2 Chronicles 11 - 13
In summary:
Kings Rehoboam and Abijah find blessing as they humble themselves and depend on Yahweh.
Kings Rehoboam and Abijah find blessing as they humble themselves and depend on Yahweh.
In more detail:
As he continues his narrative from the division of the kingdom of Israel, the Chronicler concentrates on the kingdom of Judah. He does not mention the kingdom of Israel (the northern kingdom) unless it relates somehow to Judah. On occasion he references events in the north that his readers should recognize (like the setting up of
Jeroboam’s golden calves in 1 Kings 12:26-33, referenced frequently in 1 and 2 Kings but here in 2 Chronicles only in three verses: 2 Chronicles 11:15 and 13:8-9). As he has done up to this point in his reading, the Chronicler concentrates on the house of David, the worship of Yahweh in the temple and the government of Jerusalem and Judah as
three leading factors that also will direct revival in the period after the exile.
The Chronicler also gives us more information about Rehoboam that we did not see in 1 Kings, information that corresponds with three more constant interests of his – the building up and reinforcement of cities (2 Chronicles 11:5-12), the numerous descendants in the royal family (2 Chronicles 11:18-21, 23) and the arrival of Yahweh’s true worshipers to Jerusalem. As an example of the latter he says, “And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him from all places where they lived. 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, and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made. 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” (2 Chronicles 11:13-16). An excellent call to those Israelites who remained in Babylon while their brothers return to rebuild Jerusalem!
Also as is his custom, the Chronicler emphasizes complete devotion to Yahweh’s law and the consequences for not fulfilling it: “When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD,
Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 12:1-2). Rescue or salvation from this emergency comes through repentance: “Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, ‘The LORD is righteous.’ 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’” (2 Chronicles 12:6-7). But a difficult lesson awaits them: “Nevertheless, they shall be servants to him, that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the
countries” (2 Chronicles 12:8; that is, may they know the difference between serving Him or serving the pagan nations and their gods). This is a difficult lesson too, for those who are returning from the exile and still remain servants of the Persians in Babylonia.
If the new settlers desire independence, may they remember that independence only has value when one submits wholeheartedly to Yahweh.
Today we also read of the example of Abijah, the next king of Judah. From him the new settlers should learn to raise up Yahweh as a banner: “But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him… Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed” (2 Chronicles 13:10, 12). Abijah and all Judah win the victory against Jeroboam’s superior forces because Yahweh puts them in their hands (2 Chronicles 13:16).
And this is the Chronicler’s message – if the Israelites turn to Yahweh, if they
continue in complete devotion to His law, if their relationship with Yahweh identifies and defines them… who can imagine all that Yahweh will achieve for them?
As he continues his narrative from the division of the kingdom of Israel, the Chronicler concentrates on the kingdom of Judah. He does not mention the kingdom of Israel (the northern kingdom) unless it relates somehow to Judah. On occasion he references events in the north that his readers should recognize (like the setting up of
Jeroboam’s golden calves in 1 Kings 12:26-33, referenced frequently in 1 and 2 Kings but here in 2 Chronicles only in three verses: 2 Chronicles 11:15 and 13:8-9). As he has done up to this point in his reading, the Chronicler concentrates on the house of David, the worship of Yahweh in the temple and the government of Jerusalem and Judah as
three leading factors that also will direct revival in the period after the exile.
The Chronicler also gives us more information about Rehoboam that we did not see in 1 Kings, information that corresponds with three more constant interests of his – the building up and reinforcement of cities (2 Chronicles 11:5-12), the numerous descendants in the royal family (2 Chronicles 11:18-21, 23) and the arrival of Yahweh’s true worshipers to Jerusalem. As an example of the latter he says, “And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him from all places where they lived. 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, and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made. 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” (2 Chronicles 11:13-16). An excellent call to those Israelites who remained in Babylon while their brothers return to rebuild Jerusalem!
Also as is his custom, the Chronicler emphasizes complete devotion to Yahweh’s law and the consequences for not fulfilling it: “When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD,
Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 12:1-2). Rescue or salvation from this emergency comes through repentance: “Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, ‘The LORD is righteous.’ 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’” (2 Chronicles 12:6-7). But a difficult lesson awaits them: “Nevertheless, they shall be servants to him, that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the
countries” (2 Chronicles 12:8; that is, may they know the difference between serving Him or serving the pagan nations and their gods). This is a difficult lesson too, for those who are returning from the exile and still remain servants of the Persians in Babylonia.
If the new settlers desire independence, may they remember that independence only has value when one submits wholeheartedly to Yahweh.
Today we also read of the example of Abijah, the next king of Judah. From him the new settlers should learn to raise up Yahweh as a banner: “But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him… Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed” (2 Chronicles 13:10, 12). Abijah and all Judah win the victory against Jeroboam’s superior forces because Yahweh puts them in their hands (2 Chronicles 13:16).
And this is the Chronicler’s message – if the Israelites turn to Yahweh, if they
continue in complete devotion to His law, if their relationship with Yahweh identifies and defines them… who can imagine all that Yahweh will achieve for them?
