2 CHRONICLES LESSON 12
We will begin this lesson in II Chronicles 12:1 "And it came to
pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened
himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him."
We find that it did not take Rehoboam long to turn his back on
the LORD. We saw a little of this, in the beginning of the last
lesson. He was a really evil man down deep in his heart. It appears
that it was not just the king involved in this sin, but all of the
people, as well. Sodomy was one of the sins they were involved in.
The grove worship they had gotten into was a religion of sensuousness.
II Chronicles 12:2 "And it came to pass, [that] in the fifth year
of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem,
because they had transgressed against the LORD,"
One of the ways the LORD punished people, was by sending an army
to war against them. Shishak was the son of the Assyrian king, Nimrod.
He had befriended Jeroboam in Egypt, when he was hiding from Solomon.
This does not mean that Shishak was a righteous man. It means that
God allowed him to come against Rehoboam and the people of Judah,
because of their sins.
II Chronicles 12:3 "With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore
thousand horsemen: and the people [were] without number that came with
him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians."
This was a tremendous host of chariots and horsemen. Sixty
thousand horsemen was an unusually large number, but could easily be
correct. Solomon had that many, and more, when he was in power. The
Lubims are the Libyians. Sukkiims were Arabs. And the Ethiopians are
still a country of Africa today. They were descendents of Cush, the
eldest son of Ham.
II Chronicles 12:4 "And he took the fenced cities which
[pertained] to Judah, and came to Jerusalem."
These fenced cities were the fifteen that we read of in the
previous lesson. They had been well-fortified, but were not strong
enough to ward off this type of attack. They came to Jerusalem, but
not into Jerusalem.
II Chronicles 12:5 "Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam,
and [to] the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to
Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD,
Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of
Shishak."
The princes were the leaders just under Rehoboam. They were not
necessarily his sons. The LORD had sent them the prophet, Shemaiah, to
tell them why they were losing the battle with Shishak. It was not the
strength of Shishak, it is the fact that the LORD is angry with Judah
and Rehoboam.
II Chronicles 12:6 "Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king
humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD [is] righteous."
The princes and Rehoboam knew that what the prophet said was
true. They had sinned and deserved to be destroyed. They repented of
their sins, and spoke of the righteousness of God.
II Chronicles 12:7 "And when the LORD saw that they humbled
themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have
humbled themselves; [therefore] I will not destroy them, but I will
grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon
Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak."
This was a reprieve for the moment. God would not let this king
destroy Jerusalem. If they had truly repented, and would turn to Him
again in sincerity, He would bless them mightily. If they go back into
their evil the minute their trouble is over, then another king would
come and destroy them. Their deliverance was for as long as they were
faithful to the LORD.
II Chronicles 12:8 "Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that
they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the
countries."
They would have their lives spared, but would suffer great
monetary loss. Judah would pay taxes to Shishak, as the countries
around had paid tribute to Solomon in the past. They would be working
for Shishak.
II Chronicles 12:9 "So Shishak king of Egypt came up against
Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and
the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also
the shields of gold which Solomon had made."
The tremendous value in gold that had been in the temple in
Solomon's time would be in the hands of these invaders. This amounted
to billions of dollars worth of gold. The temple and the house of the
king was stripped of all of the gold.
II Chronicles 12:10 "Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields
of brass, and committed [them] to the hands of the chief of the guard,
that kept the entrance of the king's house."
We remember, there was so much brass that it could not even be
weighed. This would still be plentiful, and would be as strong as the
gold shields they had. "Brass" means judgement. We find that the
people of Judah had been judged and found guilty of sin. God did spare
their lives, however.
II Chronicles 12:11 "And when the king entered into the house of
the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into
the guard chamber."
It appears, the guards accompanied Rehoboam to the temple. They
stayed outside, and Rehoboam went in and humbled himself before God.
II Chronicles 12:12 "And when he humbled himself, the wrath of
the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy [him] altogether:
and also in Judah things went well."
God forgave Rehoboam and the people of Judah. They were without
their great wealth, but their lives had been spared. They had much to
be thankful for. When God's wrath was stopped, blessings came in.
II Chronicles 12:13 "So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in
Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam [was] one and forty years old
when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem,
the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to
put his name there. And his mother's name [was] Naamah an Ammonitess."
Finally it appears, that Rehoboam had grown up and made a
decision on his own. He repented, and it helped him and the whole
country. The marauders had gone, and left Jerusalem in tact. He
reigned, until he was 58 years old. God's wishes were that all of
Israel would worship in Jerusalem, where He had put His name. They
would not. They sought false gods. The ten tribes of Israel would
fall first, because they went into idolatry stronger and quicker than
did Judah.
II Chronicles 12:14 "And he did evil, because he prepared not his
heart to seek the LORD."
This is a summation of his reign. He was an evil man and did not
seek God, as David and Solomon had done.
II Chronicles 12:15 "Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last,
[are] they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of
Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And [there were] wars between
Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually."
These wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam were more like disputes.
They fought a little, but never got into an all-out war. The books
mentioned, above, are not in the Bible, and are of a more historical
nature.
II Chronicles 12:16 "And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was
buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead."
We read earlier that this was Rehoboam's favorite son by his
favorite wife. He had planned from early on that Abijah would take his
place as king. He was buried in Jerusalem with David and Solomon.
2 Chronicles 12 Questions
1. When did Rehoboam forsake the LORD?
2. What was one of the sins he was involved in?
3. _________ king of Egypt came against Jerusalem.
4. Why had this happened to Judah?
5. Who was Shishak's father?
6. When had he befriended Jeroboam?
7. How many chariots did he bring with him?
8. How many horsemen did he bring against Judah?
9. Who were the Lubims?
10. Sukkiims were __________.
11. The Ethiopians were descended from whom?
12. This is speaking of which fenced cities?
13. Who was the prophet that brought the message from God?
14. What was the message?
15. Why did God decide not to kill them?
16. What punishment did he allow to come on them?
17. What did Shishak take out of the temple and the king's house?
18. Rehoboam made the new shields out of ________.
19. When did the wrath of God turn from him?
20. How old was Rehoboam when he began to reign?
21. How long did he reign?
22. Why did Rehoboam do evil?
23. What world books contain more on Rehoboam's life?
24. The wars were really what?
25. Where was he buried?
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