Does God Have My Very Best

DOES GOD HAVE MY VERY BEST?

2 Chronicles 12:1-16

1. Now it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, that he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel along with him.

2. And it happened, in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord,

3. with twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horsemen, and people without number who came with him out of Egypt the Lubim and the Sukkiim and the Ethiopians.

4. And he took the fortified cities of Judah and came to Jerusalem.

5. Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah, who were gathered together in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, "Thus says the Lord: `You have forsaken Me, and therefore I also have left you in the hand of Shishak.’ ’’

6. So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, "The Lord is righteous.’’

7. Now when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, "They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance. My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

8. "Nevertheless they will be his servants, that they may distinguish My service from the service of the kingdoms of the nations.’’

9. So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house; he took everything. He also carried away the gold shields which Solomon had made.

10. In their place King Rehoboam made bronze shields and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who guarded the entrance of the king’s house.

11. And whenever the king entered the house of the Lord, the guard would go and bring them out; then they would take them back into the guardroom.

12. When he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and things also went well in Judah.

13. So King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned. Now Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king; and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there. His mother’s name was Naamah, an Ammonitess.

14. And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.

15. The acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.

16. So Rehoboam rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David. Then Abijah his son reigned in his place.

Introduction:

Ill. The historical context of this passage. When Solomon died, he left a kingdom that was filled with splendor, power and the presence of God. When he died, he left his kingdom to his son Rehoboam. Unlike his father Solomon, Rehoboam was a very foolish and wicked man. He refused to acknowledge the good pf the people of Israel, and as a result, ten of the tribes rebelled against Rehoboam, divided Israel into two kingdoms and formed the Northern Kingdom. They chose a man named Jeroboam to be their king and the Northern Kingdom left the worship of Jehovah and fell into idolatry. Rehoboam, who was still king of Judah, or the southern kingdom, had an opportunity to walk with God and enjoy the blessings of the Lord. After all, Jerusalem and the Temple of the Lord were in his kingdom. Even the priests and the Levites left the Northern Kingdom and moved to Judah to serve the Lord, 2 Chron. 11:13-17. Yet, Rehoboam squandered the opportunities that he was given and walked away from God, refusing to serve the Lord like David and Solomon had done.

As you study of the life of Rehoboam, you quickly learn that his life is a lesson in privilege, pride and the judgment of God. One of the main problems with Rehoboam was that he simply refused to give God his absolute best. As a result, Rehoboam and his people paid a terribly high price.

I just want to remind you that God is worthy of our very best. Look at

Romans 12:1-2.

1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

2. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.