when we die? Rehoboam could have made a course correction at any time, but he failed to do so. May we be wiser than Rehoboam! May we seek God today!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, let all who read this devotional seek You for the decisions of their lives and let them honor You in all that they do. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.    

Chronicles 11:1 – 23 “ Shemaiah’s Prophecy (1 Kings 12:20-24)

“When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 choice warriors—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God: “Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers. Each of you must return home, for this word is from Me.’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and turned back from going against Jeroboam.

Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem, and he built up cities for defense in Judah. He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. He strengthened their fortresses and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine. He also put shields and spears in all the cities and strengthened them greatly. So Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

Jeroboam Forsakes the Priests and Levites

Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam. For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD. And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat-demons and calf idols he had made. Those from every tribe of Israel who had set their hearts to seek the LORD their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

Rehoboam’s Family

And Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab. She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, intending to make him king. Rehoboam also acted wisely by dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives for them.”

After losing ten of the twelve tribes to Jeroboam, Rehoboam initially wants to wage war to get that territory back. Somehow Rehoboam is still convinced that he can force the Israelites to come under his rule! But fortunately, the prophet Shemaiah stops Rehoboam from this ridiculous quest, telling him that it is God’s will for the kingdom to split as it has. Meanwhile, Jeroboam has created two altars with golden calves and has set up his own system of priests, alienating the Levitical priests. The Levitical priests are so appalled that the leave their pasturelands and possessions and move to Judah and Jerusalem. Israelites who truly worship the Lord follow the Levites to Jerusalem. The Levites and these true believers support Rehoboam for the first three years of his eign because he is basically following the ways of his father and grandfather.

Rehoboam systematically fortifies Judah, creating a number of fortified cities. Rehoboam’s sons settle  in these cities. During Rehoboam’s reign, he acquires eighteen wives and sixty concubines. Rehoboam chooses one son to succeed him and settles the other sons throughout Judah, supplying them lavishly and finding wives for them. So far, so good for Rehoboam.

For details of Jeroboam’s career, you must return to 1 Kings 12. Basically, God promises Jeroboam that if Jeroboam will follow God, God will establish Jeroboam’s family as a dynasty. Unfortunately, Jeroboam tries to take matters into his own hands by creating his own religion to keep the Israelites from returning to Jerusalem to worship, thereby setting his family and himself up for disaster. Contrast Jeroboam’s early career with that of Rehoboam. After foolishly attempting to throw his weight around, Rehoboam actually makes so wise decisions … at least in the first three years of his reign.

What can we learn from these two rulers? God made Jeroboam magnificent promises; however, Jeroboam refused to believe God and attempted to become his own amateur providence, with predictable results. Rehoboam made a wretched beginning; however, he did heed Shemaiah and behave wisely, even though Rehoboam himself never had any specific promises from God.

One television program details massive engineering failures. While some of these mistakes might be unavoidable, there are those that occur because someone refuses to heed good advice. In northern Germany, one section of the Autobahn collapsed completely when engineers refused to take into account the unstable peat bogs on which they were constructing this heavily used road. Rather than treating the problem as if they were building a causeway and sinking piles deep into bedrock, the engineers created small piles that only penetrated into the peat. Ignoring advice from some sources, the engineers opted for a cheap solution that resulted in the complete collapse of 40 meters of this important roadway.

The take – home lesson from these two leaders is this: God will advise you if you will listen. Rehoboam listened, at least for a while, while Jeroboam did not. Each of us has a choice: will we listen to God or will we go off on our own, assuming that we know what to do without any divine advice? May God help us to turn to Him for wisdom!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust in You rather than in ourselves. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

2 Chronicles 10:1 – 19 Rebellion against Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1-15)

“Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he returned from Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon. So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and all Israel came to Rehoboam and said, “Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Rehoboam answered, “Come back to me in three days.” So the people departed.

Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.

They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and please them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him. He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

After three days, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, since the king had said, “Come back to me on the third day.” And the king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders 14and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to it. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions!”

So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from God, in order that the LORD might fulfill the word that He had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

The Kingdom Divided (1 Kings 12:16-19)

When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!”

So all the Israelites went home, but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.

Then King Rehoboam sent out Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem. So to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David.”

Rehoboam went to Shechem to be crowned as king over all Israel, but there was trouble in the kingdom. Consider Rehoboam for a moment. Rehoboam was the son of an incredibly wealthy and powerful man who went off into idolatry because he sexually allied himself with pagan women. There is never any indication that Solomon attempted to train Rehoboam or to impart wisdom to him in any fashion. In fact, in Ecclesiastes 2:18 – 21 Solomon laments the idea of handing the kingdom over to Rehoboam. “I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.” 

Say what??? Here Solomon was complaining about his successor; yet, he had done nothing to ensure that successor would behave wisely! Solomon had knowledge without wisdom or even common sense. Consider also, Solomon’s whining about “the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun.” True, Solomon commissioned lots of works, but he was not the one out there skidding those cut stones in from the quarries or doing any of the other grunt work. Solomon was sitting in the palace giving orders, receiving rich gifts from ambassadors, and embracing 700 wives and 300 concubines.

How badly did the common people suffer during Solomon’s reign? Look at the complaints raised by Jeroboam. “Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.” Solomon had conscripted people from all walks of life, forcing them to work on his building projects and in his palaces, stables, etc. The old men who had advised – or who had tried to advise Solomon were aware of this. The elders gave sage advice to Rehoboam: “If you will be kind to these people and please them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

Rehoboam was an ignorant rich kid who had no clue as to the suffering of the common people. Rehoboam had been raised to believe that he was entitled to anything he wanted, including complete obedience from the Israelites. Rehoboam firmly believed that he was far better than any of the common people. If Rehoboam’s grandfather David had been alive, he might have been able to set Rehoboam straight; however, Rehoboam’s father suffered from these same delusions. Rehoboam had no desire to sympathize with the common people, so he sought advice from his buddies, all of whom were just as spoiled and clueless as he was.

I suspect Bible translators have cleaned up Rehoboam’s answer over the years. One translation says “My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins.” I suspect what Rehoboam may have said was, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s penis.” At any rate, Rehoboam gave the worst possible answer that he could have. The Israelites harked back to an earlier era and answered him just as they had King David at one point. “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!”

The Israelites took off so quickly they probably raised a dust cloud that enveloped everything from Shechem to Jerusalem. Rehoboam was left sitting, mouthing worthless threats and wondering what had happened. When Rehoboam sent out Hadoram, the head of the enforced labor, the Israelites gleefully stoned him to death. It suddenly occurred to Rehoboam that he could be next, and he hopped in his chariot and rushed back to the safety of the palace in Jerusalem. The coronation was a dismal flop, and Rehoboam was left with only the tribes of Benjamin and Judah as his kingdom.

APPLICATION: We read this account and think, “Oh, I would never have been so foolish! This guy lost a kingdom because of his arrogance.” Rehoboam’s biggest mistake was in taking advice from the wrong people. Rehoboam did not value the elders, nor did he respect them. Even though these men had advised Solomon, one of the wisest men in the history of the world, Rehoboam wanted nothing to do with them. Rehoboam wanted sycophants, boot lickers who would tell him what he wanted to hear. The elders might try to restrain Rehoboam while his contemporaries wouldn’t dare.

Recently, Dennis Prager has come out with the latest addition to The Rational Bible, Deuteronomy: God, Blessings, and Curses. In this book, Prager makes a telling case against those who have knowledge without wisdom, i.e., those who are educated but who have no moral compass. In Prager’s introduction, he states that “it is impossible to do good without wisdom. Without wisdom, all the good intentions in the world are likley to be worthless. Many of the horrors of the twentieth century were supported by people with good intentions who lacked wisdom.” Prager cites the German people who supported Hitler and who approved of the concentration camps as one terrible example. These people were highly educated; yet, they went along with a program aimed at exterminating an entire race.

Most of us don’t have formal advisors; however, we may have all kinds of news media and social media we access for information. In the last few years, much of the news media has become so biased that it is difficult to discern actual facts. Sometimes those who tell the truth are mocked and disparaged. How can we get true wisdom?

James 1:5 – 8 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” Sadly, Rehoboam’s father was not a man of faith, so he had no faith to impart to his son. Rehoboam was so foolish that he didn’t know that he didn’t know, and he suffered for it. May we all pray, asking God to give us hearts of wisdom!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to humble ourselves and ask for Your wisdom, knowing that You will gladly give it. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.