Prayer: Father, your servant is listening. Teach me, guide me. I desire to walk in Your wisdom and counsel. Amen.
Reading: 2 Chronicles 11 key: vs. 1-4 “Now when Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he assembled the House of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel in order to restore the kingdom back to Rehoboam. But the word of Adonai came to Shemaiah the man of God saying: “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin saying, ‘Thus says Adonai, You shall not go up nor fight against your kinsmen. Let everyone return to his house for this matter is of Me.’ “So they listened to the words of Adonai and returned from marching against Jeroboam.” TLV
Attention: So yesterday I wrote about the two opposing counsels’ given to Rehoboam and how he chose the wrong counsel. His decision led to the fracture of Israel which had been united by the One God they served and the One God they worshipped at the Temple, located in Jerusalem. Even though Rehoboam listened and acted upon the wrong counsel, God is declaring that the “matter is of Me.” He already knew the heart of the people located in the Northern part of the Kingdom.
The immediate actions of Rehoboam and Jeroboam are counter opposite. Rehoboam fortifies the cities which are within Judah or Benjamin. The kohanim and priests in the north, return to Judah leaving their homes and land. They are no longer needed up north, as “Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as kohanim to Adonai, and had appointed his own priests for the high places, for the he-goats and for the calves that he had made (vs. 14b-15).”
Remember, the tribes of Israel all came from one family. Now lines were drawn and the northern tribes were not only leaving their Southern family members, but they were also leaving the God they had collectively worshiped and served together. Even family members from the North who embraced Adonai, moved south with the kohanim and priests.
My family is fractured over spiritual matters. My parents left a spiritual heritage of serving Adonai and faith in Yeshua. Not all members of the family have followed their example. Faith in God is an individual choice. God does not force Himself on anyone. However, there are consequences for our rebellious nature as we will see in the lives of the Hebrew nation. When we leave of our own volition to serve another god, we are in direct violation of the Torah and Commandments of Adonai.
It is your choice. Whom have you chosen? I encourage you to declare today who you will serve!
Action: I declare today to worship, serve, and embrace the God of the Hebrew nation, Adonai.
Yield: I choose to submit to the sovereignty of Adonai.
Engage: I choose to engage with the Holy Spirit in worshiping Adonai.
Relationship: I choose to live in intimate, holy, obedient relationship with Adonai.
Prayer: Father, there is no other God. You alone are God. I choose to worship and serve You all the days of my life. Amen.
Memory Verse: Colossians 1: 27-29 “God chose to make known to them this glorious mystery regarding the Gentiles—which is Messiah in you, the hope of glory! We proclaim Him, warning and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Messiah. To this end I labor, striving with all His strength which is powerfully at work in me.” TLV
Music Video: Tim Hughes—Hope & Glory https://youtu.be/dbjlJpXuW20?si=ldnZEFiYS53ANbUP
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”