Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions!
One-sentence summary: The same story is retold from yesterday's blog: Rehoboam does evil in the Lord's sight.
The same story from yesterday's blog is retold. It says the Levites and priests had come to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam had rejected them from serving as priests and appointed priests for himself, "for the high places, for the demons and the calf idols he had made." After they leave, those from all the tribes who set their hearts to seek the Lord come to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, so they strengthen the king of Judah and make Rehoboam strong for three years because they walk in the way of David and Solomon for three years. It says he loves the granddaughter of Absalom more than all his other wives (18) and concubines (60), and has 28 sons and 60 daughters. Once he has established the kingdom and strengthened himself, he forsakes the law of the Lord and all Israel with him. In the 5th years, the king of Egypt comes up against Jerusalem because they had transgressed against the Lord, and they come with "people without number." He takes the cities of Judah and comes to Jerusalem. Then, the prophet Shemaiah comes to Rehoboam and the leaders in Jerusalem and says that the Lord has said that because they have forsaken Him, He has forsaken them into the hands of the king of Egypt. Hearing this, they humble themselves. When the Lord sees, He tells the man of God He will not destroy them but grant them some deliverance. He says they will still be the king's servants. The king takes away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the king's house and carries away the gold shields, and Rehoboam makes bronze shields in their place. The wrath of the Lord turns from him when he humbles himself, and things go well in Judah. He strengthens himself in Jerusalem and reigns 17 years there, but he does evil because he "[does] not prepare his heart to seek the Lord." There are wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days, and Rehoboam dies and is buried in the city of David, and Abijah his sons reigns in his place.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
When things go well for people, they forsake the Lord; when they are in need, they return to Him. That is why we should pray for God's will to be done in our lives: what is best for our souls and others for eternity!