Read: 2 Chronicles 11:1-13:22; Romans 8:22-39; Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 19:27-29
Today we do read some of the military wisdom of Rehoboam. He used his forced labor to build up 15 towns which he fortified as strongholds with weapons and walls. He dispersed his sons to live in these towns and rule them. For three years he continued the worship in the temple for the people who wanted to seek the Lord. He even listened when the Lord told him not to war against his own people Israel and obeyed.
After that three years, Rehoboam fell into pride and rebelled against the Lord. God sent Shishak king of Egypt against him. He captured those fortified cities and carried away the treasures of the temple. The temple was only 6 years old and was already being slowly destroyed. What happened to the temple was a direct reflection of what was happening to the temple inside the people’s hearts. God sent the prophet Shemaiah to tell Rehoboam that because he had abandoned the Lord, God had abandoned him. He and the leaders all humbled themselves and repented. This saved them their lives. Rehoboam replaced the gold shields that had been taken with brass ones and continued to rule Judah. When he died, his son, Abijah became king of Judah. Meanwhile, Jeroboam was king over Israel.
There was continual war between the kingdom of Jeroboam and the kingdom of Abijah. It ended in a showdown on Mt. Zemaraim where Abijah was outnumbered 2 to 1. Abijah stood up on the mountain and declared that they had not left the Lord but continued to worship God as He had commanded them. When he finished his speech he realized that Jeroboam had surrounded him on both sides. Abijah called on the Lord and they defeated the Israelites. He chased Jeroboam and took him from the town of Bethel. The Lord eventually struck Jeroboam down.
Romans 8 has some of my favorite verses in it. Paul says that the whole creation is in travail waiting for the birthing of our adoption as sons and the redemption of our bodies. This has to do with salvation and rebirth. Since we do not understand this with our natural mind, the spirit helps us by praying through us and for us. He knows the will of God so our prayers are perfect when we allow him to pray through us. God works everything for our good when we are devoted to Him. If God gave us his only son, Jesus, there is nothing he would withhold from us that is good.
Lord, thank you that nothing can separated us from your love.
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