2 Chronicles 12

2 Chronicles 12:1

REHOBOAM’S APOSTASYIn the life of Rehoboam one sin led to another. Now we see that he leads his people in apostasy. God did not approve of Rehoboam’s conduct. People read the things these men did in the Old Testament, and they say, “Look what they did and they got by with it.” That is often said about Abraham when he took Hagar and had the boy Ishmael. Friends, he didn’t get by with it. Do you know who is the big problem in the Middle East today? The sons of Abrahamthe Israelites and the Arabs. Who is the Arab?

Well, I had an Arab guide take me down to the city of Jericho. I wanted someone who knew about the place, and this was a brilliant fellow who had worked with Sir Charles Marsdon and Miss Kathleen Kenyon in their excavations. He was very helpful to me. We were talking about the land, and I made the statement that God had given it to Abraham and to his offspring. This Arab smiled and looked me straight in the eye and said, “Dr. McGee, I am as much a son of Abraham as any Jew who is alive today.” And he was right!

He could trace his ancestry right back to Ishmael. He boasted of the fact that he was an Ismaelite, a son of Abraham. Did God approve when Abraham took Hagar? God records it as history. Then He lets you see the results. It certainly has never been a blessing.

In fact, it has been a thorn in the flesh down through the centuries. Now God records the apostasy of Jeroboam. Also He records the forsaking of the Law by Rehoboam and Israel. God condemns these things, but He records them as history.

2 Chronicles 12:2

INVASION OF EGYPTNow God’s judgment falls upon Rehoboam. For the first time He opens up that southern kingdom to the invasion of a major nation. You see, Rehoboam had forsaken the Word of God; he had led his people in apostasy. When he did this, God did something He had not done before. Previous to this, God had put a wall around His people, and the great nations of that day were not permitted to invade that territory. First, Shishak king of Egypt came up and carried away great booty. He lugged away a great deal of the gold and other wealth of that kingdom.

2 Chronicles 12:9

These, you recall, are the great shields of gold that David brought and that Solomon placed in the temple. After these had been captured as booty, Rehoboam substitutes something inferior. No longer do they have shields of gold; now they have shields of brass. The judgment of God is upon them because of their sins. This was a humbling experience for Rehoboam. He had been brought up in the affluence of the reign of Solomon and had experienced the blessing that had come. He had known nothing but wealth and luxury and expected it to go on forever. He begins to realize there may be an end to the glory of the kingdom of Solomon.

2 Chronicles 12:12

This reveals the amazing mercy of God. When this man humbles himself, God immediately withdraws judgment upon him and the people of Judah.

2 Chronicles 12:13

It is interesting to learn who was Rehoboam’s mother. You recall that David had been very friendly with the Ammonitesalthough they had made war against him. Now we find that Rehoboam, his grandson, was the son of an Ammonite woman. She undoubtedly had something to do with the character of this man. As we saw in the Book of Kings, God always mentions the mother’s name. Why? Because she bears part of the responsibility for her son. If he turns out well, she shares in the credit. If he turns out to be a wicked, evil king, she must take part of the blame.