2 Chronicles 11
by Pastor Mark Hudson
In chapter 11, the narrative provides little in terms of hope for a better future. The last verse of chapter 10 sadly concludes with “So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.” So, both Israel and Judah go to their separate corners and act like brothers, well brother-enemies. So, Rehoboam, fearing for his life in 10:18, now fortifies his defenses. He assembles (v. 1) where he also possibly trains 180,000 warriors “to fight against Israel” which is dismal commentary on where Israel and Judah are spiritually. Have we come to this already? Oh, it gets much worse. But as the troops are mustered, God sends a “man of God” who tells both the northern and southern tribes, “You shall not go up or fight against your relatives. (This is a hint – the other tribes are family.) Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me.” So, Judah “listened to the word of the Lord” which is a breath of fresh air. There are moments of hope sprinkled in a sad account.
Even though Rehoboam does not attack Jeroboam, he strengthens his defenses. In vs. 5-11, we are reading of Rehoboam’s fear. He fears the northern tribes or at least he is not sure what Jeroboam will do so one of his first tasks is defend Judah. As Rehoboam is working on protecting his tribe (Judah as well as Benjamin), who shows up but priests and Levites from Israel. Why do these priests and Levites show up? Because they were booted out of Israel. So why is that?
The temple centers all Israel in Jerusalem. But now that Jeroboam in the north has permanently left Judah, that means if the people in the north go to Jerusalem what might happen? They might stay in Judah. They may question why this unhealthy division? Maybe those wo travel to Jerusalem might even leave Israel for Juday. What Jeroboam wants is total independence from Judah. The temple will draw Israel back to Judah. So, in v. 15, “he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made.” Thus, begins or should we say continues, the idolatry. As we know, the division of the kingdom into Israel and Judah was from God, as II Chr. 10:15 reminds the reader, “for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the LORD might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.”
As a consequence, the true priest and Levities are forced to leave the northern tribes to go to Judah and Benjamin. Plus, those who were true believers followed, leaving behind their homes to follow the words of God who told them to worship and sacrifice at the temple. They provided 3 years of stability to Judah.
But in verse 18, the ugly head of multiple wives and concubines that we often read about in the Old Testaments rears its head. This pernicious sin is a serious blot against God’s people. It should disgust us as a perversion of what God intended. In v. 21 we read, “Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters).” Now imagine living in that home. Imagine being a “wife” or concubine or one of the daughters. Is that any kind of a home to grow up in? What are the children being taught about manhood or being a godly woman? We are not meant to shrug this off as “well, that is what they did back then.” Rather, we see how low sin takes us. Sin doesn’t free us but enslaves. Sin does not make us joyful; sin brings sorrow and despair.
The fact that King Rehoboam had 28 sons and 60 daughters makes us wonder if he knew their names. Did he spend time with them? Did he tuck them in bed at night when they were little and counsel them when they were (as we would say) pre-teen and teenagers? Did those children know their father? When you stop and think through the twisted relationships they all had to endure, it sounds pretty awful.
But God’s grace never leaves us completely although His judgments may fall on us. Whenever He does judge, His is always just. God also knows what is commensurate for our sins and He always provides a way of escape. How grateful we are for His grace.
Dear Lord, You have watched human beings sin against you as soon as we were created. Adam and Eve looked at that one fruit and decided they had to have it. They wanted independence from You and independence for You. Adam and Eve, as our representative or federal head, chose what they wanted, knowing that choice violated Your commands. And we have followed their example. We rightly deserve whatever judgements You choose for us. We do not deserve the grace we find in the gospel. The gospel is something way beyond what we could ask or imagine. Thank you that someday You will put all things to right. What a glorious day that will be. In our loving Savior’s name, Amen.