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Scripture Reading: 2 Chron. 11:5-23; 13:1-21; 14:6-15; 15:1-15; 17:1-19; 19:1-11; 20:1-30
The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles are supplements to the other books of history in the Old Testament. In 1 Chronicles there is, first, a supplement to the history of mankind, for 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings do not include the genealogy of mankind, which is found in 1 Chronicles 1—9. In the previous message we covered the supplement to the history of David. In this message we will begin to consider the supplement to the history of the kings of Judah.
In 2 Chronicles 11:5-23 we have a word concerning the reign of Rehoboam.
Rehoboam was capable and wise (v. 23).
Although Rehoboam was capable and wise, he did not labor for God’s interest on the earth to build up the kingdom of God. Instead, he worked for his own interest, transmuting the kingdom of God into a monarchy not only for himself but also for his descendants (vv. 22-23). For this he lost the greater part of his kingdom. The kingdom of his father Solomon was glorious and splendid, but not long after Rehoboam began to reign, he lost nearly the entire kingdom. This loss was due to his failure to labor for God’s interest.
Rehoboam’s kingdom was on the proper ground of oneness according to God’s choice of a unique place (Deut. 12:13-14), and he was fundamental and not apostate, but the way he took and the condition he worked out were not proper. He remained on the proper ground in Jerusalem and he believed and kept the teachings of Moses according to God’s revelation. He did not leave God’s truth and God’s speaking, but he labored for his own interest, not for God’s interest.
All the elders should pay attention to this. Elders, you are on the proper ground and you may be fundamental, but for what are you laboring? Are you laboring for God’s interest or for your own interest? If you are for your interest, you make the local church a monarchy, your own little empire, not a part of the kingdom of God.
Due to the proper ground of Rehoboam’s kingdom and his fundamental faith, the priests and the Levites throughout all Israel abandoned their property and went to Judah and Jerusalem. Those from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts to seek Jehovah came with the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice (that is, to offer their offerings) to the God of their fathers, thus strengthening the kingdom of Judah and supporting Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years (vv. 13-17). Taking the proper ground and keeping the fundamental faith attracted the seekers of God, and they went to Jerusalem to join Rehoboam for the kingdom of God. However, actually he was not for the kingdom of God; he was for his own monarchy.
Rehoboam indulged his sexual lust by taking eighteen wives and sixty concubines and begetting twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters, and he sought for his sons many wives (vv. 21, 23). This brought in corruption to them, to their descendants, and to their monarchy. Although Rehoboam took the proper ground and was fundamental, he lived a life of the indulgence of lust. In this matter he was surely influenced by his father, who had hundreds of wives and concubines.
Second Chronicles 13:1-21 gives us an account of the reign of Abijah.
Abijah defeated Jeroboam the king of Israel (vv. 2b-20). In this matter Abijah was quite good.
Abijah proclaimed to Jeroboam and all Israel the apostasy of Jeroboam. Abijah and Judah took the fundamental standing, and Abijah advised Jeroboam not to fight against them with whom Jehovah stood (vv. 4-12). Here we see that Abijah stood on the fundamental ground to make a proclamation.
Jeroboam and the children of Israel were defeated by Abijah and the children of Judah, and Jehovah struck Jeroboam to death (vv. 13-20). This indicates that Jehovah stood with Abijah.
Abijah also indulged in sexual lust by marrying fourteen wives and begetting twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters (v. 21).
In 14:6—15:15 we have an account of the reign of Asa.
Asa built fortress cities in Judah, for the land was quiet and there was no war against him during those years, because Jehovah had given him rest (14:6-8). Asa was good, and God was pleased with him.
Asa defeated the Cushites by calling out to God and trusting in Him (vv. 9-15).
Asa carried out some further reforms (15:1-15). These reforms were in addition to those mentioned in 14:3-5 and 15:16, 18.
Asa’s further reforms were accomplished through the advice and encouragement of the prophet Azariah the son of Oded (15:1-7).
Asa put away the abominations (the idols) from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities that he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim and restored the altar of Jehovah (v. 8). The people had fallen to such an extent that they had given up the altar of God and had built altars for the worship of idols. But Asa dealt with that situation.
Asa gathered all Judah and Benjamin and all the sojourners with them from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon (for many from Israel threw in their lot with him when they saw that Jehovah his God was with him), and they sacrificed to Jehovah from the spoil. They also entered into a covenant to pursue Jehovah and covenanted that anyone who did not pursue Jehovah would be put to death. Thus Jehovah gave them rest all around (vv. 9-15).
Although Asa was a good king, in chapter sixteen he did some things that were wrong. When Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, Asa formed an alliance with Ben-hadad king of Syria (16:1-6). Hanani the seer came to Asa and rebuked him for trusting in the king of Syria and not trusting in Jehovah (vv. 7-9). Asa became angry with the seer and put him in prison. At that time Asa also oppressed some of the people (v. 10). In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became severely diseased in his feet, “yet even in his disease he pursued not Jehovah but the physicians” (v. 12). Eventually, Asa died in the forty-first year of his reign (vv. 13-14).
Second Chronicles 17:1-19 and 19:1—20:30 are concerned with the reign of Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat strengthened himself against Israel and put forces in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that Asa his father had taken (17:1-2).
Jehovah was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the former ways of David and did not pursue the Baals, the idols, and removed the high places and the Asherim from Judah. All Judah gave tribute to him, and he had riches and honor in abundance (vv. 3-6). In this record we see a principle that God keeps. This principle is that to whoever behaves before Him God gives rest to enjoy the good land.
Jehoshaphat established the kingdom of God by sending his officials, the Levites, and the priests to teach the children of Judah by the book of the law of Jehovah (vv. 7-9).
Jehovah caused all the kingdoms around Judah to fear Jehoshaphat and give him tribute, so that he grew exceedingly great and built a strong national defense and a great army of 1,160,000 mighty men of valor (vv. 10-19). That means that he was strong and that in his kingship he enjoyed the good land.
Jehoshaphat was rebuked by Jehu the seer for helping Ahab, the evil king of Israel (19:1-3; cf. ch. 18).
Jehoshaphat set up judges throughout all the fortified cities of Judah to take care of the cases of the people. The judges were under Amariah the chief priest in all matters concerning Jehovah and under Zebadiah the ruler of the house of Judah in all matters concerning the king, with the Levites serving them as officers (19:4-11). Here we see a healthy situation. There was a good priest taking care of the worship of God and a good ruler taking care of governmental matters. In addition, the Levites were faithful to Jehoshaphat. In such a healthy situation, Jehoshaphat enjoyed the good land because he feared God.
In 20:1-30 we see that Jehoshaphat defeated the great army of the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir by trusting in Jehovah.
Jehoshaphat set his face to pursue Jehovah and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah, and all the cities of Judah came to seek Jehovah (vv. 3-4). It was very good that he proclaimed a fast that the people would have a time to pray about their situation.
Jehoshaphat prayed to Jehovah in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem with their little ones, wives, and children (vv. 5-13).
Jehovah answered Jehoshaphat’s prayer through Jahaziel, a Levite. Jehoshaphat and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem worshipped Jehovah, with the Levites praising Jehovah, the God of Israel, with an exceedingly loud voice (vv. 14-19).
The next morning they went to meet the enemy with the encouragement of their king Jehoshaphat: “Believe in Jehovah your God, and you will be established; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed” (v. 20). They went also with the singers giving thanks in holy array before the army. Then Jehovah destroyed and demolished their enemy; and Jehoshaphat and his people gathered the spoil in abundance, more than they could carry, for three days. They came back to Jerusalem with harps, lyres, and trumpets to enter the house of Jehovah. This surely was a triumphant celebration. Thus the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God had given him rest all around (vv. 21-30).
From the cases of the kings covered in this message, we need to learn to be very careful to behave ourselves properly. God is great, but He also cares about all the details. We may be right in big things, but we may be wrong in small things, in the details. We should not think that it is a small thing to be wrong in the small things. In principle, to be wrong in anything, great or small, is a serious matter. In the record of God’s dealing with these kings of Judah, God took every detail of their behavior, even if it was quite small, as a reason to discipline them.
