Prayer: Father, Your ways are just. Your commandments are sure. Teach me today. Amen.
Reading: 2 Chronicles 12 key: 6-8 “Then the officers of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “Adonai is just.” But when Adonai saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Adonai came to Shemaiah saying: “Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but grant them some measure of deliverance, and My wrath will not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. However, they will become subjects to him so that they may learn the difference between serving Me and serving the kings of the earth.” TLV
Attention: The introduction of chapter 12 says it all, “he (king Rehoboam) and all Israel with him forsook the Torah of Adonai. It so happened that in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, King Shishak of Egypt marched against Jerusalem—because they had been unfaithful to Adonai.”
It had taken only a short three years for Rehoboam to fortify the cities which he retained control of. Northern Israel had already forsaken Adonai and now Rehoboam and the remainder of Israel followed. God was going to teach Israel a lesson. His judgement is just and meant to be corrective. God sent the Egyptian King Shishak against Jerusalem, but he did not destroy Jerusalem as they humbled themselves. They had enough moral compass to humble themselves, but not to repent and make sacrifice for their sin.
Israel will have a series of kings, some good, the rest, mostly bad. Much was written about David and Solomon. David because he repented and returned to God. Solomon because he asked for wisdom and fulfilled the wishes of David. Some of the rest of the kings may only have a short statement chronicling their kingship, because they chose to forsake Adonai.
All of Israel knew of the Torah. As the leadership (the king) complied, so did Israel. During the reigns of Israel’s kings, the spiritual health of Israel relied on the king.
Today, a King or a President may add influence, but our spiritual health is an individual decision. There is a spiritual secret in verse 14, “But he did evil because he had not set his heart to seek Adonai.” Rehoboam had not determined in his heart to seek and obey Adonai through His Torah. Adonai had established that there be on other gods. Israel was to worship Him (Adonai) only.
Seeking God and being obedient to His commands is still the option today. We have an individual option to obey His commands (The Torah) and the New Commandment (Luke 10:27).
Action: I choose to embrace and be obedient to the Commandments of Adonai.
Yield: I choose to submit to the sovereignty of Adonai.
Engage: I choose to engage with the Holy Spirit in being obedient to Adonai.
Relationship: I choose to live in obedient relationship with Adonai.
Prayer: Father, You are just in all Your ways. Amen.
Memory Verse: Luke 10:27 ““You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” TLV
Music Video: Sing Hosanna—This is My Commandment https://youtu.be/ywVJlUF-S7Q?si=3oTyXQCAXd9msy-G
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”