King Rehoboam

June 19 2006

Giving God Your Best - Verse of the Day : 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 Chronicles 12:1

Daily Bible Reading Plan

Morning : Ephesians 2

Evening : 2 Chronicles 10-12

When king Solomon died, he left behind a kingdom filled with power, splendor and the presence and glory of God. His throne was passed on to his son Rehoboam. Unlike his fathers Solomon and David, he was a very wicked and foolish man.

As a result, ten out of the twelve tribes of Israel rebelled against him, diving the kingdom of Israel into two halves, thus forming the Northern Kingdom. The temple of the Lord and the priests were there but the evil king had wasted all the opportunites that was given to him and backslided from God. He refused to serve the Lord like Solomon and David had done.

Firstly, Rehoboam had a major character problem. He operated in pride. Seeing his firmly established throne, he abandoned the law of God. He was saying to God, "Thanks for taking me so far, well, I can handle on my own now." The essence of pride is declaring oneself to be independent from God.

Next, Rehoboam had a problem with commitment. He was double-minded in his dedication to God. In verse 1, he walks away from the Lord. Then in verse 6, he repents. But in verse 14, it is written that "he did evil."

June 19 - King Rehoboam - Christian Daily Devotions

He was a person who is hot and cold, up and down, in and out. He was confused in his commitment to the Lord. God is looking for someone who is stable and totally devoted to Him.

Lastly, Rehoboam was a man of compromise. When Shishak king of Egypt came and plundered Jerusalem, he also took away the golden shield and all the treasures in the house of God (2 Chr. 12:9). Instead of telling the truth to the people of Judah that the golden shields were stolen, the king tried to deceive the people by making inferior substitutes made of bronze (12:10).

Instead of consolidating his army to go and recover what the king of Egypt had taken, he chose the path of compromise and hypocrisy. He compromised to save his reputation before the eyes of men.

What about you? Are you using your own human effort, or are you depending on the power of the Holy Spirit? Pride causes us to live and act as if we do not need God or His help.

Are you living a life of commitment to God? Are you 100% dedicated to Him? Does He have the real gold of your deepest devotion? Or are you offering an inferior "bronze" in your service and worship? Does God really have your very best?

June 19 - King Rehoboam - Christian Daily Devotions