2 Crônicas 11

2 Crônicas 11

SECOND CHRONICLES The Kingdom of Israel From Splendor to Disaster Splendor Disaster King Solomon of Judah 2 Chronicles 1-9 Successive Kings of Judah 2Chr 10-36 Kingdom United Kingdom Divided 2Chr 10:1-19 Rulers of the Southern Kingdom of Judah After the Split The Exile of Judah 2Chr 36:17-23 Inaugural 2Chr 1:1-17 Solomon's Temple 2Chr 2:1-7:22 Solomon's Glory 2Chr 8:1-9:31 Building of the Temple Decline & Destruction of the Temple Temple Destroyed ~40 Years ~393 Years Chart from Jensen's Survey of the OT - used by permission Click Chart from Charles Swindoll TIMELINE OF THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL, KINGS & CHRONICLES 1107 1011 971 931 853 722 586 1Samuel 2 Samuel 1Kings 1Kings 2 Kings 31 1-4 5-10 11-20 21-24 1-11 12-22 1-17 18-25 1 Chronicles 10 1Chr 11-19 1Chr 20-29 2 Chronicles 1-9 2 Chronicles 10-20 2 Chronicles 21-36 Legend: B.C. dates at top of timeline are approximate. Note that 931BC marks the division of the Kingdom into Southern Tribes (Judah and Benjamin) and Ten Northern Tribes. To avoid confusion be aware that after the division of the Kingdom in 931BC, the Southern Kingdom is most often designated in Scripture as "Judah" and the Northern Kingdom as "Israel." Finally, note that 1 Chronicles 1-9 is not identified on the timeline because these chapters are records of genealogy. NOTE: THESE COMMENTS ARE OFFERED IN AN "AS IS" FORMAT - IF I HAVE TIME IN THE FUTURE, THEY WILL BE UPDATED. CLICK 2 CHRONICLES COMMENTARIES FOR MULTIPLE SERMONS AND COMMENTARIES 2 Chronicles 11:1 Now when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. when Rehoboam: 1Ki 12:21 an hundred: Ps 33:10,16 Pr 21:30,31 See BELOW FOR BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR 1-2 CHRONICLES - adapted from Paul Apple's Bible Outlines Related Passages: 1 Kings 12:21-24+ Now when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 23 “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the rest of the people, saying, 24 ‘Thus says the LORD, “You must not go up and fight against your relatives the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing has come from Me.”’” So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way according to the word of the LORD. A CIVIL WAR IS LOOMING Joseph Hammond notes that "The first four verses of this chapter would have been better placed as the conclusion of the previous chapter. They correspond with 1 Kings 12:21-24+; and they tell how Rehoboam was restrained from making bad worse, in a hopeless attempt to recover the seceding ten tribes, by war that would have been as bloody as foredoomed to failure. (Pulpit Commentary) Now when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam - This was the Revengeful Reaction of Rehoboam (Paul Apple). See commentary on 1Ki 12:21. Ron Daniel - Once Rehoboam realized that this rebellion and rejection was for real, he gathered his remaining armies in Jerusalem. He was going to rule this nation by right or by might. QUESTION - Who was King Rehoboam in the Bible? ANSWER - Rehoboam was the son of King Solomon and king of Judah for seventeen years (931–913 BC). Solomon had turned away from God, and God told Solomon that He would tear the kingdom from him yet leave him one tribe. God also promised, for the sake of David, not to tear the kingdom away during Solomon’s lifetime but during that of his son (1 Kings 11:9–13). Shortly after Rehoboam became king, a rebellion placed the ten northern tribes under the rule of Jeroboam and left Rehoboam with his own tribe (Judah) and the tribe of Benjamin. Jeroboam started out as a servant of Solomon in charge of forced labor (1 Kings 11:28). A prophet told Jeroboam that he would be king over Israel (1 Kings 11:26–40). At some point, Jeroboam fled from Solomon to Egypt. But when Rehoboam went to Shechem to be installed as king of Israel, Jeroboam returned. The people sent Jeroboam to the new king to ask him to lighten the heavy load of labor and taxes that Solomon had laid on them (1 Kings 12:1–4; 2 Chronicles 10:3–4). The older advisers gave King Rehoboam the wise counsel to honor the people’s request and thus win their loyalty (1 Kings 12:6–7; 2 Chronicles 10:6–7). King Rehoboam asked the young men who had grown up with him for advice as well. They foolishly told the new king to threaten even harsher conditions. Rehoboam took the young men’s advice, and the people rebelled, abandoning the house of David and ultimately making Jeroboam their king (1 Kings 12:8–20; 2 Chronicles 10:8–19). Rehoboam fled to Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:18; 2 Chronicles 10:18), where he mustered 180,000 warriors from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to mount an attack. But Shemaiah, a prophet of God, delivered God’s message to Rehoboam: the troops should go home because the divided kingdom had come from the Lord. The people of Judah wisely listened and did not invade Israel (1 Kings 12:21–24; 2 Chronicles 11:1–4). However, there continued to be warfare between Jeroboam and Rehoboam throughout Rehoboam’s reign (1 Kings 14:30; 2 Chronicles 12:15). In the northern kingdom, Jeroboam promoted idolatry and removed the Levites from service, so the priests and Levites came to Rehoboam and served at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 11:13–15), along with all those who wanted to seek the one true God (2 Chronicles 11:16). Second Chronicles 11:17 says, “They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam the son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.” Rehoboam also built multiple cities for defense, with strong fortresses, commanders, and supplies (2 Chronicles 11:5–12). King Rehoboam “acted wisely” by placing his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, supplied ample provisions, and found them wives (2 Chronicles 11:23). Unfortunately, after King Rehoboam became established in the southern kingdom, he abandoned the ways of God (2 Chronicles 12:1). In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak king of Egypt captured the fortified cities in Judah and set out against Jerusalem. Shemaiah the prophet told Rehoboam, “This is what the Lord says, ‘You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak” (2 Chronicles 12:5). “The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, ‘The Lord is just’” (verse 6). Seeing their humility, God said He would not destroy them but would allow them to become subjects of Shishak. The Pharaoh attacked Jerusalem and removed all the treasures from the temple and the palace (1 Kings 14:26; 2 Chronicles 12:9). Rehoboam did make bronze shields to replace the gold ones his father had made (1 Kings 14:27; 2 Chronicles 12:10–11). Second Chronicles 12:12 says, “Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord’s anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah.” “Some good in Judah” seems a fitting way to characterize the reign of Rehoboam. He was unwise and perhaps brash in his treatment of the forced laborers, thus leading to his loss of the kingdom. However, that loss was God-ordained, and Rehoboam proceeded to follow the ways of the Lord for some time. But then he turned from God, and the nation slid into moral and spiritual decay. “Judah did evil in the eyes of the LORD. By the sins they committed they stirred up his jealous anger more than those who were before them had done” (1 Kings 14:22). They set up high places and had male shrine prostitutes in the land, which King Asa, Rehoboam’s grandson, would later remove. From King Rehoboam we learn the importance of wise counselors and maintaining faithfulness to God. When Rehoboam went his own way, things did not go well for his kingdom. When he listened to God, Judah was secure.GotQuestions.org Related Resource: Who were the kings of Israel and Judah? | GotQuestions.org 2 Chronicles 11:2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, to Shemaiah: 2Ch 12:5,7,15 1Ki 12:22-24 the man: 2Ch 8:14 De 33:1 1Sa 2:27 1Ti 6:11 Related Passages: 1 Kings 12:22+ But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, A CRITICAL CONTRAST But - Term of contrast - And this contrast (like many of them) is very strategic, very timely and marks an "about face" in what could have been a disastrous situation! The word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying - Prophetic Restraint Based on Divine Discipline (Apple). Shemaiah = "heard by Jehovah" See commentary on 1Ki 12:22. THOUGHT - Oh, to have ears to hear the Word of the LORD, when we are on the verge of taking some action which will prove very costly and painful! Let him who has ears to hear, hear what the Spirit is saying! Amen! John Barry - When Words Are Enough 2 Chronicles 11:1–13:22; Titus 2:9–2:15; Psalm 96:1–13 It’s not often that words change the course of history. But Shemaiah, a little-known prophet, was given such an opportunity. We can easily pass over these life-altering moments if we’re not looking for them. Rehoboam had assembled 180,000 chosen “makers of war” to fight against Israel in hopes of restoring his kingdom. He was prepared to destroy a portion of God’s people in order to gain a temporary victory. Then Shemaiah—a “man of God”—came along (2 Chr 11:2). When Shemaiah spoke for Yahweh, Rehoboam backed down; he sent the 180,000 men home (2 Chr 11:1–4). You can imagine Rehoboam trembling in fear as he told this enormous number of warriors, “Thanks for coming out today, but Shemaiah just told me that Yahweh doesn’t approve, so we can start fortifying this city instead (see 2 Chr 11:5–12), or you can just go home if you want.” Trust goes both ways in this story. Rehoboam trusted that Shemaiah spoke the true word of Yahweh, and Rehoboam had the trust of his men, who chose to listen to him instead of independently heading into battle. All of the parties decided to trust Yahweh, whether directly through His oracle or indirectly through following the words of their leaders. When things seem out of control, we expect God to show up. But we often make that request without regard for the foundation we should have laid before—when things were calm. Times of rest and waiting are not times to be stagnant; instead, they are times to get to know God better so that we are prepared for what’s next. Shemaiah prepared for this situation by knowing God—the best kind of preparation. How can you establish the foundation for your future ministry experiences now? (Connect the Testaments) Ron Daniel Before Rehoboam could lead his army to march into the north, Shem-aw-YAW the prophet brought in the word of the Lord: "Stop this immediately. These are your relatives." "These 'enemies' are your brothers." How we need to hear this today! I am sickened and disgusted by the infighting and factiousness that Christians demonstrate towards one another. Going to war with their own brothers. Isn't this what our enemy does? In the days of Gideon, the Midianites and the Amalekites were thrown into confusion and turned their swords against each other (Jdg. 7:22). In the days of Jonathan, the Philistines were thrown into confusion and turned their swords against each other (1Sam. 14:20). But today it is the church who is thrown into confusion and turns their swords against one another! Saints, these are our brethren. We are on the same side, opposing the same enemy. On March 23, 2003, a sergeant in the 101st Airborne Division stationed in Kuwait threw fragmentation grenades into tents, killing two officers, and wounding 14 other fellow soldiers. His treasonous actions mean that he will be facing the death penalty in a trial to begin this summer. If this sickens your stomach, imagine how your behavior of faultfinding, gossip, and character attacks against your fellow Christians make God feel? As the acting commander in this camp, I will not tolerate this behavior here. Factions and divisions, gossip and faultfinding, attacks against your brothers - why not just frag them with a grenade? It's faster and does less damage than this sort of behavior. Hear this now: point your arrows at the enemy, or you will be charged with treason and removed from the camp. Don't be dumber than Rehoboam. Even he received this warning: 2Chr. 11:4 ...So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam. Shemaiah is a frequent name in the OT. Here is the ISBE note on Shemaiah - A prophet who, together with Ahijah, protested against Rehoboam's contemplated war against the ten revolted tribes (1 Ki 12:22-24 = 2 Ch 11:2-4). He declared that the rebellion had divine sanction. The second Greek account knows nothing of Ahijah in this connection and introduces Shemaiah at the gathering at Shechem where both Jeroboam and Rehoboam were present; it narrates that on this occasion Shemaiah (not Ahijah) rent his garment and gave ten parts to Jeroboam to signify the ten tribes over which he was to become king. (This version, however, is not taken very seriously, because of its numerous inconsistencies.) Shemaiah also prophesied at the invasion of Judah by Shishak (2 Ch 12:5-7). His message was to the effect that as the princes of Israel had humbled themselves, God's wrath against their idolatrous practices would not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak (2 Ch 13:7). He is mentioned as the author of a history of Rehoboam (2 Ch 12:15). Walter Kaiser - 2Ch 11:2–4 This Is the Lord’s Doing? (see Hard Sayings of the Bible) After the ten northern tribes had renounced their allegiance to King Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, Rehoboam decided that he would force these renegades to submit to his sovereignty and to pay the taxes which were their reason for leaving. This would have pitted brother against brother in open civil war. But God sent his prophet Shemaiah to intervene. Rehoboam was commanded in the Lord’s name to abandon his attempt at a military solution. Shemaiah’s surprising announcement seemed to oppose all God’s previous promises. The prophet’s assurance that God had permitted the incident sealed the revolt but left us with a dilemma: How could the division of a nation be God’s doing if he had previously promised otherwise? Having David’s glorious kingdom divided into ten northern tribes and two southern tribes seemed contrary to every provision that God had so graciously given from the time of the patriarchs on. How could God apparently aid a cause that contravened his plan for Israel? The Lord approved the revolt not as the author of evil or as the instigator of the rebellion but as the one who must chastise the house of David which had refused to walk in his ways. Solomon had flouted the will and law of God by taking scores of foreign wives. These wives had turned him from the Lord and exposed him to divine anger. Rehoboam had only increased the guilt of the house of David. The tribes were already overwhelmed by taxation and unsatisfying treatment of their complaints. They had demanded that the burdens Solomon had placed on them be lightened, not increased. Instead, Rehoboam exacerbated the situation by deciding to tax them further. The ten northern tribes already disliked and resisted the theocratic rule of the house of David. While they correctly detected Rehoboam’s wrong attitudes toward his responsibilities as king, Rehoboam’s treatment did not justify their actions. They chiefly rebelled against the God who had selected the dynasty of David and the tribe of Judah as the royal tribe. Apparently they felt such rule did not represent enough of their northern interests; the taxation issue was as good a reason as any for seceding (see 1 Kings 12:19–24). Here we meet another passage where human freedom and divine sovereignty seem opposed. This phenomenon is especially prevalent in Chronicles. Once again we must note that the biblical writers did not always take time to spell out secondary causes; for what God permits, he is often said to do directly since he is ultimately in charge. What the North intended as a revolt against the South, and thereby against the plan of God, God used first to punish the house of David for its sin and second to reveal the North’s sinful tendencies and spiritual bankruptcy. This latter fact is underscored by the number of northern priests and Levites who abandoned their pasturelands and property to come to Judah and Jerusalem. The northern king, Jeroboam, had rejected their priesthood! With them came all those who “set their hearts on seeking the LORD, the God of Israel” (2 Chron 11:16). See also comment on GENESIS 50:19–21. 2 Chronicles 11:3 “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, to all Israel: Ge 49:28 Ex 24:4 2Ki 17:34 Php 3:5 Rev 7:4-8 Related Passages: 1 Kings 12:23+ “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the rest of the people, saying, GOD'S WORDS TO THE PROPHET “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying - This prophet is not foretelling but is forth telling, like preachers do from their pulpits every Sunday. 2 Chronicles 11:4 ‘Thus says the LORD, “You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.”’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam. against: Ge 13:8 2Sa 2:26 Ac 7:26 1Co 6:5-8 Heb 13:1 1Pe 3:8 1Jn 3:11-13 return: 2Ch 10:16 1Ki 22:36 for this thing: 2Ch 10:15 Ge 50:20 1Ki 11:29-38 Ps 33:11 Ho 8:4 they obeyed: 2Ch 25:7-10 28:9-15 Related Passages: 1 Kings 12:24+ ‘Thus says the LORD, “You must not go up and fight against your relatives the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing has come from Me.”’” So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way according to the word of the LORD. THUS SAITH THE LORD ‘Thus says the LORD, “You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.”’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam. - See commentary on 1Ki 12:24. Andrew Hill: This time Rehoboam heeds the advice offered, without asking for a “second opinion.” It is unclear what motivates his receptivity to the prophetic message—whether the ominous threat of Egyptian invasion prompting his fortification of strategic cities in Judah (11:5), the pang of conscience in the admonition not to wage war against “brothers” (11:4; cf. 28:11), or, most likely, the realization that the split of the united monarchy is the Lord’s “doing” (11:4; cf. 10:15). The kingdom is God’s to grant to whom he wills, not Rehoboam’s to regain by force. Clearly God’s will for the divided kingdom is peace because the northern tribes are as capable of repentance as the southern tribes are of apostasy. Rehoboam’s impetuous response to muster troops and wage war to counter Jeroboam’s coup calls to mind nuggets of Solomonic wisdom. Earlier Rehoboam sought advice but listened to foolish counsel (10:5–11). Here Rehoboam seeks no advice but plans his own course—only to have the Lord “determine his steps” (Prov. 16:9). But in heeding Shemaiah’s word, Rehoboam begins to act wisely by listening to advice and accepting instruction (Prov. 12:15; 19:20).