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2BC BIBLE STUDY NOTES

Wednesday in the Word

Second Baptist Church

November 2, 2022

2nd Chronicles 10 and 11

  1. Second Chronicles covers the time from Solomon’s ascension to the throne (971 BC) until the southern kingdom of Judah was finally carried into exile in Babylon in 586 BC. That period of time covers the time of the kingdom’s height to its lowest moment. God proves to all of Israel that an earthly king like other nations cannot replace a spiritual king. The author was more concerned with telling the story of David’s descendants, who reigned over Judah, than with the history of the northern kingdom of Israel. This can easily be attributed to the fact that the rebuilding efforts began in the southern kingdom. The centrality of Jerusalem, where the temple was located, falls in line with the book’s overarching focus on the priesthood as well. 2nd Chronicles was probably written in the fifth century BC, “following the return of a small group of Jews to Judah following the fall of the Babylonian Empire. Intent on rebuilding the temple and resettling the Holy Land, the little community soon found itself in a struggle simply to survive.” The Jews eventually rebuilt the temple but languished for years in their fight to reclaim the land. Against this backdrop, the chronicler portrayed Jewish history, focusing on the blessings God bestowed when leaders were faithful to His Law. The book opens with Solomon establishing his throne over a unified nation, solidifying his authority, and squashing early rebellions (1 Kings 2). He then built the magnificent temple of God, using the plans God gave to his father, David. Six of the nine chapters devoted to King Solomon focus on the temple construction, a task reserved for him since before his birth (2 Chronicles 2-7).

  2.  Chapter 10. This chapter is copied almost verbatim from l Kings 12:1-19. Solomon’s disobedience to God was not repeated, but the defection of the ten tribes from his family is. Following Solomon’s death, the nation split into two kingdoms: Judah. Judah was the name of Jacob’s fourth son and one of the 12 tribes in the south, comprised of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, A son of Jacob and tribe of Israel, and Levi, which had remained loyal to David’s house; and Israel, the ten northern tribes that broke away. The spilt of the Kingdom was prophesied in 1st Kings 11:11-13. 1st Kings 11 shares how God raised up adversaries against Solomon due to his disobedience. One of those adversaries was Jeroboam. The prophet Ahijah told Jeroboam that God was going to split the kingdom and give him ten tribes to rule. All Jeroboam had to do was stay faithful to God.

  3.  Rehoboam assumed he didn’t need to use the advice of those who were more experienced than himself. There is a lot to be said about advice from those who have lived longer and know more. Prior to the kingdom splitting, the people prepare to make Rehoboam king. Jeroboam was living in Egypt because king Solomon had run him out of town the same way Saul ran David out of town. There are similarities in both stories. Solomon began his reign doing what was right but fell off in his old ages due to the influence of his pagan wives. Instead of repenting, he tried to kill the one whom God was giving the kingdom to. Now that Solomon is dead, his son Rehoboam assumes he can do anything he likes. Rehoboam isn’t aware of the prophecy to split the kingdom. When the people arrive to make Rehoboam king, they request that he NOT do as his father did and loosen up on taxes and labor. Solomon demanded a great deal from the people, contrary to what Deuteronomy 17 said he should do. Solomon’s son Rehoboam is about to make the same mistake. The people make their request to Rehoboam, and he consults with his father’s old advisors. These men let Rehoboam know that he should loosen his grip on the people and show them kindness and favor. This was very good advice because this would endear him to the people. I suspect that these advisors were keenly aware of the complaints of the people. Instead of following that advice, Rehoboam asks his inexperienced younger friends what he should do. They tell him to tighten his grip and work the people harder. This is advice was very shortsighted. This advice didn’t consider the people rejecting the king out right. It also didn’t consider God not being on their side. These young men just assumed God would do what they wanted and that they were immune to consequences.

  4.  Three days later, Rehoboam gives the people a harsh answer to their request. He lets the people know that he will be even harder than his father. His response was foretold by the prophet and the people rejected him as their king. The people were already fed up with Solomon and they weren’t going to take anything from his son. The people knew his power was weakened, the only folk who didn’t know that were the royal family The Israelites that lived outside of Judah went home to their own town. Rehoboam attempted to assert power but the people rejected his leaders and stoned to death a man that was in charge of forced labor. The people even attempted to kill Rehoboam, but he escaped.

  5.  Chapter ll. Rehoboam escaped and returned home to muster an army from Judah. He was able to assemble 180, O00 troops, but a man of God by the name of Shemaiah, told the king that this was the Lord’s doing and that he should not go to war with his fellow Israelites. Israel was now two kingdoms. Rehoboam ruling the southern kingdom comprised of Judah and Benjamin, and Jeroboam ruling the northern kingdoms consisting of the remaining ten tribes.

  6.  Jeroboam was blessed by God to rule the northern ten tribes, but during the early part of his reign he became worried about his people going to Judah to worship during the three annual feast. Instead of trusting God, Jeroboam created his own altar and built a golden calf for the people to worship. You would think that he knew this would be a bad idea, but he was walking in fear. Read 1st Kings 12:26-33. When Jeroboam instituted his fake religion with fake priest, the real Levites living in those northern town moved to Judah in response. Not only did the Levites and priest flee the northern kingdom, many who wanted to stay true to God did as well.

  7.  Rehoboam married many women and put his sons over various territories in Judah and Benjamin. He followed in the path of older Solomon and became unfaithful to the Lord. We will read about his downfall in chapter 12.

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