READING THE BOOK OF Second Chronicles CHAPTER Twelve.
Our favorite verse in 2 Chronicles Chapter 12 is:
When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: “Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. (2 Chronicles 12:7 NIV).
Obey the divine command.
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Historical Commentary.– “God did not allow the apostasy of the ruler of Judah to go unpunished. “In the fifth year of King Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem … The people had not yet reached such extremes of apostasy as to disregard God’s judgments. Through the losses suffered by the invasion of Shishak, they recognized the hand of God, and for a time humbled themselves. stating: “The Lord is righteous.” God saw them humbling themselves, and the word of the LORD came unto Shemaiah, saying, As they have humbled I will not destroy them, I will save them, and my wrath shall not be poured upon Jerusalem by Shishak hand. However they will be his servants, so they may know what is serving me and serving the kings of the nations (PR 69).
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Forgetting that God is the one who provides and bless us. – Rehoboam obeyed God and went to fight against their brothers of the northern kingdom, therefore, God approved this act of obedience, in just three years God blessed him with wealth, walled cities, and strengthened his kingdom. Unfortunately: “After Rehoboam strengthened his kingdom and the throne said, he and all Israel abandoned the law of the Lord and became unfaithful” (Rev. 1:2). This circle of apostasy was repeated over and over in Israel’s history, as it often happens in our lives. God blesses us, multiply our efforts and makes us successful, these achievements are often categorized as “luck” and attribute them to our own capabilities, thus abandoning the source of POWER, eventually losing everything that may have been achieved as it happened with Rehoboam.
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Our actions bring consequences.- Shishak took all the treasures that David, Solomon and Rehoboam had accumulated, both from the temple and the palaces. God forgave Rehoboam and the people, but did not prevent their idolatrous acts to bring its painful consequences, God said, “however, [the people of israel will] become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.“(see 8).
Prayer
Merciful Father, thank you for not abandoning in our sins and errors. thank you for offering us your pardon and giving us opportunities. In the name of Jesus, amen.
By Dr. Franz Rios, Translated and adapted by Pablo J. Rios.
