LESSON 18: EGYPT INVADES ISRAEL, JEROBOAM
AND THE NORTHERN KINGDOM, AND ASA AND THE ETHIOPIANS (2 CHR. 12-14)
CHAPTER 12—REHOBOAM FORSAKES THE LORD
In 2
Chronicles 12:1-6, we see that King Rehoboam "forsook the law of Jehovah,
and all Israel with him," so that Shishak of Egypt came up a mere five
years after Solomon's death and Rehoboam's coronation to easily take Judah and
the royal city of Jerusalem "because they had trespassed against
Jehovah" (2 Chr. 12:1-5). Not to be outdone by the religious competition
to the north, they built altars to paganism and even permitted male and female
cult prostitutes to practice their perversions in the land (1 Kin. 14:23-24).
In view of the fact that Jehovah was said to have traditionally driven out such
abominations when Israel entered Palestine years earlier (1 Kin. 14:23-24), one
wonders if perhaps someone did not argue (as many are doing now in regard to
crucial Bible Truths) that (1) God never meant such action as a pattern for
succeeding generations or (2) that nobody is smart enough to know if it was
sinful. Yet, God forsakes those who forsake Him.[1]
Shishak
brought allies with him. The Lubim were the Libyan people who lived on the
northern coast of Africa. The Sukkiim probably were Arabs living in North
Africa. The Ethiopians lived within the limits of Shishak’s territory as
Ethiopia bordered Egypt on the south. The enemy came with twelve hundred chariots
and sixty thousand horsemen, and an army of foot soldiers that was not
numbered. Without opposition Shishak took all of the villages in Judah (11:5-12) which had been fortified
against such an invasion.[3]
Imagine the embarrassment of the children of God as they watched
this pagan Egyptian taking away all the golden treasures of yesteryear (2 Chr.
12:9), the account of which archaeologists have found recorded on stones in the
ruins of the Egyptian temple of Amun at Karnak. Weep as you watch Judah's
leader, hurriedly scrounging up some leftover brass to make bronze substitute
shields for his guards (2 Chr. 12:10-11) when at one time silver was counted as
nothing. In view of the fact that Rehoboam and his princes humbled or repented
themselves in contrite prayer (2 Chr. 12:6-7,12) and in view of our God's
marvelous grace, God through the prophet Shemaiah granted "some
deliverance" whereby Judah was not destroyed altogether (2 Chr. 12:7, 12).
God left a remnant for the purpose of distinguishing His service from that of
the world (2 Chr. 12:8), just as I believe He will leave a faithful remnant of
His Son's church among today's factions, heresies, and divisions "that
they that are approved may be made manifest among you" (1 Cor. 11:19).[4]
Rehoboam
was more concerned about making a name for himself as a king than he was about
being a spiritual leader for his people, His reign of seventeen years offered
many opportunities for him to strive for the ideal established in Deuteronomy 17:14-20. He was forty one
years old when he became king. He had a remarkable heritage. In large measure
Rehoboam failed. He did not “set his heart to seek Jehovah.”[5]
CHAPTER 13:1-12 – ABIJAH’S SERMON AGAINST
JEROBOAM
Abijah's
career begins and ends with this chapter along with the eight verses of 1 Kings
15:1-8. Jeroboam was determined to guard his position as king and to prevent
any effort to unify the two kingdoms. Jeroboam drew up an army of eight hundred
thousand men. Abijah countered the move by drawing up an army of four hundred
thousand men. In the region between Bethel and the Jordan river in the mountains
of Ephraim at a place called Mount Zemaraim Abijah made a dramatic plea to
Jeroboam and the representatives of the northern kingdom. Apparently he asked
to be heard not because Judah was outnumbered, but because there were deep
national and .religious ties which civil strife would violate.[6] He
based his plea on the following facts:
1. God gave the kingdom to David and
his descendants by "a covenant of salt" -- one that could not be
broken (2 Chr. 13:5).
2. You are a servant of Solomon, yet
you are trying to take Solomon's throne (2 Chr. 13:6).
3. You, in your folly, have gathered
about you wicked and empty-headed men (2 Chr. 13:7).
4. You fail to recognize the sanctity
of the Davidic line and "think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the
hands of the sons of David" (2 Chr. 13:8a).
5. You have your "golden
calves" which "Jeroboam made you for gods" (2 Chr. 13:8b).
6. You have disregarded God's
appointed priests, the Levites, and have set up your own priests (2 Chr. 13:9).
7. He reminded Jeroboam that Judah had
not forsaken the Lord because the priests were ministering according to God's
commandments (2 Chr. 13: 10-11). "We keep the charge of our God."
8. "But ye have forsaken
him" (2 Chr. 13:11).
9. God is our captain. Now if you dare
to go to war under these circumstances, then you are fighting "against the
Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper" (2 Chr. 13:12).[7]
CHAPTER 13:13-22 – GOD SMOTE JEROBOAM AND ALL
ISRAEL
Jeroboam refused to listen to the warning and prepared an
ambush against Judah. The outcome of the battle is described in these words.
First, God "smote Jeroboam and all Israel" (2 Chr. 13:15). Second,
"The children of Israel fled before Judah" (2 Chr. 13:16). Third,
there was a great slaughter (2 Chr. 13:17). Fourth, Judah prevailed
"because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers" (2 Chr.
13:18). Fifth, Jeroboam never recovered strength again "in the days of
Abijah; and the Lord struck him, and he died" (2 Chr. 13:20).[8]
Many
today, as Jeroboam of old, are trying to change God's pattern. As a result many
are walking "by sight" and not "by faith." Such are
fighting against God and "they shall not prosper" (2 Chr. 13:12).[9]
CHAPTER 14:1-8 – ASA AND JUDAH ENJOY TEN YEARS
OF PEACE
Asa was
the son of Abijah (2 Chr. 14:1) and the grandson of Maachah (2 Chr. 15:16; 1
Kin. 15:13). He reigned forty-one years in Judah (1 Kings 15:8-10). The reign
of Asa was remarkable for his devotion to the true God. "And Asa did that
which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God" (2 Chr. 14:2).
The first
ten years of Asa's reign were quiet (2 Chr. 14:1) for the Lord gave Judah
"rest on every side" (2 Chr. 14:7b). During this period Asa
accomplished several things. First, he destroyed the idolatrous altars and
places of worship (2 Chr. 14:3). Second, he "commanded Judah to seek the
Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment" (2 Chr.
14:4). Third, he took away the "high places and the images" out of
all the cities of Judah (2 Chr. 14:5). Second Chr. 15:17 states "but the
high places were not taken away." There need be no contradiction suspected
since there are two (maybe more) possible explanations: (1) At the beginning of
Asa's reign he did take them away, but by the end of his reign the people were
using some again. (2) It is said of Jehoshaphat that "the high places were
not taken away; for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the
God of their fathers" (2 Chr. 20:32-33). Both kings did their best, but
they had not permanently carried the people with them. Fourth, he built walled
cities (2 Chr. 14:6-7). Fifth, he gathered an army (2 Chr. 14:8).[10]
CHAPTER 14:9-15 – ASA’S WAR WITH ETHIOPIA
Asa had an
army of 300,000 out of Judah and 280,000 out of Benjamin, but Zerah, the
Ethiopian, came against him with 1,000,000 men. Asa's military forces were
ill-equipped to engage this great host out of Ethiopia. Asa showed his total
dependence upon God when he "cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord,
it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no
power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against
this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God: let not man prevail against
thee" (2 Chr. 14:11).[11]
[1] Terry M.
Hightower. “The Grandeur of Solomon’s Reign; the Kingdom was Divided” in Studies in 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles.
Ed. By Dub McClish, Denton, TX: Valid Publications, Inc., 1993.
[2]
Thomas C. Brisco. Holman Bible Atlas.
Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.
[3] Robert E.
Black. The Books of Chronicles in
Bible Study Textbook Series. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1991.
[4] Terry M.
Hightower. “The Grandeur of Solomon’s Reign; the Kingdom was Divided” in Studies in 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles.
Ed. By Dub McClish, Denton, TX: Valid Publications, Inc., 1993.
[5] Robert E.
Black. The Books of Chronicles in
Bible Study Textbook Series. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1991.
[6] Ibid.
[7] James
Meadows. “Judah Under Abijah, Asa, and Jehoshaphat” in Studies in 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles. Ed. By Dub McClish,
Denton, TX: Valid Publications, Inc., 1993.
[8]
Ibid.
[9]
Ibid.
[10]
Ibid.
[11]
Ibid.
[12]
Ibid.
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