2 Chronicles 10-12
Moving
thru 2 Chronicles – Focus is on the Kings of Judah – 1 Chronicles David
Under
David and Solomon the nation was United – One nation 12 tribes – Capital in
Under
David and Solomon –
A)
God blessed them – hand on them – Nation prospered
B) We left off with the end of the reign of
Solomon – Man blessed with great wisdom –
1)
The wisest man who every lived – yet he forsook the Lord –
C) Married pagan wives – turned to idolatry.
1)
Wealthy – comfortable – Carnal / worldly
As
we come to Ch.10 His Son Rehoboam begins to reign in his place.
And Rehoboam
went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. 2 So it
happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard it (he was in
Pause
here for a minute to discuss who Jeroboam is
A) We are first introduced
to Jeroboam in 1 Kings 11
B)
He is kind of an obscure guy – who is a part of Solomon’s kingdom { toward the
end of his reign
1) Good worker who was put
in charge of the labor force.
C) Jeroboam- is walking thru
the field one day and the prophet Ahijah meets him wearing a new coat
1) Takes the NEW coat and
starts ripping it into 12 pieces
D) He gives 10 to Jeroboam -
See, I am going
to tear the kingdom out of Solomon's hand and give you ten tribes.
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.
Now
this is Powerful to me – Solomon is the greatest most Powerful King that has
ever lived
A) God says Look – I can
pluck a guy up from the side of the road and make him King
B) Not looking for someone
special – He can cause anyone to be used in a great way.
1) Walk
in His ways You will be BLESSED !
Rd v.3-5
Solomon’s
Kingdom we read was so blessed that silver was available like stones – {might
not pick up
A) Solomon became greedy –
thirst for more – so he turned the pp he was called to serve into his servants
B) He made their life a
burden – the pp existed for him instead of him for the pp.
C) People were burdened by
taxes and heavy labor.
D) That is what happens when
we take our eyes off the Lord – Use pp / instead of
SERVING THEM
Come to Me, all
you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is
light."
Just as the Son of Man did
not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for
many."
That
is the heart of the Lord and the heart he wants for his shepherds – Burden
lifters –
A)
Servants – Serve His pp
B) Solomon had completely
gotten away from that – the pp were his means to an end – accomplish his goals
C)
Now they are wondering what his son was going to be like? - Give me THREE DAYS
RD V.6-11
So
first Rehoboam meets with Solomon’s elders
A) Think about that for a
minute – Solomon was the wisest man in the world – these were the men who gave
him advice { WOW !!!!
B) Rehoboam was 41 – so they
were older – than that and had served with Solomon
1) Imagine what they gleaned
from him –
C) Perhaps all those yrs of
service were for this moment right here.
1) And they give Rehoboam
excellent counsel
One
chance to gain the confidence of the pp – this is a potentially volatile
situation
A) Serve them instead of
using them – be kind to them and they will serve you forever.
B) Great work environment –
Pp work harder
C) Great counsel: Not just
for the immediate situation but – plan for the future.
1) You will be set
Rehoboam
doesn’t listen – Instead he seeks the counsel of his peers –
A)
Young men who had grown up with him / like him
B)
Rehoboam grew up with a Silver spoon in his mouth – never worked –
1) Didn’t know what the pp
were going thru didn’t know what it was like for them
C) His peers probably grew
up much the same way – sons of Leaders etc
D) Here is what we learn
from this: Don’t despise the counsel of those who are older – their wisdom
1) Mom & Dad
Seek
counsel from someone whose situation is different from yours
A) Pastor friends who are
peers / some who have been doing this a lot longer than I have – Help
B) Single – Married –
Teenager – someone been there
1) Seek Godly counsel from
those who have been there – lived a little.
C) PP
who have Made some mistakes
D) So Rehoboam is going to
ignore the counsel of the Older wiser men – Accepts it from his peers
RD V. 12-15
Interesting Phrase here For the turn of events was from
God:
What
does that mean: God managed this whole series of events, but He did not make
Rehoboam take this unwise and sinful action.
A) God simply left Rehoboam
alone and allowed him to make the critical errors his sinful heart wanted
to make.
B) God in his Sovereignty knew that would be
the case and He used it for His Purposes
C)
CHS insights
“Notice also, dear friends, that God is in
events which are produced by the sin and the stupidity of men. This breaking up
of the kingdom of Solomon into two parts was the result of Solomon’s sin and
Rehoboam’s folly; yet God was in it: God had nothing to do with the sin or the
folly, but in some way which we can never explain, in a mysterious way in which
we are to believe without hesitation, God was in it all.” (Spurgeon)
RD V.16-18
So
here is this young King who is wanting to Strut his stuff who ends up running
away like a little sissy.
A) Played the tough guy and
ends up running away like a little wimp
B) Not the first weak in
office that he had hoped for!
C) App for us – If you only
want to hear what you want to hear – don’t ask for advice.
1) Just go do your thing –
Don’t waste anyone’s time
CH 11:1 Now when
Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled from the house of Judah and Benjamin
one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against
Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.
A) So here we see the beginnings of a Civil
War – Rehoboam gathered 180,000 troops
B) God’s Chosen pp going to
battle against each other
2 But the word
of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
C) I love the description
that is given of Shemaiah
Man of God – only a few with
that title
He is God’s
man with God’s word
D) That is what I desire to
be God’s man with God’s word - My opinions means nothing
1) My ideas – my experience
– not that important
E) The world says: You need
my experience - Wrong
1)
F) What
matters is God’s word! – I have nothing to offer anyone here apart from
Jesus / His Word
1) But if my life doesn’t back up the words
that I share – it doesn’t mean much at all.
*Shemaiah was God’s man w/ God’s word – that is what we
should all strive to be
2 Chronicles 11:3-4
3 "Speak
to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of
I commend Rehoboam for
listening here – Obeyed
RD V.5-12
This
is great thing to see – us to learn: He takes all of his frustration and puts
it to positive use
A) He Built cities and
fortified what He had
B) Great lesson: Instead of
worrying about the 10 tribes that he didn’t possess
1) Instead he set his energy
and focus on fortifying what he did have.
C) Instead of fighting –
Build up what you have
*D) Don’t worry about what you don’t have – strengthen what you do
have!
RD v.13-17
Now
this is interesting to me – Here Rehoboam is getting what he wanted – w/out
having to strive /fight
A) Priest and Levites in
B) They come to
C) Why? V.17 Because they walked in the way of the Lord
1) They is all inclusive –
King Rehoboam – and these Priestly leaders
D) Beautiful
E) Result was they were STRENGTHENED
Great
lesson for us: You want your marriage Strengthened – Husband and wife
walking in the way of the Lord
Strong Friendships: Walk in
the ways of the Lord
Not so much about having the
same likes and dislikes
Some of my closest friends
have been with guys that we had little in common but
Jesus
Iron Sharpening Iron – Great
picture here
V.18-23
His family: Summarize 18 wives / 60 concubines
/ Light weight compared to dad 700/ 300
20
sons and 60 daughters – a lot of hairspray –
For 3 yrs Rehoboam conducted
himself in a way that honored God and He was blessed
CH.12:1
Now it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom
and had strengthened himself, that he forsook the law of the LORD, and all
Notice
several things here:
1st – When this
happened – When he was established
A) It happened when he
reached a point where he was feeling pretty comfortable.
B) When things are going
great –that is when you and I are the most vulnerable.
1) Easy to drop our guards
C) David with Bathsheba –
ease – not at war!
Key
never seek to get comfortable- A new Challenge
A) Build a building / start
something new
B) Go
on a mission trip { Get involved in a ministry
1) Don’t slow down – Continue
to put yourself in a place where you feel overwhelmed
C) Seeing that is really a
good thing{ dependent
2nd
He strengthened himself- Points to a degree of self centeredness
A) Started thinking about
his own needs – Natural tendency getting older
B) Self Centeredness will
always lead you away from God
C) Forsook the Lord – Deliberately walked away
3rd The nation
followed all
23 For they also
built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and wooden images on every
high hill and under every green tree. 24 And there were also perverted persons
in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which
the LORD had cast out before the children of
RD V.2-5
Note
this if you rebel against the Lord there will always be a Shishak in your life
that God will use to correct you.
A) Whom God loves He
chastens – He will bring someone along as an instrument of Chastening
RD V.6,7
Leaders
and the King: The King didn’t initiate this
A) They humbled themselves –
said the Lord is righteous – other words we
deserve this thing
B) Note: God saw their
Humility!
C) God
always sees our Humility: God is drawn to the Humble heart
D) Tonight God looks down on
this gathering – Sees the humble hearts
1) He isn’t looking for
success/ experience/ potential
He looks for Humility
E) He
is drawn to humility
Be clothed with
humility , for
"God
resists the proud,
But gives grace
to the humble."
Psalm 9:12 God does not forget the cry of the Humble!
Psalm 18:27 Saves the Humble!
Psalm 25:9 The Humble He guides in Justice and teaches His way.
Psalm 147:6 The Humble He lifts up!
Psalm 149:4 The Humble He will beautify with salvation.
“Humble
yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
Great
Promises to the Humble: Being humble is so hard for us – so full of Pride –
A) Seven things the Lord
hates – Pride is #1
B) Humble ourselves before
Him – He will lift us up
C) They humbled themselves
and God responded with Grace and mercy –
D) Lesson God rewards
Humility
2 Chronicles 12:8
8 Nevertheless
they will be his servants, that they may distinguish My service from the
service of the kingdoms of the nations."
So God isn’t going to allow
them to be destroyed but He will allow them to be taken captive – Learn a
lesson – it is better to serve me!
Listen
anyone here who is backslidden or contemplating – rebellion right now
A) God wants you to serve
him – You might think that is constrictive – No fun !
B)
Bob Dillon was right – Serve somebody
C) Don’t serve the Lord you will serve sin
D) Sin is pleasurable for a
season – but the end of it is Death!
E) I know pp that have
walked away from the Lord – now they are serving sin – Miserable – aged
1) Lives once vibrant – now
shell – { Sad / lonely
F) They
are blind – can’t even see how far they have slipped
Watch what
The Gold
Shields are taken away – so he makes Bronze
ones – This is heavy – because every time he looks at those bronze
shields it is a reminder of what He forfeited because of Sin
Consequences
to sin are Large! Huge !
A) Now I am not saying this
at all to condemn those of you who have sinned and lost something
B) Reminded of the consequences
– My heart breaks for you – Remind you – God is able restore the yrs that the
locust have eaten – seen him do that
C) So not saying this to
condemn anyone here – but rather to warn those who are contemplating rebelling
1) Never worth it – Always Lose –
2 Chronicles
12:12
12
When he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, so as not to
destroy him completely; and things also went well in
This is merely a summation
of what we just read
RD v.13-16
V.14 Summed up Rehoboam’s
problem – He did not set his heart o seek the Lord –
Heart was not fixed on God
Tonight:
Humble
ourselves
Strong Marriage/ Friendships
– Walk together in the way of the Lord
Don’t worry about what you
don’t have strengthen what you do have
Seek to be
God’ man / woman with God’s word !