WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.140 1 Kings chapter 14. 1 Kings, you need a small sheet and a big sheet, and we'll tell you 00:00:06.140 --> 00:00:11.339 the big sheet will be self-explanatory, and hopefully it'll help you a little bit 00:00:11.339 --> 00:00:17.780 in understanding where we're at in the timeline of the kings, as we're going to talk about 00:00:17.780 --> 00:00:23.839 once we get past Rehoboam and Jeroboam, it gets to flipping through the kings pretty quick 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:30.600 sometimes, but if you found, go ahead and turn over there to 1 Kings chapter 12, or excuse 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:37.480 me, chapter 14 here tonight, and get into the right place here, all right, because as 00:00:37.480 --> 00:00:43.620 we saw last time, the northern kingdom had cast aside everything about their heritage 00:00:43.620 --> 00:00:50.939 to be like the nations that God had commanded them to drive out of the land, and it was off, 00:00:50.939 --> 00:00:57.159 it's probably a telemarketer too, and that's even worse, how are you voting on the election? 00:00:58.679 --> 00:01:03.439 Yep, now that we get that out of the way, we can move on, all right, back to where we were 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:10.859 here, you know, we just finished up last time talking about Jeroboam, and it says he's had, 00:01:11.420 --> 00:01:18.019 Lord had taken him, and we know that God had declared that his lineage would be completely 00:01:18.019 --> 00:01:25.019 removed, including all his male descendants, would not be buried upon their death, I mean, 00:01:25.079 --> 00:01:33.379 we saw those things in that, and we know that only one son would die and be buried, and that 00:01:33.379 --> 00:01:40.579 was when his mom returned home that that son would die, and we saw that Jeroboam's reign 00:01:40.579 --> 00:01:47.299 ended after 22 years when God struck him, the Bible tells us, and that was recorded there 00:01:47.299 --> 00:01:54.359 in 2 Chronicles chapter 13, and we're going to look tonight, because here in chapter 1 Kings 14, 00:01:54.359 --> 00:01:59.500 we find that God tells us about Jeroboam's conclusion, and then he gives us an assessment 00:01:59.500 --> 00:02:05.819 of Rehoboam, and so we're going to look at this tonight, at the assessment of Rehoboam, 00:02:05.879 --> 00:02:13.259 because Rehoboam's reign was five years shorter, and only 17 years, and we find here the assessment 00:02:13.259 --> 00:02:20.039 for this, we're going to find here at the end of 1 Kings chapter 14, also 2 Chronicles chapter 12, 00:02:21.139 --> 00:02:27.399 and you know, as you think through, as God records the kings, and the things that they said, and the 00:02:27.399 --> 00:02:33.659 things that they did, and both the good and the bad, have you ever asked yourself, if God was to 00:02:33.659 --> 00:02:39.699 write something about your life, what would be written? You know, that's a question we sometimes 00:02:39.699 --> 00:02:44.039 need to ask ourselves, if God was giving us an assessment, because we read through these, 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:50.419 and you look at it and say, well, I wouldn't be like that person, or maybe I know I would be like 00:02:50.419 --> 00:02:57.079 that person, you know, but the reality is, is we do need to ask ourselves, where would we be, 00:02:57.739 --> 00:03:03.339 what would be written about our life, just as these men have their lives written about? 00:03:03.340 --> 00:03:09.879 You know, because we know how to be concerned, just as they were, about what God would say, you know, 00:03:09.939 --> 00:03:18.180 what would it say about you, and how would God assess us as an individual, you know? And so I want to 00:03:18.180 --> 00:03:24.439 always keep that in mind as you read through these, you know, just what can we learn, what can we assess, 00:03:24.580 --> 00:03:30.480 what can we do that will benefit us to be different, understanding that God is, in fact, 00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:38.639 keeping tabs on us, as you might say. The Bible tells us that God does pay attention to what we do. 00:03:39.639 --> 00:03:45.579 It may not be recorded in the scripture where everybody else can read it, but God is keeping 00:03:45.579 --> 00:03:54.000 account. And so we need to keep that in mind as we move forward here, and we see here as God gives 00:03:54.000 --> 00:04:00.399 these assessments of what they did, and with all that God had given them, you know, we saw last time 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:07.560 that Jeroboam squandered an opportunity to build a lasting relationship with God. You know, we saw the 00:04:07.560 --> 00:04:15.159 reality of what happened in the destruction, how God had done all the things there with Jeroboam, but now 00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:21.120 tonight we're going to look at Rehoboam, who was brought up in the king's house under the influence of the 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:26.180 wisest man. So if you look here on your sheet here, we're still right up here at the top of the sheet. 00:04:26.180 --> 00:04:31.000 You got Rehoboam for the kings of Judah, and on the other side you got the kings of Israel. We talked 00:04:31.000 --> 00:04:36.560 last week about the conclusion of Jeroboam's kingdom, and so we're at Rehoboam, and so we're 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:43.000 going to begin next week. We'll begin moving through these a little quicker on a few of the kings as they 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:48.939 go through, as you'll notice, some of them didn't have very long reigns, you know. They were very short, 00:04:48.939 --> 00:04:53.879 and we're going to look at why that was and what took place, but you know, when we think about 00:04:53.879 --> 00:05:02.459 Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, if you consider all the advantages that he had, I mean, think of all 00:05:02.459 --> 00:05:10.779 the things that were given to him. He was raised up in the king's house. He had exceeding wealth. 00:05:10.779 --> 00:05:18.939 He had exceeding training and information. He had the words written for him that his father had written. 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:26.559 Solomon, you know, you think about all the things contained in the book of Proverbs, it wasn't a lack 00:05:26.559 --> 00:05:34.979 of information that he had. It wasn't a lack of resources that he had. You ever notice that some 00:05:34.979 --> 00:05:39.759 people make excuses because, well, I didn't have all the resources, or I didn't have this, or I didn't have that? 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:46.719 I want you to understand whether you have those things or not doesn't matter what you do with God. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:54.219 This is a prime example of what happens when you squander what God has given you. 00:05:55.599 --> 00:06:02.399 Because, yes, we can squander the things that God has given to us, and Rehoboam is a great example of 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:09.079 that, and so he had the advantages, but he neglected those advantages. And so we're going to begin first 00:06:09.079 --> 00:06:15.240 looking here at the course of Rehoboam, you know, the course that his life took here in our outline 00:06:15.240 --> 00:06:20.800 there. Number one, the course of Rehoboam. And, you know, Rehoboam grew up in a time of great blessing. 00:06:21.879 --> 00:06:25.779 I mean, if you think about it, he was 41 years old when he assumed the throne. 00:06:27.379 --> 00:06:32.740 That tells us his dad, Solomon, reigned for how many years? 40 years. Okay, somebody's awake. 00:06:32.740 --> 00:06:41.639 So if he's 41, he was one years old when his dad, Solomon, began to reign. In other words, 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:50.720 his whole life grew up under the building of the temple, the building of Solomon's palace. He saw 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:57.939 all the people that came from afar to see his father, to hear his wisdom. He saw all those things. 00:06:57.939 --> 00:07:07.060 He had all these things at his disposal. It was in the greatest influence. He had the wealth and power 00:07:07.060 --> 00:07:12.660 and influence, and people would travel just to hear his father. And the wisdom of Solomon is said to 00:07:12.660 --> 00:07:19.720 exceed any other. You know, here Rehoboam even had things that his dad wrote to him. You know, look over 00:07:19.720 --> 00:07:25.699 the book of Proverbs for a moment. Keep your finger there, our marker in 1 Kings. But just consider, 00:07:25.699 --> 00:07:30.139 because as you read, as oftentimes as we read Proverbs, we don't think, we kind of think about 00:07:30.139 --> 00:07:35.740 it generic. But as we read this to start tonight, I want you to think about this as Solomon 00:07:35.740 --> 00:07:43.259 may have been writing this very directly to Rehoboam. And what he said, look here in Proverbs chapter 2, 00:07:43.319 --> 00:07:45.680 look at verse 1. It says this, 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:51.439 My son, if thou wilt receive my words and hide my commandments with thee, so that thou incline thine 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:55.819 ear unto wisdom and apply thy heart to knowledge, or excuse me, to understanding. 00:07:56.339 --> 00:08:01.779 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge and lifted up thy voice for understanding, if thou seekest her 00:08:01.779 --> 00:08:07.480 as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasure, then shalt thou understand the fear of 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:13.399 the Lord and find the knowledge of God. I mean, you think about this, some of the instruction that 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:20.839 Rehoboam grew up with. He had all these things, and he had the education and all the things, 00:08:21.079 --> 00:08:26.159 but he chose a direction he was going to go. And we're going to look at some of the things that 00:08:26.159 --> 00:08:34.240 I believe caused some of the problems in his life, because the Bible gives us a dictate into his heart 00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:39.759 that reflects what part of the problem was and can be our problem today. And so we're going to read 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:44.720 through this and look at this, because as we understand here, look at 1 Kings chapter 14, 00:08:44.840 --> 00:08:48.039 look down at verse 21. It says, 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:54.259 In Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was 41 years old when he began to reign, 00:08:54.340 --> 00:09:00.019 and he reigned 17 years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of 00:09:00.019 --> 00:09:07.840 Israel to put his name there. And his mother's name was Namah the Ammonitess. And Judah did evil in 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:14.139 the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins, which they had committed 00:09:14.139 --> 00:09:20.519 above all that their fathers had done. And they also built them high places and images and groves 00:09:20.519 --> 00:09:25.860 on the very high hill and under every green tree. And there was also sodomites in the land, and they 00:09:25.860 --> 00:09:30.139 did according to all the abominations of the nations that the Lord cast out before the children 00:09:30.139 --> 00:09:40.519 of Israel. So we see here that as Rehoboam took charge, things didn't improve over the course of 00:09:40.519 --> 00:09:49.539 time. They began to demoralize, and the morality of the nation turned from God. You know, even though 00:09:49.539 --> 00:09:56.279 he had maturity and experience that he should have been prepared to lead. I mean, you consider at 41 years 00:09:56.279 --> 00:10:03.319 old, you should be an adult, you know? You think of all the preparation he had. He wasn't like some of the 00:10:03.319 --> 00:10:08.240 kings we're going to talk about as we go through this list. I mean, you can cut a lot of slack to somebody, 00:10:08.339 --> 00:10:12.220 oh, you're king, you're eight years old. You know, I don't know about you, but I can cut him a little more slack 00:10:12.220 --> 00:10:20.299 on some things than somebody that's 41. Why? Because he grew up, he was mature, he understood even what his 00:10:20.299 --> 00:10:25.359 responsibilities were going to be, because we knew even here tonight, I want you to know that, if you 00:10:25.359 --> 00:10:30.159 remember, Rehoboam took over from his father, there wasn't even a contest. Everybody expected him to do 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:35.679 it. He was the one that was chosen. He didn't get thrown into it. He was prepared and grown up for it. 00:10:36.899 --> 00:10:44.279 He was supposed to be prepared for it, and though he had all the wisdom at his disposal, he was not wise 00:10:44.279 --> 00:10:50.939 in his decisions because he didn't promote the things of God. He didn't listen to the Lord, 00:10:51.139 --> 00:10:56.860 and we find that the Shema, the prophet, was sent to him. And we're going to see here and understand 00:10:56.860 --> 00:11:02.179 that he tells him these things, because at the beginning, even though his heart was not totally 00:11:02.179 --> 00:11:05.939 to God, he wasn't against God. And we're going to look tonight, one of the problems that we're going 00:11:05.939 --> 00:11:13.279 to find with Rehoboam is he had a lukewarm heart towards God. He wasn't against God, 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:18.439 but he wasn't really with God either. He was hanging out in the middle trying to make both 00:11:18.439 --> 00:11:25.480 sides happy. Because he had a respect for God, because when Shema the prophet came back in 1 Kings 00:11:25.480 --> 00:11:31.860 chapter 12, and when he got ready to go and was getting his men ready to go, try to take back the 00:11:31.860 --> 00:11:38.679 kingdom from Jeroboam at the time that it divided, the prophet came and told him, hey, the Lord, thus 00:11:38.679 --> 00:11:42.379 saith the Lord, you shall not go up nor fight against your brother and the children of Israel. 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:50.100 And he listened. It tells you he had a respect, and they hearkened unto the word of the Lord, 00:11:50.179 --> 00:11:56.379 the Bible tells us. And we find here, even with all this, he allowed the ungodly influence 00:11:56.379 --> 00:12:03.419 in life to direct his path. You know, look over into 2 Chronicles chapter 12, because remember, 00:12:03.500 --> 00:12:08.519 as we go through the Kings, the Chronicles and the Kings run parallel to one another. 00:12:08.519 --> 00:12:14.720 And you have two different views. The Kings, as we read through here in the book of Kings, 00:12:14.779 --> 00:12:20.039 you're going to find that oftentimes this is man's image of what's happening, and Chronicles gives us 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:27.159 oftentimes God's perspective, God's analysis of what's happening at the same time, which gives us 00:12:27.159 --> 00:12:34.039 kind of an interesting overlay of somebody's life. And so we're going to see here in 2 Chronicles chapter 12, 00:12:34.039 --> 00:12:39.019 notice what it says, and it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had 00:12:39.019 --> 00:12:46.959 strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord and all Israel with him. And so we see the course 00:12:46.959 --> 00:12:56.419 that he chose was to forsake the very things that God had told him. It's not that he lacked knowledge, 00:12:56.419 --> 00:13:04.779 because we know he knew what he should do. He had the resources to accomplish what he should do. 00:13:06.519 --> 00:13:11.319 He even had the authority to do what he ought to do, but yet he made a choice. 00:13:13.019 --> 00:13:21.459 The course that he took was counter to the things of God. And we see this play out in the places 00:13:21.460 --> 00:13:28.960 of worship. Notice what he allowed here in 1 Kings chapter 14. Notice what it tells us here in verse 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:34.540 21. It says this, or excuse me, verse 22. It says, and Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord. They 00:13:34.540 --> 00:13:40.500 provoked him to jealousy with their sins, which he had committed above all that their fathers had done. 00:13:40.500 --> 00:13:46.200 And they also built them high places and images and groves on every high hill and under every 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:53.340 green tree. You know, the places of worship when the, you know, we realized as we talked last time 00:13:53.340 --> 00:13:57.840 about Jeroboam, they blatantly just kicked all the priests and the Levites out of the Northern 00:13:57.840 --> 00:14:03.820 Kingdom. I mean, they basically said, God, we are done with you. Here's Rehoboam says, oh yeah, 00:14:03.820 --> 00:14:08.640 you guys come in and, and then we're going to do something. We're going to allow these other things 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:16.220 also. Because at the beginning of Rehoboam's reign, we find that Judah kind of had a small revival. 00:14:16.439 --> 00:14:21.659 And that was from all the priests and the Levites, remember, moved out of Israel, the Northern tribes 00:14:21.659 --> 00:14:29.000 into Judah and Benjamin. They had kind of a revival of things of God at this point. And at the beginning 00:14:29.000 --> 00:14:35.259 and, and the worship of the Lord continued in the temple and, but yet they didn't do anything about 00:14:35.259 --> 00:14:40.539 the influence of the false gods that continued to take hold. The people would worship the Lord in 00:14:40.539 --> 00:14:47.340 Jerusalem only to go outside of Jerusalem and pay homage to Baal and Ashtoreth on the groves and in, 00:14:47.439 --> 00:14:55.319 in the places that they would, would rise up. We find here that it says he built them high places 00:14:55.319 --> 00:15:01.740 and images and groves on every high hill and under every green tree. In other words, they said the 00:15:01.740 --> 00:15:07.279 people would have an intermix. You know, when our heart is not fixed on God, it allows things to 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:13.580 intermix. And our lives begin to intermix with things that they ought not intermix with as a child of 00:15:13.580 --> 00:15:19.320 God. And here in verse 22, notice what it says, and Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord. You know, 00:15:19.940 --> 00:15:27.299 they did evil in the sight of the Lord. And that evil that Judah did was dividing their loyalty to God. 00:15:27.299 --> 00:15:32.699 Because you'll see the next phrase that says God was jealous. Now this is important to grab a hold of 00:15:32.699 --> 00:15:40.539 because jealousy is not necessarily a bad thing. Let's do a case in point. There's some things you 00:15:40.539 --> 00:15:44.879 ought to be jealous about because you've made a commitment. A husband and wife ought to be jealous 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:50.279 towards one another in the right sense to say, Hey, your love belongs one direction. There's a jealousy 00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:56.799 that comes from that. That's a good godly jealousy. And you say, why was God jealous? Well, that's a good 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:03.879 question because really when we understand what's happening here, the children of Israel had been 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:08.199 commanded to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind. 00:16:08.439 --> 00:16:14.079 They'd been told to do that. Remember, Jesus talked about that, didn't he? But what they had done is 00:16:14.079 --> 00:16:21.859 tried to mix other beliefs, try to blend things together. They tried to do those things that would 00:16:21.860 --> 00:16:29.320 provoke the Lord to jealousy. You know, Webster's Dictionary of 1828 says this, it says, 00:16:30.580 --> 00:16:36.360 Jealousy is suspicious of what we do not enjoy the affections or respect of others, or that other 00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:41.899 is more loved or respected than ourselves. In other words, there's a problem with the affection 00:16:41.899 --> 00:16:51.139 causes jealousy. A problem that is there, you know, look back in the Old Testament, go to Deuteronomy 00:16:51.139 --> 00:16:58.600 chapter 4 for a moment. Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 24. Who's got that one tonight? We got some 00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:04.799 yawners. We'll get everybody engaged here. Deuteronomy 4, 24. You got that one, Lou? 00:17:09.019 --> 00:17:15.879 Yeah. So did they know that God was jealous about these things? That God was serious about it? Because 00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:22.000 consider what God had commanded them. Who's got Exodus 20 verses 3 through 6 for me? Exodus 20, 00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:23.660 you got that Ethan for me? 00:17:23.660 --> 00:17:30.460 Thou shalt not bow down, thou shalt not make unto thee any praise and hummus, for any likeness of any 00:17:30.460 --> 00:17:35.500 thing that is in heaven above, or that is in earth and earth, or that is in the water under the earth, 00:17:35.500 --> 00:17:41.059 the earth. Thou shalt not bow down with the flesh to them, nor a servant, for I am so 00:17:41.059 --> 00:17:45.619 in the Lord, my God, but jealous of them, and this is in the iniquity of the father of the 00:17:45.619 --> 00:17:51.220 common children unto the third and fourth generation of God in that kingdom, and showing mercy unto 00:17:51.220 --> 00:17:58.039 thousands of them that love him and keep him. Okay, so what had God commanded Israel? That he 00:17:58.039 --> 00:18:04.859 was to be the only one that they were to worship. But we see here that their places and the 00:18:04.859 --> 00:18:10.159 dynamic that they were doing caused a perversion of their worship. There's a perversion of the 00:18:10.159 --> 00:18:16.359 worship happening. It's called syncretism. And what they were doing was taking all these elements 00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:22.839 of worship and trying to mix them together. Syncretism is still something that happens today because 00:18:22.839 --> 00:18:29.359 it's simply this, combining different beliefs and schools of thought, merging and assimilating them 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:36.719 into one. Judah did something different than the northern tribes of Israel. The northern tribes just 00:18:36.719 --> 00:18:42.119 blatantly said, God, get out. The tribes of Judah said, God, you can stay, but we're going to add to 00:18:42.119 --> 00:18:48.799 you. That's a problem. When we understand what's happening here, that Judah, instead of rejecting God, 00:18:48.939 --> 00:18:54.619 blended the false gods in with their worship. They built the high places. They put out the images. 00:18:54.619 --> 00:19:02.719 Remember Exodus 20 told us what? Not to do what? Not to make any graven image. It gives a whole list 00:19:02.719 --> 00:19:08.439 of things that you shouldn't make an image of. It lays all that out. And the groves, and they, 00:19:08.779 --> 00:19:15.819 verse 24, we find the other perversion, they allowed a practice of the people of the land to continue. 00:19:16.259 --> 00:19:22.719 It says that there were sodomites in the land. Now this term here, I want you to understand the 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:29.600 perversion that's happening here because as they talk about this, that they were, these were males 00:19:29.600 --> 00:19:37.400 that were available for pagan worship. In other words, they were male prostitutes hanging out around 00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:42.180 the groves so people that came could have something to do their worship. That's what he's talking about. 00:19:42.180 --> 00:19:50.640 The term here is one for one that is devoted to idolatry, and that was to be available in the worship 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:58.280 of Baal and Ashtoreth. You know, Deuteronomy 23 and verse 17, before the children of Israel went into the land, 00:19:58.380 --> 00:20:04.480 God commanded them this, he says, there shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:09.880 of the sons of Israel. God was very clear with them about what was supposed to be. 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:13.320 But they made a choice of what they were going to do. 00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:20.740 The problem was they had not totally forsaken the Lord. Instead, they worshiped and mixed it together. 00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:24.000 That was a problem in the Old Testament. Go to the New Testament for a moment. 00:20:25.639 --> 00:20:27.859 You know, 1 Corinthians chapter 10 for a moment. 00:20:29.439 --> 00:20:34.019 Because today, oftentimes, you have people doing the exact same thing. 00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:36.960 They'll come to church on Sunday. 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:42.139 They might even come on Wednesday, but they want to do their own thing the other days. 00:20:42.140 --> 00:20:44.600 They set up their own things that they want to do. 00:20:45.360 --> 00:20:48.320 Notice what it says here in 1 Corinthians 10, down in verse 21. 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:51.820 It says, you cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. 00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:55.880 You cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and the table of devils. 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:01.100 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? 00:21:01.100 --> 00:21:08.060 When we mix things together, it causes God to be jealous of those that He's redeemed. 00:21:08.059 --> 00:21:13.519 Just because you're saved doesn't mean you can't do some things that cause a hindrance in your walk with God. 00:21:13.700 --> 00:21:17.460 Because we can say with our mouth that we love God and do something different, can't we? 00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:20.659 We see this being played out before us. 00:21:21.919 --> 00:21:24.240 You know, their perversion of worship. 00:21:24.399 --> 00:21:27.679 The course of Rehoboam is the course of many today. 00:21:28.039 --> 00:21:31.619 We've been given so much by having access to the truth, 00:21:31.619 --> 00:21:36.799 but we begin to forsake it and not blend it properly. 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:40.039 You know, we try to blend righteousness and unrighteousness, 00:21:40.619 --> 00:21:42.399 the world with the things of God. 00:21:42.639 --> 00:21:44.979 We've got to always be careful of that process 00:21:44.979 --> 00:21:49.199 and where that is and where those things come together. 00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:53.719 Because what it brings is something that God still puts on His children today, 00:21:53.819 --> 00:21:54.959 and that's called chastisement. 00:21:54.960 --> 00:22:00.720 And so we're going to look at the chastisement that God did to Rehoboam and the children of Israel. 00:22:01.600 --> 00:22:03.680 Because that's what's recorded for us here. 00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:06.860 Look at verse 25 here in our text here tonight. 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:08.259 It says, 00:22:08.360 --> 00:22:11.019 And it came to pass in the fifth year of King Rehoboam 00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:15.180 that Shushak, the king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem, 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:18.079 and he took away the treasure of the house of the Lord 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:19.559 and the treasures of the king's house, 00:22:19.559 --> 00:22:21.960 and he even took away all, 00:22:22.019 --> 00:22:25.099 and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made, 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:28.299 and the king Rehoboam made in their stead brazen shields 00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:31.679 and committed them under the hand of the chief of the guard 00:22:31.679 --> 00:22:34.879 which kept the door of the king's house. 00:22:35.299 --> 00:22:38.079 And it was so when the king went into the house of the Lord 00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:41.799 that the guard bare them and brought them back into the guard chamber. 00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:45.379 You know, we're going to see here the chastisement. 00:22:45.380 --> 00:22:50.220 God brings the king of Egypt up in through the land. 00:22:51.600 --> 00:22:54.600 God allows Egypt to come back up. 00:22:55.220 --> 00:22:58.840 You know, they'd been put down by David. 00:22:59.720 --> 00:23:02.540 They were in subjection to the kingdom, 00:23:02.540 --> 00:23:05.400 and now they're coming up and they're going to try to take over. 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:08.280 They come marching through the land. 00:23:09.020 --> 00:23:12.340 The Bible tells us over in 2 Chronicles, 00:23:12.339 --> 00:23:15.699 or excuse me, 2 Chronicles chapter 12, 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:17.179 where we find this, 00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:21.119 you'll find that he came up with quite an army. 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:26.740 It says that Ashishak came with 1,200 chariots, 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:28.619 60,000 horsemen, 00:23:30.419 --> 00:23:33.619 along with uncounted foot soldiers. 00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:38.119 It said there were so many they didn't even have count on them. 00:23:38.119 --> 00:23:41.799 And he comes up through the land, 00:23:42.359 --> 00:23:43.500 conquering the cities. 00:23:45.079 --> 00:23:47.439 You know, take a look over there in 2 Chronicles for a moment, 00:23:47.539 --> 00:23:50.339 because we're going to look a little bit at this from this other perspective. 00:23:50.739 --> 00:23:54.619 Because remember, God's given us a different perspective 00:23:54.619 --> 00:23:56.459 of what's happening. 00:23:57.579 --> 00:23:58.539 Because have you ever noticed, 00:23:58.599 --> 00:24:00.399 you can try to judge something from the outside. 00:24:02.379 --> 00:24:05.279 But God says he knows the thoughts and intents of the heart. 00:24:05.699 --> 00:24:06.939 Chronicles does some of that. 00:24:06.940 --> 00:24:08.900 You might say the kings is the outside, 00:24:09.140 --> 00:24:11.539 and Chronicles talks about some things going on on the inside, 00:24:11.779 --> 00:24:14.180 of what was happening in a kind of different perspective. 00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:18.320 Notice here in 2 Chronicles chapter 12, 00:24:18.380 --> 00:24:19.420 look down at verse 2. 00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:20.080 It says, 00:24:20.180 --> 00:24:23.019 And it came to pass that in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, 00:24:23.500 --> 00:24:24.840 Shishak, the king of Egypt, 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:26.039 came up against Jerusalem, 00:24:26.140 --> 00:24:26.759 because what? 00:24:26.820 --> 00:24:29.380 They had transgressed against the Lord. 00:24:30.220 --> 00:24:31.940 King says they did evil. 00:24:33.940 --> 00:24:34.940 Chronicles says they transgressed. 00:24:34.940 --> 00:24:38.360 Now I want you to understand, 00:24:38.820 --> 00:24:41.799 when you do evil, you transgress against the Lord. 00:24:42.080 --> 00:24:43.539 Evil is what we see here. 00:24:43.799 --> 00:24:45.820 Transgression is what we've committed against God. 00:24:46.039 --> 00:24:48.200 And we see this coming out here, 00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:51.340 and it tells us that they're on the outskirts of Jerusalem. 00:24:51.339 --> 00:25:00.899 We find here that God tells us in 1 Kings there that he paid him tribute of things of the temple, 00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:03.619 and all the golden shields that Solomon had around. 00:25:03.839 --> 00:25:05.980 And he gave them unto him to go away. 00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:09.059 Basically tribute, and we're put into subjection. 00:25:09.099 --> 00:25:10.480 But we need to find out why. 00:25:10.619 --> 00:25:12.899 Well, 2 Chronicles 12 tells us the why. 00:25:13.899 --> 00:25:15.000 It tells us what was happening. 00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:18.400 It tells us why God did what he did here. 00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:19.279 And we see here, 00:25:19.420 --> 00:25:24.900 the Lord had stirred him up to chastise them for the sins of Rehoboam and of Judah. 00:25:25.400 --> 00:25:27.440 And we find the reason for that. 00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:29.859 Look down in verse 5 of 2 Chronicles 12. 00:25:29.859 --> 00:25:31.959 Well, it says, 00:25:32.099 --> 00:25:34.099 And they're here on the outskirts of the city. 00:25:34.219 --> 00:25:39.459 Then came Shema the prophet to Rehoboam and to the princes of Judah, 00:25:39.539 --> 00:25:42.519 and they gathered together to Jerusalem unto Shishak, 00:25:42.619 --> 00:25:44.459 and said unto them, 00:25:44.759 --> 00:25:47.099 Thus saith the Lord, ye have forsaken me, 00:25:47.459 --> 00:25:52.199 and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:57.419 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves, 00:25:57.420 --> 00:25:58.920 and they said, 00:25:59.080 --> 00:26:01.700 The Lord is righteous. 00:26:03.580 --> 00:26:05.360 I want you to see what happens here. 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:07.220 They've been committing sin against God, 00:26:07.980 --> 00:26:09.320 doing evil, 00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:12.060 and God sends the Egyptians up with a great army. 00:26:13.300 --> 00:26:15.200 They're on the outskirts of the city, 00:26:15.940 --> 00:26:18.440 and God sends the prophet to come say, 00:26:18.539 --> 00:26:21.779 God has allowed this to happen because of your sin. 00:26:23.100 --> 00:26:25.380 Now, something very important happens here. 00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:26.820 They humbled themselves. 00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:29.859 But I want you to see how they humbled themselves because that's important. 00:26:30.099 --> 00:26:31.379 Because they didn't just say, 00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:32.439 Lord, we're wrong. 00:26:34.379 --> 00:26:34.980 They said, 00:26:35.059 --> 00:26:35.960 Lord, you're righteous. 00:26:36.099 --> 00:26:36.519 In other words, 00:26:36.579 --> 00:26:38.159 Lord, we're wrong, 00:26:38.220 --> 00:26:40.460 and you're right. 00:26:40.619 --> 00:26:41.480 That's a little different. 00:26:41.599 --> 00:26:42.579 Sometimes it's easy to say, 00:26:42.659 --> 00:26:43.419 Well, I was wrong, 00:26:43.539 --> 00:26:44.480 but not really. 00:26:44.539 --> 00:26:45.480 I'll just say that, you know. 00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:47.119 When their declaration is, 00:26:47.319 --> 00:26:48.119 Lord, you're righteous, 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:51.819 that was an attitude of the heart that said, 00:26:51.819 --> 00:26:54.559 Hey, it has impacted us to the very core, 00:26:54.659 --> 00:26:55.359 and we're serious. 00:26:55.500 --> 00:26:56.399 Lord, you're right. 00:26:56.939 --> 00:26:58.619 We haven't been doing what we ought to do. 00:26:59.339 --> 00:27:00.980 We've done evil in your sight. 00:27:01.299 --> 00:27:02.700 You know, the interesting thing you find, 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:05.159 whenever somebody is truly humble before the Lord 00:27:05.159 --> 00:27:06.259 and honest with God, 00:27:06.359 --> 00:27:07.119 God has mercy. 00:27:07.439 --> 00:27:08.240 That's the one thing God, 00:27:08.500 --> 00:27:10.039 if you want to get God's attention, 00:27:10.500 --> 00:27:11.919 that's how you get God's attention. 00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:16.880 A humble and contrite spirit before God 00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:20.440 will matter more than anything else. 00:27:22.220 --> 00:27:23.600 Read Psalm 51. 00:27:23.880 --> 00:27:27.060 As David repents of his sin, 00:27:27.380 --> 00:27:29.560 it reveals to us that very same factor. 00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:32.640 That attitude, 00:27:32.980 --> 00:27:35.880 and God says that God was merciful. 00:27:36.100 --> 00:27:37.180 Notice in verse 7, 00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:39.539 it says this, 00:27:39.539 --> 00:27:42.920 And the Lord saw that they humbled themselves. 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:45.200 The word of the Lord came to Shema, 00:27:45.399 --> 00:27:45.740 saying, 00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:47.639 They have humbled themselves, 00:27:47.779 --> 00:27:49.799 therefore I will not destroy them, 00:27:50.119 --> 00:27:52.879 but I will grant them some deliverance, 00:27:53.180 --> 00:27:55.200 and my wrath shall not be poured out 00:27:55.200 --> 00:27:58.000 upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 00:27:58.259 --> 00:27:58.740 Nevertheless, 00:27:59.980 --> 00:28:01.740 they shall be his servants, 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:04.819 that they may know my service 00:28:04.819 --> 00:28:07.920 and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. 00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:09.620 So Shishak king of Egypt 00:28:09.620 --> 00:28:11.039 came up against Jerusalem 00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:12.080 and took away the treasures 00:28:12.080 --> 00:28:13.080 of the house of the Lord 00:28:13.080 --> 00:28:14.460 and the treasures of the king's house. 00:28:15.019 --> 00:28:15.740 And he took all 00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:17.019 and carried also away 00:28:17.019 --> 00:28:18.080 the shields of gold 00:28:18.080 --> 00:28:19.519 which Solomon had made. 00:28:19.800 --> 00:28:20.779 Now we see here 00:28:20.779 --> 00:28:21.920 as God is declaring 00:28:22.539 --> 00:28:24.120 that God saw 00:28:24.120 --> 00:28:24.720 that they what? 00:28:24.779 --> 00:28:25.980 They humbled themselves. 00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:28.820 How do they do that? 00:28:28.860 --> 00:28:29.279 By saying, 00:28:29.340 --> 00:28:30.279 God, we're wrong. 00:28:31.300 --> 00:28:32.560 And you're definitely right. 00:28:32.820 --> 00:28:34.080 We need to have a change of direction. 00:28:34.220 --> 00:28:34.340 You know, 00:28:34.380 --> 00:28:35.779 we have another term for that. 00:28:35.779 --> 00:28:36.799 That's called repentance. 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:38.160 Recognizing 00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:39.799 what God, 00:28:39.960 --> 00:28:41.299 that God is right 00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:42.200 in his assessment. 00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:43.019 Nevertheless, 00:28:43.879 --> 00:28:45.059 there was still a result 00:28:45.059 --> 00:28:46.559 of the evil they had done 00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:48.920 before the Lord. 00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:50.359 You know, 00:28:50.399 --> 00:28:52.339 some people get an idea today 00:28:52.339 --> 00:28:52.779 that, well, 00:28:52.819 --> 00:28:54.099 if I just confess to God, 00:28:54.200 --> 00:28:54.960 God will just erase 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:56.980 everything down here on earth. 00:28:57.160 --> 00:28:58.279 I want you to understand 00:28:58.279 --> 00:28:59.680 this establishes 00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:01.279 a very important biblical principle. 00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:04.160 You can be forgiven 00:29:04.160 --> 00:29:05.059 before God 00:29:05.059 --> 00:29:05.740 and will not hold 00:29:05.740 --> 00:29:06.680 account in eternity 00:29:06.680 --> 00:29:08.200 because you've trusted him. 00:29:09.319 --> 00:29:10.619 But down here on earth, 00:29:10.740 --> 00:29:11.559 God doesn't remove 00:29:11.559 --> 00:29:13.019 the penalties of our sin 00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:14.180 that come out physically. 00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:15.319 He may help you 00:29:15.319 --> 00:29:16.379 walk through it mercifully, 00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:17.079 but he doesn't 00:29:17.079 --> 00:29:17.960 just take them away. 00:29:19.700 --> 00:29:20.180 Have you ever noticed 00:29:20.180 --> 00:29:20.859 people sometimes 00:29:20.859 --> 00:29:21.460 come to God, 00:29:21.559 --> 00:29:21.639 well, 00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:22.799 why didn't God 00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:23.740 just take it all away? 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:24.160 Well, no, 00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:25.019 you messed up. 00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:27.000 You know, 00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:27.859 there's some accountability 00:29:27.859 --> 00:29:29.420 that has to take place. 00:29:29.420 --> 00:29:30.680 Just because God 00:29:30.680 --> 00:29:31.400 has forgiven you 00:29:31.400 --> 00:29:32.140 doesn't remove 00:29:32.140 --> 00:29:32.759 the accountability. 00:29:33.259 --> 00:29:34.220 It's good to be right 00:29:34.220 --> 00:29:34.759 with God, 00:29:34.860 --> 00:29:35.539 but it doesn't remove 00:29:35.539 --> 00:29:36.640 the accountability here. 00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:38.759 You know, 00:29:39.460 --> 00:29:40.300 because you think about this 00:29:40.300 --> 00:29:40.700 for a moment, 00:29:40.800 --> 00:29:41.039 you know, 00:29:42.100 --> 00:29:42.779 I know none of you 00:29:42.779 --> 00:29:43.519 would ever speed, 00:29:43.860 --> 00:29:44.640 but imagine getting 00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:45.620 a big speeding ticket 00:29:45.620 --> 00:29:47.920 and they call you 00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:48.460 into court 00:29:48.460 --> 00:29:50.860 and you stand 00:29:50.860 --> 00:29:51.740 before the judge 00:29:51.740 --> 00:29:52.539 and you tell the judge, 00:29:52.940 --> 00:29:54.039 I was wrong 00:29:54.039 --> 00:29:55.080 for speeding. 00:29:55.360 --> 00:29:56.420 I've even asked God 00:29:56.420 --> 00:29:57.019 to forgive me 00:29:57.019 --> 00:29:58.080 and God has forgiven me 00:29:58.080 --> 00:29:58.640 for doing that. 00:29:58.640 --> 00:29:59.160 What's the judge 00:29:59.160 --> 00:29:59.640 going to do? 00:29:59.860 --> 00:30:00.100 He said, 00:30:00.160 --> 00:30:00.880 that's very good, 00:30:00.980 --> 00:30:01.640 but for right now 00:30:01.640 --> 00:30:02.460 you're still getting what? 00:30:03.759 --> 00:30:04.900 You're still getting a fine. 00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:05.400 Why? 00:30:05.520 --> 00:30:07.240 Because the choices we make 00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:09.280 carry consequences 00:30:09.280 --> 00:30:10.000 in the present. 00:30:10.300 --> 00:30:11.300 Those consequences 00:30:11.300 --> 00:30:12.140 will play out. 00:30:12.440 --> 00:30:13.600 Now God may negate 00:30:13.600 --> 00:30:14.720 some of the consequences. 00:30:15.120 --> 00:30:16.100 What did they deserve? 00:30:16.180 --> 00:30:17.280 They deserved to be conquered 00:30:17.280 --> 00:30:18.640 and God had mercy 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:19.020 and said, 00:30:19.100 --> 00:30:19.220 hey, 00:30:19.280 --> 00:30:20.640 we're just going to 00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:22.320 have them under servitude 00:30:22.320 --> 00:30:23.460 to the Egyptians 00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:25.540 that they would remember 00:30:25.540 --> 00:30:27.220 those things 00:30:27.220 --> 00:30:28.200 and we find here 00:30:28.200 --> 00:30:29.720 that God takes 00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:30.539 and says, 00:30:30.620 --> 00:30:31.299 you're going to give them 00:30:31.299 --> 00:30:32.000 tribute. 00:30:32.940 --> 00:30:33.600 One of the things 00:30:33.600 --> 00:30:34.200 we see here 00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:34.960 that's interesting 00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:35.640 is you'll find 00:30:35.640 --> 00:30:36.059 that he took 00:30:36.059 --> 00:30:37.220 300 shields 00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:39.980 that Solomon had made 00:30:39.980 --> 00:30:41.319 and if you go back 00:30:41.319 --> 00:30:42.640 and read about 00:30:42.640 --> 00:30:43.460 these shields, 00:30:43.960 --> 00:30:45.059 these 300 shields 00:30:45.059 --> 00:30:46.259 that Solomon had made 00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:47.480 were each pounded out 00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:49.000 of three pounds of gold. 00:30:49.319 --> 00:30:50.680 They were gold shields 00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:52.539 that Solomon had displayed 00:30:52.539 --> 00:30:54.660 around. 00:30:54.660 --> 00:30:55.560 Now you consider 00:30:55.560 --> 00:30:56.120 this is where 00:30:56.120 --> 00:30:58.460 Rehoboam grew up. 00:30:59.660 --> 00:31:00.640 People would enter 00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:01.700 into around Solomon 00:31:01.700 --> 00:31:03.960 they had 300 gold shields 00:31:03.960 --> 00:31:04.920 hanging on the walls. 00:31:06.720 --> 00:31:06.920 I mean, 00:31:06.980 --> 00:31:08.420 I don't even imagine 00:31:08.420 --> 00:31:09.000 the look 00:31:09.000 --> 00:31:11.279 of what that would look like 00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:12.000 to see all that 00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:12.840 but it was a sign 00:31:12.840 --> 00:31:13.519 of power 00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:14.680 and authority 00:31:14.680 --> 00:31:15.380 that Solomon 00:31:15.380 --> 00:31:16.200 his father had 00:31:16.200 --> 00:31:17.279 and God takes that 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:17.759 all away. 00:31:18.019 --> 00:31:18.660 Takes the things 00:31:18.660 --> 00:31:19.820 from the house of God 00:31:19.820 --> 00:31:22.120 and we could think 00:31:22.120 --> 00:31:23.060 through some of that. 00:31:23.059 --> 00:31:24.139 Why did God allow 00:31:24.139 --> 00:31:25.119 the things to be removed 00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:25.759 from his house? 00:31:25.879 --> 00:31:26.879 Because one of the things 00:31:26.879 --> 00:31:27.460 that was happening 00:31:27.460 --> 00:31:28.440 is the priests 00:31:28.440 --> 00:31:28.839 weren't doing 00:31:28.839 --> 00:31:29.399 what they were supposed 00:31:29.399 --> 00:31:29.960 to be doing either. 00:31:30.259 --> 00:31:31.460 They lived on the giving 00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:32.599 into the temple. 00:31:32.980 --> 00:31:33.519 God was getting 00:31:33.519 --> 00:31:34.399 their attention too. 00:31:34.799 --> 00:31:35.000 You say, 00:31:35.099 --> 00:31:35.700 well why would God 00:31:35.700 --> 00:31:36.480 allow those things 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:36.919 to be taken? 00:31:37.019 --> 00:31:37.399 You know what? 00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:38.500 The things we give to God, 00:31:38.579 --> 00:31:39.500 God's not worried about. 00:31:40.119 --> 00:31:41.319 I'll just put it this way. 00:31:42.819 --> 00:31:44.319 God doesn't need your money. 00:31:44.700 --> 00:31:45.980 You ought to give to God 00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:46.980 because you love him. 00:31:47.740 --> 00:31:48.940 Ought to be because 00:31:48.940 --> 00:31:49.779 of who he is 00:31:49.779 --> 00:31:50.980 and what he's done for you. 00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:52.099 But of itself, 00:31:52.099 --> 00:31:53.179 God's going to accomplish 00:31:53.179 --> 00:31:54.659 his task without your money. 00:31:54.899 --> 00:31:55.459 Because you remember 00:31:55.459 --> 00:31:56.500 Jesus said one thing 00:31:56.500 --> 00:31:57.199 about our money. 00:31:57.359 --> 00:31:58.279 Where our treasure is 00:31:58.279 --> 00:31:59.539 there, our heart is also. 00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:01.980 Now remember, 00:32:02.059 --> 00:32:02.919 what are we dealing with here? 00:32:02.980 --> 00:32:04.099 We're dealing with 00:32:04.099 --> 00:32:05.379 Rehoboam's heart. 00:32:05.579 --> 00:32:06.279 There's a connection 00:32:06.279 --> 00:32:07.319 between your pocketbook 00:32:07.319 --> 00:32:07.839 and your heart. 00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:09.639 There's not a doubt upon it. 00:32:09.839 --> 00:32:10.839 And we find that 00:32:10.839 --> 00:32:11.959 these shields 00:32:11.959 --> 00:32:12.740 were replaced 00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:14.099 with brass shields 00:32:14.099 --> 00:32:15.299 that were polished 00:32:15.299 --> 00:32:16.839 to shine like the gold ones. 00:32:16.959 --> 00:32:17.099 You know, 00:32:17.159 --> 00:32:17.539 it's kind of, 00:32:17.799 --> 00:32:18.859 that's a whole different study 00:32:18.859 --> 00:32:19.799 to get into there 00:32:19.799 --> 00:32:20.819 of what was going on. 00:32:20.819 --> 00:32:22.679 Rehoboam was trying 00:32:22.679 --> 00:32:23.759 to still put on a show 00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:24.639 but there wasn't near 00:32:24.639 --> 00:32:26.480 the glory had departed. 00:32:26.839 --> 00:32:27.419 But notice here, 00:32:27.460 --> 00:32:28.599 look down at verse 12 00:32:28.599 --> 00:32:29.579 of chapter 12 there, 00:32:29.659 --> 00:32:30.460 2 Chronicles. 00:32:31.439 --> 00:32:31.879 And it says, 00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:32.980 when he humbled himself, 00:32:33.119 --> 00:32:34.200 the wrath of the Lord 00:32:34.200 --> 00:32:36.059 was turned from him 00:32:36.059 --> 00:32:36.720 and he would not 00:32:36.720 --> 00:32:38.059 destroy him altogether. 00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:40.019 And also in Judah 00:32:40.019 --> 00:32:41.000 things went well. 00:32:42.879 --> 00:32:43.220 You know? 00:32:43.220 --> 00:32:46.240 But I want you to understand 00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:47.380 as we talk about this 00:32:47.380 --> 00:32:49.839 that turning to 00:32:49.839 --> 00:32:51.299 or back to the Lord 00:32:51.299 --> 00:32:53.019 not only affects your life 00:32:53.019 --> 00:32:54.059 but it affects the lives 00:32:54.059 --> 00:32:54.880 of others also. 00:32:56.579 --> 00:32:57.980 It'll impact others 00:32:57.980 --> 00:32:58.720 around you. 00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:00.400 You know? 00:33:01.400 --> 00:33:01.839 Today, 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:03.019 if you're his child, 00:33:03.160 --> 00:33:04.380 you can expect the Lord 00:33:04.380 --> 00:33:05.140 to do the same. 00:33:06.279 --> 00:33:07.360 The Bible says 00:33:07.360 --> 00:33:08.519 that we call upon him 00:33:08.519 --> 00:33:09.079 as Savior 00:33:09.079 --> 00:33:09.819 that we became 00:33:09.819 --> 00:33:10.860 a child of God. 00:33:10.859 --> 00:33:14.259 Contrary to the popular belief 00:33:14.259 --> 00:33:15.000 that everybody's 00:33:15.000 --> 00:33:15.839 a child of God, 00:33:15.919 --> 00:33:16.379 that's not what 00:33:16.379 --> 00:33:17.179 God's Word says. 00:33:18.759 --> 00:33:19.939 It says you're born 00:33:19.939 --> 00:33:20.839 into his family 00:33:20.839 --> 00:33:22.519 and that happens 00:33:22.519 --> 00:33:23.059 at the moment 00:33:23.059 --> 00:33:24.179 that you trust Christ 00:33:24.179 --> 00:33:24.899 as your Savior. 00:33:26.779 --> 00:33:28.099 It's a new birth. 00:33:29.579 --> 00:33:30.819 Born into his family, 00:33:30.899 --> 00:33:32.019 you become his child. 00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:34.339 You become joint heirs 00:33:34.339 --> 00:33:35.099 with Christ. 00:33:35.240 --> 00:33:35.699 We could cover 00:33:35.699 --> 00:33:36.459 a lot of territory 00:33:36.459 --> 00:33:37.159 with that. 00:33:38.299 --> 00:33:39.659 But I want you to understand 00:33:39.660 --> 00:33:40.960 as his child. 00:33:41.560 --> 00:33:42.120 And remember, 00:33:42.340 --> 00:33:42.800 Judah 00:33:42.800 --> 00:33:45.640 was the place 00:33:45.640 --> 00:33:46.920 that God had chosen. 00:33:47.840 --> 00:33:49.140 He had called Israel 00:33:49.140 --> 00:33:50.360 out as his people. 00:33:50.900 --> 00:33:51.420 They were supposed 00:33:51.420 --> 00:33:52.220 to be his children 00:33:52.220 --> 00:33:53.259 so what does God do? 00:33:53.300 --> 00:33:54.140 He chastises them. 00:33:54.200 --> 00:33:54.860 He corrects them. 00:33:55.980 --> 00:33:57.320 As a child of God, 00:33:57.400 --> 00:33:57.980 you can expect 00:33:57.980 --> 00:33:59.220 the same thing from God. 00:33:59.480 --> 00:33:59.940 Look over into 00:33:59.940 --> 00:34:00.940 Hebrews chapter 12 00:34:00.940 --> 00:34:01.500 for a moment. 00:34:01.800 --> 00:34:02.940 Hebrews chapter 12, 00:34:03.180 --> 00:34:04.279 look down at verse 5. 00:34:05.500 --> 00:34:06.320 It tells us this, 00:34:06.320 --> 00:34:07.060 And ye have forgotten 00:34:07.059 --> 00:34:07.960 the exhortation 00:34:07.960 --> 00:34:09.079 which speaketh unto you 00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:10.440 as unto children. 00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:10.980 My son, 00:34:11.099 --> 00:34:12.299 despise thou not 00:34:12.299 --> 00:34:14.079 the chastening of the Lord 00:34:14.079 --> 00:34:14.699 and thou faint 00:34:14.699 --> 00:34:16.380 when thou art rebuked of him. 00:34:16.440 --> 00:34:17.079 For whom the Lord 00:34:17.079 --> 00:34:17.539 loveth, 00:34:17.559 --> 00:34:17.960 he what? 00:34:19.480 --> 00:34:19.920 Chasteneth 00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:20.960 and scourges 00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:21.579 every son 00:34:21.579 --> 00:34:22.480 whom he receiveth. 00:34:23.239 --> 00:34:24.279 If you endure 00:34:24.279 --> 00:34:24.960 chastening, 00:34:25.059 --> 00:34:26.099 God dealeth with you 00:34:26.099 --> 00:34:26.719 as sons. 00:34:27.159 --> 00:34:28.380 For what son is he 00:34:28.380 --> 00:34:29.099 whom the Father 00:34:29.099 --> 00:34:30.119 chasteneth not? 00:34:31.840 --> 00:34:32.779 That verse carries 00:34:32.779 --> 00:34:33.980 a lot of implications too. 00:34:34.059 --> 00:34:35.219 If you're openly sinning 00:34:35.219 --> 00:34:35.939 and you're not feeling 00:34:35.939 --> 00:34:36.619 any problem 00:34:36.619 --> 00:34:37.939 and God's not chasing you, 00:34:38.319 --> 00:34:39.399 you need to do some checking 00:34:39.399 --> 00:34:40.099 because there's 00:34:40.099 --> 00:34:40.799 some problem here. 00:34:41.079 --> 00:34:42.399 But notice what Job says. 00:34:42.519 --> 00:34:43.299 Job 5, 00:34:43.659 --> 00:34:44.839 verse 17, 00:34:44.980 --> 00:34:45.559 tells us this, 00:34:45.619 --> 00:34:45.919 Behold, 00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:46.859 happy is the man 00:34:46.859 --> 00:34:48.079 whom God correcteth. 00:34:48.599 --> 00:34:49.879 Therefore despise thou 00:34:49.879 --> 00:34:50.779 not the chastening 00:34:50.779 --> 00:34:51.519 of the Almighty. 00:34:52.079 --> 00:34:53.339 For he maketh sore 00:34:53.339 --> 00:34:54.199 and bindeth up, 00:34:54.239 --> 00:34:54.879 he woundeth 00:34:54.879 --> 00:34:56.079 and his hands make whole. 00:34:58.199 --> 00:34:58.559 You know? 00:34:59.699 --> 00:35:01.119 When we understand 00:35:01.119 --> 00:35:03.079 what's taking upon 00:35:03.079 --> 00:35:04.319 and what God is doing, 00:35:04.320 --> 00:35:05.640 and this all took place 00:35:05.640 --> 00:35:07.360 here in Rehoboam's 00:35:07.360 --> 00:35:08.019 fifth year. 00:35:08.100 --> 00:35:08.420 Now remember, 00:35:08.519 --> 00:35:09.360 he reigned 17, 00:35:09.660 --> 00:35:10.420 so from this point 00:35:10.420 --> 00:35:11.539 we have 12 years 00:35:11.539 --> 00:35:12.920 that are going to get 00:35:12.920 --> 00:35:14.039 covered very quietly, 00:35:14.180 --> 00:35:14.840 you might say. 00:35:14.920 --> 00:35:16.519 Very little said about it. 00:35:16.740 --> 00:35:17.460 We have very little 00:35:17.460 --> 00:35:18.400 information about 00:35:18.400 --> 00:35:19.780 the remaining 12 years, 00:35:19.880 --> 00:35:20.559 but we do know 00:35:20.559 --> 00:35:21.980 that while things went well, 00:35:22.420 --> 00:35:23.240 because that's what it says, 00:35:23.300 --> 00:35:23.800 that in Israel 00:35:23.800 --> 00:35:24.660 things went well. 00:35:24.720 --> 00:35:25.160 In other words, 00:35:25.519 --> 00:35:27.480 life was decent. 00:35:28.840 --> 00:35:30.180 Things were prosperous 00:35:30.179 --> 00:35:31.819 and beneficial. 00:35:33.099 --> 00:35:33.639 And we know 00:35:33.639 --> 00:35:35.139 that there was still 00:35:35.139 --> 00:35:36.579 this constant conflict 00:35:36.579 --> 00:35:37.319 that continued 00:35:37.319 --> 00:35:38.219 between the throne 00:35:38.219 --> 00:35:38.980 of Rehoboam 00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:40.599 and Jeroboam. 00:35:41.359 --> 00:35:42.440 And so we find here 00:35:42.440 --> 00:35:43.279 the conclusion 00:35:43.279 --> 00:35:44.859 of Rehoboam. 00:35:45.500 --> 00:35:45.719 You know? 00:35:46.099 --> 00:35:46.919 We look back here 00:35:46.919 --> 00:35:50.440 in 1 Kings chapter 14 here. 00:35:50.699 --> 00:35:51.839 Look down in verse 29. 00:35:52.019 --> 00:35:52.179 It says, 00:35:52.279 --> 00:35:53.259 Now the rest of the acts 00:35:53.259 --> 00:35:53.960 of Rehoboam 00:35:53.960 --> 00:35:55.179 and all that he did 00:35:55.179 --> 00:35:55.980 are they not written 00:35:55.980 --> 00:35:56.480 in the books 00:35:56.480 --> 00:35:57.199 of the chronicles 00:35:57.199 --> 00:35:58.139 of the kings of Judah? 00:35:58.139 --> 00:35:59.699 And there was war 00:35:59.699 --> 00:36:00.679 between Rehoboam 00:36:00.679 --> 00:36:01.400 and Jeroboam 00:36:01.400 --> 00:36:02.359 all their days. 00:36:02.839 --> 00:36:03.400 And Rehoboam 00:36:03.400 --> 00:36:04.480 slept with his fathers 00:36:04.480 --> 00:36:05.239 and was buried 00:36:05.239 --> 00:36:06.079 with his fathers 00:36:06.079 --> 00:36:07.039 in the city of David. 00:36:07.139 --> 00:36:08.059 And his mother's name 00:36:08.059 --> 00:36:09.259 was Namah 00:36:09.259 --> 00:36:10.079 and Abinaitis. 00:36:10.559 --> 00:36:11.980 And Abijah, 00:36:12.119 --> 00:36:12.659 his son, 00:36:12.779 --> 00:36:14.139 reigned in his stead. 00:36:15.179 --> 00:36:15.460 You know? 00:36:17.099 --> 00:36:18.299 We find here 00:36:18.299 --> 00:36:19.119 that the conclusion 00:36:19.119 --> 00:36:20.480 of Rehoboam's life 00:36:20.480 --> 00:36:21.319 and his reign 00:36:21.319 --> 00:36:22.940 can also be summed up 00:36:22.940 --> 00:36:23.559 in a statement 00:36:23.559 --> 00:36:24.219 that we find 00:36:24.219 --> 00:36:25.619 over in 2 Chronicles again. 00:36:26.239 --> 00:36:26.759 Look over at 00:36:26.759 --> 00:36:28.119 2 Chronicles chapter 12. 00:36:28.139 --> 00:36:29.619 I encourage you 00:36:29.619 --> 00:36:30.779 to think on this verse 00:36:30.779 --> 00:36:31.779 the rest of the week. 00:36:32.019 --> 00:36:32.980 Pretty simple verse. 00:36:34.019 --> 00:36:35.059 But it's a good verse 00:36:35.059 --> 00:36:35.960 for us to think about. 00:36:36.199 --> 00:36:36.699 Look here down 00:36:36.699 --> 00:36:37.440 at chapter 12, 00:36:37.500 --> 00:36:38.139 verse 14. 00:36:39.659 --> 00:36:40.559 If you want something 00:36:40.559 --> 00:36:41.659 to meditate on, 00:36:41.719 --> 00:36:42.299 this is a statement 00:36:42.299 --> 00:36:43.119 about Rehoboam. 00:36:43.239 --> 00:36:43.500 It says, 00:36:44.039 --> 00:36:45.179 And he did evil 00:36:45.179 --> 00:36:46.400 because he prepared 00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:47.159 not his heart 00:36:47.159 --> 00:36:47.980 to seek the Lord. 00:36:48.159 --> 00:36:48.559 That's something 00:36:48.559 --> 00:36:49.019 to think about, 00:36:49.099 --> 00:36:49.339 isn't it? 00:36:51.000 --> 00:36:52.339 He did evil 00:36:52.339 --> 00:36:53.420 because he prepared 00:36:53.420 --> 00:36:54.299 not his heart 00:36:54.299 --> 00:36:55.079 to seek the Lord. 00:36:55.339 --> 00:36:56.199 By default, 00:36:56.299 --> 00:36:57.599 if you're not seeking God, 00:36:57.599 --> 00:36:58.239 you're going away 00:36:58.239 --> 00:36:58.719 from God. 00:36:59.239 --> 00:36:59.679 Rehoboam, 00:36:59.719 --> 00:37:00.539 I want you to understand, 00:37:00.639 --> 00:37:01.440 did not cast 00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:02.480 the Lord off, 00:37:02.880 --> 00:37:03.759 but we could say 00:37:03.759 --> 00:37:04.480 that Rehoboam 00:37:04.480 --> 00:37:05.039 was like this. 00:37:05.079 --> 00:37:06.420 He was a religious man 00:37:06.420 --> 00:37:07.759 that didn't apply 00:37:07.759 --> 00:37:09.139 the truth of God's word 00:37:09.139 --> 00:37:09.839 to his life 00:37:09.839 --> 00:37:11.299 nor seek the Lord's guidance. 00:37:12.339 --> 00:37:13.480 He was religious 00:37:13.480 --> 00:37:14.319 in action 00:37:14.319 --> 00:37:15.239 but not in heart. 00:37:15.500 --> 00:37:16.259 Look over to Matthew 00:37:16.259 --> 00:37:17.119 chapter 15 00:37:17.119 --> 00:37:17.659 for a moment. 00:37:18.480 --> 00:37:19.579 Matthew chapter 15. 00:37:19.639 --> 00:37:20.500 Look down at verse 8. 00:37:20.500 --> 00:37:22.719 Jesus here 00:37:22.719 --> 00:37:23.599 is dealing with 00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:25.260 some individuals 00:37:25.260 --> 00:37:26.360 with the same problem 00:37:26.360 --> 00:37:27.159 in the New Testament. 00:37:27.519 --> 00:37:28.159 It says this, 00:37:28.300 --> 00:37:29.400 And this people 00:37:29.400 --> 00:37:30.519 draweth nigh unto me 00:37:30.519 --> 00:37:31.300 with their mouth 00:37:31.300 --> 00:37:32.079 and honoreth me 00:37:32.079 --> 00:37:32.880 with their lips. 00:37:34.019 --> 00:37:35.159 But notice that last statement, 00:37:35.280 --> 00:37:36.079 their heart is what? 00:37:37.460 --> 00:37:38.420 Far from me. 00:37:40.300 --> 00:37:41.199 That's another way 00:37:41.199 --> 00:37:42.159 of saying exactly 00:37:42.159 --> 00:37:43.519 what the description 00:37:43.519 --> 00:37:44.679 of Rehoboam was. 00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:46.440 He did evil 00:37:46.440 --> 00:37:47.420 because he did not 00:37:47.420 --> 00:37:48.639 prepare to seek 00:37:48.639 --> 00:37:49.139 the Lord. 00:37:49.139 --> 00:37:51.779 His heart 00:37:51.779 --> 00:37:53.039 was turned, 00:37:53.420 --> 00:37:53.559 you know, 00:37:53.639 --> 00:37:54.659 Proverbs chapter 4. 00:37:54.679 --> 00:37:55.839 Look at Proverbs chapter 4 00:37:55.839 --> 00:37:56.599 in verse 23. 00:37:57.920 --> 00:37:59.139 It tells us this. 00:37:59.279 --> 00:37:59.460 It says, 00:37:59.699 --> 00:38:00.199 Keep thy heart 00:38:00.199 --> 00:38:01.059 with all diligence 00:38:01.059 --> 00:38:01.719 for out of it 00:38:01.719 --> 00:38:02.920 are the issues of life. 00:38:03.119 --> 00:38:03.839 How you prepare 00:38:03.839 --> 00:38:04.279 your heart 00:38:04.279 --> 00:38:05.059 to seek the Lord 00:38:05.059 --> 00:38:06.179 will affect what you do. 00:38:07.879 --> 00:38:09.199 You cannot disconnect. 00:38:10.779 --> 00:38:11.559 We find here 00:38:11.559 --> 00:38:12.679 that Rehoboam died 00:38:12.679 --> 00:38:14.699 at 58 years old 00:38:14.699 --> 00:38:15.319 and was buried 00:38:15.319 --> 00:38:15.920 in Jerusalem 00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:17.039 alongside his father 00:38:17.039 --> 00:38:17.779 and grandfather. 00:38:17.780 --> 00:38:20.380 It's interesting here 00:38:20.380 --> 00:38:20.840 as we go through 00:38:20.840 --> 00:38:21.340 the kings 00:38:21.340 --> 00:38:21.860 that oftentimes 00:38:21.860 --> 00:38:22.640 their mothers 00:38:22.640 --> 00:38:23.220 are mentioned. 00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:24.340 It says his mother 00:38:24.340 --> 00:38:26.160 was Namah the Ammonist. 00:38:26.820 --> 00:38:28.140 I want you to understand 00:38:28.140 --> 00:38:28.860 and we're going to see 00:38:28.860 --> 00:38:29.460 this play out 00:38:29.460 --> 00:38:30.019 a little later 00:38:30.019 --> 00:38:31.980 that as an Ammonite woman 00:38:31.980 --> 00:38:32.680 she would have 00:38:32.680 --> 00:38:33.540 worshipped Baal. 00:38:33.780 --> 00:38:34.740 Where did Rehoboam 00:38:34.740 --> 00:38:35.480 get influenced? 00:38:35.640 --> 00:38:35.980 What happened 00:38:35.980 --> 00:38:37.000 to his dad Solomon? 00:38:37.000 --> 00:38:40.099 His wives 00:38:40.099 --> 00:38:41.400 turned his heart 00:38:41.400 --> 00:38:42.119 away from God. 00:38:42.559 --> 00:38:43.059 Rehoboam 00:38:43.059 --> 00:38:43.880 had all the right 00:38:43.880 --> 00:38:44.320 upbringing 00:38:44.320 --> 00:38:45.400 and all the things 00:38:45.400 --> 00:38:45.960 and benefits 00:38:45.960 --> 00:38:47.199 to his account 00:38:47.199 --> 00:38:48.099 but his heart 00:38:48.099 --> 00:38:49.699 didn't seek 00:38:49.699 --> 00:38:50.460 to follow God. 00:38:50.659 --> 00:38:51.300 We'll see that 00:38:51.300 --> 00:38:52.280 even the influence 00:38:52.280 --> 00:38:53.719 of moms and parents 00:38:53.719 --> 00:38:55.860 are going to be important 00:38:55.860 --> 00:38:56.599 as we look 00:38:56.599 --> 00:38:58.139 at the kings 00:38:58.139 --> 00:38:59.079 as it goes up through. 00:38:59.380 --> 00:39:00.099 Because remember 00:39:00.099 --> 00:39:01.340 we have a responsibility 00:39:01.340 --> 00:39:02.739 not only to ourselves 00:39:02.739 --> 00:39:03.920 but those that come after. 00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:06.920 We'll end on this verse. 00:39:07.000 --> 00:39:07.760 We'll go to Deuteronomy 00:39:07.760 --> 00:39:08.960 chapter 4 for a moment. 00:39:10.099 --> 00:39:11.280 Deuteronomy chapter 4 00:39:11.280 --> 00:39:12.019 and verse 9 00:39:12.019 --> 00:39:12.840 says this 00:39:12.840 --> 00:39:14.059 only take heed to who? 00:39:16.340 --> 00:39:16.900 Thyself. 00:39:18.420 --> 00:39:20.000 And keep thy soul 00:39:20.000 --> 00:39:20.639 diligently 00:39:20.639 --> 00:39:22.480 lest thou forget 00:39:22.480 --> 00:39:23.099 the things 00:39:23.099 --> 00:39:24.579 which thine eyes 00:39:24.579 --> 00:39:25.039 have seen 00:39:25.039 --> 00:39:25.920 unless they depart 00:39:25.920 --> 00:39:26.820 from thine heart 00:39:26.820 --> 00:39:27.980 all the days 00:39:27.980 --> 00:39:28.659 of thy life 00:39:28.659 --> 00:39:29.920 but teach thy sons 00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:31.000 and thy sons 00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:32.000 sons. 00:39:32.380 --> 00:39:33.180 You know we don't want 00:39:33.179 --> 00:39:35.419 to forget 00:39:35.419 --> 00:39:36.079 the things 00:39:36.079 --> 00:39:36.719 in our heart 00:39:36.719 --> 00:39:37.379 that God has done 00:39:37.379 --> 00:39:37.859 for us. 00:39:38.039 --> 00:39:38.599 That's the reason 00:39:38.599 --> 00:39:39.119 that we need 00:39:39.119 --> 00:39:40.019 to always know 00:39:40.019 --> 00:39:40.799 that we need 00:39:40.799 --> 00:39:41.679 to prepare our heart 00:39:41.679 --> 00:39:42.279 to seek 00:39:42.279 --> 00:39:44.139 the Lord. 00:39:44.379 --> 00:39:45.279 Important thoughts 00:39:45.279 --> 00:39:46.039 as we consider 00:39:46.039 --> 00:39:48.279 lessons we can learn 00:39:48.279 --> 00:39:50.379 from the kings.