Thought from today’s Bible reading from 2 Chronicles 10-12.
When Rehoboam and the people “forsook the law of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 12:1), Shishak king of Egypt came to fight against him. Shemaiah the prophet revealed God’s judgment to Rehoboam: “You have forsaken Me, so I also have forsaken you to Shishak” (2 Chronicles 12:5). At this revelation, the king and his princes humbled themselves and repented, but there would still be consequences to suffer.
“When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, ‘They have humbled themselves so I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some measure of deliverance, and My wrath shall not be poured our on Jerusalem by means of Shishak. But they will become his slaves so that they may learn the difference between My service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries’” (2 Chronicles 12:7-8).
As king, it would be easy for Rehoboam to be unable to relate to the plight of his people under an oppressive ruler. Rehoboam’s oppression of the people was the reason why the kingdom was divided and many left from serving him (2 Chronicles 10). But now, under the oppression of Shishak, he would learn what it is like to live under an oppressive king.
“So Shishak king of Egypt camp up against Jerusalem, and took the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s palace. He took everything; he even took the golden shields which Solomon had made. Then king Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place and committed them to the care of the commanders of the guard who guarded the door of the king’s house. As often as the king entered the house of the Lord, the guards came and carried them and then brought them back into the guards’ room” (2 Chronicles 12:9-11).
Serving an oppressive ruler does not just include obeying the laws of the land. It also includes having your possessions confiscated, settling for inferior replacements, and living in constant fear of those possessions being taken away as well.
Serving the Lord is very different. It includes obedience to His laws (Deuteronomy 11:13-15; Matthew 28:19-20). But instead of the rulers of human kingdoms that pillage the fruits of the people’s labor, God provides us with “every good thing… and every perfect gift” (James 1:17).
Tomorrow’s reading: 1 Kings 15:1-24; 2 Chronicles 13-16
[I’m using the Chronological reading plan on the Bible Gateway website if you’d like to follow along, too.]
Daily Notes & Observations contains all 365 articles from this series and is available in paperback from Gospel Armory.
