Rehoboam's second folly

1After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel^a with him abandoned the law of the Lord. 2Because they had been unfaithful to the Lord, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam. 3With twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen and the innumerable troops of Libyans, Sukkites and Cushites^b that came with him from Egypt, 4he captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem.

5Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said to them, “This is what the Lord says, ‘You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.’ ”

6The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is just.”

7When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: “Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. 8They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.”

9When Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem, he carried off the treasures of the temple of the Lord and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields Solomon had made. 10So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned these to the commanders of the guard on duty at the entrance to the royal palace. 11Whenever the king went to the Lord’s temple, the guards went with him, bearing the shields, and afterward they returned them to the guardroom.

12Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord’s anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah.

13King Rehoboam established himself firmly in Jerusalem and continued as king. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite. 14He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the Lord. (2 Chronicles 12)

Thoughts: Solomon was wise and rich.  When he died his wisdom died with him, but his riches were left behind.  His son, Rehoboam (whose mother worshiped a different god), tried hard to be better than his father but he missed out.  The key ingredient was wisdom.  Rehoboam was no dummy.  He fortified cities and put storerooms in them.  He felt safe and rich and forgot about God.  God became less than secondary to him. Rehoboam's first folly divided the kingdom.  This folly of pride cost him his riches.  He did not "set his heart on seeking the Lord."  Solomon had married an egyptian princess, daughter of Shishak.  But her son did not become king.  Doubtless Shishak remembered the riches and the alliance had been broken at Solomon's death.  Shishak brough soldiers from Ethiopia, South Sudan and Lybia with him.Rehoboam humbled himself and God spared him.  

Prayer: Lord let me seek you and your will for me.  Let me humble myself before you all my days.